Shalom Mishpocha,

        April has arrived, bringing with it the promise of spring and new beginnings. It is a time of renewal, blooming flowers, and the warmth of the sun. As April unfolds, it invites us to embrace change, celebrate life, and reflect on the beauty of growth. Whether it's through gardening, enjoying nature, or simply taking a moment to appreciate the small joys of life, April is a month filled with possibilities and opportunities for self-discovery and personal growth in the Lord. April brings warmer temperatures!

The month of April gets its name from the Latin word “aperio”, meaning “to open [bud],” because plants are really beginning to grow and bud now. April 1st is “April Fools’ Day”. The Julien Calendar marked the New Year April 1st.  When Pope Gregory shifted to the Gregorian calendar in 1582, he moved the New Year to January 1st. Many continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1st and thus were referred to as “April Fools” because they weren’t celebrating the New Year on January 1st. On a happy note, Tuesday, April 7th is National No Housework Day, enjoy!
 
The New Year is also upon us (5786)! We look forward with anticipation and expectation to restarting both the Biblical Calendar and the Annual Moedim (Feast Day) Cycle! Pesach (Passover) begins Tuesday evening, March 31st,2026 at sunset! The Festival of Matza begins Thursday April 1st, 2026 at sunset. Thursday April 2nd and Wednesday April 8th (the first and last day of Matzah) are no workdays!

In preparation for celebrating Pesach (Passover) it’s time for spring cleaning to get rid of the Leaven. Leavening in Hebrew is Hametz.  Leavening or Hametz is yeast. Contrary to Orthodox Judaism, Baking Soda and Baking Powder are not leavening agents! Yeast is alive, a fungi that is found in nature from spores and pollen. For Pesach (Passover) we are commanded to eat Matzah and not have hametz (yeast) in our homes for seven days.

As we are also in the biblical month of Nisan, it is also referred to as Chodesh ha-Yeshua, the "month of salvation".  This can be viewed and understood in both the physical and spiritual context. Physical: Israel was physically delivered from Slavery in Egypt in the month of Nisan. Spiritually: The Salvation for both Israel and the world from the slavery of sin occurred in the same month through the Messiah who was born on the 1st of Nisan, entered Jerusalem with the Passover Lambs on the 10th of Nisan, and was crucified on the 14th of Nisan! What’s revealed in all of this is a heavenly ordained Cycle of Time.  A never-ending repetitive, helical circle that is repetitive but not exactly identical!

Therefore, it’s quite clear to us that God see's this month, Aviv or Nisan as the Month of redemption or “Chodesh HaGeulah” in Hebrew. The Babylonian Talmud written in the Babylonian Diaspora or captivity gives a profound Messianic Statement over 400 years before the birth of Yeshua:  "In Nisan our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt and in Nisan we will be redeemed." This can be seen in the Hebrew language itself. The Hebrew word for "year" - shannah - shares the same Hebrew root as both the word "repeat" Shenen and the word "change" Sheenoo.

The “New Year" and Feast Day Cycle is one of "repetition" - mishnah (means to study by repetition and review, mishnah has the same root word "shanah). To Mishnah, to study, to review the history of Israel as recorded in scripture".  The years Moedim and feast day cycles are an all-inclusive "study and review" of the key historical and prophetic events of the redemptive history of Israel.  We repeat and relive these events to bring heavens pattern into our present world and lives to prepare and rehearse for the future!

The need to Shamor or guard the biblical new year and associated feasts and cycles becomes crystal clear.  The cycle is repetitive yet not identical from year to year as we stream towards the return of Messiah and the establishment of God's timeline upon the earth and all humanity!  The seed of redemption and salvation has already been sown, we need only study and review Adonai’s calendar to see what it will look like and when it will occur!

However you celebrate the month, let April be your invitation to step outside, embrace the change of season, and make the most of these bright and hopeful days! May His glory and presence powerfully be with you as you celebrate and keep Pesach (Passover).

Chag Sameach and Blessings,

Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson
 

We’ve recently been warned of possible Hezbollah sleeper cells in America attacking us from within as well as antisemitism’s continued rise!  April is a critical month for situational awareness and prayer! April has historically been a very trying month. Look at what has happened across the spans of time during the Month of April:
 
1st April 1933: Nazi Germany begins the persecution of German Jews by declaring a boycott of Jewish owned businesses

2nd April 1982: Argentina invaded the Falklands Islands, and quickly overcame the small garrison of British marines at the town of Stanley on East Falkland, this led to the Falklands Crisis

2nd April 1986: Bomb Explodes on TWA Boeing 727 tearing hole in the side of the aircraft which sucks four passengers including an eight-month old baby from the aircraft.

3rd April 2009: 14 killed in shooting rampage at Immigration Center in Binghamton, New York.

4th April 1916: 1918 France World War I Battle Of The Somme 4th April : One of the most costly battles in modern wartime is fought near the Somme Region which saw the deaths of over 1 million men from both sides of the war.
 
4th April 1968: Martin Luther King Jr. is shot to death by James Earl Ray at a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee.

4th April 2009: 3 Police Officers Killed and two seriously wounded in Pittsburgh PA as a man goes on a shooting rampage in a domestic dispute over a dog barking

5th April 1986: A bomb is exploded in the crowded La Belle disco in Berlin, Germany, killing two and injuring at least 120

7th April 1994: Civil War breaks out in Rwanda when Hutu extremists murder an estimated 800,000 innocent civilian Christian Tutsis in the worst episode of genocide since World War II,

10th April 2002: Eight Israelis are killed by a suicide bomber aboard a bus in Haifa.

12th April 1945: After serving as U.S. president for 12 years, Franklin D. Roosevelt the 32nd president of the United States died from a massive cerebral hemorrhage at his retreat in Warm Springs, Georgia.

12th April 1994: A Bomb Exploded on a crowded bus in Israel Killing 6 people and wounding 25

14th April 1865: President Lincoln is shot and mortally wounded by John Wilkes Booth the first President of the Unites States assassinated.

