Weekend Meditation--Renewal In A Season Of Wisdom!!!

1 Corinthians 13


We are walking in today: Weekend Meditation--Renewal In A Season Of Wisdom!!!!


Witness renew throughout the Bible: H2318 chadash-- to be new, renew, repair; make anew; to repair; to renew oneself

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew H2318 a right spirit within me.

The Torah testifies.........……
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The prophets proclaim..................
 1 Samuel 11:14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew H2318 the kingdom there.

The writings bear witness............
 2 Chronicles 15:8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed H2318 the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.

 Psalm 103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed H2318 like the eagle's.

Psalm 104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest H2318 the face of the earth.

1 Corinthians chapter 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

How quickly the days go by; how quickly the seasons change! It seems that we’ve just begun the task of teshuvah and now Rosh Hashanah is upon us. Perhaps that’s part of the reason why Hebrew tradition sets aside an entire month to help us get ready. We need the month of Elul to help us slow down and reconnect with what matters most of all-- our relationship with The Most High, others and ourselves.

But perhaps we’ve wasted time this past month, squandering the opportunity to undergo self-examination and to take account of our lives before The Most High? It’s never too late, really. The gates of repentance are always open. “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart” (Heb. 3:15).

Though it’s a difficult and sometimes painful process, the primary goal of teshuvah is healing from the oppression of our sins and the restoration of our relationships. Someone once said that great sins are like great possessions-- both are difficult to give up. We have to be willing to “give up our sins” in order to find inner healing (and :giving up our sins” also may mean breaking free of the “pride-shame” cycle). Often we can only get to this point when we are afflicted and weary of our soul’s sickness. We get sick of our sickness. Looked at this way, our afflictions are a really gift from The Most High to help us turn and surrender to Him. As the psalmist wrote: “It was good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes” (Psalm 119:71).

It’s important to remember that one of the main goals of HaSatan is to induce a sense of forgetfulness and apathy. HaSatan wants you to forget that you are a son or daughter of the King. The entire venture of teshuvah presupposes that you are created in the image of The Most High and therefore you have infinite value and dignity. This is all the more evident in light of the awesome ransom that Yeshua our Most High paid in order to reconcile your soul with The Most High. What is the greatest sin you can commit in your life? To forget what The Most High has done for you. Remaining asleep, unmindful of your true identity is one of the most tragic things of life. Therefore Rosh Hashanah is sometimes called the “Day of Remembrance” (Lev. 23:24). The blast of the shofar is meant to jolt us from our sleep. We are to remember who we really are-- and to remember that The Most High is our King. The person who says, “Tomorrow I will do teshuvah” really is saying, “Not now.’’ And then tomorrow comes and he says, “Not now.” And in this way his entire life passes by, saying, “Not now.” Finally one day he wakes up only to find himself already dead.

The essence of Torah is to love your neighbor as yourself. Teshuvah means, among other things, understanding how far we are removed from this ideal and how we might move to remedy the breach. This is a daily task, an ongoing duty. But we cannot give away what we don’t have, so if we’re deficient in self-love, we will be unable to genuinely love others, too. Part of loving others is the obligation to forgive yourself for your sins. For some people, this might mean “accepting that they are accepted” by The Most High. Real change is difficult-- some would even say impossible-- though with The Most High all things are possible-- including the miracle of a heart of stone turning to flesh.

Forgiving others is a way to be free of their hold over us. It is letting go of the pain of the past and finding courage to press on in hope. Some of the sages recommend beginning your prayers with, “I hereby forgive all who have hurt me this day.”

Shema Selah we must turn to be renewed in our thoughts, hearts and minds to remain aligned with the Most High! 

What Are You Desiring In A Season Of Wisdom????!!!!!!

Jeremiah 29

We are walking in today:  What Are You Desiring In A Season Of Wisdom????!!!!!!

Witness require throughout the Bible:  H1245 baqash--to seek, require,  desire, exact, request

1 Samuel 20:16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require H1245 it at the hand of David's enemies.

The Torah testifies.........……

 Genesis 31:39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare  the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require H1245 it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

The prophets proclaim..................
 Nehemiah 5:12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require H1245 nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

 The writings bear witness............
  Ecclesiastes 3:15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth H1245 that which is past

Isaiah 1:12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required  H1245 this at your hand, to tread my courts?

Jeremiah chapter 29 and its entirety focus verse 13
You will seek me and find me if you search for me with all your heart.

What are you seeking today? (John 1:38) The Spirit of the Living Most High calls out, “Seek Me and live” (Amos 5:4). If you are feeling empty today, ask The Most High to feed you with His life-giving food. Ask Him for energy, power and strength. Seek The Most High and His goodness. He is faithful and true and will surely answer the sincere cry of the heart: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

“You will seek me and find me if you search for me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13)

Note that this verse includes the implication that we will discover that The Most High is the answer to our heart’s cry for love, significance, purpose, etc., when we search for Him with all our hearts (but not the other way around). In other words, if we do not search for The Most High authentically with the full passion of our hearts- then we will not find Him, since The Most High only reveals Himself in the truth of reality. Some things in life are only known in the passion of faith. Things like love, beauty, honor, and so on. The heart has its reasons that reason knows not of.

