May your year be sweet!
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Showing posts with label Holy Days. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holy Days. Show all posts
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Blessed Passover
Oh, what a wonderful night it was. We invited three other families to celebrate with us and there was such a joyous spirit in this place. I forgot to take any pictures, so I will have to use a stock photo again (which I'm sure is preferred to a picture of my stacks of dishes). Thank you, Father, for such a gift as the Passover Seder.
"Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Corinthians 5:8
"But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem.." Acts 18:21
"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:11-13
"Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Corinthians 5:8
"But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem.." Acts 18:21
"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:11-13
Friday, September 18, 2009
Yom Teruah (day of sounding the shofar)
It's almost here!
(camera on the fritz, so no picture of me tooting my trumpet)
My Dear Blog Sisters,
L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi (May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year)!
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise!" Ephesians 1:12-13
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." Revelation 3:11-12
Amen! Come, L-rd, Quickly!!!
(camera on the fritz, so no picture of me tooting my trumpet)
My Dear Blog Sisters,
L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi (May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year)!
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise!" Ephesians 1:12-13
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." Revelation 3:11-12
Amen! Come, L-rd, Quickly!!!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Bible and Bread
In the discussion about the Bible and milk, Jenn asked a very good question- what grains did people eat for bread most often in the Bible? It was a great question because I knew about it! It’s also a great question because it plays right into prophecy about the Son of Man.
Many grains are mentioned in the Bible, but the two most common are wheat and barley. Wheat was more expensive, so barley was the staple grain of all but the wealthiest families. It’s hard to imagine now when we live in a time and place where bread is so cheap and plentiful, but consider the prophecy from Revelation 6:6 that one measure of wheat or three measures of barley would cost about a day’s wages. Wheat is also much more susceptible to disease and weather, as was witnessed by last year’s shortage.
In Exodus 29:2, it was wheat flour that was used in the ceremony to consecrate the priests. Wheat makes a finer flour and a smoother loaf than does barley, so it would suit that the best was used for this special event. Yet another festival that is all about bread, Passover and the accompanying Days of Unleavened Bread, requires only that the bread be unleavened. It does not specify a kind of grain. Interestingly, the time of the Passover meal coincided with the barley harvest.
In Ezekiel 4:9, we see a recipe for the kind of bread to be eaten during the prophet’s symbolic paralysis that was to parallel the future of Israel. This bread was made by mixing barley and wheat as well as lentils, millet, beans, and spelt. The interesting thing is that rather than just a single-grained bread, even the poor man’s barley, this bread has multiple ingredients. There are many ideas as to why Yahweh gave this recipe (to symbolize the famine brought on by siege, to symbolize that the rich and poor and everyone in between would suffer, etc.) but it is worth noting that spelt is easier to digest, and often those with only a wheat allergy and not a complete gluten intolerance can eat it without any trouble.
Because Yeshua was a poor man, saying once that he didn’t even really have a home (Matthew 8:20), he would most likely have eaten barley bread the majority of the time. He was also often accompanied by others who needed to eat, and feeding a crowd would likely rule out wheat breads. We know for sure once instance when he was feeding a large group and he used barley loaves:
“When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.“ John 6:5-13
For the sake of space I won’t put down every verse with the word barley or wheat in it (barley- 35 times, wheat- 52 times), but if you check it online, you’ll see barley was most often mentioned as an everyday, anybody bread.
Now, as to prophecy and the Son of Man and how that relates to bread. I remember hearing this first a few years ago when a speaker from Chosen People Ministries came to our church. I was so amazed and overwhelmed by the symbolism in absolutely everything Yah has ever done, my only reaction was tears.
The Feast of Firstfruits (Lev. 23) was when a sheaf of barley was brought into the temple and waved by the priest. This was kinda asking Yah’s blessing on the harvest by bringing Him the first of the barley as an offering.
The spring schedule of feasts goes like this: first is Passover on the 14th, then the Days of Unleavened Bread start the 15th, and the Feast of Firstfruits is the 16th, all right in a row without a day off. Yeshua fulfilled all the spring feast with his first coming, and will fulfill the fall feast with his second coming. But that still isn’t quite as clear unless you study these things in-depth. So we’ll look at the comparisons-
*Yeshua’s death as a sacrifice was fulfilled in Passover. He became the Passover lamb for us once for all by allowing those with His blood upon them to be passed over by death, the wages of sin (of which we are all guilty).