15th April 1912: RMS Titanic struck an iceberg and sinks

15th April 2013: Terrorists detonated two bombs near the finish line at the Boston Marathon killing three people and injuring more than 250.

15th April 2019: A fire started in the roof of the famous Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral and spread through the structure, destroying the 800-year-old church.

16th April 2007: Student Cho Hui goes on a killing spree at Virginia Tech killing a former girlfriend Emily Hilscher and her next-door neighbor Ryan Clark, and then shot to death 30 other students before taking his own life

17th April 2006: A Palestinian suicide bomber strikes a Tel Aviv restaurant during Passover, killing nine people

17th April 2025: The son of a sheriff's deputy, 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner. opened fire at Florida State University in Tallahassee killing two people and injuring six others.

18th April 1906: An earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, shook the town of San Francisco, California and Thirty thousand homes were either partially or wholly destroyed and an estimated 3,000 are reported dead.

18th April 1983: A Terrorist attack by a suicide bomber destroyed the United States Embassy in Beirut, The explosion killed 63 People

19th April 1993: An assault on the headquarters of the Branch Davidian sect near Waco, Texas ends in a deadly fire killing 70 cult members the cults leader David Koresh
 
19th April 1995: A truck full of explosives destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, killing 168 people.
 
20th April 1889: Adolph Hitler Born in Austria.
 
20th April 1999: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shoot and kill 13 people and wound 24 others at Columbine High School in Denver, Colorado.
 
20th April 2010: The Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig was destroyed by an explosion and subsequent fire, 11 workers were killed and 17 others were injured in the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
 
21st April 1989: 100,000 students gather at Beijing's Tiananmen Square to voice their discontent with China's authoritative communist government. This was the beginning of the mass demonstrations in Tiananmen Square.
 
24th April 1898: Spain declares war on the United States after rejecting America's ultimatum to withdraw from Cuba

26th April 1986: An explosion and fire at the No. 4 reactor of Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine resulted in a nuclear meltdown sending radioactivity into the atmosphere.

26th April 2002: Robert Steinhäuser goes on a shooting rampage at the Johann Gutenberg Gymnasium in Erfurt, Germany, killing 15

30th April 1945: Adolf Hitler and his wife Eva Braun committed suicide one day after they were married
 
There is a time and season for all things:
 
Ecclesiastes 3:1,8. For everything there is a season, a right time for every intention under heaven.

8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
 
So then, why do so many horrible things happen in the Spring, even March and May, but particularly during the month of April?
 
I Chronicles 20:1. In the spring, at the time when kings go out to war, Yo'av led the army out in force and laid waste to the country of the people of 'Amon; then he came and laid siege to Rabbah. But David stayed in Yerushalayim, while Yo'av attacked Rabbah and destroyed it.

Springtime is the season for war, when Kings go out to war.  As we look through history all nations would quietly winter their armies and relax until springtime in which Kings would go to war.  
 
The word speaks many things regarding war and the season of war.  The Oracles of God give us wisdom, and even tactics concerning war.  God tells us to sound the alarm and we’ll be remembered before Him:
 
Numbers 10:9. "When you go to war in your land against an adversary who is oppressing you, you are to sound an alarm with the trumpets; then you will be remembered before ADONAI your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.
 
The Lord trains us for war, we are to train:

Psalms 18:34. He trains my hands for war until my arms can bend a bow of bronze;
 
Psalms 144:1-2.  By David: Blessed be ADONAI, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle. 2 He shows me grace; and he is my fortress, my stronghold, in whom I find shelter, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.
We are not to fear:

Psalms 27:3. If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear; if war breaks out against me, even then I will keep trusting.

II Timothy 1:7. (NLT) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
 
We are to wage war with strategy and wisdom:

Proverbs 24:6. For with clever strategy you wage your war, and victory comes from having many advisers.

We are warned not to receive bad things from our enemy:

Deuteronomy 23:9. "When you are in camp, at war with your enemies, you are to guard yourself against anything bad.

The Lord even allows us to taste battle so those that knew not war may learn and be trained:
 
Judges 3:1-2. These are the nations which ADONAI allowed to remain, in order to put to the test all the people of Isra'el who had not known any of the wars with Kena'an. 2 This was only so that the generations of Isra'el who had previously known nothing of war might learn about it.
 
The season of time is readily apparent to anyone who is awake and paying attention to the Spirit Realm. Even the secular world recognizes April as troublesome. They have denoted April as National Preparedness Month, a time for individuals and communities to plan ahead for potential disasters. It emphasizes the importance of being prepared for emergencies, including natural and man-made threats.
 
Understanding and studying past historical events enhances our grasp of the world, shedding light on geopolitical and kingdom complexities. It helps us see how past events influence the present and guides us in making informed decisions for the future. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Vigilance is a vital aspect of faith, as it encourages us to remain alert and attentive to our spiritual lives and surroundings. It requires us to be aware of temptations, recognizing the presence of HaSatan, while drawing near to and remaining connected to God!
 
Pray and remain vigilant!
 
Blessings,
 
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson

The Feast Days cycle follows a pattern of seven and begins with Pesach.  Seven in Hebrew is Sheva and is represented by the letter Zain.  Seven (Sheva) is the central key to God’s design, Sheva is the building blocks of the universe.  The world was created in Sheva (seven) days.  There are Sheva (seven) feasts of the Lord in the annual feast day cycle.  There are Sheva (seven) days in the week.  There is the shenat ha-sheva, the seventh year or Sabbatical year in which the ground is to lay fallow which we are currently in!! 
 
Leviticus 23:1-3. ADONAI said to Moshe, 2 "Tell the people of Isra'el: 'The designated times of ADONAI which you are to proclaim as holy convocations are my designated times. 3 "'Work is to be done on six days; but the seventh day is a Shabbat of complete rest, a holy convocation; you are not to do any kind of work; it is a Shabbat for ADONAI, even in your homes.
 