The problem with many of us is not that we are so hungry, but rather that we are not hungry enough. We settle for junk food when The Most High spreads out his banqueting table before us. There is a “deeper hunger” for life, and I pray we are all touched by such hunger pangs; there is a “blessed hunger and thirst” that feeds our heart’s cry for The Most High (Matt. 5:6); there is a “divine discontent” that leads to a deeper sense of contentment for the heart.

In the end, if we cannot say we have lived well, then nothing else matters. Seeking The Most High is a process, a “how” of life, not a recipe or formula, no matter how venerated. Seeking The Most High is the goal of life, and in the world to come, I am afraid that most of us will regret that we did not pursue the Eternal with all our hearts while we had the opportunity to do so.

Shema Selah our hearts should be positioned upon the desires of the Most High!!

Creation on Elul day 25!!!

Genesis 1

We are walking in today:  Creation on Elul day 25!!!

Witness create throughout the Bible:  H1254 bara'--to create, shape, form, fashion, create (always with God as subject)

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created H1254 the heaven and the earth.

The Torah testifies.........……
 Genesis 1:27 So God created H1254 man in his own image, in the image of God created H1254 he him; male and female created H1254 he them.

The prophets proclaim..................
 Isaiah 41:20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created H1254 it.

The writings bear witness............
 Psalm 148:5 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. H1254

Isaiah 45:12 I have made the earth, and created H1254 man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.


In popular Judaism thought, in regards to Rosh Hashanah as the date of the Creation of the universe by The Most High, but the Midrash notes that it occurred six days earlier, on the 25th of Elul, when The Most High created the Divine light by saying, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3). The sages reasoned that since the gematria for the word yehi, “let there be”, is 25, and man was created on Rosh Hashanah, the first work of creation actually began on Elul 25 of the Hebrew calendar.

According to Hebrew tradition, this first “Friday” of creation was the first Rosh Hashanah, the “head of the year”, since it represents the day that the Most High began to rule as King of the Universe. When Adam first opened his eyes and human consciousness was born, he immediately understood that The Most High created all things, including himself. According to the midrash, Adam’s first words were, “The Lord is King for ever and ever” (Exod. 15:18). The Most High then said, “Now the whole world will know that I am King,” and He was very pleased. This was the moment of creation, when the Most High saw all that He had made “and found it very good” (Gen. 1:31). The birthday of humanity is therefore the Coronation Day for the King of the Universe. Psalm 47 celebrates the Kingship of  the Most High that mentions the “shout” and shofar blast of the Most High’s coronation.

After The Most High judged Adam and Eve, He compassionately gave them skin of a sacrificial lamb as their covering (Gen 3:21). This First Sacrifice, offered by the Hand of the Most High Himself, foreshadowed the coming Sacrifice of the Lamb of the Most High who was slain “from the foundation of the world” (1 Pet. 1:20). On the very first day of mankind’s creation, then, The Most High initiated His plan of redemption and salvation through Yeshua as the divine Light of the world.

“Great is teshuvah, for it preceded the Creation of the World, as it says, ‘Before the mountains came into being, You reduced Man to nothingness, and said ‘Return’ (Psalm 90:2-3).” This idea suggests that the Most High created humanity with the intent of ultimately revealing Himself as Redeemer and Savior. Therefore we see the Lamb of the Most High slain “from the foundation of the world” (1 Pet. 1:20) restoring the kingdom that was prepared for those chosen to be redeemed “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4, Matt. 25:34). The Book of Revelation likewise mentions the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain “from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8, 17:8).

Shema Selah the Most High created the world on Elul 25, what is being created in you today?

What Are You Speaking In A Season Of Wisdom????!!!

Proverbs chapter 4


We are walking in today:  What Are You Speaking In A Season Of Wisdom????!!!

Witness tongue throughout the Bible: H3956 lashown--tongue (of men); tongue (literal); tongue (organ of speech)

Psalm 34:13 Keep thy tongue H3956 from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

The Torah testifies...............
 Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. H3956

The prophets proclaim..................
 2 Samuel 23:2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. H3956

The writings bear witness..........................
 Joshua 10:21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue H3956 against any of the children of Israel.

Proverbs 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue H3956 keepeth his soul from troubles.




Proverbs 4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Our words reveal what is hidden within our hearts, and therefore- because words and thoughts are intimately connected- we must be very careful about how we think, and especially about how we esteem others. The foundational principle of guarding our speech is to always judge others in the best possible light. This involves recognizing the good in others, and choosing to see with a “good eye”. It is better to judge favorably even if we are in error than it is to judge critically even if we are telling the truth.


