About My Father’s Business

I have been accused of being a visionary. I call this an accusation, because this title does not always hold a positive intent. When you hear the term “Visionary,” you may think of men who fought through adversity, and against impossible odds to achieve their objectives, and they did. This is the true intent of the term. However, what about all those “Visionaries,” who never accomplished their dreams? These ones are referred to as “Dreamers.” The term “Visionary,” in this case, is used tongue and cheek, with a spin, as it is custom today within our Politically Correct, “Brave New World.”

What’s the difference, you may ask? The proof is in the pudding, as they say. The Dreamer only talks about his dreams, whereas the Visionary sees them to fruition. The Dreamer talks about the end product, whereas the Visionary talks about how to get there. The Dreamer, only sees the goal, the Visionary sees the plan, and how to achieve it.

The secular world, those unfamiliar with the complete nature of our Faith, often see Yeshua as a “Visionary.” They only see a man with a Dream, and as some have put it, “That we would all just get along and love one another.” Although that sounds nice, they don’t know Him at all. There is so much more to it, as we discover each week, when we study Torah.

The Redemptive work of God is a plan, a Plan that has been in the process of fruition since the beginning of time, in fact, even before time itself, as we understand it.

Our LORD had a plan before the foundations of the Earth were formed. How do we know this? The Word of God tells us so! Revelation 13:8

However, God is not a Visionary – Nor is Messiah. The difference is that even a Visionary doesn’t have it all worked out. There is still the chance that he may have missed a step – or an unforeseen glitch may affect the ultimate outcome. No – God not only HAS a plan, but he has also completed it, before the foundation of the Earth. There is no room for chance. All that we have been told within the Prophesies were already accomplished before the Prophesy was even recorded. What we experience here in this place we call “Earth,” is simply a Physical Experience or “Manifestation” of the Eternal Truth of God’s Greater Creation.

I compare this story (“History”) like when two people are watching a video, where one has already seen it, and awaits the ending just to see it come to pass (again), whereas the one who has not seen it, watches with anticipation of the unknown.

This book, The Word of God, is that story, already revealed. Here’s a “Spoiler Alert”: It works out good for those who endure till the end. (Matthew 24:13) and it doesn’t look so good for those who do not. (Matthew 24:51) (I’ll let you check those references for yourself later).

Another lesson learned, or at least further formed, from Matthew 24 begins with this:

⁴ Yeshua answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. ⁶ You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains. Matthew 24:4-8

We are going to be studying Zechariah 8 in today’s Midrash Study. While preparing for this study this past week, Sean and I looked deeper into Zechariah 8:13 – Which Reads:

13 And it shall come to pass that, as ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing; fear not, but let your hands be strong. {S}

I found that the context of these passages in Zechariah 8 and Matthew 24, were tied together by two key points:

1) Fear Not – and - See to it that you are not alarmed.

2) But let your hands be strong – and - but the end is still to come.

This is to say, in both cases of Prophesy, do not be afraid, the LORD has it all worked out from beginning to end. The term, “Let your hands be strong,” means to keep working until the Trumpet sounds. Another way of understanding this is “Don’t punch out on the time-clock, until the End of Day Whistle has blown.”

This is why Yeshua also speaks of coming like a thief in the night in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10, as well as, Revelation 16:15. We must simply stay on focus and work towards the goal, in spite of all the things happening around us. If we run around looking for signs and worrying about “The End,” are we really fulfilling His Mitzvah?

Which is “Don’t Panic!”

I’m not trying to pick on anyone. I’m just trying to convey the meaning of the Words that Yeshua taught us, “but see to it that you are not alarmed.” His Words.

“Be aware?” - Absolutely. “Be diligent?” - Of course. “Live a Holy Life?” - Without Question - this is the Goal. “Sell all your material wealth, buy canned goods, and run to the highest hill?” That would come across as a little“Alarmist,” if you ask me. Well, at least at the first sign of danger, but let us not completely rule this option out, as we well see in a moment.

Look-- All that Yeshua is saying is, Don’t get caught up in the hype so that it affects the efficiency of our ministry. Keep about Our Father’s Business, and let Him worry about the when and how – Make sense?

Let’s look again to Matthew 24:

³⁶ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,^[f] but only the Father. ³⁷ As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰ Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
⁴² “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ⁴³But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶ It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. ⁴⁷Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ ⁴⁹ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. ⁵⁰ The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. ⁵¹ He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 24:36-51

Therefore, what SHOULD he “Catch us doing?” Feeding His Servants – Teaching the Gospel –Going about our Father’s Business, until the Trumpet Sounds, and then we will enter the Millennial Shabbat. Then we can rest from His Work.

