Pretty and Delicate Hebrew Gift Ideas

It's the shopping time of the year isn't it? I'm starting to see those 'for everyone on your list' ideas for gifts floating around the internet and even in print. While they sometimes have neat things I mostly find myself annoyed with the abundance of generic presents we purchase that serve little or no purpose and are often from companies with questionable standards on ethics. Let's do better this year. I love the idea of buying things that nurture and grow faith! The items on this list are from small businesses, independent artists, and fair trade artisans and are perfect for a special lady in your life.

Beeswax Menorah Candles on Uncommon Goods - $9.99

-Made in the USA and beeswax helps to purify the air in your home.

Hope Anchors the Soul Mug by LucySuiSF on Etsy - $12

-Handmade with the verse from Hebrews 6:19.

Fruit of the Spirit iPhone Skin by The Worship Project on Society 6 - $15

-A beautiful reminder to carry with you.

Aleph Bet Dishtowel by Barbara Shaw - $19

-A lovely and practical thing.

Hosea Rain Tote Bag by Marion Kristina on Society 6 - $22

-I wouldn't mind carrying this to the farmers market.

Elle Est Forte Tee from She Is Clothing - $24.95

-Available in many colors and designs, this French saying is inspired by Proverbs 31:25.

Ahava Gold Foil Print from Modern Bayit - $25

-A beautiful rendition of the Hebrew word for love.

Many Waters Cannot Quench Love Bangle by LilySharon on Etsy - $25

-Taken from the end of Song of Songs.

Hebrew Letter Cookie Cutters on Modern Tribe - $30

-You know, to help learn Hebrew.

YHWH Torah Tee from Litographs - $34

-The design is made of the letters of the Torah!

Fair Trade Silver Forest Candleholder from Ten Thousand Villages - $49

-Not a true menorah but a beautiful seven candle option.

Forget Not My Law Sign by House of Belonging on Etsy - $150

-A great reminder to place in your home.

Let me know your favorite gift idea below!

Fifteen Things Scripture Says About Shabbat

What does it look like to honor the set apart day of the week? We see Yahusha eating in the homes of friends, teaching in synagogues, speaking healing, and strolling through a wheat field--but what does Shabbat look like for us? Here are the Scriptures that tell us.

What Scripture Says About Shabbat:

1. It is for all Israel, even today. Shemot 31:16 - "The people of Israel are to keep the Shabbat, to observe Shabbat through all their generations as a perpetual covenant." Yahusha did not take away this command. Hebrews 4:9 tells us that the duty to keep Shabbat remains. Reminder: YHWH calls all of his children Israel. But even if you don't have Israelite blood...

2. He expects you to keep it, even if you aren't a natural born Israelite. Isaiah 56:6-7 - "And the sons of foreigners, that join themselves to YHWH, to serve him, and to love the name YHWH, every person that guards the Shabbat from polluting it, and takes hold of My covenant; I will bring them to My kadosh mountain and make them full of joy in My Beit Tefillah." This passage makes it doubly clear that YHWH expects every person that serves Him to honor Shabbat, regardless of your family traditions or bloodline.

3. It is the seventh day of the week. Shemot 35:2 - "On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a set apart day for you, a Shabbat of complete rest to honor YHWH." The example for this was set by YHWH in Beresheet 2:2 when he rested from creation on the seventh day. Like it or not, Sunday is the first day of the week and does not replace the command to observe Shabbat on the seventh.

4. We aren't supposed to work on it. Shemot 20:10a - "The seventh day is a Shabbat for YHWH. On it, you are not to do any kind of work." Honoring Shabbat means making sure I have the day off from my job. Professional work is prohibited but YHWH gave this command to a group of just-freed slaves wandering the desert. The Israelites had no professional work to do, and were still commanded not to work on Shabbat. Clearly 'work' means more to YHWH than what we are paid to do.

5. It is a day of rest. Shemot 35:2 - "On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a set apart day for you, a Shabbat of complete rest to honor YHWH." Resting is a more helpful way to describe the itinerary for the set apart day. No one is going to pay me to rake the leaves, change the oil in the car, check my email, or clean the house, but are those things restful? Then don't do them!

