Genesis 1:1-2. In the beginning God (El’ohiym: El is God, Adonai, em is the Hebrew letter Nun that makes it plural) created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was unformed and void, darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered (merachefet: hover, flutter, tremble, shake, moved) over the surface of the water.
In the very first, opening statement of Torah. God identifies Himself, as the creator, in plurality. The second letter in the Alef-Bet is Bet which represents house, God's house. It was and is Adonai's divine plan for humankind to be able to live and function in Righteousness; in His house, His creation living with Him.
Genesis 1:3-4. Then God said, "Let there be light (Or: light, lightning, light of life, light of instruction, to be, enlightened)"; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God divided the light from the darkness.
God spoke His Word and created the universe. The light mentioned is not sun light but the light of life, light of instruction, enlightened by the manifest presence and knowledge of God Himself separating the waters. In verse 4 He says “Light was Good” which in Hebrew is “Ki Tov” which actually means it is just or righteous!! Creation came about by Adonai speaking His word, by the knowledge and revelation of who He was and is separated the mayim and Ha’shamayim, the upper and lower waters!
Proverbs 3:20. by His knowledge the deep [springs] burst open and the dew condenses from the sky.
The feasts, the Moedim, the appointed times are God's timeline and revelation of both Yeshua's first and second coming that are connected to the plurality of Adonai. There are two other Scriptures in this beginning Parasha that share the same plurality of Elohim (God).
Genesis 1:26. Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, in the likeness of ourselves; and let them rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the animals, and over all the earth, and over every crawling creature that crawls on the earth."
And in.
Genesis 3:22. ADONAI, God, said, "See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, to prevent his putting out his hand and taking also from the tree of life, eating, and living forever -"
The use of plural pronouns is very evident and profound here, a mystery even! As we read this first chapter of B’resheet, In the Beginning, Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we see Adonai in plurality (Elohim) as Creator, with the Ruach Elohim, the Spirit of God’s hovering, moving, trembling over the surface of the Mayim, the water. There exists a deep, mysterious revelation in this plurality of creation! Adonai, Yeshua, the Ruach HaKodesh were echad (plurality of completeness, whole, Yachad) in the moment of creation! They were united, together, and present in the very beginning as brought forth in:
John 1:1-5. In the beginning (Beresheet) was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing made had being. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light (or: light, light of life, light of instruction, enlightenment) of mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not suppressed it.
John wrote this at a time when there was a lot of strife, major Jewish conflict over Yeshua (not unlike today)! In many cases Jewish believers in Yeshua were no longer welcome in Synagogues (also not unlike today). John is writing here to Jewish non-believers answering the question, “Who is the Messiah”? The answer of course is Yeshua who is both Divine and Human, the Son of God, Ben EloHim!
John 1:14. The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Sh'khinah, the Sh'khinah of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.
Yochanan is encouraging the Messianic Jewish believers of his time to pursue a deeper, more profound understanding of who Yeshua truly is by revealing Ben Elohim, the son of Adonai in all His Plurality along with a revelation of The Ruach HaKodesh in creation! The Book of Hebrews also describes Yeshua’s connection with God and creation.
Hebrews 1:3. This Son is the radiance (apaugasma {ap-ow'-gas-mah}: reflected brightness, radiance, shining forth, a light coming from a luminous body-a reflection of the Or which pierced the darkness in creation) of the Sh'khinah, the very expression of God's essence, upholding all that exists by his powerful word; and after he had, through himself, made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of HaG'dulah BaM'romim.