Moedim, Divine appointments, Convocation in Hebrew is Mikra (calling out of the holy ones) who's root word is Kaw-raw which means rehearsal! We are to proclaim, guard, observe, and keep the Designated Times of Adonai! Shabbat is the First feast Day the begins the annual Feast Day cycle, Pesach is the second:  
 
Leviticus 23:5-8. "'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, between sundown and complete darkness, comes Pesach for ADONAI. 6 On the fifteenth day of the same month is the festival of matzah; for seven days you are to eat matzah. 7 On the first day you are to have a holy convocation; don't do any kind of ordinary work. 8 Bring an offering made by fire to ADONAI for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work.'"
 
In preparation for this we cleanse our homes and rid them of S’or (Yeast) and Hametz. It is found numerous times in Torah, first in Exodus 12.
 
Exodus 12:15. "'For seven days you are to eat matzah - on the first day remove the leaven from your houses. For whoever eats hametz [leavened bread] from the first to the seventh day is to be cut off from Isra'el.
 
The punishment for eating yeast or Leavened bread during the Festival of Unleavened Bread is “venichretah”, spiritual excision, cut off, cut down, to be eliminated from the greater house of Israel, to literally have one’s soul cut off from Israel. God gives a severe punishment for not submitting too and following His feasts, which, by the way most here already know that Adonai commands be done:
 
Exodus 12:17. You are to observe the festival of matzah, for on this very day I brought your divisions out of the land of Egypt. Therefore, you are to observe this day from generation to generation by a perpetual regulation.
 
Perpetual in the Hebrew is Olam which means forever, always, continuous existence, perpetual, everlasting, indefinite, and eternity! L’dor V’dor, generation to generation! So regardless of one’s religious theologies or doctrine, all who worship the God of Israel and acknowledge Yeshua’s death and resurrection (which transpired during Pesach and festival of Matzah (Unleavened Bread)) should be keeping and celebrating Pesach and Matzah. It’s one of the Ten Commandments:
 
Exodus 34:18,28. "Keep the festival of matzah by eating matzah, as I ordered you, for seven days during the month of Aviv; for it was in the month of Aviv that you came out from Egypt.

28 Moshe was there with ADONAI forty days and forty nights, during which time he neither ate food nor drank water. [ADONAI] wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Words.     
 
These commands come after the construction and worship of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32, an illicit religious festival not commanded by Adonai. Adonai is reiterating, restating His Divine calendar of legitimate Feasts and related obligations in Exodus 34. He does not want illicit, illegitimate worship! He desires those who will worship Him according to His word, commands, and instructions. As Yeshua stated to the woman at the well in Shomron:
 
John 4:23. But the time is coming -- indeed, it's here now -- when the true worshippers will worship the Father spiritually and truly, for these are the kind of people the Father wants worshipping him.
 
Yeshua’s reference to “true worshippers” reveals that there are illegitimate, illicit worshipers who are not worshipping Adonai in Spirit and Truth! This season is a paradox for believers, two different holidays are being celebrated (Passover and Easter) yet, with great irony, were all using the same bible…..Luke 22 clearly records the truth. In the NKJV:
 
Luke 22:1. (NKJV) Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.

Its explicitly clear that Yeshua’s death and resurrection is unfolding during the Feast of Pesach (Passover) and Matzah (unleavened bread).

Luke 22:7-8. (NKJV) Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat."

If this isn’t clear enough, Yeshua then tells His Talmidim about preparing the place for their Passover Seder meal:
 
Luke 22:11. (NKJV) Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" '
They weren’t eating a convicts last meal before a death sentence, they were celebrating and performing a Passover seder! It’s this very reason that we refer to Yeshua/Jesus as the Lamb of God! He is our Passover Lamb sacrifice! In Egypt Death passed over us one evening!  In Yeshua death Pesach/Passover us forever!
 
Luke 22:14-20. (NKJV) When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 19 And He took bread (Artos: Water mixed with flour and baked-Shew Bread [Matzah]), gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
 
We will celebrate Pesach with Yeshua in the millennial reign! Fulfilled in the Greek in verse 16 is: Pleroo (play-ro'-o): to fulfil, to cause God' s will as made known in the Torah to be obeyed as it should be, and God' s promises given through the prophets to receive fulfilment, Correct interpretation. Many misinterpret these verses because they believe Torah, the law is no longer relevant or valid. However, Yeshua said He came to fulfill it, which does not mean it was lacking something but that the coming of the Messiah completed the picture. Torah now existed as God originally intended. As Sha’ul stated in Romans 7:7. the function of the Torah was that without it, I would not have known what sin is. For example, I would not have become conscious of what greed is if the Torah had not said, "Thou shalt not covet.
 
Yeshua’s death and resurrection becomes watered down when taken out of scriptural context then mixed with eggs, rabbits, and Easter which is never mentioned in scripture, not once. The King James translation in Acts 12:4 says King Herod arrested Kefa (Peter), put him in prison, planning to bring him before the people after Easter.  The Greek word is Pascha (Pesach/Passover). We must come to terms with Illicit worship so that worship of Adonai will be in Spirit and Truth, correctly reconciled to the word.
 
The Feast of Pesach/Matzah is a profound sign of our covenant relationship with Adonai, that’s why it’s one of His Ten Commandments. Pesach/Matzah defines our relationship with Adonai! To turn away from Adonai results in wandering and death in the wilderness! Rebellion keeps you from the promise. Everyone has free will, you can do whatever you want, you don’t have to do these things, one can choose to ignore Pesach/Matzah and Adonai’s commands but that choice comes with consequences, severe, negative consequences, called curses, the lack of blessings.  The choice of Obedience and submission also has consequences: blessings, success, and victory in everything that you do. 
 
