The Shabbat

[Vaneide]

Shalom G-ds Children,

How can I observe the shabat?

Vaneide.

[The 614th Mitzvot]

Well, one must understand that it differs from person to person, but I will speak personally.
I spend my Shabbat on Friday at sundown lighting the Shabbat candles, saying blessings over all trhe people I know, singing songs, eating good food, and studying the parshah. Saturday morning I usually go to the local synogogue (messianic of course) and we pray, sing, and discuss the portion, then I go home and pray and eat and in the afternoon I usually have some friends over; we eat and we discuss Tanach (Old Testament), B'rit Chadashah (New Testament), Midrashim (Legends and stories surrounding the scriptures), and philosophy (from Socrates to Confucious{We don't discuss how we can better from it mind you. Most of what they say is wrong anyway. We discuss its effects on the world}). Then an hour after sundown we light havdala candles, and smell the spices and drink the wine. Then we sing more songs, dance, and usually we go down to someone's house for a farbrengen (gathering) where we sing, eat, and study . My day is usually very busy with dancing, praying, eating, and studying; but at the end it is 'hands down' the best day of the week, and the most relaxing.

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

I would agree with my brother. My family and I open the Sabbath a few minutes before sundown lighting the Sabbath candles blessing G'd in Hebrew, eating challah, and sharing a small cup of wine. We also sing the Sh'ma, and other songs. Candles are also lit in the house giving it light. It is by far the most relaxing day of the week. We gather with the Kehilah (congregation), read the , and listen to commentary from various people. We pray, sing, and dance unto Adonai. We then close Shabbat thanking G'd for Sabbath observing the difference between the set-apart, and the secular (havdalah).

The main points of Sabbath observance would be not to work at your job. On this day dedicate yourself to getting to know your heavenly Father better by study, praise, and to meet with like minded believers. We also prepare all of our food and all things necessary before Sabbath on the day of preparation (day before/Friday) according to the commandment so that we may fully enjoy, and reap from this day in which G'd has set apart for His people. We also refrain from buying anything on this day so that we do not become hypocrites by causing people to work when we refuse to. I would defintely seek to find a congregation that believes in Yeshua, and keeps . G'd is patient while you learn to keep His , and He does not expect for you to get it all at once.

Shalom sister,

Reuel

[The 614th Mitzvot]

It took a while for me to fully understand, commemorate, and enjoy Shabbat. Once you get it, you get it. People who comemorate Shabbat enjoy it and find peace on that day.

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

[The 614th Mitzvot]

Just today I was talking with a non-observant friend of mine and we began discussing Shabbat. He was saying that people bring a yoke on themselves when they observe . I was telling him that there is joy in the observance. I quoted Pirkei Avot to him:
Pirkei Avot 3:5
Rabbi Nechunia the son of Hakanah would say: One who excepts upon himself the yoke of is exempted from the yoke of government duties and the yoke of worldly cares; but one who casts off the yoke of is saddled with the yoke of government duties and the yoke of worldly cares.
(Unfortunately I cannot quote scripture to him because he is nearly agnostic and the moment I mention scripture he becomes entirely unhearing)
It is true that when one practicing and mitzvot they are unburdened by the cares of the world or government. People look at the "Shabbat-keepers" and scoff, they say how can you confine yourselves so much. People who say such things cannot comprehend that we do it out of faith and love of G-d, not because we want to. Yet, even in the fact that we deny ourselves for Alenu, Adonenu, Malkenu (our G-d, our L-rd, our King), there is joy in that and peace. It is not something that we do because we have to or else we go to Gehinom (Hades). We do it because there exists a love relationship, something that people who do not believe cannot comprehend.

[Vaneide]

Thanks, thanks.

I fell a bit zealous of you too boys. I was born far way from home, Now I want to return, but is not easy, I want with all of my heart to keep the shabat. I have to say that a lot of things that I used to do in the shabat I don't do it anymor. But, my husband doesn't think like me. I know I have to pray a lot and be very pecient. But sometime I fell very . G-d nows everything and He will show us what to do in his perfect plans.