In the beginning Adonai created something out of nothing through His spoken word with the illumination, the knowledge of who He is. He spoke creation into existence through His word! The reflection of that Or, the illumination of His knowledge is Yeshua! What we learn from the creation account is that the spoken Word of God is extremely powerful. Yeshua was tempted by HaSatan in Matthew 4 after 40 days of fasting! HaSatan, in an incredibly bold yet stupid maneuver begins quoting scripture to Yeshua (he’s still doing it today). Yeshua countered every temptation by directly quoting scripture correctly, in context, causing HaSatan to flee! The same holds true for you! If you have a love for God but are not walking in the fullness of His word you have no power or authority. Torah, the illumination, the light of the world is the source of truth, restoration, wisdom, joy, and the very source of creation itself:
Psalms 19:7-9. The Torah of ADONAI is perfect, restoring the inner person. The instruction of ADONAI is sure, making wise the thoughtless. 8 The precepts of ADONAI are right, rejoicing the heart. The mitzvah of ADONAI is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of ADONAI is clean, enduring forever. The rulings of ADONAI are true, they are righteous altogether,
This same Torah is profoundly confirmed and brought forth into the New Testament:
Romans 2:13. For it is not merely the hearers of Torah whom God considers righteous; rather, it is the doers of what Torah says who will be made righteous in God's sight.
It’s the doers of Torah who will be made righteous in Gods sight, not just those who hear it! What, then, is the goal of Torah? Torah is God’s roadmap revealing how one is reconciled unto to God, how to approach and have an intimate relationship with Him. Torah’s aim is that every individual be reconciled unto Adonai. The heart of the Misunderstanding in both Christendom and Judaism is that reconciliation to God can be performed through works, legalism, hyper grace, hyper love, or religion.
Two thousand years ago God’s roadmap and directions to Him, His revelation to reconciliation had become corrupted by traditions, by legalistic observances and rituals that were actually hindering people from the intimate relationship He desired. The truest, purest form of worship is obedience to God’s word, not religion or traditions. That’s why honor and celebrate in Simchat Torah. Yeshua spoke to this to this:
Mark 7:13. Thus, with your tradition which you had handed down to you, you nullify (akuroo {ak-oo-ro'-o}: nullify, invalidate, render void, deprive of force and authority) the Word of God! And you do other things like this."
Traditions deprive the force, the power, the life giving authority of Adonai’s word! The enemy wants you to believe that Torah is dead and no longer necessary because HaSatan wants you powerless and impotent, without authority! Yeshua said the true understanding and observance of Torah is performed by your inward response to His sacrificial death and resurrection for you, by this your heart becomes circumcised and filled with Torah.
Jeremiah 31:31-34. "Here, the days are coming," says ADONAI, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Isra'el and with the house of Y'hudah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by their hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt; because they, for their part, violated my covenant, even though I, for my part, was a husband to them," says ADONAI. 33 "For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Isra'el after those days," says ADONAI: "I will put my Torah within them (B’kir’bam: with in them, in the hearts, in the minds, in their midst, in their land, in their thoughts and emotions) and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will any of them teach his fellow community member or his brother, 'Know ADONAI'; for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will forgive their wickednesses and remember their sins no more."
Receiving Yeshua as your sacrifice is demonstrated by the word of Adonai being written upon your heart, within you, in your seat of thought and emotions, in your heart and mind, both within us and in the land as well!! It overflows in love and compassion! By your demonstration of His power in signs and wonders! Miracles! As Yeshua Himself said in:
Revelation 3:20. Here, I'm standing at the door (thura {thoo'-rah}: Door, gate, portal, entrance, way or passage into a person or place, the door or portal to heaven), knocking. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to (eiserchomai {ice-er'-khom-ahee}: come into, among, in the midst, in through and minds -B’kir’bam) him and eat with him, and he will eat with me.
Yeshua is the New Covenant, the living word, the fullness of God which brought us life more abundantly! Yeshua HaTorah, the living word! Sha’ul confirmed this exact same concept from Jeremiah and Revelation in
Romans 2:14-15. For whenever Gentiles, who have no Torah, do naturally what the Torah requires, then these, even though they don't have Torah, for themselves are Torah! 15 For their lives show that the conduct the Torah dictates is written in their hearts. Their consciences also bear witness to this, for their conflicting thoughts sometimes accuse them and sometimes defend them
The author of this new covenant is the living Torah, Yeshua Ben Elohim, fully divine and yet also human who brought life and power to the word of God! The word is no longer just spoken, it’s alive through Yeshua who is knocking at the door desiring to be in the midst of us, with in you as the living word of Adonai!