In Yeshua we have been born again into an eternal, Kingdom life! Yeshua said, “I tell that unless a person is born again from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Our first birth gave us physical life; being born again gives us spiritual life and membership in Adonai’s family and Kingdom (John 1:13). To be born again is to have the Ruach HaKodesh transform our hearts from indifference and hostility toward God to a love of God and a desire for righteousness and holiness. The only way one can come to God and experience what it means to be “born again” is through repentance of sin and trust in the Lamb of God, Yeshua as your Passover Lamb sacrifice! That’s the purpose of this season, to be born again into a profound, intimate relationship with Adonai through Yeshua! New Beginnings, renewal!!! In this holiday season and new year what does Yeshua want YOU to do?
 
Mathew 10:6-8. but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Isra'el. 7 As you go, proclaim, `The Kingdom of Heaven is near,' 8 heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those afflicted with tzara'at, expel demons. You have received without paying, so give without asking payment.

Through the blood of Yeshua you are born again, transformed into the very the image of Adonai, from one degree of Glory to the next! Proclaiming the Kingdom and performing supernatural signs and wonders!! During Pesach the Holy One judged the gods of Egypt to bring us to freedom; a freedom to worship the One true King. The day will yet come when the tyrannical gods of the secular will also be judged. May the liberating power of His right hand again bring many multitudes back in alignment to His righteous authority.
 
Chag Pesach Sameach,
 
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson

Rabbi and Rebbetzin’s Corner March 2026

March has arrived, spring (for Virginia and the Mid Atlantic States) is in its early stages! March is a transition month, one of changing weather patterns. March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. The first day of spring 2026 is on Friday, March 20th, 2026 at 10:46 am a.m. EDT. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is marked by the arrival of the spring (vernal) equinox. Daylight saving time is set to begin on Mar 8th, 2026 at 2:00 am. In the early hours, time will jump forward by one hour from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. This marks the shift to local Daylight Saving Time (DST). March is the time for the colorful spring season, with blossoms and warmer days! The daffodils, crocus’s, and tulips poking up out of the ground feel almost as good as a warm ray of sunshine peeking out between the clouds. It’s such a joy to be experiencing the warmer temperatures and spring blooms!

The name March comes from Martius, the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named after Mars, the Roman god of war, and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus. Martius was the beginning of the season for warfare, and the festivals held in his honor during the month were mirrored by others in October, when the season for these activities ended. Even in late antiquity, Roman mosaics picturing the months still placed March first.

Did you know that studies show that March is the most unproductive month of the year? Don't let this give you any ideas. The phrase: "March came in like a lion, and went out like a lamb." Is a common proverb about March that suggests that if it begins with rough, stormy, or cold weather (symbolized by the ferocity of a lion), it is likely to end with calm, mild, and pleasant weather (symbolized by the gentleness of a lamb).

Purim (Lot’s) begins at sunset, Monday March 2nd, 2026.  Purim is a joyous holiday that celebrates the deliverance of the Jews of ancient Persia from near-destruction at the hands of Haman, an adviser to King Ahasuerus. The story behind the holiday, told in the Scroll of Esther, recounts how the Jews were saved thanks to Esther, a Jewish woman chosen to be queen. Due to her courage and her role in saving the Jews, the story of Purim is named in her honor.

Tuesday, March 17th, 2026, is St, Patrick’s Day. Saint Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland" he brought the Gospel to Ireland. He baptized thousands of people and ordained priests to lead the new Christian communities across the land.

The Biblical New Year, the 1st of Nisan is Wednesday March 18th,2026 at sunset. Let’s look at the prophetic meaning of the year 5786/2026. Hebrew letters also serve as numbers, so every year’s number can be read as a word or phrase:

5000: Heh, “behold” or “the” when added before word. The number 5 represents grace, God’s unmerited favor through His empowering presence.  It signifies victory and divine enablement!

700: Shin, often tied to fire, divine energy, or transformation. The number 7 (Sheva in Hebrew) is the DNA, the building blocks of creation. Seven is the central key to God’s creation and design.  The world was created in seven days.  There are seven feasts of the Lord in the annual feast day cycle.  There are Sheva festival days when work is forbidden.  Sheva days of Matzah!  Sheva days of Sukkot.  Sheva (seven) is the number of creation and is the number of perfection. It speaks of completion and perfection through warfare.
 
80: Peh, means “mouth” in Hebrew. It’s linked to speech, proclamation, declaration, and prophecy. The Number 8 symbolizes new beginnings. It points to the transition from the old into the new, the breaking forth of a new day, and the power of renewal and transformation through Yeshua.

6: Vav, means “hook” it relates to connection, unity, joining heaven and earth. The Number 6 is associated with humankind, as humanity was created on the sixth day. It functions as a nail that fixes two things together or as a hook that draws something into place.  Symbolically, it is the divine link between Heaven and Earth.

So, 5786 can be read as: “The year of connecting (Vav) through the mouth with decrees (Peh), with divine fire/energy (Shin).” It’s a year of Divine Connections, decrees and proclamations, Divine Shifts, and Divine Alignments from Heaven to our Earth.

The number 26 from the year 2026 in the gematria is the value of God's Name YHWH, symbolizes authority and love, marking a year with divine connections and the fulfillment of long-awaited promises. 2026 is described as a year of reaping, where believers are expected to witness the fulfillment of prophecies decreed and the manifestation of God's Word in power. This new year will be one of the most significant transitional shifts that we will see and experience. This New Year will be one of divine connections, radical divine shifts, coupled with divine alignments with the authority of the Kingdom of Adonai! Nations will feel this radical shift profoundly. Political, economic, and spiritual strongholds will not remain the same. Adonai is connecting, aligning, and joining us into His Heavenly purposes here on the earth. We must live our lives in this new year with great biblical intentionality!

Let us transition into the New Year in alignment with Adonai’s Will and Kingdom. Let our prayer in this New Year be for deeper intimacy with Adonai in Yeshua! Let us move into the New Year with a humble, contrite heart through repentance, transformation, and a renewing of our minds. Heavenly Father, thank You for making all things new! How great is Your faithfulness, nothing ahead in this New Year will surprise us. We will trust in You, Adonai, forever, because You are our Rock of Ages.

Shalom and Blessings,

Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson!