Please pray for us, my husband is a very good husband and he loves G-d so much, he just needs open eyes.

Vaneide.

[The 614th Mitzvot]

We must pray that the world will open its eyes; of course to Yohshua HaMoshiach, but also to a life in and Moshiach; which many actual christians do not accept.

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

Shalom sister Vaneide,

I can see that your heart is to keep your Heavenly Father's . Remember, you are also keeping His by honoring your husband with a gentle, quiet, and patient spirit. We will lift up your request before Adonai.

Shalom aleychem (Peace be upon you),

Reuel

[Vaneide]

The said:

We must pray that the world will open its eyes; of course to Yohshua HaMoshiach, but also to a life in and Moshiach; which many actual christians do not accept.

Shalom brother,

You are right, we have to pray a lot for those whon don't believe that the is alive and can be observe by goys too. The most of christian people don't thing the have to observe by then, they think that the Toran was destroy by Yeshua. But, because leaders teach about that. Also I think there is a swindle's espirit in the christian churchu today. So, we have to pray for then, pray for open eyes and also pray for a break heart.

Vaneide.

[Vaneide]

Reuel said:

Shalom sister Vaneide,

I can see that your heart is to keep your Heavenly Father's . Remember, you are also keeping His by honoring your husband with a gentle, quiet, and patient spirit. We will lift up your request before Adonai.

Shalom aleychem (Peace be upon you),


Reuel

Shalom brother,

Thank you for your words, your words make my heart happy and also give me hopes.

God Bless you and all yours plans.

Vaneide.

[Zayit]

I notice that some here spell the Messiahs name "Yohshua" why is that?

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

It is one of the many variations of Messiah's name. This could be a good subject to start a thread on.

Shalom in Yeshua,

Reuel

[Vaneide]

Shalom all of you,

I have a question:

I would like to know; why we should not light fire on the Shabat?

Vaneide.

[Mark]

Many Jews and Messianic Jews believe that it is okay to light candles on Shabbat because it is a mitzvot. Others believe that the lighting of fire is connected with the general command of Shabbat to neither create or destroy. I'm a simpleton. Adonai said not to do it so we don't. This caused some discomfort this past Pesach which fell on Shabbat. The custom is to light Passover candles. We didn't light them.

It is worth drawing a mental picture of the Tabernacle period. The Tent of Meeting (the Tabernacle) was situated in the center of the camp with each tribe positioned in a circular pattern around it.

The three common uses for fire are heat, food and light. During this period, the tents were large enough to hold an entire family of several generations- not just the Mom, Dad and kids we think of now. There were two main sections in each tent- the front portion was a coral for the animals. They would bring them in at night for warmth, so that's how they heated their tents. Food we know about- they were commanded not to cook on Shabbat. This leaves light.

Imagine what Erev Shabbat would look like if the entire camp of Israel was dark; except for one Light: the Shekinah glory which rests over the Tabernacle. The message is clear- to draw us close to the place of meeting with Adonai- to focus our attention upon Him, to do all things in the "light" of Him. This idea brings some familiar passages of Scripture to mind. 1st John 1 tells us to walk in the Light as He is in the Light- that if we do not the truth, we walk in darkness. In the Revelation we read that there will be no sun nor moon for Messiah, Himself, will be our Light.

It's become difficult to feel this significance in our modern age- thanks Mr. Edison! Some folk turn off their electricity on Erev Shabbat to force themselves into this place of quiet rest. Not to condemn or to advocate, we must remember that it is our heart that Adonai longs to draw to Himself on Shabbat- not our prideful martyrdom. Many are obedient to Shabbat (by whatever practice) as a re-calibration of their focus to place all things under submission of Adonai. Others feel the need to make extreme changes in their lives so that they feel more holy, more righteous or in some way better than others or than what they used to be (Catholics call that penance). It is crucial to keep your heart in check when deciding what you do and refrain from on Shabbat.

I'll close this message and then copy an outline I had put together defining Shabbat. It is simple, probably incomplete; but I believe it gives a solid idea of what biblically to require in our teaching of Sabbath observance.