Israel’s destiny, Israel divine purpose has always been tikkun o’lam, the repair of the world through knowledge of the Torah, God’s word, from its moral corruption, and be the light unto the world! It was also through the chosen people that Yeshua the Messiah came, the light of the world. He alone has the power to transform us from within and write Adonai’s Torah upon and within our heart!
Simchat Torah is the time when the entire Kehillat, the entire congregation leave their seats to dance and sing along with the Torah scroll in joyous celebration that often last for hours. This service is uniquely characterized by the calling up of all congregates as well as all the children to participate in the celebration of God's word! This special time of dancing with the Torah is recorded throughout Jewish History. There are references that record the celebration of Simchat Torah in the First Diaspora in Babylon/Persia. Although the act is a custom, it is one of biblical identity as we honor and celebrate God's word and His living word, Yeshua HaTorah! May you have a joyful Simchat Torah!
Blessings and Shalom,
Rabbi Eric S Carlson
In the very first, opening statement of Torah. God identifies Himself, as the creator, in plurality. The second letter in the Alef-Bet is Bet which represents house, God's house. It was and is Adonai's divine plan for humankind to be able to live and function in Righteousness; in His house, His creation living with Him.
Genesis 1:3-4. Then God said, "Let there be light (Or: light, lightning, light of life, light of instruction, to be, enlightened)"; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God divided the light from the darkness.
God spoke His Word and created the universe. The light mentioned is not sun light but the light of life, light of instruction, enlightened by the manifest presence and knowledge of God Himself separating the waters. In verse 4 He says “Light was Good” which in Hebrew is “Ki Tov” which actually means it is just or righteous!! Creation came about by Adonai speaking His word, by the knowledge and revelation of who He was and is separated the mayim and Ha’shamayim, the upper and lower waters!
Proverbs 3:20. by His knowledge the deep [springs] burst open and the dew condenses from the sky.
The feasts, the Moedim, the appointed times are God's timeline and revelation of both Yeshua's first and second coming that are connected to the plurality of Adonai. There are two other Scriptures in this beginning Parasha that share the same plurality of Elohim (God).
Genesis 1:26. Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, in the likeness of ourselves; and let them rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the animals, and over all the earth, and over every crawling creature that crawls on the earth."
And in.
Genesis 3:22. ADONAI, God, said, "See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, to prevent his putting out his hand and taking also from the tree of life, eating, and living forever -"
The use of plural pronouns is very evident and profound here, a mystery even! As we read this first chapter of B’resheet, In the Beginning, Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we see Adonai in plurality (Elohim) as Creator, with the Ruach Elohim, the Spirit of God’s hovering, moving, trembling over the surface of the Mayim, the water. There exists a deep, mysterious revelation in this plurality of creation! Adonai, Yeshua, the Ruach HaKodesh were echad (plurality of completeness, whole, Yachad) in the moment of creation! They were united, together, and present in the very beginning as brought forth in:
John 1:1-5. In the beginning (Beresheet) was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing made had being. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light (or: light, light of life, light of instruction, enlightenment) of mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not suppressed it.
John wrote this at a time when there was a lot of strife, major Jewish conflict over Yeshua (not unlike today)! In many cases Jewish believers in Yeshua were no longer welcome in Synagogues (also not unlike today). John is writing here to Jewish non-believers answering the question, “Who is the Messiah”? The answer of course is Yeshua who is both Divine and Human, the Son of God, Ben EloHim!
John 1:14. The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Sh'khinah, the Sh'khinah of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.
Yochanan is encouraging the Messianic Jewish believers of his time to pursue a deeper, more profound understanding of who Yeshua truly is by revealing Ben Elohim, the son of Adonai in all His Plurality along with a revelation of The Ruach HaKodesh in creation! The Book of Hebrews also describes Yeshua’s connection with God and creation.
