Warren Marcus of One New Man speaks on the Feasts of the Lord - (1 of 4)

Warren Marcus - One New Man

Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) celebration was held at Beit Yeshua in Lincolnton, NC on Friday, Sept. 20, 2013. Curtis Loftin, Doug Williams and Paul Miles led the meeting.

Special speaker was Warren Marcus, who spoke on our Jewish roots, the Feasts and how the Catholic Church removed or replaced them in the early centuries. We could learn a lot by learning what the Lord gave us through His feasts.

Dancing by the Machol Israeli Folk Dance Team of Beit Yeshua.

Videos filmed and shared by Steve Martin - to give appreciation to and love for those we support, through Love For His People, Inc.

Sukkot - Feast of Tabernacles - Feast of Booths - Succot - Feast of the Lord

Jewish Holidays:
Sukkot

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Jewish Holidays: Table of Contents | Upcoming Dates | Festivals in Israel

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The Festival of Sukkot begins on the 15th day of Tishri and is the fifth day after Yom Kippur. It is a drastic transition from one of the most solemn holidays in the Jewish calendar to one of the most joyous.

Introduction

Sukkot is a seven day holiday and the two days following the festival - Shemini Atzeret and Simkhat Torah - are commonly thought of as part of Sukkot but are actually separate holidays. Sukkot is sometimes referred to as Zeman Simkhateinu, the Season of our Rejoicing.

The word "Sukkot" means "booths," and refers to the temporary dwellings that we are commanded to live in during this holiday. The name of the holiday is frequently translated "The Feast of Tabernacles," which, like many translations of technical Jewish terms, isn't terribly useful unless you already know what the term is referring to. The Hebrew pronunciation of Sukkot is "Sue COAT," but is often pronounced as in Yiddish, to rhyme with "BOOK us."

Like Passover and Shavu'ot, Sukkot has a dual significance: historical and agricultural. The holiday commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Sukkot is also a harvest festival, and is sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif, the Festival of Ingathering.

The festival of Sukkot is instituted in Leviticus 23:33 et seq. No work is permitted on the first and second days of the holiday. Work is permitted on the remaining days. These intermediate days on which work is permitted are referred to as Chol Ha-Mo'ed, as are the intermediate days of Passover.

The Sukkah

In honor of the holiday's historical significance, we are commanded to dwell in temporary shelters, as our ancestors did in the wilderness. The commandment to "dwell" in a sukkah can be fulfilled by simply eating all of one's meals there; however, if the weather, climate, and one's health permit, one should live in the sukkah as much as possible, including sleeping in it.

A sukkah must have at least three walls covered with a material that will not blow away in the wind. Canvas covering tied or nailed down is acceptable and quite common in the United States. A sukkah may be any size, so long as it is large enough for you to fulfill the commandment of dwelling in it. The roof of the sukkah must be made of material referred to as sekhakh (literally, covering). To fulfill the commandment, sekhakh must be something that grew from the ground and was cut off, such as tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo reeds, sticks, or two-by-fours. Sekhakh must be left loose, not tied together or tied down. Sekhakh must be placed sparsely enough that rain can get in, and preferably sparsely enough that the stars can be seen, but not so sparsely that more than ten inches is open at any point or that there is more light than shade. The sekhakh must be put on last.

It is common practice, and highly commendable, to decorate the sukkah. In the northeastern United States, Jews commonly hang dried squash and corn in the sukkah to decorate it, because these vegetables are readily available at that time for the American holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. Building and decorating a sukkah is a fun, family project, much like decorating the Christmas tree is for Christians. It is a sad commentary on modern American Judaismthat most of the highly assimilated Jews who complain about being deprived of the fun of having and decorating a Christmas tree have never even heard of Sukkot.

The following blessing is recited when eating a meal in the sukkah:

Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam asher
kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu leisheiv basukkah.

Many Americans, upon seeing a decorated sukkah for the first time, remark on how much the sukkah (and the holiday generally) reminds them of Thanksgiving. This is not entirely coincidental. Our American pilgrims, who originated the Thanksgiving holiday, were deeply religious people. When they were trying to find a way to express their thanks for their survival and for the harvest, they looked to the Bible for an appropriate way of celebrating and based their holiday in part on Sukkot.

The Four Species

Another observance related to Sukkot involves what are known as The Four Species (arba minim in Hebrew) or the lulav and etrog. We are commanded to take these four plants and use them to "rejoice before the L-rd." The four species in question are an etrog (a citrus fruit native to Israel), a palm branch (in Hebrew, lulav), a myrtle branch (hadas) and a willow branch (arava).