Exodus 12:1-3. ADONAI spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt; he said, 2 "You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the first month of the year for you. 3 Speak to all the assembly of Isra'el and say, 'On the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb or kid for his family, one per household.

The New Year and Calendar scripture includes the references for when to begin Pesach/Passover marks the start of the annual Feast Day cycle.  The spring renewal is the season of new beginnings and awakenings.  There is another significant event that occurred on this day in History:
 
Exodus 40:1-3.  ADONAI said to Moshe, 2 "On the first day of the first month, you are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 3 Put in it the ark for the testimony, and conceal the ark with the curtain.
 
In ancient Israel from the first time the Tabernacle/Mishkan was erected through the time of the Second Temple the New Year was celebrated as God ordained on Nisan 1st.  
 
The First day of the New Year was when the Mishkan was set up and all Israel witnessed the transfer of God’s Glory, His Divine Presence, as experienced from afar, hovering over Mt Sinai, move to hovering over the Mishkan directly among the people.  This day for the fledgling nation of Israel is when God became personal, real, and up close.  To review:
 
Sanctuary in Hebrew is Mikdash which means Holy Place, Tabernacle which is Mishkan in Hebrew, and "Ohel Moed" (Tent is Ohel in Hebrew whose root word is Ohen the presentence of love- loves) Moed (divine meeting)" (God loves to have divine meetings with us) or Tent of Meeting.  The most commonly used term is Mishkan or Tabernacle whose root word (Shakan-dwell) is the same as Shekhinah which means divine presence in Hebrew which is also the same root word in Sukkah that are built during Sukkot.  Mish (feminine form of Who is like God) Mish'al is a request or petition of God while Mishl'ey is a form of wisdom-the Hebrew name of the Book of Proverbs.  The dwelling place or "Ohel Moed" (God loves divine appointments) is where we meet God's divine presences to seek His wisdom or at least to request it and petition God!
 
This is where is gets interesting as another word comes from this root grouping in Hebrew: Mishpocha-Family!  God loves divine meetings (Ohel Moed) with His family!  The family is being be restored in the time to come.  Root word also refers to Mishpocha or family-the family of David (who the sages view this as a Messianic Reference concerning Messiah) the Messiah will reign as we see that booth or Sukkah in Hebrew also share the same root word(Shakan).  Sukkah refers to the coming Messianic age, the return and rule of Yeshua!  Sukkot is the bridal chamber for the wedding feast and represents the return of the Kingdom of God here on earth:
 
God says He will raise up the Meeting Place of His divine Glory where He dwells-a place of worship that will restore the Family of David-Those who call upon the Name of the Lord!  His Mishpocha (family) gathers around the Mishkahn the place where the presence of God loves to meet with His creation!
 
God Himself follows His calendar and time line, it is the prophetic clock for the Kingdom of God.  Follow the life of Yeshua and you’ll see that it follows the feast day cycle starting with Pesach.  This time of transition from the old year to the new years is a time for both physical and spiritual cleansing and renewal.  The One New Man, Unity between Jew and Gentile within the body has its roots in the New Year with the completion of the Mishkahn/Tabernacle and the ability to approach God!
 
The Tabernacle, now complete, establishes the correct pattern for God's divine Glory.  When the pattern is right the Glory falls.  In fact, God tells us to observe His New Year:
 
Deuteronomy 16:1. "Observe the month of Aviv, (Shamor et-chodesh ha'Aviv "Shamar's: Guard, observe, we are ordered to guard/safeguard the head of the month CHodesh ha’Aviv ) and keep Pesach to ADONAI your God; for in the month of Aviv, ADONAI your God brought you out of Egypt at night.

This is the Key to God's prophetic timeline and schedule of global events! What we are really doing keeping the Biblical New Year is realigning or resynchronizing ourselves with God's calendar and timeline in both our current worlds and in the world to come.  He desires us to safeguard this timeline, to remember the head of the New Year!  It’s not just an individual event, rather we doing this as Mishpocah, family!  I want you to understand this clearly as we have entered into the New Year!  We are not congregation building; we are restoring Family!  
 
Matthew 12:46-50. He was still speaking to the crowd when his mother and brothers appeared outside, asking to talk with him. 47 (Not original text) 48 But to the one who had informed him he replied, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 49 Pointing to his talmidim, he said, "Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants, that person is my brother and sister and mother."

Whom ever does what God wants, whomever lives a biblical lifestyle, that person is my family!  Regardless of race, color, or past history!  
 
Observing Rosh Chodashim is considered the very first commandment given to Israel before the great Exodus from Egypt took place.  The Order to Observe Shabbat came in Exodus 16!  You can’t keep Shabbat or the feast if you don't know when to begin! This month shall be unto you the beginning of months:

Exodus 12:2.  You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the first month (Rosh Chodashim) of the year (R’ishon Chodashim) for you.

In the both Scriptures and Judaic tradition there are various names given to "this month," including the following: Chodesh Ha-Aviv (חדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב), "the month of spring," so named because it marked the time of the Exodus from Egypt "In Nisan our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt and in Nisan we will be redeemed."  
 
Within this same thought process, the month of Nisan is also referred to as Chodesh ha-Yeshuah, the "month of salvation".  This can be viewed and understood in both the Physical: Israel was physically delivered from Slavery in Egypt in the month of Nisan and Spiritually; The Salvation for both Israel and the world from the slavery of Sin occurred in the same month through the Messiah who was born today!!!!  Happy Birthday Yeshua!!!  Yeshua was also crucified on the stake 14 days from now in the same month during Pesach!

So we witness a heavenly ordered Cycle of Time.  A never ending repetitive circle that can be repetitive but not exactly identical!
 
Jewish thought regards time not in a linear, flat pattern but a spiral type of "helix," in a limitless forward or upward progression driven by a divine cyclic pattern that repeats certain divine patters in weeks, months, and years of life such as the Moedim or Feast Days beginning with the weekly Shabbat through the annual feast days).
 