Chaverim, the LORD is not going to return like a thief in the night to simply surprise us – “Got you!” This is not a game. The reason is to (as Zechariah said it): “but let your hands be strong.” We must continue to work through this, even when things are not looking good. Do not be “Alarmed” or better, “Distracted” by these things. The LORD told us that when we see these things, don’t be afraid, the end is still to come. Meaning there is still work to do, even in the midst of it.

This doesn’t mean – “When you see these things, run to the hills!” However, Yeshua does warn us that when the end does come, which is marked by the Gospel reaching every corner of the earth, and the understanding of the Abomination of Desolation is revealed, then get out. He will let His servants know when it is time -- don’t worry, but keep Busy about His business until He tells us to run. Then, as he told us, “Get out of Judea.”

I read once that Napoleon’s Armies were the best fed in the history of War. Napoleon hired the finest Chefs to accompany his armies to the battle field. During the fighting, his cooks would create dishes of the finest French Cuisine. Therefore their last meal would be the best, or they knew that their return would result in such reward.

To Napoleon, the cooks also served another purpose. They were experts in training horses for battle. In fact, Napoleon would bring all his War Horses into an area during drills, and have all the Chefs circle around them, and then bang their pots and pans together, creating a marvellous ruckus. This way, the horses became so accustomed to all the mayhem around them, that they marched into battle with strength and confidence, because they had heard it all before.

This is why we are taught the Writings of the Prophets, so that when these things come to pass, we will already be primed for battle. We are going to see and hear these things, but we must focus on the objective, and not all the noise.

“Mashiach,” speaking through Zechariah, was telling us in Chapter 8, what He will reveal in greater detail, later, in the context of what was recorded in Matthew 24.

The Spirit of the LORD, reveals the Eternal Nature of His Word.

There is something that Michael had pointed out to me a couple weeks ago, that I will share with you now, or at least reiterate, if he has already shared this with you. This is something that connects the understanding of the Eternal Nature of God’s Word – That All Scripture – is tied together as Echad (One – Unified). Since Michael had pointed this out, I have become very aware of its use, when reading Scripture.

There is a word in Hebrew “ET,” that has no translation. It appears to stand as a preposition of sorts. I had assumed, previously, that it was some Hebrew grammatical term to mean “Ata” or “You,” as in what I am about to say is for “You.” This was an incorrect understanding.

Michael had shared that “ET,” when used in Hebrew, has no direct translational value. However, if you Midrash (“Investigate”) this understanding, by applying transitive logic, we know that Yeshua HaMashiach referred to Himself as “The Alpha and Omega - The beginning and the end.” This is the Greek version of “I am the Aleph and the Tav, the beginning and the end.” In Hebrew context – This Word is “ET.”

I’ve seen it, I’ve read it, right there in the Hebrew Scriptures, but only assumed its meaning to be a prepositional value. As I began to read Zechariah 8, with this new understanding, I kept seeing this word. As I would see it, I began to apply this Messianic Understanding.

“I am the Aleph and Tav.”

This is almost like the Tanakh’s version of “Red Letters.” I can only speculate that perhaps this is a subtle reference within the Scriptures that foretells that this topic, or issue, will be revealed later, in more detail through the Messiah, when He comes.

Therefore, as I began to see it this way, I began to see the tie between the concepts of Zechariah 8 and Matthew 24.

With this understanding, I did see a confirmation of this “Eternal Truth” – “EMT” – The same Word, but with a Mem in the Middle, Mem being the middle letter of the Aleph Bet! Which tells us that we must “Occupy” until He returns. (Luke 19:13)

Are you seeing the Message come together here? Let’s not get distracted by what the World is up to here in 2012, and simply keep about Our Father’s Business. “but let your hands be strong.”
Now, the question is: How does this all tie into this week’s Parasha?

This Week’s Parasha is “Shmini” – 8^th

Now, I know that I am repeating myself, as I have delivered this point in previous messages, but this is an important one, and on the matter of “time,” this is a vital understanding.

Shmini, meaning “8^th”,also holds the concept of what the symbol of 8 represents.

The 8, like the symbol of the figure 8, can refer to the “Infinite,” or “Eternal” nature of something. Therefore, when used to represent the 8^thDay, Shmini is implying something more than just the 8^th Day of a sequential count. It is posing a concept outside the repetitive nature of the 7 Day Cycle.

What is an 8^thDay?