The sages say that our judgments carry weight in heaven. The words we say, whether good or bad, call for a response in the realm of spirit. This is hinted at by the Hebrew word for “thing”, which also means “word”. When we defend someone and speak favorably of him or her, our words mean something and favorably dispose heaven itself; on the other hand, if we accuse them or are critical of them, we align our thoughts with hasatan, and the opposite effect is produced. Moreover, there is great danger when we accuse others of wrongdoing, since we thereby open ourselves up to reciprocal judgement (Matt. 7:3-5). It takes great wisdom and humility to offer godly correction to others, and it is vital that we approach this matter with fear and trepidation. Our motive must always be love for the other person, never vindictiveness or pride.


Listen to the words of your heart and understand that they are “things” that are defining the course of your life right now. Proverbs 4:24 says, “more than all else, guard your heart, because from it are the bounds of your life.” Our thoughts and words are ultimately “prayers” we are constantly offering. How you think/pray determines the “bounds” or course of your life. As Yeshua said, “According to your faith be it done unto you” (Matt 9:29).

Yeshua spoke of “good and evil treasures of the heart” that produce actions that are expressed in our words (Luke 6:45). The focus here is not so much on the externals (for example, the use of profanity), but rather on the underlying condition of the human heart. Our inward motive determines our thinking, which in turn affects the way we act and use words. We must be on guard to keep away from evil speech by focusing on what is worthy, lovely, and of good report (Phil. 4:8).

May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to The Most High, our strength and our redeemer. Amen.

Shema Selah for our words are to be HIS words that give light and are life giving!!

Cease From Double-Mindedness In A Season Of Wisdom!!!

James 1


We are walking in today: Cease From Double-Mindedness In A Season Of Wisdom!!!

Witness shake throughout the Bible: H5128 nuwa`--to shake, cause to totter, to shake, disturb, to cause to wander

Psalm 22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake H5128 the head, saying,

The Torah testifies...............
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The prophets proclaim..................
 Isaiah 37:22 This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken H5128 her head at thee.

The writings bear witness..........................
 2 Kings 19:21 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken H5128 her head at thee.

Psalm 109:25 I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked H5128 their heads.


In the Sefer Torah (the handwritten scroll), the first letter of the word tamim (wholehearted) is written extra large in order to emphasize the importance of the word. Notice also the little word “with” that follows in this verse. This hearkens to Micah 6:8 “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Having a humble heart walks with the LORD. Humility begins with the awareness that 1) There is a Most High God and 2) you are not HIm. It is the practice of “knowing before whom you stand” and living your life in light of this fundamental truth.

The scriptures warn that a “double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8). The word translated “double-minded” is dipsuchos, a word formed from “twice” and “soul”. The word describes the spiritual condition of having “two souls” that both want different things at once. It is therefore a state of inner contradiction, of having two separate minds holding contradictory thoughts. “How long will you go limping between two opinions?” Notice that the word translated “limping” is posechim, from the same root as Passover: How long will you pass from one thing to another? How long will you play “hot potato” with your commitments?

Having a double mind makes us “unstable in all our ways.” Such a cross-eyed approach leads to disorientation and confusion. The Greek word used to describe being “unstable” is the same word used to translate being “storm-tossed and not comforted”. The image of a ship being tossed in the sea pictures a state of distress and peril. Interestingly, the description of being “not comforted” is lo nuchamah, which comes from the very word translated as “repent” or “regret”. When we are double-minded, we are “storm tossed” and unstable to experience the comfort that comes from genuine repentance. We are like “a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6).

On the other hand, singleness of vision concentrates the will and produces wholeheartedness, conviction, stability, inner peace (shalom) and genuine character. Purity of the heart is to will one thing.” “I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” (Psalm 16:8).

The antidote for having a “double-mind” is explicitly given in the scriptures: “Draw near to The Most High and He will draw near to you, cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). Note that the verb used in this verse (“draw near!”) means to come so close to The Most High that we are able to “touch” Him-- and to be touched by Him as well. Drawing near to The Most High is The Most High’s way of drawing near to you. In other words, as you draw near to The Most High, He will draw near and touch you.

In practical terms, here are some specific things we can do to “draw near to The Most High so that He will draw near to you.” First we can simply pray and earnestly cry out to The Most High for help. The Most High is not indifferent to our suffering and has promised to give us the Holy Spirit to help us. But genuine prayer requires honesty and confession, which means agreeing with the truth about your condition. This means, among other things, identifying the ways you have withdrawn from your relationship with The Most High. Indeed, the word homologeo literally means “saying the same thing.” There’s little use trying to pretend before The Most High or to rationalize your own double-mindedness before Him. The Most High knows the number of hairs on your head; He surely knows the condition of your heart!

Second, we must vigorously challenge ideas that attempt to seduce us away from the truth and thereby divide our affections. We must learn to take “every thought captive” to Messiah and be on guard for subtle appeals to compromise (2 Cor. 10:5). If we find ourselves in a state of recurring temptation, we must examine the underlying assumptions that are at work in our thinking. If we dig deeper, we are likely to discover that we doubt that The Most High cares for us, or we are fearful that The Most High will not meet our needs. We must therefore counter such assumptions with The Most High’s revealed truth, and that means regularly studying the scriptures to remind ourselves about what is real rather than what is illusory. We then can learn to look at life as it really is- a spiritual world, a “valley of decision,” a corridor that irresistibly leads to the world to come.

