Surprise!! Tomorrow happened today!

Today started out on a decidedly slower note.  Exhausted, we slept later than usual.  I think I may have held the motionless ‘casketed pose’ (flat on my back, arms crossed on my chest) in bed for six or seven hours. My sudden wakening at 9:07 is much later than normal and I jumped out of bed realizing the day was slipping away.

When I stumbled into the common area of the house I found a shopping list and 200 NIS note laying on the table as most house mates had headed to Haifa to see one of Marie’s old friends.  No problem, we added that to our nonexistent to-do list, had a quick breakfast and headed into the city.  Our simple plan was to wander the Old City and then hit Mahane Yehuda, or ‘the shook’ as well as stop at the Rami Levy (local shopping center) on our way home…  and, be back by 5:30 or 6.  Worst case, we could do a few things and finish Shabbat prep tomorrow.  Manana, manana, right?

So, true to plan, we wandered the Old City, did some shopping, etc. Somewhere around 1:30p we were wandering back up Yaffo when I heard someone shout, “Rambo!” Looking around, I spied good friend, Tom Lewis, on the street.  We stopped and talked a few minutes and, when asked what our plans were I roughed out our plan to find lunch then our lazy shopping goal for the rest of the afternoon when he raised his eyebrows and said, Continue reading

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Sowing and Reaping the Kingdom: Torah Commentary by Ardelle Brody

by Al McCarn on tenpartsintheking.com:

Those who are familiar with Ardelle Brody’s Torah commentaries know the depth and breadth of her understanding of the Scriptures. We were pleasantly surprised this week to get a note from Ardelle asking to use quotes from Ten Part in the King in her weekly commentary. You will be blessed to read the lessons she has drawn from the annual counting of the omer – the 50 days between First Fruits and Shavuot (Pentecost). And, of course, we a blessed to read the kind words she includes about our book.

To receive Ardelle’s commentaries by email, contact her at:

ardellebrody@gmail.com


Kingdom Implications of the Agricultural Progression of the 50 Days
Torah Commentary on Counting the Omer

Ardelle Brody
April 4, 2018

Shalom!

Once again, due to the week of Unleavened Bread, there is a skip in the regular Torah readings.

Yeshua spoke more about the Kingdom than any other topic. Why is this? Because the Kingdom is the completion of the covenant made with Avraham. We can expect that the evil one would be all about preventing the realization of the Kingdom. The 50 days of the counting of the omer are important days that picture the process of the restoration of all of Israel. Last year, I sent out the agricultural progression which occurs during these 50 days. It begins with the wheat seed and ends with the two loaves of leavened bread waved on Shavuot. I’m repeating this information and following it with a summary of a book that I would highly recommend you purchase, read, and share.

These fifty days are not a time to relax. This is a time to go to work. The barley farmers would be in an intense mode of knuckling down, because if the barley is not harvested, they could not tend to the wheat crop, which came hard on its heels. These days are a time to transform us into more refined people, so we can more easily be mingled into unified “loaves” for יהוה to enjoy. To learn our place in the scope of things, let’s take a close look at all the jobs that are involved in the process of making a loaf of bread and preparing it for the “wave offering” (which happens on Shavuot):

1. Sowing or Planting the Seed: the same Hebrew verb for “sowing” or “planting” translates as “scattering”. It was a common ancient practice to “broadcast” the seed from a bag hung over one’s shoulder, but this should also catch our attention, because we are a people “scattered” over the whole earth, longing to be re-planted in our native soil. Nothing can be reaped that was not first sown, nor will we reap something different than what we planted. Everything we reap is what we have sown – whether with our attitudes, thoughts, actions, or priorities. We should not expect to get something out of the harvest that we did not put into it. Continue reading this excellent commentary…

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Judah and Ephraim Speak!!

As with many of our recent days, we only had a vague idea what we were doing when we got up this morning, yet here I am amazed at how the day unfolded and the incredible implications!!  Our plans, from some time back, was simply to have lunch with Rabbi Elan and Dr. Rivkah Lambert Adler.  Neither they nor we had any specific agenda or expectation, it was simply a lunch appointment.