Every morning of Sukkot, except on Shabbat, it is the custom to hold the lulav in the right hand and the etrog in the left. Bringing them together (with the pitam, the stem of the etrog pointing downward), the following blessing is recited:

Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam asher
kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al n'tilat lulav.

The four species are also held during the Hallel prayer in religious services, and are held during processions around thebimah (the pedestal where the Torah is read) each day during the holiday. These processions commemorate similar processions around the alter of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. The processions are known as Hoshanahs, because while the procession is made, we recite a prayer with the refrain, "Hosha na!" (please save us!). On the seventh day of Sukkot, seven circuits are made. For this reason, the seventh day of Sukkot is known as Hoshanah Rabbah (the great Hoshanah).

 Source: Jewish Virtual Library  http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holiday5.html

Teshuvah 29 - Hebrew months of Elul and Tishri - Curtis Loftin

Curtis Loftin - Beit Yehsua in Lincolnton, NC

Teshuvah 29

Shalom Mishpocha,

Today (Tuesday) at sundown is the beginning of Elul 29 and the 29th day of Teshuvah - The Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) begins tomorrow night (Wednesday) at sundown.

The month of Elul on the Hebrew calendar has 29 days.  The seventh month on the Hebrew Civil Calendar is the month of "Tishri" - with Yom Teruah occurring on Tishri 1, Yom Kippur on Tishri 10, and Sukkot on Tishri 15. 

Do you know how many days the month of February has?  Sure you do - that's an easy one - "28 days", except for leap year when it has 29.  Well, how many days does September have?  ...or July?  Those are always a little tougher, at least for me, so I rely on an old poem I learned as a child.  "Thirty days hath September, April, June and November, All the rest have thirty-one, Excepting February alone, And that has twenty-eight days clear, And twenty-nine in each leap year." 

The beginning of each Jewish lunar month is based on the appearance of the new moon. Carolyn & I actually wrote a little song years ago to memorize the Hebrew months - those of you who have participated in our Aleph-Bet classes through the years have heard it.  "Tishrei, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar, Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tamuz, Av and Elul". 

The months have either 29 or 30 days ... alternating.
     30-Tishrei

     29-Cheshvah

     30-Kislev (but sometimes 29)

     29-Tevet
     30-Shevat

          (Leap Year month of Adar I is added here 7 times in the 19-year cycle)
     29-Adar
     30-Nisan
     29-Iyar

     30-Sivan

     29-Tamuz

     30-Av

     29-Elul

We have a Leap Year every 4 years on our calendar and an extra day is added to the month of February (February 29th).  The Jewish Calendar has an extra monthduring its Leap Year.  An extra month, Adar I, is added after the month of Shevat and before the month of Adar in a Leap year. A Jewish leap year occurs 7 times in a 19-year cycle. The 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, and 19th years are leap years in this cycle.

Israel has a Religious Calendar and a Civil Calendar.  The Religious Calendar begins with Nisan and runs through Adar.  The Civil Calendar begins with Tishrei and runs through Elul.

God's Calendar is actually the Jewish Religious Calendar.  

Exodus 12

² This month (Nisan/Abib) shall be unto you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.

The Feast of Trumpets is called Rosh Hashanah in Israel (and many places around the world) - because Tishrei 1 is the beginning of the Civil Calendar (not the Religious Calendar).  Rosh Hashanah actually means "Head (or Beginning) of the Year".  Since Tishrei 1 is not the "Head of the Year" on God's Calendar, we usually call the Feast of Trumpets by what we believe is its more appropriate name - Yom Teruah (Day of Shofar Sounding - Day of the Awakening Blast - Day of Trumpets).

So, why the Jewish calendar lesson?  It's impossible to fully understand scripture without understanding the Jewish calendar. I love the Hebrew calendar and I know you will, too, as you become more familiar with it.  It is important to Him!  The Festivals are His appointments.  There are no random dates on God's Calendar.

Now, let's take a closer look at Yom Teruah ...

One reference in Scripture for Yom Teruah is found in Numbers 29. The weekly Sabbath (as you know) is from sundown Friday night till sundown Saturday night, but this scripture in Numbers 29 tells us that Tishri 1 (Yom Teruah) is also a Sabbath - "you shall do no servile work" (no public form of work providing wages).  This means that there will also be a Festival Sabbath this week from sundown Wednesday night till sundown Friday night (two days of Yom Teruah that count as one long day) - then the weekly Sabbath from Sundown Friday night till sundown Saturday night.  (That means that this week, the Sabbath days are from sundown Wednesday till sundown Satruday.)