The need to Shamar, to observe, to guard the biblical new year and associated feasts and cycles becomes clear.  The cycle is repetitive yet not identical from year to year as we stream towards the return of Messiah and the establishment of God's Kingdom and time line upon the earth, upon humanity!  The seed of redemption and salvation has already been sown, we need only to study and review the year to see it!
 
The power and joy of walking in Adonai’s path is something divine you can’t find outside of His word. May He give a joyous and prosperous new year and may He bless you and yours in this years Feast Days!.

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I Samuel 15:1-3.  Sh'mu'el said to Sha'ul, "ADONAI sent me to anoint you king over his people, over Isra'el. Now listen to what ADONAI has to say. 2 Here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot says: 'I remember what 'Amalek did to Isra'el, how they fought against Isra'el when they were coming up from Egypt. 3 Now go and attack 'Amalek, and completely destroy everything they have. Don't spare them, but kill men and women, children and babies, cows and sheep, camels and donkeys.'"

King Sha'ul was commanded by God to Attack the Amalek's whom scripture records as ancient Israel's arch enemy.  The Amalekites were vicious adversaries and need to be dealt with.  God directs Saul to attack them and completely destroy them and ALL OF THEIR POSSESSIONS!  This is done by God to protect Israel fall falling into the idol worship that they were engaged in.  Remember, you could take Israel out of Egypt but not Egypt out of Israel.  A generation would perish in the wildness to rid the camp of Egyptian culture and religion.  Saul leads Israel in a victorious attack but doesn't comply with God's explicit instructions:

I Samuel 15:8-14.  He took Agag the king of 'Amalek alive; but he completely destroyed the people, putting them to the sword. 9 However, Sha'ul and the people spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, and even the second best, also the lambs, and everything that was good - they weren't inclined to destroy these things. But everything that was worthless or weak they completely destroyed. 10 Then the word of ADONAI came to Sh'mu'el: 11 "I regret setting up Sha'ul as king, because he has turned back from following me and hasn't obeyed my orders. "This made Sh'mu'el very sad, so that he cried to ADONAI all night. 12 Sh'mu'el got up early in the morning to meet Sha'ul; however, Sh'mu'el was told, "Sha'ul came to Karmel to set up a monument for himself there, but now he has left and is on his way down to Gilgal." 13 Sh'mu'el went to Sha'ul; Sha'ul said to him, "May ADONAI bless you! I have done what ADONAI ordered." 14 But Sh'mu'el answered, "If so, why do I hear sheep bleating and cows mooing?"

Sha'ul and Samuel clash over Saul's insubordination because this isn't a new behavior for Sha'ul, this is Sha'ul's second offense.  In Samuel 13:8-14 Saul didn't wait for Samuel as he was told, instead he sacrificed to God which was out of order costing him his legacy! The throne would not stay in his lineage.  God removed the monarchy or Kingship from Sha'ul's descendants.  This incident in I Samuel 15 will cost Saul personally, now he will lose both the throne and his life as God regrets ever making Saul king.  Even though at the onset of this battle Samuel stressed the need to comply with God's directions and orders.  After Samuel confronts him Sha'ul tries to shift the blame upon his troops rather than take responsibility and repent:

I Samuel 15:20-23.  Sha'ul said to Sh'mu'el, "I did too pay attention to what ADONAI said, and I carried out the mission on which ADONAI sent me. I brought back Agag the king of 'Amalek, and I completely destroyed 'Amalek. 21 But the people took some of the spoil, the best of the sheep and cattle set aside for destruction, to sacrifice to ADONAI your God in Gilgal." 22 Sh'mu'el said, "Does ADONAI take as much pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying what ADONAI says? Surely obeying is better than sacrifice, and heeding orders than the fat of rams. 23 "For rebellion is like the sin of sorcery, stubbornness like the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of ADONAI, he too has rejected you as king."

I consistently teach and speak on the importance of obedience to the commands of God.  This is applicable too and does relate directly to God's word but that's not where I want to go with this.  The key here is that Saul knew what God wanted Him to do and he chose not to do so.  Saul was insubordinate.  Insubordination is the refusal to obey orders, it's disobedience to authority.
 
IT IS NEVER A MINOR THING TO KNOW GOD'S WILL AND NOT DO IT!

God calls this sin!  In fact, it is the definition of the term sin.  Sin is the direct disobedience to the know will of God.  Saul did exactly what we do today! He began reasoning, rationalizing, and procrastinating.  Exactly what believers do today!  Does this sound familiar:

"I'm just not ready yet", "I'll do it later", I can't afford to do that", "It wouldn't make a difference anyway", "I don't know how", "I don't know what to say", "I don't have the training", "Someone else will do it" to name just a few of our excuses.  I've shared this before, I've had people tell me   "Rabbi, I know what you are saying is truth because it's in the bible, but I'm not going to do it!"  That is exactly what Saul did.  It is a deadly attitude.  All of this rationalizing and procrastinating in God's eyes is disobedience.
 
James 4:17.  So then, anyone who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it is committing a sin.

We tend to deceive ourselves into believing that good thoughts or good intentions equal obedience and compliance with God's commands and instructions.  That is a lie of HaSatan.  An intention without the corresponding action is sin.  You have heard me say this probable a thousand times so right now will be one thousand and one times:  God does not deal with you. How many times has God directly given you a command or directive and you reacted by rationalizing and procrastinating through prayer, fasting, and confirmation rather than doing what HE told you to do?
 
When you encounter God and He gives you a directive it's not enough that you right it down in your prayer journal or that you share it with me or someone else who is also a believer.  You must act on it!

For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord God of Israel, when He speaks to you, He is not asking you to think about it, form a decision, or take a family or congregational vote on the matter.  This is where so many believers fall short and come into sin.  Deciding to obey is not the same as obeying.  Yeshua shared the following parable about this subject

Matthew 21:28-31. "But give me your opinion: a man had two sons. He went to the first and said, `Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' 29 He answered, `I don't want to'; but later he changed his mind and went. 30 The father went to his other son and said the same thing. This one answered, `I will, sir'; but he didn't go. 31 Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they replied. "That's right!" Yeshua said to them. "I tell you that the tax-collectors and prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you!