6. We should worship YHWH on it. Ezekiel 46:3 - "The people of the land shall worship before YHWH on Shabbat." Physical rest is one aspect of Shabbat; emotional and spiritual rest are another. Worshiping YHWH brings us shalom and refreshment. This verse also tells us once again, Shabbat is for all of us.

7. We should not cause anyone to violate Shabbat.  Shemot 20:10 - "On it, you are not to do any kind of work--not you, your son or daughter, not your servants, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you." While most of us don't have servants in the dust-my-mansion sense we still pay people to work for us. Having the electrician over to fix something or having a barista whip up a latte is out of the question on Shabbat. Visiting a place of business, even if you don't pay anything (like a library or gym), causes someone else to work. YHWH says don't do this.

8. We should not buy or sell anything on it. Nehemiah 10:31 - “If the people of the land bring merchandise or food to sell on Shabbat, we will not buy from them on Shabbat or on a kadosh day." This expressly prohibits buying and selling on Shabbat. This is implied throughout Scripture since everyone is supposed to be resting, and in order for things to be for sale someone has to work. Later on in 13:17 Nehemiah discovers food being sold and angrily calls it profaning Shabbat. This means going out for lunch or swinging by the Saturday morning farmers market does not fit in with following the commandments of Scripture.

9. It's not a day for pursuing our own interests. Isaiah 58:13 - "If you hold back your foot on Shabbat from pursuing your own interests on the kadosh day of YHWH ; if you call Shabbat a delight, worth honoring; then honor YHWH by not doing your usual things or pursuing your interests or speaking about them." Shabbat is for us to grow closer to YHWH, not to spend browsing the internet, watching movies, or working on hobbies. It is a day for worship, studying the Word, and prayer.

10. We shouldn't cook on it. Shemot 16:23 - "Tomorrow is the rest of the kadosh Shabbat to YHWH; bake what you'd like today, and cook what you'd like to cook; and what is leftover, store up for the morning." YHWH expects us to prepare for Shabbat by having food made so we don't need to worry about cooking. To me this is one of the more challenging of the Shabbat commands but it is definitely worth it to be able to fully honor His instruction. If you're eating a random assortment of leftovers or a peanut butter sandwich, so be it.

11. We shouldn't start a fire on Shabbat. Shemot 35:3 - "You are not to kindle a fire in any of your homes on Shabbat." This verse is referring to an actual fire and not electricity. Starting a fire is a lot of work and something we shouldn't do until Shabbat is over.

12. It is not a day for hauling stuff around. Jeremiah 17:22 - "Don’t carry a burden out of your houses on Shabbat." Historically this has to do with moving things out of your home for sale, but it is also a reminder that we shouldn't burden ourselves on Shabbat. If you find yourself overloading the car before heading to congregation, stop and evaluate if you can downsize, what you can do ahead of time, or what simply can wait.

13. YHWH is angry when his people don't keep it. Ezekiel 20:13 - "But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not live by my laws; and they rejected my rulings, which, if a person does, he will have life through them; moreover, they greatly profaned my Shabbats. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them in the wilderness, in order to destroy them." There are something like fifty verses in Scripture where YHWH rails against His people for not honoring Shabbat. Let this serve as a warning for us.

14. It is a sign between us and YHWH. Shemot 31:13 - "Tell the people of Israel, 'You are to observe my Shabbats; for this is a sign between me and you through all your generations; so that you will know I am YHWH, who sets you apart for me.'" A sign serves as a reminder for all who see it, that means that by keeping Shabbat you are sharing truth with your family, friends, and coworkers. Additionally, this verse tells us that there is something about Shabbat that communicates who YHWH is to us. Incredible!

15. Keeping it is a delight. Isaiah 56:2 - "Happy is the person who does this, anyone who grasps it firmly, who keeps Shabbat and does not profane it, and keeps himself from doing any evil." In a world with skyrocketing rates of depression and anxiety, don't we want to get all the joy in our lives that we can? Scripture tells us that if we keep Shabbat we will be happy.