Numbers 29

¹And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.

Psalm 144

¹⁵ …happy is that people whose God is the Lord

As we continue to seek the Lord during the final days of the month Elul and "Teshuvah", Return to Him with all our hearts, 1 Corinthians 10, Psalm 145, and Psalm 51 offer some encouraging words to us.

1Corinthians 10

¹³ No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

Psalm 145

⁸ The LORD is gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy

¹⁴ The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry and will save them.

²⁰ The LORD preserveth all them that love Him: but all the wicked will He destroy

Psalm 51:7

Purify me with hyssop and I will be clean; Wash me and I will be white as snow.

White garments represent being in a state of spiritual preparedness.

Ecclesiastes 9:8

Let your garments be always white...

Thank You Abba for the cleansing power of the blood of Your Son, Yeshua, in our lives.  Continue to work in our hearts - drawing us ever closer to You.  B’Shem Yeshua (In the Name of Yeshua) - Amen!

Ahava V'Brachot,

(Love & Blessings)

Curtis

curtisloftin@gmail.com

Worship Opportunity For the Day:

YouTube Video: MARANATHA SINGERS "White As Snow"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPFCosKw1YE

White As Snow

Maranatha Music
“America Worships”

White as snow, White as snow,

Though my sins were as scarlet,

Lord I know, Lord I know,

That I’m clean and forgiven.

Through the power of Your blood,

Through the wonder of Your love,

Through the faith in You I know that I can be,

White as snow.

Blowing the shofars - Feast of Trumpets (Tabernacles)!

Jewish Holidays 2013-2014

All holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the date specified in the tables below. For example, if the dates for Rosh Hashana were listed as Sep 19-20, then the holiday begins at sundown on Sep 18 and ends at sundown on Sep 20. Dates in bold are yom tov, so they have similar obligations and restrictions to Shabbat in the sense that normal "work" is forbidden.

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• 2011-2012
• 2012-2013
• 2013-2014
• 2014-2015
• 2015-2016
• 2016-2017
• 2017-2018
• 2018-2019
• 2019-2020
• 2020-2021

Major holidays

Holiday	Hebrew Year 5774	Description
Rosh Hashana	Sep 5-6, 2013	The Jewish New Year
Yom Kippur	Sep 14, 2013	Day of Atonement
Sukkot	Sep 19-20, 2013 Sep 21-25, 2013	Feast of Tabernacles
Shmini Atzeret	Sep 26, 2013	Eighth Day of Assembly
Simchat Torah	Sep 27, 2013	Day of Celebrating the Torah
Chanukah	Nov 28-Dec 5, 2013	The Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the Festival of Lights
Purim	Mar 16, 2014	Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar
Pesach	Apr 15-16, 2014 Apr 17-20, 2014 Apr 21-22, 2014	Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Shavuot	Jun 4-5, 2014	Festival of Weeks, commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai
Tish'a B'Av	Aug 5, 2014	The Ninth of Av, fast commemorating the destruction of the two Temples

Minor holidays

Holiday	Hebrew Year 5774	Description
Tu BiShvat	Jan 16, 2014	New Year for Trees
Purim Katan	Feb 14, 2014	Minor Purim celebration during Adar I on leap years
Shushan Purim	Mar 17, 2014	Purim celebrated in Jerusalem and walled cities
Days of the Omer		7 weeks from the second night of Pesach to the day before Shavuot
Pesach Sheni	May 14, 2014	Second Passover, one month after Passover
Lag B'Omer	May 18, 2014	33rd day of counting the Omer

Public fasts

Holiday	Hebrew Year 5774	Description
Tzom Gedaliah	Sep 8, 2013	Fast of the Seventh Month
Asara B'Tevet	Dec 13, 2013	Fast commemorating the siege of Jerusalem
Ta'anit Esther	Mar 13, 2014	Fast of Esther
Ta'anit Bechorot	Apr 14, 2014	Fast of the First Born
Tzom Tammuz	Jul 15, 2014	Fast commemorating breaching of the walls of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar

Modern holidays

Holiday	Hebrew Year 5774	Description
Yom HaShoah	Apr 28, 2014	Holocaust Memorial Day
Yom HaZikaron	May 5, 2014	Israeli Memorial Day
Yom HaAtzma'ut	May 6, 2014	Israeli Independence Day
Yom Yerushalayim	May 28, 2014	Jerusalem Day

http://www.hebcal.com/holidays/2013-2014