This is a topic that is often taught on within the Messianic Community regarding Torah, living a biblical lifestyle, regardless if your Jewish or Gentile, and of course the sensitive topics of dietary commands, tithing, celebrating the feasts, and even keeping Shabbat.  This is actually another form of rationalizing and procrastinating but done on a more corporate level called formalized religion which relates to both Judaism and Christianity.  But what I'm talking about right now, goes way beyond the fundamental tenants of trust and worship, what I'm talking about spills over into our daily lives.
 
It's married people who claim to be followers of God while involved in inappropriate immoral behavior. Single believers going to night clubs or dance clubs that we all know are hook up places for casual sex.  Its every addiction that God said to know off and your still engaged in.  It's watching inappropriate things on TV or streaming.  It's those who say they call upon the name of the Lord and celebrate Halloween or Easter.....It's those who call upon the name of the Lord and follow horoscopes and have their palms read, it’s those who call upon the name of the Lord and speak to the dead (necromancing) which is very popular on TV these days, even those who do the necromancing will proclaim that they are believers and worship the God of Israel.  It's those who call upon the name of the Lord and won't help a neighbor or even a stranger in trouble and in need of assistance.  It's those who call upon the name of the Lord and live together in sin vice getting married.  It's those who call upon the name of the Lord and seek to reconcile with God through their own works-Saul tried that when he sacrificed instead of waiting for Samuel.  Great intentions but insubordinate.

Loudly proclaiming the necessity of obedience doesn't equate to obedience.  Making a public commitment to obey isn't the same as actually obeying!

Luke 6:46-49.  "Why do you call me, `Lord! Lord!' but not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to me, hears my words and acts on them -- I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like someone building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the torrent beat against that house but couldn't shake it, because it was constructed well. 49 And whoever hears my words but doesn't act on them is like someone who built his house on the ground without any foundation. As soon as the river struck it, it collapsed and that house became a horrendous wreck!"

It's shocking, even puzzling how many who call upon the name of the Lord attempt to lead a Godly lifestyle but don't or won't read their bible.  Remember, it's not strict unthinking compliance to what your Rabbi, Pastor, denomination, Yeshiva, or Seminary says that is obedience.  Its adherence to what God says.  This does not take away from submitting to authority as Romans 13 and Hebrews 13 states.  I'm talking about subordination and obedience to God's word vice some theology, Catechism, Doxology, or Talmudic belief system.

Deuteronomy 32:47. For this is not a trivial matter for you; on the contrary, it is your life! Through it you will live long in the land you are crossing the Yarden to possess."

Moshe described the end result of rationalizing and procrastination: God’s word and commands are trivialized.  You've heard it all: "What's the big deal?", "You're Judaizing", "God is about love and grace....you can do whatever you want because Torah (obedience) is done away with and you're saved by grace".  That is all lies from the pits of hell.  God says this is not trivial matter, in fact it's YOUR LIFE! Think about Moses’ audience as he makes this statement.  This group that's about to enter into the promise land watched their parents and elders die in the wilderness because "they knew what to do and wouldn't do it".  Even our beloved Moses didn’t enter into the promise land because he knew what to do in a situation and wouldn't do it!  God told him in

Numbers 20:8-12.  "Take the staff, assemble the community, you and Aharon your brother; and before their eyes, tell the rock to produce its water. You will bring them water out of the rock and thus enable the community and their livestock to drink." 9 Moshe took the staff from the presence of ADONAI, as he had ordered him. 10 But after Moshe and Aharon had assembled the community in front of the rock, he said to them, "Listen here, you rebels! Are we supposed to bring you water from this rock?" 11 Then Moshe raised his hand and hit the rock twice with his staff. Water flowed out in abundance, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 But ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon, "Because you did not trust in me, so as to cause me to be regarded as holy by the people of Isra'el, you will not bring this community into the land I have given them."

Ahhh, there is an underlying current or theme in all of these biblical examples, a lack of trusting God which is a fundamental reason why many of us do not submit to God. Moses was angry and took matters into his own hands instead of trusting God.  Saul sacrificed to God instead of waiting for Samuel in I Samuel 13 because he was getting anxious and didn't trust God.
 
It's a known point here within this ministry which deals with this very subject.  I've had individuals who’ve come to me and said: “The Lord told them to attend Congregation Zion’s Sake” yet after several months I don’t see them!  I've had individuals come to me whom God has spoken to and share that God gave them an idea or ministry, but they want me to do it.  I'm already walking out what God told me to do.  If God tells you to do something or gives you an idea He wants you to do it.  If He wanted me to do it, He would have given me the dream or vision.  I'll help and assist you in biblical anyway I can, but I won’t do it for you!  Adonai gave us a daily reminder to recite to remind us:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9.  "Sh'ma, Yisra'el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra'el! ADONAI our God, ADONAI is one]; 5 and you are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. 6 These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; 7 and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, 9 and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.

God gave us a constant, daily reminder that it was not by our own doing that we are victorious, but by His hand and that we are to Love, fear, and serve Him and Him alone,  No other God's are to be in receipt of our obedience and submission.  If we do so, things will go well for us!
 
James 4:17. So then, anyone who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it is committing a sin.

Our reverence for God and His word is revealed not by what we say but by what we do like Abraham's immediate compliance with God's instructions which was awarded to him as righteousness.  To disobey God is to reject life, to obey God is to experience the fullness and blessings of all that God offers.

Here is the key: Only obedience to God's commands satisfies God's desire for obedience.

