Deborah’s
Torah Nuggets
Torah
Reading-Genesis 1:1-6:8
Tikvah Micheal “The Blessed
Home”
“If there is one important facet
of Judaism that must be learned –it is this- the Jewish people know how to
celebrate and appreciate times. Jewish
life revolves around Shabbats and Feast seasons. And rightly so, because this is the way HaShem created it to
be. He has given us a “peak” to every
week, because we need it and He knew it.
We should highly esteem and awe the beautiful concept that our Creator
has fully given to us for our pleasure”
Dwight A. Pryor from his
article Last in Creation, First Intention
“The Siddur liturgy succinctly
summarizes the treasured place of the Sabbath in Jewish tradition with these
words: “Last in creation, first in intention.”
Shabbat is the crown of creation and the first thing made holy by the Creator. “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it…” Genesis 2:3. The six days of creation are “good” but only the seventh day is “hallowed”. With the Sabbath, time itself becomes sanctified, and the resulting redemptive rhythm pervades and punctuates the whole of Jewish life.”[1][2]
Genesis 1:1-2 Amplified Bible
In the beginning G-d (prepared,
formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth. The earth was
without form and an empty waste and darkness was upon the face of the very
great deep. The Spirit of God was
moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. And G-d said…..
And so creation began, everything G-d did was for one purpose that was that His man would have the perfect place to live in His presence.
Everything He created was complete perfection. The Sun, Moon and Planets were put exactly where they needed to be so that the earth would be warmed and watered, and that all the fruit and vegetation would grow and flourish. Every herb and plant was give for Adams use, the animals were given for fellowship, and finally Eve was sent to be his perfect helpmeet.
Everything G-d made was “good”, the original earth was absolutely beautiful, there was no pollution, the Ozone layer was intact, the earth/eretz had its own built in sprinkling system, mist came up from the ground and watered all the vegetation. We cannot even begin to imagine how beautiful it was, but we do know it was modeled after heaven. G-d created heaven on earth for Adam and Eve and crowned His finished work with Shabbat.
Genesis 2:1-2
“Thus the heavens and the earth
were finished, and all the host of them.
And on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done; and
set it apart as His own, and hallowed it because on it God rested from all
His work which He had created and done.”
John D. Garr Ph.D calls
says this about Shabbat
“The only place where
remembrance is enjoined upon man in the Decalogue is in relationship to
Shabbat. Shabbat, therefore, could be
called a remembrance principle. God has
graciously established markers, in time to call his people to remembrance of
his mighty acts. Why? Because human
beings, unlike the Creator, are forever forgetful.
God, who seeks those who will
worship him in spiritual truth, is ever setting before forgetful man mnemonic
devices, the most important of which are his markers in time. Shabbat is this principle of stopping at
appointed times, ceasing the mad rush of human activity to reflect on and
interact with God himself. The principle
of Shabbat as a call to remembrance is manifest in the daily, weekly, monthly,
annual and generational markers that remind man of divine appointments (three
hours of prayer daily, the weekly Sabbath year, and the Year of Jubilee). Each
of these stopping points is a time for reflection and celebration, remembering
the Creator and honoring him.”[2][3]
Take a stroll this Shabbat, look at the beauty of His creation. Yes it has been marred by sin and pollution, but there is still beauty all around us if we look hard enough you will see the hand of G-d even in the smallest blade of grass. I used to love to lay on my lawn, and peek through the blades of grass to watch the little world that was going on, sight unseen. Little bugs running around, busy doing the work God had created them to do. Or I would lay upon my back and look up at the clouds and imagine all kinds of pictures they would make as they past by, and at night I would gaze up in the sky and contemplate the awesomeness of G-d and how He held me in the palm of His hand.
The greatest awe of all was when my son was born, how awesome is His creation, how awesome is His love for His creation.
Psalms 139:1-24 (Living Bible)
1 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about
me.
2 You know when I sit or stand. When
far away you know my every thought.
3 You chart the path ahead of me and
tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.
4 You know what I am going to say
before I even say it.
5 You both precede and follow me and
place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 This is too glorious, too
wonderful to believe!
7 I can never be lost to your
Spirit! I can never get away from my God!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there.
9 If I ride the morning winds to the
farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide
me, your strength will support me.
11 If I try to hide in the darkness,
the night becomes light around me.
12 For even darkness cannot hide from
God; to you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both
alike to you.
13 You made all the delicate, inner
parts of my body and knit them together in my mother's womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully
complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous--and how
well I know it.
15 You were there while I was being
formed in utter seclusion!
16 You saw me before I was born and
scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded
in your book!
17,18 How precious it is, Lord, to
realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can't even count how many
times a day your thoughts turn toward me. And when I waken in the morning, you
are still thinking of me!
19 Surely you will slay the wicked,
Lord! Away, bloodthirsty men! Begone!
20 They blaspheme your name and stand
in arrogance against you--how silly can they be?
21 O Lord, shouldn't I hate those who
hate you? Shouldn't I be grieved with them?
22 Yes, I hate them, for your enemies
are my enemies too.
23 Search me, O God, and know my
heart; test my thoughts.
24 Point out anything you find in me
that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Dr. Samuale Bacchiocchi
‘The Sabbath contains three
significant messages for the human family: (1) the Lord has created us
perfectly (2) He has redeemed us completely, (3) He will restore us ultimately.
The Sabbath invites us weekly to celebrate joyfully creation, redemption,
restoration; the past, the present, and the future divine accomplishments for
the human family, man, nature and God; this world and the world to come”