*Yeshua’s burial fulfilled the Days of Unleavened Bread. We know yeast, or leaven, was compared to sin many times in the Bible. Leaven is a symbol for sin, and during the Days of Unleavened Bread, we are to get rid of all leaven from among us, the way Yeshua was hidden from us when he was in the grave for three days and three nights. His burial is the symbolic burying of sin.
*Yeshua’s resurrection fulfilled the Feast of Firstfruits, when He was put before the Father as an offering on our behalf. He was the choicest of the fruit of the womb, the spotless and perfect offering required by the Father. He is referred to many times as the firstborn of the Sons of G-d, or the first fruit.
But there’s more. 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits comes Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks (known in Greek as Pentecost). This is the day traditionally used by the Israelites to commemorate the giving of the law to Moses. Yeshua fulfilled this one, too. He fulfilled the requirements of the law for us, and on the Pentecost after His resurrection he gave to us the key to the new covenant- the Holy Spirit, whom the Father told us long before would be the way He would write his law on our hearts.
So that’s my short answer to what the Bible has to say about bread. It is not only a primary food source but also a frequently used symbolic image for so many different things. There’s the mystery bread called manna that the Father sent from the heavens every day when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, the symbolism of the Last Supper in which Yeshua tells us that the bread is his body that would be broken for us, and the coming together of the churches to break bread as a way of building their intimacy with one another and the Father.
But this is my favorite:
“For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.’ Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” John 6:33-35
Amen. Come, Lord, quickly.
Many grains are mentioned in the Bible, but the two most common are wheat and barley. Wheat was more expensive, so barley was the staple grain of all but the wealthiest families. It’s hard to imagine now when we live in a time and place where bread is so cheap and plentiful, but consider the prophecy from Revelation 6:6 that one measure of wheat or three measures of barley would cost about a day’s wages. Wheat is also much more susceptible to disease and weather, as was witnessed by last year’s shortage.
In Exodus 29:2, it was wheat flour that was used in the ceremony to consecrate the priests. Wheat makes a finer flour and a smoother loaf than does barley, so it would suit that the best was used for this special event. Yet another festival that is all about bread, Passover and the accompanying Days of Unleavened Bread, requires only that the bread be unleavened. It does not specify a kind of grain. Interestingly, the time of the Passover meal coincided with the barley harvest.
In Ezekiel 4:9, we see a recipe for the kind of bread to be eaten during the prophet’s symbolic paralysis that was to parallel the future of Israel. This bread was made by mixing barley and wheat as well as lentils, millet, beans, and spelt. The interesting thing is that rather than just a single-grained bread, even the poor man’s barley, this bread has multiple ingredients. There are many ideas as to why Yahweh gave this recipe (to symbolize the famine brought on by siege, to symbolize that the rich and poor and everyone in between would suffer, etc.) but it is worth noting that spelt is easier to digest, and often those with only a wheat allergy and not a complete gluten intolerance can eat it without any trouble.
Because Yeshua was a poor man, saying once that he didn’t even really have a home (Matthew 8:20), he would most likely have eaten barley bread the majority of the time. He was also often accompanied by others who needed to eat, and feeding a crowd would likely rule out wheat breads. We know for sure once instance when he was feeding a large group and he used barley loaves:
“When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.“ John 6:5-13
For the sake of space I won’t put down every verse with the word barley or wheat in it (barley- 35 times, wheat- 52 times), but if you check it online, you’ll see barley was most often mentioned as an everyday, anybody bread.
Now, as to prophecy and the Son of Man and how that relates to bread. I remember hearing this first a few years ago when a speaker from Chosen People Ministries came to our church. I was so amazed and overwhelmed by the symbolism in absolutely everything Yah has ever done, my only reaction was tears.
The Feast of Firstfruits (Lev. 23) was when a sheaf of barley was brought into the temple and waved by the priest. This was kinda asking Yah’s blessing on the harvest by bringing Him the first of the barley as an offering.
The spring schedule of feasts goes like this: first is Passover on the 14th, then the Days of Unleavened Bread start the 15th, and the Feast of Firstfruits is the 16th, all right in a row without a day off. Yeshua fulfilled all the spring feast with his first coming, and will fulfill the fall feast with his second coming. But that still isn’t quite as clear unless you study these things in-depth. So we’ll look at the comparisons-
*Yeshua’s death as a sacrifice was fulfilled in Passover. He became the Passover lamb for us once for all by allowing those with His blood upon them to be passed over by death, the wages of sin (of which we are all guilty).
*Yeshua’s burial fulfilled the Days of Unleavened Bread. We know yeast, or leaven, was compared to sin many times in the Bible. Leaven is a symbol for sin, and during the Days of Unleavened Bread, we are to get rid of all leaven from among us, the way Yeshua was hidden from us when he was in the grave for three days and three nights. His burial is the symbolic burying of sin.