Third, we can practice our faith by keeping up with Torah study, observing Shabbat, enjoying fellowship with other believers, singing to worship music, ministering to others in need, etc. These are the works of love in our lives. (John 15:22). Our faith is not meant to be a “head trip” or an intellectual exercise: we are meant to live it out in the world. And as we live it, our faith itself becomes strengthened and authenticated. Just as loving others increases - not decreases - the love we ourselves have, so with the practice of faith.

Finally, on a spiritual level what ultimately changes the heart is The Most High’s salvation, of course. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail” (John 6:63). This salvation is not simply freedom from the penalty of sin but freedom from its power. Heartache and despair can lead to “godly grief that leads to genuine repentance in our lives (2 Cor. 7:10).

Ultimately “Salvation is from the Most High,” and brokenness of our spirit is The Most High’s gift to us. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” This word pictures someone crouching as a helpless beggar, totally dependent on The Most High for help. If you are struggling, ask The Most High to help you submit your “heart sickness” to Him. It’s HIS work, not your own, that saves. The Most High alone truly changes the heart. Repentance is a miracle from heaven given to you, personally.

We must decide whether we will serve The Most High or Baal. We must quit “limping between two different opinions.” You cannot serve two masters. The Most High wants us to make up our minds. He wants us to declare our loyalty in response to His love. Now is the time. Today is the day.

Shema Selah, what is it that you are halting between?? Become single in your mind and focus and go the way the Most High is leading you!! 

ELUL: A Time Prepared For Forgiveness!!

Psalm 27; Song of Solomon


We are walking in today: Weekend Meditation--ELUL: A Time Prepared For Forgiveness!!


Witness face throughout the Bible: H6440 paniym--face, faces, presence,
person, before and behind, toward, in front of



Genesis 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face H6440 to face, H6440 and my life is preserved.



The Torah testifies...............

Exodus 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face H6440 to face, H6440 as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.


The prophets proclaim..................

Ezekiel 20:35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face H6440 to face. H6440


The writings bear witness..........................

Judges 6:22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face H6440 to face. H6440


Psalm 119:135 Make thy face H6440 to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p-N3uxmKzI

I Am My Beloved’s

Song of Solomon 6

We are walking in today:  I Am My Beloved’s

Witness seek throughout the Bible:  H1245 baqash--to seek, require, desire, exact, request, to find, to seek to secure, to seek the face, to desire, demand

Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek H1245 the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

The Torah testifies...............
Genesis 37:15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest H1245 thou?

The prophets proclaim..................
 Zephaniah 2:3 Seek H1245 ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek H1245 righteousness, seek H1245 meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

The writings bear witness..........................
 Ruth 3:1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek H1245 rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

Psalm 70:4 Let all those that seek H1245 thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

I Am My Beloved’s
The name “Elul” is an acronym for the biblical phrase, ani ledodi vedodi li—“I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine.” In other words, the intense love between The Most High and the Hebrew people comes to the surface during Elul. This particular verse also indicates that during Elul, it is man who takes the initiative in his relationship with The Most High. This verse is contrasted with a similar verse, “My Beloved is mine, and I am His,” which reflects a different expression of this love relationship. “My Beloved is mine” suggests the initiative is taken by divine revelation, which then evokes a response from man. “I am my Beloved’s,” by contrast, suggests an expression of love initiated by man, to which The Most High responds.

This time describes the tightening of the bond between The Most High and the Hebrew people in the month of Elul with the following parable:

Before a king enters his city, its inhabitants go out to greet him and receive him in the field. At that time, anyone who so desires is granted permission [and can] approach him and greet him. He receives them all pleasantly, and shows a smiling countenance to all . . .

This parable appears to contradict the direction suggested by the phrase, “I am my Beloved’s,” for the parable seems to indicate that in Elul it is The Most High Who initiates the relationship, by revealing His Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. (The sages explain that these Attributes refer to an unlimited expression of divine love.) In contrast, the verse “I am my Beloved’s” indicates that the initiative is taken by man.

This difficulty is resolved by explaining that the revelation of the king in the field, i.e., the expression of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in the month of Elul, generates the potential for the initiative to be taken by man. Otherwise the people of the field, ordinary men whose spiritual attainments are modest, would be incapable of turning to The Most High with the inspired commitment expressed by the phrase, “I am my Beloved’s.”

Though the potential is initially granted from above, the nurturing of the love relationship depends on man’s initiative. The revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy is merely a catalyst. In going out to the field, the king makes himself accessible to his people. It is the people, however, who take the step of turning to him.

The parable is further used to explain the difference between the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in the month of Elul, and the revelation of these attributes on Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur, the king is in his palace; The Most High reveals Himself in all His majesty. During Elul, however, the king is in the field; The Most High reveals Himself at a level which can be apprehended by man within the framework of his mundane reality.