Shabbat shalom everyone!

What is Hallowed?

If you're not familiar with the truth of what happens on Halloween and its origins, check out this teaching from Torah to the Tribes. Human and animal sacrifice, rape, ritualistic abuse, kidnapping, murder, invoking evil spirits. That's what Halloween is.
Yes, you may say, but I'm not celebrating those things.

Sure, but is the occult's black sabbath something you want to associate yourself with? Paul wrote very plainly that he would not do something if it caused his brother to stumble or fall away from the faith (1 Corinthians 8:13). Does widespread Christian celebration and acceptance of Halloween dissuade people from following Yahusha?

Who does Halloween keep from entering the Kingdom of Heaven?

Those in the occult looking for truth. If our holy days aren't distinctly different, how can they know there is a better way?

Victims of ritual abuse. Those the occult has harmed are desperate for healing and the truth and love of YHWH. But if they see supposed Bible believers dressed as witches or churches decorated with haunted grave yards those symbols are enough to trigger panic and anxiety that will keep them far away from the truth.

Women and children who have suffered domestic violence.  Millions of people have been covered in real blood. They have felt terror that those covering themselves in fake blood can't imagine. Does dressing up as a murderer or victim of a violent crime bring life to these precious ones?

Those from other religions that can see no difference in their faith. Acting like the rest of the culture doesn't show anyone who YHWH is. This denies other faiths the opportunity to see truth.

Anyone who can see the hypocrisy of the Christian faith. While most of the church is in denial about it, the rest of the world can see the clear contradiction between the teachings of Scripture and participating in Halloween. This is not exactly a call to righteous living.

There are millions and millions of people who stumble over the fact that those claiming to serve the God of Light participate in such horrible darkness. When we are involved in Halloween we are saying that the day is truly honorable and worth being set apart. That word hallow? Yahusha used it when he prayed, "Hallowed be the name of YHWH." The definition of hallow is literally to "honor as holy." Do you believe that this day of wickedness should be honored as highly as the very name of YHWH? When we participate (in any way, no matter how small) in Halloween (Hallow[ed] e[v]en[ing]), that's exactly the message we send to all of these people.

What about providing safe alternatives to Halloween? 3 John 1:11 says not to imitate evil. Imitating the evil practices of Halloween is not okay if you dial it down to "family friendly." It's still going against what Scripture expressly says and imitating wickedness. The only safe alternative is keeping YHWH's feast days. If you want to celebrate the fall harvest, do it at Sukkot when it's permissible and honorable to YHWH.

Some verses to consider before participating in the black sabbath of the occult:

Isaiah 5:20 - Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light, and celebrate pagan holidays in place of YHWH's moedim.

John 8:12 - I am the light of the world whoever follows me won't walk in the darkness of Halloween.

1 Corinthians 10:21 - You cannot drink the cup of YHWH and the cup of shedim. You cannot live a righteous life and participate in demonic holidays.

Ephesians 5:11 - Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, not even once a year. Instead expose it.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 - Abstain from every form of evil. Even if it's "just for fun."

Yaakov 1:27 - Pure and undefiled religion is to keep yourself unspotted from the world. All the time.

2 Corinthians 6:14 - What fellowship has righteousness with Torahlessness? What common ground is there for keepers of Torah and wickedness? None.

Yaakov 4:4 - Friendship with the world is enmity with YHWH. Even if you're just being friendly as a marketing campaign for Yahusha.

Matthew 22:37 - The first and greatest commandment is to love YHWH. Not to love the things this world does.

2 Corinthians 11:3 - I fear your minds may be corrupted away from the simplicity that is in Moshiach. I'm worried that you're doing things Yahusha wouldn't.

Deuteronomy 12:4 - You shall not worship YHWH in this manner. You can't celebrate something with origins in paganism and have it honor YHWH. He hates it.