Hebrews 1:3. This Son is the radiance (apaugasma {ap-ow'-gas-mah}: reflected brightness, radiance, shining forth, a light coming from a luminous body-a reflection of the Or which pierced the darkness in creation) of the Sh'khinah, the very expression of God's essence, upholding all that exists by his powerful word; and after he had, through himself, made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of HaG'dulah BaM'romim.
In the beginning Adonai created something out of nothing through His spoken word with the illumination, the knowledge of who He is. He spoke creation into existence through His word! The reflection of that Or, the illumination of His knowledge is Yeshua! What we learn from the creation account is that the spoken Word of God is extremely powerful. Yeshua was tempted by HaSatan in Matthew 4 after 40 days of fasting! HaSatan, in an incredibly bold yet stupid maneuver begins quoting scripture to Yeshua (he’s still doing it today). Yeshua countered every temptation by directly quoting scripture correctly, in context, causing HaSatan to flee! The same holds true for you! If you have a love for God but are not walking in the fullness of His word you have no power or authority. Torah, the illumination, the light of the world is the source of truth, restoration, wisdom, joy, and the very source of creation itself:
Psalms 19:7-9. The Torah of ADONAI is perfect, restoring the inner person. The instruction of ADONAI is sure, making wise the thoughtless. 8 The precepts of ADONAI are right, rejoicing the heart. The mitzvah of ADONAI is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of ADONAI is clean, enduring forever. The rulings of ADONAI are true, they are righteous altogether,
This same Torah is profoundly confirmed and brought forth into the New Testament:
Romans 2:13. For it is not merely the hearers of Torah whom God considers righteous; rather, it is the doers of what Torah says who will be made righteous in God's sight.
It’s the doers of Torah who will be made righteous in Gods sight, not just those who hear it! What, then, is the goal of Torah? Torah is God’s roadmap revealing how one is reconciled unto to God, how to approach and have an intimate relationship with Him. Torah’s aim is that every individual be reconciled unto Adonai. The heart of the Misunderstanding in both Christendom and Judaism is that reconciliation to God can be performed through works, legalism, hyper grace, hyper love, or religion.
Two thousand years ago God’s roadmap and directions to Him, His revelation to reconciliation had become corrupted by traditions, by legalistic observances and rituals that were actually hindering people from the intimate relationship He desired. The truest, purest form of worship is obedience to God’s word, not religion or traditions. That’s why honor and celebrate in Simchat Torah. Yeshua spoke to this to this:
Mark 7:13. Thus, with your tradition which you had handed down to you, you nullify (akuroo {ak-oo-ro'-o}: nullify, invalidate, render void, deprive of force and authority) the Word of God! And you do other things like this."
Traditions deprive the force, the power, the life giving authority of Adonai’s word! The enemy wants you to believe that Torah is dead and no longer necessary because HaSatan wants you powerless and impotent, without authority! Yeshua said the true understanding and observance of Torah is performed by your inward response to His sacrificial death and resurrection for you, by this your heart becomes circumcised and filled with Torah.
Jeremiah 31:31-34. "Here, the days are coming," says ADONAI, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Isra'el and with the house of Y'hudah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by their hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt; because they, for their part, violated my covenant, even though I, for my part, was a husband to them," says ADONAI. 33 "For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Isra'el after those days," says ADONAI: "I will put my Torah within them (B’kir’bam: with in them, in the hearts, in the minds, in their midst, in their land, in their thoughts and emotions) and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will any of them teach his fellow community member or his brother, 'Know ADONAI'; for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will forgive their wickednesses and remember their sins no more."
Receiving Yeshua as your sacrifice is demonstrated by the word of Adonai being written upon your heart, within you, in your seat of thought and emotions, in your heart and mind, both within us and in the land as well!! It overflows in love and compassion! By your demonstration of His power in signs and wonders! Miracles! As Yeshua Himself said in:
Revelation 3:20. Here, I'm standing at the door (thura {thoo'-rah}: Door, gate, portal, entrance, way or passage into a person or place, the door or portal to heaven), knocking. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to (eiserchomai {ice-er'-khom-ahee}: come into, among, in the midst, in through and minds -B’kir’bam) him and eat with him, and he will eat with me.