However, The Most High descends to this level not only in order to make Himself accessible to man. Rather, to borrow the terms of the analogy, the king meets his people in the field because a field has intrinsic value.

A field is a place where grain grows. Growing grain and converting it into the food which sustains us requires a great deal of effort. And this effort symbolizes the full scope of our activities within our mundane sphere.

The value of these activities can be seen from the fact that most of our time is spent dealing with our material needs and earning the means by which to provide for them, as it is written, “Six days shall you work, and the seventh day shall be a Sabbath unto the Lord, The Most High.”

Faced with this state of affairs, we are inclined to wonder why The Most High designed a world in which man is forced to involve himself primarily in material rather than in spiritual activities. The reason for this seemingly problematic apportioning of time is that it reflects the purpose of creation. The Most High created the world so that He could have a “dwelling place in the lower worlds.” In accordance with this desire, our service of The Most High has to center on the ordinary details of existence for the purpose of infusing them with godliness, and not on the purely spiritual as it exists on an abstract plane.

In light of this, we can appreciate the significance of our parable to the month of Elul. The king’s presence in the field represents the ultimate purpose of creation. Our efforts must be directed towards bringing godliness into our material world. The Most High’s presence must be found not only in the royal palace, i.e., where spirituality is manifest; rather, even the lowest realms of existence must be transformed into a dwelling place for Him.

The parable of the king in the field expresses the importance of our divine service within the framework of the ordinary, but it also underscores the unique relationship between the king and His subjects. In the field, “he receives them all pleasantly and shows a smiling countenance to all.” In the “field,” The Most High allows His subjects to relate to Him as His presence is manifest.

Throughout the year, we emphasize the importance of carrying out our service of The Most High in the field with the intent that this should lead to the revelation of the King’s presence. In Elul, which marks the culmination of this service—and the preparation for the coming year—our efforts are rewarded by the perceptible revelation of the King’s presence.

In light of this, we can understand the importance of increasing our Torah study during Elul, for the revelation of the King’s presence is dependent on the study of the Torah. As mentioned above, our service of The Most High in the field involves primarily mundane matters. We concern ourselves with activities which are not in and of themselves holy, but are performed “for the sake of the King.” “All your deeds should be for the sake of heaven.” And it is likewise written, “Know Him in all your ways.”

Because The Most High desires a dwelling place in the lower worlds, this mode of divine service is valuable, but because it involves materiality, godliness is not manifest within this framework. It is, however, revealed through the study of Torah, because the Torah, the embodiment of The Most High’s will and wisdom, is one with Him.

The Most High’s will is that His presence be revealed “in the field”; i.e., that we recognize our world as His dwelling place. This revelation depends upon the Torah study of the people of the field. Although they may be engaged in mundane activities for most of the day, the fixed times that they set aside for Torah study infuse their entire day with Torah. In this manner, manifest godliness is drawn down into every aspect of their lives, even into the day-to-day activities of “the field.”

The “men of the field” need not forego their ordinary activities entirely and devote themselves solely to Torah study. This is not what The Most High desires. In the parable, when the king passes through the field, the people pause from their work and approach him. Similarly, during Elul, although the “men of the field” continue their daily activities, because they are aware of the King’s presence, they should also increase their Torah study.

Hence the emphasis during Elul on Torah study as well as prayer, for they are both associated with the verse, “I am my Beloved’s.” In fact, our love relationship with The Most High is most completely expressed through the study of the Torah. Thus the verse, “He kisses me with the kisses of His mouth,” alludes to Torah study, a time at which The Most High’s words are in one’s mouth.

By intensifying our love relationship with The Most High during Elul, we ensure that the entire Hebrew people is inscribed with a kesivah vachasimah tovah, and is granted abundant blessings in the coming new year. May those blessings include the most fundamental and necessary blessing—the coming of the Redemption—and may this take place in the immediate future.

Shema Selah the King is in the field, making Himself accessible to those working in the field--He comes to meet us with a smiling face!! 

Song of Solomon 2

We are walking in today: The King in the Field

Witness sanctuary throughout the Bible: H4720 miqdash--sacred place,
sanctuary, holy place

Exodus 15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, H4720 O Lord, which thy hands have established.

The Torah testifies...............
Exodus 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; H4720 that I may dwell among them.

The prophets proclaim..................
Ezekiel 45:4 The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, H4720 which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place H4720 for the sanctuary. H4720

The writings bear witness..........................
1 Chronicles 22:19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary H4720 of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 30:8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, H4720 which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

The King in the Field

There is a profit in the land over all else, for the king is sustained by the field

Ecclesiastes 5:8

Elul, the last month of the Jewish year, is a time of paradox — a time of what might be termed, "spiritual workdays."

The Hebraic calendar distinguishes between two general qualities of time: "mundane" (chol) and "holy" (kodesh). Ordinary workdays are "mundane" portions of time; Shabbat and the festivals are examples of "holy" time. On "holy" days, we disengage ourselves from the material involvements of life to devote ourselves to the spiritual pursuits of study and prayer. These are also days enriched with special spiritual resources (rest on Shabbat and freedom on Passover), each providing its unique quality to the journeyer through calendar and life.