*Yeshua’s resurrection fulfilled the Feast of Firstfruits, when He was put before the Father as an offering on our behalf. He was the choicest of the fruit of the womb, the spotless and perfect offering required by the Father. He is referred to many times as the firstborn of the Sons of G-d, or the first fruit.
But there’s more. 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits comes Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks (known in Greek as Pentecost). This is the day traditionally used by the Israelites to commemorate the giving of the law to Moses. Yeshua fulfilled this one, too. He fulfilled the requirements of the law for us, and on the Pentecost after His resurrection he gave to us the key to the new covenant- the Holy Spirit, whom the Father told us long before would be the way He would write his law on our hearts.
So that’s my short answer to what the Bible has to say about bread. It is not only a primary food source but also a frequently used symbolic image for so many different things. There’s the mystery bread called manna that the Father sent from the heavens every day when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, the symbolism of the Last Supper in which Yeshua tells us that the bread is his body that would be broken for us, and the coming together of the churches to break bread as a way of building their intimacy with one another and the Father.
But this is my favorite:
“For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.’ Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” John 6:33-35
Amen. Come, Lord, quickly.
Sukkot
"Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein." Leviticus 23:34-36
Finally! Blogger would not let me on to my own site for 2 days, so only my scheduled posts got up. Turns out when I ran the C-drive cleaner, it erased a lot of threads that connect bloglines and the blogs that are listed. I think something similar happened to my own blog link.
I only have one picture to share this year. Since we are sans a tent, it's a camp-in. It has also been a very rough time as the militant child is in a downward spiral again. It's hard to resign yourself to it just being the way it is, but the joy of the festivities has been pretty well sucked out for me.
We took back the popcorn balls and caramel apples from the Halloweeners. We're also thinking of taking a quick weekend trip, so that would count, too, right?
Monday, September 29, 2008
Rosh Hashanah Pie
It is traditional to eat apples and honey for the Feast of Trumpets, but when you have little kids it can get messy (and they can get a bellyache really fast by eating more honey than they should in all the excitement- Proverbs 25:16). So one good answer is to make an apple pie with honey, or Rosh Hashanah Pie.
Making-it-from-Scratch Monday
Rosh Hashanah Pie
1 double-crust (your favorite recipe)
1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp granulated white sugar
Filling:
12 apples- peeled, cored, and sliced
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg (or more- I LOVE nutmeg)
1/4 cup margarine or butter (1/2 stick), melted and cooled to room temperature
1/2 cup honey
Preheat oven to 325*. Place bottom crust in pie pan, pricking with fork (or using whatever you use to prevent puffing). Brush lightly with melted margarine or butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons white sugar. Bake for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss sliced apples in flour mixture. Drizzle with melted margarine or butter, and then honey. Place apple mixture in pie pan and cover with top crust (I like lattice on an apple pie). Bake until crust is done (45 minutes- 1 hour).
On a less meme-themed note, this season has me very thoughtful...and quiet. I have much to say, but it's not time to say it yet. Bear with me.
I find myself hoping I am wrong about a post-trib rapture and looking for a return truly in the twinkling of an eye. Yet when I think that way, I am reminded of all those who would not go with me.
That's all I have for today. If you are looking for some info on the Feast of trumpets, here are a few good links:
Light of Mashiach
Parashat Yom
Teruah/Rosh Hashana
Dancing
The Story and History of Rosh Hashanah
Shalom,
Amy
Friday, April 18, 2008
Passover Q&A
Passover = Jewish Year 5768: sunset April 19, 2008 - nightfall April 27, 2008
As I mentioned before, you can get kits and books and Passover items that range in price and detail, but you also don’t need anything besides the Word if you so chose. The instructions are found in Leviticus 23. Any of the extras are just that- extra practices or traditions that can be meaningful or fun, but that are not necessary. Don’t let the modern complexities prevent you from experiencing something that is truly a simple foreshadowing of the sacrifice of the Messiah for our redemption from slavery to sin and death. We no longer need to sacrifice a lamb and put the blood on our doorposts, because the lamb that was slain has covered us with his blood.