Needing to get rest after a very late last night, we slept in a little and headed out around 11:30 to meet the others in our group at Rivkah’s at noon.  After a misdirection and a kind gentleman who gave me distances, in his words – ‘American’, we found the correct residence with a beautiful view of the valley between Ma’ale Adumim and South Jerusalem.  Pieter had his bird watching binoculars and we looked closely at the distant views of the City of Gold.

Lunch was a tasty fresh salad filled with many vegetables and light on lettuce, something I plan to replicate at home.  Rivkah also served sweet and sour meatballs and matzah Continue reading

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From Jericho to Capernaum and back…

Another long day and I am wiped out!!  Lots of driving today to take in several sights and to meet with a couple special people.  Ten of us set out in two vehicles early this morning and drove to the lowest place on earth, the baptismal site of Yeshua on the north end of the Dead Sea.  This was our second descent from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea on this trip and our ears popped just as much as we watch stunning early morning fog and sun dance on the Jordan ridge as we sped downhill.

The Baptismal site was not over done as many of the tourist sites are (which is why I avoid a ton of them…).  It was surrounded by nearly a half dozen Catholic churches or monasteries and had the gun toting Jordanian guard across the rive, er creek, a scant 30 yards away.  As  group we took time to pray for the return of the Moshiach from the east as prophesied and prayed for the second entry into the Land as a culmination of the Second Exodus.  Several went into the dirty water and I just thought about Naaman.  LOL!

We headed up 90 from there paralleling the Jordan until we reached the base of the Knerret, or Galilee.  Our only hiccup was Continue reading

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What a great day!!

Last night we had no idea what we were going to do today, though one item I needed to check off my list!  Before making this trip I had been in communication with author and former tour guide, Miriam Feinberg Vamosh.  She had been a terrific guest on Al McCarn’s Remnant Road radio program and we had read her recently published The Scroll.  (Al has a terrific review of the page turning historical fiction here.)  Because of her interest in interfaith relations and because I wanted her autograph in my copy of her book, we got connected with her last night.

This morning, my family and Debbie Treisch drove over to spend two wonderful hours with she and her Yom Kippur War hero husband, Arik.  The lively discussion covered our respective stories of coming to Torah, Arik as an accomplished archer and international judge as well as c couple of Miriam’s books and their family life.  Most beautiful is the view of the valley from their patio, a view pierced by a non-native Norfolk Island Pine, transplanted from Norfolk Island near New Zealand!  Oh that we, from the far reaches of the world, could be transplanted here and thrive so majestically!

We had to leave long before we were ready, but raced back by the house for a quick lunch of matzah pizza.  Then, we drove to the train station and rode into Jerusalem to walk through the shuk, the famous Ben Yehuda Street Market.  The sights, sounds and smells are always a crazy symphony fore the senses.  We bought a couple items, but mostly just soaked in the city.  Honestly, I HATE big cities with one exception: Jerusalem.  I cannot get enough Continue reading

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Inaugural Torah School for the Nations

A group of us from the house drove to Ma’ale Adumim to participate in Dr. Rivkah Lambert Adler’s inaugural Torah School for the Nations.  We were welcomed warmly by a predominantly English speaking synagogue that seemed very excited to host us.

The room was abuzz as roughly 45 Torah keeping non-Jews of various stripes (mostly Hebrew roots, though I believe a couple gerim and Noahides) came in and immediately began conversing excitedly.  Friendships were renewed by many who were coming from different Continue reading

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Shabbat in Jerusalem

After a very late night, last night, we began our morning slowly… after most had drifted out of beds and into the common area, we shared a

breakfast of boiled eggs, matzah, cheese, olives and charoset. We then decided to take a walk around the neighborhood.

Greg, Silas and I were armed with cameras while Pieter had his bird watching binoculars and guide for Israeli birds. I took many pics of flowers and a few butterflies as we walked a large part of the moshav.

Continue reading

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A Passover surprise!

As my longtime readers may recall, we stayed in this house for Sukkot 2016 and were invited into the sukkah of our host’s father for the first day of Sukkot.  Later in the week we were invited into the moshav’s synagogue for Simchat Torah as well as back for the evening dance.  It was easily one of the highlights of that stay in Jerusalem.