In the latter respect, the month of Elul resembles the "holy" portions of the calendar. Elul is a haven in time, a "city of refuge" from the ravages of material life; a time to audit one's spiritual accounts and assess the year gone by; a time to prepare for the "Days of Awe" and Yom Kippur by repenting the failings of the past and resolving for the future; a time to increase in Torah study, prayer and charitable activities. Elul is the opportune time for all this because it is a month in which the Most High relates to us in a more open and compassionate manner than He does in the other months of the year. It is a time when the Most High's "Thirteen Attributes of Mercy" illuminate His relationship with us.

Yet unlike Shabbat and the festivals, the days of Elul are workdays. On Shabbat, the Torah commands us to cease all physically constructive work (melachah). The festivals, too, are days on which melachah is forbidden. Regarding the month of Elul, however, there are no such restrictions. The transcendent activities of Elul are conducted amidst our workday lives in the field, shop or office.

The paradox of Elul can be seen with the following metaphor: The king's usual place is in the capital city, in the royal palace. Anyone wishing to approach the king must go through the appropriate channels in the palace bureaucracy and gain the approval of a succession of secretaries and ministers. He must journey to the capital and pass through the many gates, corridors and antechambers that lead to the throne room. His presentation must be meticulously prepared, and he must adhere to an exacting code of dress, speech and mannerism upon entering into the royal presence.

However, there are times when the king comes out to the fields outside the city. At such times, anyone can approach him; the king receives them all with a smiling face and a radiant countenance. The peasant behind his plow has access to the king in a manner unavailable to the highest ranking minister in the royal court when the king is in the palace.

The month of Elul, is when the king is in the field.

The Field

Bread is the "staff of life" that "sustains the heart of man." There was a time when most everyone plowed, sowed and harvested the grain that sustained him and his family; but even today, when only a small percentage of us farm the land, we all labor for bread. Everyone works in the field — be it the wheatfield or cornfield, or the field of banking, steelmaking, medicine or advertising.

Indeed, the field is the prototype employed by Torah law to define the "work" that distinguishes between the holy and mundane days of the calendar. There is a  list of the types of work forbidden on Shabbat:

The categories of work are forty minus one: sowing, plowing, reaping, making sheaves, threshing, winnowing, picking the chaff from the grain, milling, sifting, kneading, baking... 

Each of these activities represents an entire category which includes many different types of work. For example, leveling the ground to make a tennis court is tantamount to "plowing"; mixing cement is a form of "kneading"; sorting laundry would fall under the category of "picking the chaff from the grain." But the prototypes that head and dominate the list of forbidden labors are labors of the field. 

For eleven months of the year, our lives alternate between the field and the palace, between the "process of bread-making" of material life and the sublime moments in which we leave the field to enter into the royal presence. In the month of Elul, however, the king comes to the field.

What happens when the king comes to the field? To understand the essence of Elul, we must first examine the relationship between the palace and the field — between Shabbat and the workweek, between the very concepts of "holy" and "mundane." Are they really as distant from each other as their very different facets suggest?

The Sanctuary

Let us take a closer look at the "work of the field" and the "process of bread-making" that defines our workday lives.

The Torah chooses a rather roundabout way to convey to us the 39 types of work from which we must desist on Shabbat and the festivals: by linking the laws of Shabbat to the laws of the Sanctuary.

Following the revelation at Sinai, the Most High commanded the people of Israel to construct a "Sanctuary" for Him. Detailed instructions were given to Moses on how to shape fifteen materials (gold, silver, copper, wood, flax, wool of various colors and several types of animal skins) into a "dwelling for the Most High  in the physical world."

In both the 31st and 35th chapters of Exodus, the commandment to cease work on Shabbat and Most High's instructions concerning the construction of the Sanctuary immediately follow each other. The Torah juxtaposes these two seemingly unrelated laws in order to teach us that the 39 creative acts which the construction of the Sanctuary necessitated are the same 39 categories of work that are forbidden to us on Shabbat:

A person is guilty of violating the Shabbat only if the work he does has a counterpart in the work of making the Sanctuary: they sowed (the herbs from which to make dyes for the tapestries); you, too, shall not sow [on Shabbat]. They harvested [the herbs]; you, too, shall not harvest. They loaded the boards from the ground onto the wagons; you, too, shall not bring an object from a public domain into a private domain...

For the work of the Sanctuary is the prototype for the work of life. In the words, "This is what man is all about, this is the purpose of his creation and the creation of all worlds, supernal and ephemeral — to make the Most High a dwelling in the physical world."

In other words, the work forbidden on Shabbat and the festivals — the work that defines the difference between the "holy" and "mundane" days of our lives — is not mundane work at all. It is holy work — the work of forming the physical world into a home for the Most High. Why, then, are the days on which this work is done regarded as the "mundane" days of our lives? And why are the days on which we are commanded to cease this work "holier" than the days on which this work is done?