In this specific case of the Torah, we are referring to the Day that the Priests were ready to begin their Priestly duties. The LORD chose the 8^thday for a reason. As you know, we exist in a 7 Day Cycle, and therefore the 8^th Day can be interpreted as to represent the 1^st Day of the New Week, but then why call it “The 8^thDay?”

The day we refer to as “Sunday”or in Hebrew, “Day 1” is not the “8^th Day,” because the 8^thDay is something completely different. It is “Set Apart” – “Kadosh” or “Holy.” It is not part of the “normal” Weekly Cycle, but it is addressed as The 8^th Day, for a reason.

Again, the Question is: Why?

It is trying to get us to think outside the so-called carnal, or natural mind, and see with our Eternal Minds.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Yeshua HaMashiach:” Philippians 2:5 (Focus on the Eternal Nature.)

This would be like calling“Monday,” or in Hebrew “Day 2” as “The 9^th Day,” of which it is not, nor would that make any sense. The idea of “The 8^th Day,” is not meant to be understood as a cyclical order, in fact, it is quite the opposite. The 8^thDay is meant to describe Haba Olam or The World to Come – The Eternal. It is a time beyond our concept of time, as we understand it here, in this world.

The Scriptures speak of this Day as The Great and Terrible Day of the LORD.

“23 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.” Malachi 3:23 JPS or Malachi 4:5 in other versions.

What is Malachi talking about? He is referring to what has become a misnomer today as: “The LORD’s Day.”

Now, let me tell you a story about my own walk. As many of you know, I am of Hebrew decent, the Grandson of a Jew, but I was raised within Evangelical Christian Theology. Therefore, to me, when I read in Revelation 1:10

¹⁰I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

I did, as many Christians do, assumed that this meant “Sunday.” This idea is derived from the fact that Jesus rose on Easter Sunday, and hence it became “The LORD’s Day,” and therefore, now when the reference “The LORD’s Day” is mentioned, it is obviously referring to Sunday, the New Sabbath. Case Closed.

Ironically, it was this thinking that broke me out of the bonds of Theology, and caused me to fall in love with Midrash (Intimate Investigative Biblical Study.)

Back in Vancouver, many years ago, a few of the young men of our Kehielah decided to have a Sunday morning Men’s Fellowship. The Churches had their Saturday Morning Breakfasts, and so why couldn’t we Messianic Believers do the same, but in reciprocate? So we did! I didn’t realize it, at the time, but this was the beginning of a Midrash Bible Study.

The amazing thing is, that we would walk in with one doctrine, and walk out with another – Changed! How? The reason was that our Study was not based upon hand-me-down Theology, but rather built upon the foundation of God’s Word. We were not there to prove our Theology, but rather to learn from the Word of God. This is the premise of the Midrash:

As Rabbi Sha’ul (Paul) Writes:

¹ What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? ² Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.
³ What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? ⁴Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:
“So that you may be proved right when you speak
and prevail when you judge.”^[a] Romans 3:1-4

If we base our understanding upon The Word of God, it is an unmovable Foundation. This one morning, while in our Bible study, I was moved, not God’s Word.

I made the Argument,

“Shabbat is the Shabbat, but Sunday is still The LORD’s Day.”

Upon which I was challenged, “Where do you get that, where in Scripture does it say that?”
I so proudly lead my fellow Talmudim to Revelation 1:10 – “See – John was in the Spirit on the LORD’s Day.”

Then I was further challenged, “Now, explain to me how you get Sunday or even 1^st Day of the Week out of that?”

I looked at it, I attempted to find other verses -- I could not. They just were not there. Then, we were further challenged to look up all the times that “The LORD’s Day” was used in reference within the Scripture. It was at this moment, a paradigm of my Theology was crushed. It was not talking about Sunday, at all. It was not talking about a Day of the Week, at all. The LORD’s Day, as Malachi had described it was that Great and Terrible Day of the LORD. This was the Eternal Day, of which has no end – The Eighth Day.

This moment was paramount for me, because after that, I never relied upon my Theology again. I always built upon HaYesod, The Foundation of Scripture. This is why today, I study as I do making sure that all my understanding is based upon the fact that The Torah is the Foundation of God’s Word. If the Torah does not agree with the Doctrine, then the Doctrine is wrong, and not the Torah.
The Word of God is One – Echad.

I look to the Scripture for understanding, but even at that rate, my interpretation is affected by my flesh. Therefore, I use various study methods to assist in my learning, making sure that I am connecting a particular Scripture Passage with other Scripture Passages. In this manner, I am following the principle that states, “Where there are 2 or 3 Witnesses, Truth is determined.”