Yeshua is the New Covenant, the living word, the fullness of God which brought us life more abundantly! Yeshua HaTorah, the living word! Sha’ul confirmed this exact same concept from Jeremiah and Revelation in
Romans 2:14-15. For whenever Gentiles, who have no Torah, do naturally what the Torah requires, then these, even though they don't have Torah, for themselves are Torah! 15 For their lives show that the conduct the Torah dictates is written in their hearts. Their consciences also bear witness to this, for their conflicting thoughts sometimes accuse them and sometimes defend them
The author of this new covenant is the living Torah, Yeshua Ben Elohim, fully divine and yet also human who brought life and power to the word of God! The word is no longer just spoken, it’s alive through Yeshua who is knocking at the door desiring to be in the midst of us, with in you as the living word of Adonai!
Israel’s destiny, Israel divine purpose has always been tikkun o’lam, the repair of the world through knowledge of the Torah, God’s word, from its moral corruption, and be the light unto the world! It was also through the chosen people that Yeshua the Messiah came, the light of the world. He alone has the power to transform us from within and write Adonai’s Torah upon and within our heart!
Simchat Torah is the time when the entire Kehillat, the entire congregation leave their seats to dance and sing along with the Torah scroll in joyous celebration that often last for hours. This service is uniquely characterized by the calling up of all congregates as well as all the children to participate in the celebration of God's word! This special time of dancing with the Torah is recorded throughout Jewish History. There are references that record the celebration of Simchat Torah in the First Diaspora in Babylon/Persia. Although the act is a custom, it is one of biblical identity as we honor and celebrate God's word and His living word, Yeshua HaTorah! May you have a joyful Simchat Torah!
Blessings and Shalom,
Rabbi Eric S Carlson
Posted in October 2025
Recent
Archive
2025
August
Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner Sheva Moedim HaAdonai, the seven Feasts of the LordSend on your behalf – Sh’lach l’Cha & the “One New Man”Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner May 2022Word Omer and Yeshua’s AscensionTHE TALLIT Phrases and PurposeRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner June 2022What is a Bar/Bat Mitzvah?Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner July 2022Truth DecayThe ShofarRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner August 2022The ShemaThe Biblical Wedding Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner September 2022Etrog & LulavThe Wedding Kiddushin & NisuinRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner October 2022Fall Feasts (Moedim)The Shelamim OfferingRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner November 2022AnointingThe MezuzahRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner December 2022HanukkahWhat is ShabbatRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner January 2023God’s Covenant SignsWhy Is Torah For Today?Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner February 2023DiversityEchadRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner March 2023Pesach is a Sign of RevivalShalom in the StormRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner April 2023Pesach is a Sign of RevivalFestival of MatzahRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner May 2023ShavuotMothersRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner June 2023Father’s DayFreedom Juneteenth 2023Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner July 2023Independence DayT’shuvah is Topical & RelevantRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner August 2023Danger of PrideElul - 40 Days of Prayer & FastingRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner September 2023Yom TeruahSUKKOTRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner October 2023TransitionRestorationRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner November 2023Prophetic IsraelThanksgivingRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner December 2023What do we do with Christmas?Hanukkah Culture WarRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner January 2024HopeSeed’s and Tare’sRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner February 2024Mishpocha (Family)Rebuilding Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner March 2024Bondage to FreedomPurimRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner April 2024DeceptionPesach (Passover)Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner May 2024RiversInjusticeRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner June 2024Fathers Day 2024ShavuotRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner July 2024Attention to DetailCourage in Adversity The foundation of RevivalRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner August 2024Hindering SpiritsSuddenlyRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner September 2024Entering FaithfulnessForgivenessRabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner October 2024Be BoldFall Feasts (Moedim)Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner November 2024Adonai RophekahApproaching God. The Meeting Place.Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner December 2024TestingWhat do we do with Christmas?Rabbi & Rebbetzin's Corner January 2025Excellence