The Lookout Tower

Indeed, the difference between the "holy" and "mundane" times of our lives is not a difference in essence, only a difference in perspective. Yet the reality of physical life is that to achieve a change of perspective one must change the place and position from which one looks.

Beyond its mundane surface, the material world possesses a deeper truth — its potential to house the goodness and perfection of its Creator. The purpose of our workday lives is to reveal this potential — to develop the material world as a home for the Most High. But on the workdays of our life, this potential is all but invisible to us, obscured by the very process that serves to bring it to light. Our very involvement with the material prevents us from experiencing its spiritual essence. To do so, we must rise above it.

A "holy" day is an elevation in the terrain of time, a lookout tower that rises above the surface of our workday lives to behold the true essence of our world — the essence we are laboring to actualize. (In the words of our sages, "Shabbat is a taste of the World to Come.") Rising to these "lookout points" means interrupting our life's work; but without these periodic glimpses from a higher, more detached vantage point, our involvement in the material may well become an enmeshment. Instead of sanctifying the mundane, we may find ourselves being profaned by it.

So one day a week, and on special occasions throughout the year, we cease our work in "the field" to gain a more transcendent view of our workday labors. Then, when we re-enter the so-called "mundane" days of our lives, the Shabbat or festival experience lingers on. Enriched with insight into the true nature of our labors, fortified by the vision of what our involvement with the material will ultimately achieve, our workday lives become more focused on their goal, and less susceptible to the diversions and entanglements of the mundane.

The Exception

For eleven months of the year, our lives alternate between the holy and the mundane — between the material labor of life and the spiritual vision of that labor's objective. For eleven months of the year, we must, at regular intervals, cease our work and rise above it in order to glimpse its soul and purpose.

The exception to this rule is the month of Elul. For during the month of Elul, the king comes to the field.

The king is the heart and soul of the nation, the embodiment of its goals and aspirations. The king, though sequestered behind the palace walls and bureaucracy, though glimpsed, if at all, through a veil of opulence and majesty, is a very real part of the farmer's field. He is the why of his plowing, the reason for his sowing, the objective of his harvest. No farmer labors for the sake of labor. He labors to transcend the dust of which he and his field are formed, to make more of what is. He labors for his dreams. He labors for his king.

So is the king in the field an apparition out of its element? Hardly. We may not be used to seeing him here, but is not the royal heart, too, sustained by bread? His bread may be baked in the palace, its raw ingredients discreetly delivered to a back entrance; the golden tray on which it is served may in no way evoke the loamy bed from which it grew; but it is the yield of the field all the same.

The king in the field is making contact with the source of his sustenance, with the underpinnings of his sovereignty. And the field is being visited by its raison d'être, by its ultimate function and essence.

Shabbat is when the farmer is invited to the palace. On Shabbat, his overalls are replaced with the regulation livery, his vocabulary is polished and his manners are refined, his soul and fingernails are cleansed of the residue of material life. On Shabbat, the farmer is whisked from the hinterland to the capital and ushered into the throne room.

But Elul is when the king comes to the field.

When the farmer sees the king in his field, does he keep on plowing? Does he behave as if this were just another day in the fields? Of course not. Elul is not a month of ordinary workdays. It is a time of increased Torah study, more fervent prayer, more generosity and charity. The very air is charged with holiness. We might still be in the field, but the field has become a holier place.

On the other hand, when the farmer sees the king in his field, does he run home to wash and change? Does he rush to the capital to school himself in palace protocol? But the king has come to the field, to commune with the processors of his bread in their environment and on their terms.

In the month of Elul, the essence and objective of life become that much more accessible. No longer do the material trappings of life conceal and distort its purpose, for the king has emerged from the concealment of his palace and is here, in the field. But unlike the holy days of the year, when we are lifted out of our workday lives, the encounter of Elul is hosted by our physical selves, within our material environment, on our working-man's terms.

Shema Selah, will you turn to the KIng while He is yet in the field?

Elul, A Season of Judgment, Mercy, Repentance!!

Deuteronomy 30


We are walking in today: Elul, A Season of Judgment, Mercy, Repentance!!


Witness merciful throughout the Bible: H2623 chesed-- faithful, kind, godly, holy one

Deuteronomy 4:31 (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

The Torah testifies...............
 Exodus 34:6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

The prophets proclaim..................
 2 Samuel 22:26 With the merciful H2623 thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.

The writings bear witness..........................
 Psalm 18:25 With the merciful H2623 thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

Jeremiah 3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, H2623 saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.


Elul and the Days of Awe: The Season of Judgment, Mercy, Repentance, and the Return of Yeshua‏

“Return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey His voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 30:2)

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways.’” (Haggai 1:7)

Elul, the sixth month of the Hebrew calendar. This month begins the season of blowing the shofar (ram’s horn) and seeking The Most High in sincere teshuvah.