1 Corinthians 10:9 - Neither let us test Messiah, as those who were destroyed. Do you want to find out the hard way Halloween celebration is not righteous?

1 Timothy 4:1 - In the latter times many will depart from the faith, giving heed to the teachings of shedim, believing it's okay to do things YHWH warns against.

Deuteronomy 18:10 There should not be found among you divination, enchantment or witchcraft. Whoever does these things is detestable to YHWH. Even if it's what everyone else is doing.

We have all participated in things that don't honor YHWH, but we can stop today! Do you believe that the power of Yahusha fully overcomes darkness or not? Because if it does our lives and holidays should demonstrate that.

Harvesting the Fields

"The harvest truly is great, but the workers are few." -Matthew 9:37

Reading a book on local eating I came across an incorrect version of this benediction. It read, "The harvest is plentiful and the labors few." Ha!

Our first frost came this week. If you garden you know the mad dash the night before a frost is supposed to hit. You gather up everything because whatever's left will be ruined. Only the heartier leafy greens and roots can take a bit of frosting. So you take everything else. The green tomatoes, the baby squash, bitty lettuce leafs. And if you are a gardener you know that a plentiful harvest is a lot of work. A bountiful harvest with little labor? Not gonna happen.

"The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few." That's more like it.

What was the point of Yeshua announcing this? He didn't say much that falls under the 'common sense' category, and I struggle to believe that food was so abundant in the fields and vineyards of Israel that it was left to rot for want of harvesters. Plus, an actual commandment is to NOT harvest your fields too well, but to leave some of the grain and grapes behind for the poor. So if we take this strictly as an agriculture statement it doesn't make much sense. The fields are abundant but workers are few? What does that mean?

If we take it as a parable we can understand more. To begin with, Yeshua is hinting that there is something to be gathered that most of us are unaware of. Secondly, there aren't workers for the fields because most people don't realize there is a need.

But a freeze is coming to your garden? You realize the need and you gather the harvest. Food growers tend to do whatever it takes. I moved more weight in squash than I can at the gym. You recruit your family to help out. Shine car headlights on the garden to work after dark. A farmer friend told me he once stayed in the tractor for 36 hours straight to beat a bad storm. Typically, the grains and vegetables of the earth have plenty of harvesters.

But what is Yeshua saying? There's something that needs gathered in that most of us are missing.

This verse appears in Luke as well as Matthew. Taking a closer look at the context gives us a better idea of what he means. Matthew 9:35 tells us Yeshua traveled from village to village proclaiming the Besorah of the malchut and healing the sickness and disease in the people. Verse 36 tells us he saw the multitudes of people and had compassion on them because they were scattered abroad. In Luke 10, immediately after saying, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few," Yeshua sends his disciples to share the Besorah (good news).

"Scattered abroad," is a phrase used hundreds of times throughout Scripture as a threat, warning, and fact. "Scattered abroad," is what happened to the Northern Kingdom of Israel when it was sent into exile, and in a more limited way when Judah was exiled from the land. (Though, by Yeshua's time much of the house of Judah had returned.) The tribe of Ephraim and the Northern Kingdom is still, in every sense, scattered abroad. When he says the fields are ready for harvest, Yeshua is talking about the lost tribes of Israel! In Luke 10 he mentions three cities in particular: Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernicum. These are three cities in the Northern part of Israel's territory. Historically they were occupied by tribes other than Judah. Though much of the Northern tribes were exiled, many still lived in the area at the time of Yeshua.

This is what Yeshua wants gathered in: the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He sent his disciples to Ephraim, to Manasseh, to Zebulon. He is after Israel's lost tribes, who have been scattered amongst the nations. He wants to bring them back.

Doesn't this understanding of the fields make more sense? The world has plenty of people to gather in food. While there are lots of missionaries, how many of them are reaching out to the house of Ephraim? Bringing back the lost tribes into covenant with YHWH doesn't occur to most of us, but it is the utmost desire of Yeshua!

Matthew 9:38
Make tefillah to the Master of the harvest, that He will send forth workers into His harvest.