Well, Tzemach outdid himself!  While I had asked in advance if we might be able to attend synagogue one of the Shabbat while we are here, but he went the extra mile.  Two evenings ago he bounded up the stairs and announced that he wanted us to attend the Erev Shabbat prayers at his synagogue and then, big news, walk to his father’s house to observe them for the first part of their Pesach dinner. We were almost speechless.

We all dressed and waited in anticipation of this special invitation.  Several others, already on our guest list, came from Jerusalem.  While we waited we sang multiple songs, common at the beginning of Shabbat.  After we finished singing, David ben Aharon, Tzemach’s father came up the steps to the balcony.  I saw him and immediately stepped outside where he greeted me with a kiss on both cheeks.  What a sweet spirited and gentle 85 year old man. Continue reading

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Shalom from Jerusalem.

Passover preparations are complete….

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Pesach Preparation in Jerusalem

Last year at this time we said, “Next year in Jerusalem!!”  Well, here we are!

Through the week have discussed Pesach and preparation as well as have shopped for the food for tonight’s celebration, but the full reality of it hit when early this morning we started cleaning and trying to eat the couple loaves of bread we had left over from the week…  This Passover is special because, not only are we in Jerusalem, but also because we will celebrate with non-Jewish Torah keepers from a number of different countries.  Our table will have German, Dutch, Swiss, and American participants.

Dorothe of Germany made our charoset while Rosa and Victor, Russian immigrants to Germany, prepared the meat.  Kim and Debbie of the US pitched in on vegetables with Continue reading

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Our first couple days in Israel….

Technically, we’ve been here for more than a week, but the Congress ended Tuesday and we only really began seeing sights and visiting people in the last couple days.  As with every visit, time passes too fast and traffic moves too slow…

Tuesday, after we left the Eshel Hashomron and the Congress behind, we took a quick trip to Shiloh to tour the site where the Tabernacle stood for 369 years.  The movie they have on the wrap around screen was as cool this time as the last time Kelly and I saw it.  This was the first visit for Joseph and Silas who are traveling with us. Continue reading

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Cletus goes to Congress (and other fun details…)

The 3rd Bney Yosef Congress had at least one new participant.  I had heard rumors that he might show up, but I was not prepared for Cletus’ grand entry, snatching the microphone for a monologue…  And, he did it more than once!! Video to follow….

Among the seriousness of business, prayer and worship, the Congress was just plain fun!!  There were many moments, a few of which were hysterical. Following are a few pieces that will give you a flavor for the fun side of this group that gathered from all across Europe, North America and Israel.

As with any gathering of Ephramites, food and red wine are a requirement….  This was no different. Continue reading

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An AMAZING 3rd Bney Yosef Congress!!

I have no idea where to begin!!  So much could have been written soon, however the internet service at the Eshel Hashomron was overtaxed and spotty.  Honestly, that is my only complaint about a terrific hotel in the Shomron that I have come to love and call a second home.

Since getting here to Tzemach’s and renewing old friendships, I have been able to go back to the several posts I put up from the Eshel and add or update the videos that previously would not load.  You will want to go back and take a gander!

The Congress itself was amazing and I want to share a few stories and incredible moments.  Be sure to scroll through and see the many pics and videos.

All presentations were very good with several exceptional highlights.  Dr. John Conrad was the first presenter on Shabbat morning from Parasha Tzav with a fascinating teaching Continue reading

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Shabbat Shalom from Israel!!

The 3rd B’ney Yosef Congress is underway! Began with a wonderful erev Shabbat dinner followed by worship and dance. So good to reconnect with family from across the globe and meet new people, awakened to the their identity as Ephraim.

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Priceless blessings!!

Late Shabbat afternoon, friend and gifted worship leader, James Block and his wife Leez strolled into the lobby to visit with many friends here. He and Solomon Lopez, Congress music leader, have known each other and conversed for five or six years.

Long story short, James was prevailed upon to lead worship this evening.

Earlier, my youngest son, Silas, who played drums with the worship team at the last Congress was asked where his drums were. Well, a miscommunication caused us not to bring his kit this time. So, Solomon scrambled and found some buckets and a couple spoons.

The priceless blessing was an AMAZING time of worship that unfolded with Solomon and James leading in playing songs both wanted to play with the other. And, Silas backed them up on his makeshift drums! Kelly and I were blessed as parents and by this amazing worship.

Here is a tiny taste through a couple short clips…

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