When you think about it, the first Passover had to be a complete gamut of emotions. The Israelites were under stress because the Pharaoh increased their labor after Moses asked for their freedom. His attempts to reason with the oppressor weren’t working, and without the gift of hindsight as we have, Moses seemed to be doing nothing b7t making trouble. Yet they had seen the protection given them specifically when plagues did not touch them, and that had to awaken a sense of hope that the time of deliverance was possibly at hand. There was certainly fear at the prospect of the angel of death prowling outside the door (what if we didn’t put the blood on right?) mixed with anxiety that they were in such a rush they could not wait for the bread to rise, and also the fear of the unknown- if we do get free, where are we going? How are we going to get there? What will we eat along the way? For us, the emotions are all joyous as we know not only the end of the story of the Exodus, but also what it was meant to prophecy- the Redeemer. We have the knowledge of the crucifixion, resurrection, and promised return to celebrate. That is the focus of our observance, and not the details of the table or the wording. The desire to experience it ‘authentically’ merely means that we wish to know what it was like for the Israelites, because we have certainly experienced the authentic Passover through our beloved Yeshua!!!!!!
The first thing I did for Passover prep was to plan out a menu for the days of unleavened bread, so that I would know what to save and therefore what to make for the remainder of this week. I tried to use up all the bread, so this week’s menu was all bread-centered. I generally would recommend that you start your unleavened menu for the day before the actual Passover so that you have time to get your yeast put in a box and out in the garage or gone. Trying to get everything done on the day itself is asking for a panic! Here is a copy of my (flexible) menu:
Saturday- B: oatmeal and bananas, L: turkey and cheese roll-ups, apples, walnuts, D: Passover Seder (see below)
Sunday- B: cream of wheat and smoothies, L: bean soup (using the bones from the Cornish hens to make broth), cheese cubes, grapes, D: Steak, baked potato, asparagus
Monday- B: grits and eggs, L: tomato soup, cheese slices, celery w/p.b., D: Whitefish, rice, steamed broccoli
Tuesday- B: cold cereal, L: tuna noodle casserole, D: Spaghetti, salad
Wednesday- B: omelets, L: pizza bake, D: Chili, tortillas, cheese cubes
Thursday- B: grits and eggs, L: sardines, cheese cubes, salad, D: New England Boiled Dinner
Friday- B: oatmeal and oranges, L: liver and onions, spinach, D: chicken noodle soup with matzah dumplings
Saturday- B: cream of wheat, applesauce, yogurt, L: meatloaf, mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, D: turkey kielbasa, macaroni salad, butternut squash
Sunday- B: cold cereal, L: salmon in fillo dough, au gratin potatoes, kale salad, D: leftovers
Our ‘big deal’ Seder meal: Gifilte fish on lettuce leaves, Cornish hens, matzah stuffing, Waldorf salad, matzah ball soup, angel food cake with cream cheese/yogurt frosting, baklava, potato latkes. Mmmm!
I do want to make a note here that what we consider unleavened may not agree with the Rabbinical laws, which can exclude legumes, peanuts, and rice in certain places. Because the Bible says leaven, and the context was that which could raise bread dough, we only exclude yeast, baking powder, baking soda, and sourdough starter. In angel food cake, you generally use cream of tartar, which is an acidic salt. But if that bothers you as being too much like leaven, use vinegar instead. Because Yeshua is our High Priest, we only adhere to what we find scriptural backing for, and many of the Rabbinical laws (thought they had good intentions) are burdensome and put the trust in the Rabbis instead of the Father.
Seder ceremony- We have a pretty pewter cup, which my husband uses, and the kids and I use glass for the four cups of blessing. We like to use the Haggadah because it has the words in Hebrew, which our kids are learning, and it is such a beautiful language. We also use the Seder plate to help us feel more a part of the Hebrew tree (instead of the other way around). I am a fan of horseradish, so I buy a root and grate it myself. Ours actually gets eaten compared to most families! Don’t buy your parsley until Friday morning if possible, because it will wilt. This is a good time to use your best china, linens, silver, and candlesticks. The number of variations from family to family are endless, including letting the children have pillows behind them to represent the ‘reclining’ during the meal, using a cross rather than a shank bone to represent the sacrifice of Yeshua once for all, and even some of the Rabbinical customs such as sweeping crumbs into a wooden spoon and burning it. And it need not be the same every year. If something works for you, do it. If not, try something different next year.
I would be very interested to hear what others do/will be trying. For those who have decided to put away all things pagan, this is our Resurrection celebration, though we ought to be celebrating that every day! We buy a family gift (one gift for everyone) as a way of commemorating the gift given to us in the Paschal Lamb Yeshua, and it is usually something representative of the gifts we have received from the Father through our covenant to Him. This year we bought the movie Meet the Robinsons, because it is the story of a boy who finds that the family where he ends up is the one he was meant to be in. Not only are our kids grafted into our family, we are grafted into the Father’s family. The ability to become sons and daughters of the King because of the blood of the lamb is the best gift! (John 1:12-13).