The Hebrew word for repentance or returning to the Lord is teshuvah. This is a word that indicates a turning back (shuv) to the Most High. We see this word used in Genesis 3:19 when the Lord tells Adam “and to dust you will return (va-el afar tashuv).” Teshuvah indicates both a turning away from evil as well as a turning toward what is good. In turning toward the Most High, one dedicates his entire soul to serving Him.

“Return, faithless Israel, declares Adonai I will not look upon you in anger, for I am merciful, declares Adonai. I will not be angry forever.” (Jeremiah 3:12)
Judgment and Mercy in Elul and the Days of Awe

Elul leads up to the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe), a time of intensely focusing on repentance and forgiveness. The Days of Awe begin with Erev Rosh Tishrei on September 29 and end with the close of Yom Kippur on the night of October 9 (1–10 Tishrei).

As such, it is traditionally considered to be a time of introspection, taking stock of one’s life, evaluating one’s actions, and contemplating what one has accomplished during the previous year both materially and spiritually. The very word Elul (which is an ancient Akkadian word meaning harvest) is similar to the Aramaic root verb meaning search. Elul is followed by the month of Tishrei, which is a period of reconciliation.

According to Hebrew tradition, Moses returned to Mount Sinai during the month of Elul, remaining there for 40 days following the incident of the Golden Calf (Exodus 32; 34:27–28). This would have been the time between the new moon of Elul and the holy day of Yom Kippur, which is the 10th of Tishrei, a period of 40 days in which he prayed to The Most High to forgive the Hebrew people for the sin of the Golden Calf. According to the book of Hebraic teachings, his returning with a second set of tablets is considered as evidence of The Most High’s mercy.
Elul: Wisdom and Understanding, Mercy and Forgiveness

Because Hebrew letters are also numbers, a mystical belief or tradition has arisen in Hebric understanding regarding deciphering the meaning of words by evaluating their numeric value.

The letters that make up the word Elul have a number value of 67, so it is associated with another Hebrew word that shares the same numeric value: the word binah (בינה),which is Hebrew for wisdom or understanding. From this, it is supposed that the month of Elul is the time given to us by The Most High to grow in wisdom, a time for reflecting on where one stands within the overall framework of The Most High’s mercy and justice.

While the preceding month, the Hebrew month of Av, with its many catastrophes, may suggest a moving away from The Most High, Elul becomes the time to grow in binah (wisdom) and to begin to make things right with Him—the time for teshuvah or repentance.

It is also possible to read 67 as 6+7, resulting in the number 13. For this reason, Elul is also associated with The Thirteen Attributes of Divine Mercy that are based on The Most High’s words to Moses when He passed by him on Mount Sinai:

“Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord The Most High, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.’” (Exodus 34:6–7)


The Exodus passage above reveals The Most High’s divine mercy toward the Israelites who sinned, and so it is read as part of the Selichot (forgiveness) prayers that are recited daily during this 40-day period of Elul plus the Ten Days of Awe. These days are a time of spiritual cleansing culminating with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Thus, Elul is also referred to as the month of mercy and forgiveness. It is the time to renew one’s efforts in prayer, Torah study and charity and to ask forgiveness from others that you may have harmed. It is a Hebrew tradition that The Most High cannot forgive us for sins committed against another person until we first go to the person we have wronged and obtain forgiveness. When we combine this tradition with Yeshua’s emphasis on forgiveness, we see in this process an opportunity for real reconciliation:

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14)

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25)

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37)

As Believers, the miracle of forgiveness should begin in our hearts long before the offender begs us for forgiveness. Nevertheless, may we also be quick to recognize when we have hurt or offended another and be swift to apologize and ask for forgiveness. This season of Elul is the perfect time for us to take stock and actively seek forgiveness.
The Number 40 in the Bible

The start of the month of Elul begins a 40-day period in which every individual and the community as a whole takes time for introspection. The number 40 is mentioned 146 times in the Bible and most often refers to a period of testing or trial.

Here are a few examples:

Yeshua fasted for 40 days in the Judean wilderness following His mikvah (baptism) by John.

The Hebrews wandered for 40 years in the wilderness (Numbers 14:33–34).

Moses tended sheep for 40 years for his father-in-law, Jethro, before he was called to lead the Hebrew nation from captivity in Egypt. He also fasted on two separate occasions on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights while receiving the law from God (Exodus 24:18; 34:1–28).

Jonah gave the people of Nineveh a 40-day warning: “Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, ''Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.’ (Jonah 3:4)” In this case, the 40 days was a period of warning that allowed the people of Nineveh to repent and turn from their evil ways.

In Noah’s day, during the Flood, the waters poured out for 40 days and 40 nights, judging the people of the earth.

Both Moses and Yeshua fasted for 40 days as they communed with The Most High during times of testing. The 40 years spent by the Israelites in the wilderness was a judgment of The Most High. So, we see, therefore, that The Most High uses the number 40 to represent a period of testing or of judgment, and for that reason this next 40-day period is taken very seriously.

Shema Selah we have to consider the great mercy that the Most High shows us that we are to show to others who come seeking forgiveness for trespasses against us!