After that day, the Hearsay of Theology no longer had any power over me. The Word of God had Freed me from the blindness that Rav Sha’ul (Paul) had written of in Romans 11, the blindness that had befallen the Church, because of our rejection of His People.

“The Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.” Romans 3:2

The Torah is not the Old Testament. The “Instructions of God” is what it is. A foundation to understand all of God’s Word. If any teaching refers to God’s Foundational Word as “The Old Testament,” meaning, “Done away with,” this is an error that must be corrected.

Paul, while instructing Timothy writes:

¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, ¹⁵and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Yeshua HaMashiach. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We know that Paul was writing to Timothy, a young Messianic Rabbi, and a disciple of Paul. However, do we really know what he meant by “All Scripture is God-breathed?” He was referring to the Torah – Which some still call “The Old Testament.” At the time that Paul was writing this, he could not be referring to the book now referred to as “The New Testament,” because it had not even been compiled yet. The Book, simply did not exist. In fact, this very letter written was to become a part of this compilation called the Epistles of the New Testament.

It wasn’t as if Paul woke up that morning and declared, “Today – I shall write some Scripture.” This was not Paul’s intent. This would be like me, today, submitting this Message for Canonization.
Chaverim, we need to use the brains that the LORD has given to us. We need to study diligently, and understand the terms that we use, and use them in proper context. There is an “Old Testament,” yes – but it has to do with parts of the Levitical Practices in sacrifice, not the entire book before Matthew. There is a “New Testament,” yes – but it is not the book, which we call “The New Testament.”

Then what is the New Covenant? Let’s look to the Word of God to tell us:

²⁶ While they were eating, Yeshua took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
²⁷ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ This is my blood of the^[covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”  Matthew 26:26-29

The Book, of which we refer to as “The New Covenant” are the Inspired Words of the Talmudim of Yeshua, and those driven by the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, to write these words about these events. The Covenant itself is found within the Blood of The Messiah, not the Book.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll repeat myself at this time. The New Covenant has begun, but it will not be complete until He, Messiah Yeshua, drinks of it. This, is how a covenant works. Both the Giver and Receiver must drink of the Cup.

This is so that we understand that which the Prophet Jeremiah spoke of in Chapter 31:32-33

32 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people;

33 and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying: 'Know the LORD'; for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more. {S}

This tells me that the New Covenant has been initiated by Yeshua, but the completion of the New Covenant will not take place until he returns.

How do I know this? Because – “for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.” Then, as Yeshua explained in Matthew 24, the Gospel would have been delivered, and He will have then revealed Himself, and no one will question His Kingship, because WE-WILL-ALL-KNOW-HIM.

Now, this takes me back to the 8^thDay. During this time of Year, the Church celebrates a Holiday commemorating the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. It is called Easter Sunday, because of the Tradition that He rose on Sunday, and therefore you know the Theology that accompanies this idea. Therefore, Sunday (The 1^st Day of the Week) became the New Sabbath, and this is why it is called, “The LORD’s Day.”

The Question is: Is this Scripture, or is this Theology? The answer is that it is mixed. If you knew your Torah, you would know that we are not supposed to mix the Holy with the Common. The Scripture tells us that He rose on the 1^stDay of the Week, but one thing we forgot to take into account, that His resurrection initiated a New Beginning. He did not rise into the 1^st Day of the Next Week, but rather, Yeshua - Our Risen Saviour, rose unto the 8^th and Eternal Day – A New Beginning.

For this reason, the LORD chose the 8^thDay for His Priests of the Aaronic Order, to begin their duties, and so it was for the High Priest of the Order of Melchizedek.

Now, let me conclude by tying this all back together with the beginning of this Message. Let’s get back to the context of the Parasha.

A great lesson is to be learned from the Deaths of Nadab and Abihu, and I’m not talking about the “Strange Fire,” and making up our own ways and attempting to make them a part of God’s Instruction, but rather Aaron’s reaction to what happened.

3 Then Moses said unto Aaron: 'This is it that the LORD spoke, saying: Through them that are nigh unto Me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.' And Aaron held his peace. Leviticus 10:3

I have always had a difficult time with this – However – The answer is provided:

6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons: 'Let not the hair of your heads go loose, neither rend your clothes, that ye die not, and that He be not wroth with all the congregation; but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.

