Kehilat Ari Yehudah

05/06/2023

Hi Folks, sorry for the late notice but you didn't miss a teaching this week. Rabbi was unable to present.

03/05/2023

05/04/2022

Israel’s Memorial Day May 4th and Independence Day May 5th

04/15/2022

May you all have a meaningful and blessed time recalling the salvation of our people by G-d in the days of Moshe and the salvation of Mashiach Yeshua for all who trust in Him!

03/31/2022

Hungry?

1 "All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You without money, come, buy, and eat! Yes, come! Buy wine and milk without money - it's free! 2 Why spend money for what isn't food, your wages for what doesn't satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and you will eat well, you will enjoy the fat of the land. 3 Open your ears, and come to me; listen well, and you will live - I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the grace I assured David. Isaiah 55:1-3 (CJB)

I once saw a show that followed some extreme couponing shopper spending $1.98 for $300 of food and other items and I thought I might give it a try. Each week we get multiple coupons in a mailer sent to our home for a variety of things. So, with scissors in hand, I eagerly looked through the pages of the mailer to find great deals. Boy, was I disappointed! Sodas and chips, candy bars and cake mixes, juices and junk food - these were the things they offered the most. However, things that are highly processed, artificially flavored and sugar laden never seem to satisfy, but leave you wanting more. There is a reason behind the “Bet You Can’t Eat Just One” slogan. I wasn’t finding coupons for “clean” foods that help our bodies, but empty foods that hinder health. Why waste my money on these things just because I was being offered a deal?

We are also offered a deal on religion. The coupons become messages that tickle our ears with all the things that seem appealing, but never seem to satisfy. We need to open our ears to His voice. We need to seek the life-giving water of the Word. We need the Bread of Life...No coupons necessary!

Abba, You are the One I seek! You said in Your Word that You feed me with the finest wheat and satisfy me with honey from the rock. This is what I desire, L-rd. Lead me to Your banquet table for You satisfy my soul!

Shirel

03/28/2022

Sometimes silence is golden...

Psalm 62 Complete Jewish Bible
1 (0) For the leader. Set in the style of Y’dutun. A psalm of David:
2 (1) My soul waits in silence for God alone; my salvation comes from him.

Psalm 65 Complete Jewish Bible
1 For the leader. A psalm of David. A song: To you, God, in Tziyon, silence is praise; and vows to you are to be fulfilled. 2 You who listen to prayer, to you all living creatures come. 3 When deeds of wickedness overwhelm me, you will atone for our crimes. 4 How blessed are those you choose and bring near, so that they can remain in your courtyards! We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the Holy Place of your temple.

These verses use the same Hebrew word translated as waiting. The first verses are comforting to me because many times I have waited in silence. I just could not find words in a place of disappointment, pain or deep sorrow. However, when I read the second passage, I must admit, I wondered a bit at this translation, “...silence is praise.” Silence is praise? How can that be? Aren’t we to give voice to our praise? After reading other translations and recalling the songs written using this Psalm, I have grown attached to these words...“To You, G-d in Tzion, silence is praise.” The word used here is דּוּמִיָּה Dumiyah and it means to be silent, still and waiting expectantly or confidently. Do you see why I like this wording now?
If you have ever traveled with small children, you know the value of the “Quiet Game.” The noise gets to a certain point and we yearn for silence. We tend to fill up our waking hours with noise. We don’t seem to know how to sit quietly, so we use the TV or radio for background. Even our worship can be so filled up with sound, that we cannot really hear G-d’s voice or experience His awesome presence. Sometimes I think G-d would like us to play the Quiet Game as well! We need to allow time for stillness or waiting in silence. He says in His Word that we should be still and know He is G-d. To Adonai our stillness...our confident waiting in silence is praise!

Abba, here I am. I have stilled my soul and love Your nearness! I will confidently wait in silence for Your voice.

Shirel