Worthy Is the Lamb
Yeshua, Fulfillment of Feasts
Chosen People Ministries
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sew Your Own Matzah Tash
Passover preps. I'm up to elbows in planning and thought I would share how to make a Matzah Tash since there is not one included in the beginner's kit that I recommended to you earlier. It is so very simple and costs hardly anything.
A Matzah Tash is a three-pocketed bag that the matzahs (unleavened bread) are placed in. The ceremonial part of this makes me feel weepy just thinking about it, the symbolism of the Messiah being hidden in the ground for three days as part of our redemption. Powerful.
For this very simple and plain linen bag, I bought four cloth napkins from the Dollar store (though if you are making a nicer one you might want a better quality linen) and used some blanket ribbon I already had. The ribbon is not necessary, but I think it helps make it more classy without a lot of cost. I used black for the pictures here to make it more visible, but I certainly wouldn't want black on my matzah tash for use.
First, take the napkins and open them up. Lay two on the table with the inside facing up. Then put the other two on top but gouing the opposite way. This ensures that you have a pretty surface all the way around your bag.
Next, pin three sides of your napkins in preparation for sewing them together. This stitching job is so easy, it can be done by a beginner (hence the Barbie sewing machine). Using a very thin stitch (maybe over the napkin seam if you don't want another row of stitches), sew the three edges. Remove the pins.
Now, open the top of the bag and hold just the outside napkin while you pin the blanket ribbon to the top edge. You want to be sure not to sew the whole bag shut! When you have this pinned, sew the blanket ribbon in place. If you have talent at a magnitude beyone mine, you might want to do some embroidery on the blanket ribbon or bag. Mine is plain until I meet a friend with such talents!
Your matzah tash is done. Slip your hand into each pocket to make sure the seams are strong. I would hand-wash this, not only because it is not used very frequently, but also to keep it as sturdy as possible to hand down to future generations. Everyone loves and heirloom, and one with spiritual significance to it is the best!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Purim
I'm a little late on this since I had to wait for pictures...
"As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them; Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them, The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year; And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed." Esther 9:22-28
"As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them; Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them, The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year; And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed." Esther 9:22-28
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Passover Prep
I know, I know.... it's not even Purim yet and I'm talking about Passover. But Passover takes a bit more preparation than the other holidays, so I thought I would share some info that was helpful to us.
If this will be your first time celebrating Passover or if you just want to try it out and see what you think of it, this is a great deal. I prefer the pewter seder plate and cup, but they can get very pricey. In fact, you can find sets made of just about any material, and the prices can get outrageous. The glass sets are beautiful, but too fragile for me, especially considering the cost and risk. Anyway, this set is a great starter set, especially if you are not sure you want to continue celebrating it. Not only does it include the seder plate and cup (and materials for teacing kids), it also has two Haggadah and a cassette of the songs and prayers! That was the best part for me. Even with a songsheet in front of me, it was too hard to figure out tunes to the songs. We have a Haggadah from Chosen People Ministries that I bought when they were here three years ago, but having multiple copies is a bonus (to see an awesome video, go to their homepage. I couldn't figure out how to either post it here or link directly to it). This set does not come with the matzah tash, but that is easy to make for anyone with even basic sewing skills.
For those who have no idea what I am talking about here, I will give short definitions:
Passover- a celebration of remembrance of when the Angel of Death passed over the houses of the Israelites where blood was seen on the doorpost while killing the firstborn among the Egyptians. After this plague from Yahweh the Israelites were allowed to leave their captives. The story is found in Leviticus 23. For us, it is a realization that Yeshua was our passover lamb, saving us from the punishment of death with His blood and our escape from the power of sin.
Seder- ceremonial dinner.
Seder plate or platter- this is a plate with indentations or accompanying bowls that are used to put specific foods in that have symbolic meanings. For an overview of the foods used, see this page.
Haggadah- the booklet that has the instructions for the meal and the passages to be read.
Matzah Tash- a cloth bag with three pockets for putting in unleavened bread. This is part of the telling of the story during the seder.
The details are in the Hagaddah and there is room for personal prefences in some things, but the general idea is re-living the meal the Israelites ate while waiting to be freed after the Angel passed by, and for Messianic believers, rejoicing in the deliverance Yeshua brought to us. When we have Passover, I will put up pictures, but I thought if anyone wants to try it out for the first time, there is somethng of a rush to get your supplies and I just had to share this great set for families.
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