Meaning: “Everyone else can morn – You must represent Israel as their Priest, less we all die.” Once Aaron, acting as High Priest was placed into effect, Aaron ceased to be Aaron, but became the office of The Cohen Gadol. This meant that even the death of his family was not enough grounds for him to recess from office. Much in the same way a Nazarite was unable to touch, or even be near to a dead body, lest he be forced to begin his vow anew, not even if it were his Mother or Father.

Now – Let’s jump forward to the Brit Hadasha – In Luke 9, we read:

⁵⁷ As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
⁵⁸ Yeshua replied,“Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
⁶⁰ Yeshua said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
⁶² Yeshua replied,“No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:57-62

We must recognise that once we enter into this covenant relationship with the LORD, there is no turning back. The Office becomes a Higher calling, even than your own family. This is not to say that you give up your family, it just means that – When it comes to the Work of the LORD – Family isn’t first.

Yeshua also taught as this in Matthew 12:

⁴⁶ While Yeshua was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
⁴⁸ He replied to him,“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:46-50

God is compassionate, but we must recognise His Supremacy. It was not that Aaron COULD not mourn the loss of his own sons, it’s just that his office came first, and when he was able, then he could support the rest of his family.

Was this an example of the “Strict” God of the Old Testament? No – God has always been about Grace, but we must understand His Truth and Eternal Nature - God is the same yesterday –today and forever.

This is why Yeshua stated the above passages. This understanding is still in effect. Yeshua didn’t change His Mind! We can read it whatever way we desire, but where the rubber hits the road, God’s Word is the same. This is why it states that He is a jealous God. The Hebrew Word “Qana” depicts, “Nothing before me.” God is always First, even before Family.

Let me conclude with a Traditional Story for this time of year:

This comes from Luke 2:41-52

⁴¹Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
⁴³And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Yeshua tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
⁴⁴But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
⁴⁵And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
⁴⁶And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
⁴⁷And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
⁴⁸And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
⁴⁹And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
⁵⁰And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
⁵¹And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
⁵²And Yeshua increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. Luke 2:41-52

Chaverim, we must be about Our Father’s Business, and He must be first in our lives, even before Family.

We have a Great Work to do here, and I encourage you to come and help us, and help yourselves to be a part of this Blessing that God has called us to. Be about your Father’s Business. He has a Plan, and you are all a part of that plan. Come and see what the LORD is about to do.

Let us Pray...

After note: As I deliver Drash and Messages, I leave my content up to debate, of which there is a forum to discuss after the Oneg in our Torah Midrash Study. In fact, I have been known to deliberately deliver something "controversial," simply to provoke debate and discussion. Which is to say that I may present an idea without a complete study to back up my inclination. This is where the Midrash itself becomes a part of the investigative process. The Truth is that my Colleagues may have different perspectives to add to the research, and therefore we explore the idea together. The purpose is to provoke a reaction, and initiate further discussion on the topic. The presentation of the potential "Red Letter" Theory, did just that.

Last week, during another gathering, the context of "ET" (Aleph-Tav) was addressed. It was explained that in the process of developing the "Written" Hebrew Language, the Aleph-Tav was used to identify the "Object" within the sentence. Since Hebrew is less specific within its written form, the "ET" was used to specifically identify the Object. Now, although this does align with my previous understanding of it being a "Preposition," it still corrects my understanding of the actual prepositional application.

However, regardless of the identification of the Specific Grammatical use of the Aleph-Tav, I am left with the Midrashic value of my speculation, and that is that there is a connection between - WHY- the letters Aleph-Tav were used for this purpose, and the fact that Yeshua refers to Himself as such. We could dismiss this as mere coincidence, but at the same time as Kaplan states: "This word ("coincidence") is not Kosher."

It was presented that the Aleph-Tav within Yeshua's self-proclamation refers to His "Eternal" (Beginning and the End) nature, and to read more into this would be purely speculation, of which I agree. However, I will add that although Yeshua could have simply stated that He was/is "The Beginning and the End," He still chose to use this term "Aleph and Tav" to identify Himself, knowing that this term was also used within the context of the Written Word, which to me would indicate a greater chance of it being more than mere coincidence.

Therefore, I will continue to research this idea, and leave it up to the reader to decide whether or not to accept the Theory as just that, or a provocation for further research on their own part.
Also – Another correction within this Message – During my preparation, I had looked up and researched the Parasha for last Week, of which it appeared that it was Shmini.  However, I have been since corrected, and on further investigation, found that due to last Shabbat being the end to Pesach, it was a special Pesach reading, and Shmini is actually This Week’s Parasha.  Nevertheless, due to my delay in posting this Message, now it is back in order.  Thank you for your understanding.

Daniel