Blessings, Rabbi Eric S Carlson

Juneteenth commemorates the dates June 18 and 19, 1865. June 18 is the day Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take possession of the Confederate state and enforce the emancipation of its slaves. On June 19, 1865, while standing on the balcony of Galveston’s Ashton Villa, Granger read the contents of “General Order No. 3”:
 
“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

That day has since become known as Juneteenth, a name coming from a portmanteau of the words June and teenth like nineteenth and other numbers ending with -teenth. The North’s victory brought an end to both the Civil war and the scourge of slavery.  This national conflict resulted in three addendums to the Freedom document, the Bill of Rights.  The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th amendment gave equal citizenship to every human being born in this country regardless of race, granting the full rights and protection of the U.S. Constitution, and the 15th amendment guaranteed the right to vote for all citizens regardless of race or previous condition of servitude. Unfortunately, these amendments weren’t kept or honored for over 100 years causing great oppression, pain, and suffering! The word shares that we are to be concerned about the welfare of all our brothers and sisters:
 
I Corinthians 12:25-26 So that there will be no disagreements within the body, but rather all the parts will be equally concerned for all the others. 26 Thus if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; and if one part is honored, all the parts share its happiness.
 
This is why the issue of Racism, or any prejudice is so critical-if one of us is suffering, we all suffer! It inhibits the release of the One New Man! Legalized slavery stopped in 1865 with the defeat to the Confederacy, but the end of slavery still hasn’t effectively come to pass even though the civil rights act of 1964 was passed, 99 years later.  At the end of the Civil War there was no closure, the enemy wasn’t defeated, the threat of a return to slavery was real and existed. President Lincoln, a man of God, had a plan to give 40 acres of land and a mule to every former slave family, but he was assassinated before this could come to pass!
 
Instead, Jim Crow laws were instituted in the 1880’s as the reconstruction period ended in 1879.  In 1890 Separate but Equal legislation was passed by all southern state legislatures. In the 1870’s the former slave owners gradually regained power in the Southern legislatures, having used insurgent paramilitary groups, such as the KKK, the White League and Red Shirts, to disrupt black political organizing, run officeholders out of town, and intimidate blacks to suppress their voting.
 
Extensive voter fraud was also used. Gubernatorial elections were close and had been disputed in Louisiana for years, with increasing violence against blacks during campaigns from 1868 onward. Before I go on, I’m making a disclaimer:  I’m not endorsing any political party, I’m sharing U.S. history as it happened. In 1877, a national Democratic Party compromise to gain Southern support in the presidential election resulted in the U.S. government's withdrawing the last of the federal troops from the South. White Democrats regained political power in every Southern state and restored white supremacy.  These Southern, white, governments legislated Jim Crow laws, officially segregating black people from the white population.
 
Blacks were still elected to local offices through the early 1880s, but the establishment were passing laws to make voter registration and electoral rules severely restrictive, with the result that political participation by most blacks and many poor whites began to decrease. Between 1890 and 1910, ten of the eleven former Confederate states, starting with Mississippi, passed new constitutions or amendments that effectively removed the vote from most blacks and tens of thousands of poor whites through a combination of poll taxes, literacy and comprehension tests, and residency and record-keeping requirements. Grandfather clauses temporarily permitted some illiterate whites to vote, but gave no relief to most blacks.
 
Those who could not vote were not eligible to serve on juries and could not run for local offices.  Blacks disappeared from political life, as they could not influence the state legislatures, and their interests were overlooked. While public schools had been established by Reconstruction legislatures for the first time in most Southern states; those for black children were consistently underfunded compared to schools for white children, even when considered within the strained finances of the postwar South where the decreasing price of cotton kept the agricultural economy at a low.  
 
In just 20 years after the issue of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, all blacks were effectively returned to slavery.  It had different names: “Share Croppers” “Segregation” “Separate but equal” “Jim Crow” but the effects were identical. Slavery in America has yet to have a closure, a transition or transformation into freedom and liberty. It’s the “Pink Elephant” sitting in the middle of our Republic that no one desires to discuss or talk about! The modern welfare institution is still a form of slavery and suppression as is the Bureau of Indians Affairs and the reservation system for our Native, Indigenous brothers and sisters!  As Messianic Jews we must not only be involved, we must lead! The Messianic Movement must lead, and the Church must break its silence on this! We are commanded to be a voice for the voiceless. We are surrounded by the oppressed, the persecuted, and voiceless. We are commanded to be an advocate; The greater body of Messiah’s silence on this is deafening, Silence is a sin!
 
Proverbs 31:8. Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves, for the rights of all who need an advocate.
 
Slave hood isn’t relegated to human servitude alone.  Slavery manifests physically, spiritually, and financially. God decreed that He would send His servant who would bring freedom to the captives physically, spiritually, and financially!
 
Isaiah 61:1. The Spirit of Adonai ELOHIM is upon me, because ADONAI has anointed me to announce good news to the poor (Ana’yim: poor, humble, afflicted, meek, needy). He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted (L’nish bry; Brokenhearted, crushed, broken, fractured hurt, injured) to proclaim freedom to the captives (Lish’vu’yim: captive, taken captive, prisoner, enslaved), to let out into light those bound in the dark (pek-akh-ko'-akh: opening of the eyes, opening of a dungeon or prison, salvation from sin).
 
Yeshua alone is the source of our freedom from every and all types of enslavement. He alone is our source of restoration, redemption, and freedom.  Our kinsman redeemer who will restore both all rights and free us from captivity to whatever enslaves us. Like the African American slaves prior to 1865, Spiritually, every individual is enslaved, to the thing that traps you and holds you into submission. It’s literally slavery as well as unbiblical behaviors, actions, gambling, pornography, drugs, alcohol, immorality, Unforgiveness, all sin enslaves us.  Some people know what they are a slave to and have defeated it, others have not!
 
Since the dawn of creation humans have enslaved other humans! Even today in certain areas of Africa and across the Muslim Nation’s slavery continues on! At one time or another every people group has been enslaved. The Egyptians did it, the Greeks did it, the Romans did it, the Byzantine Empire did, the Ottoman Turkish Empire did it, the British Empire, the European monarchies of old kept its own citizens as serfs, slaves! Both France and Germany enslaved the Africans in their respective African colonies and killed hundreds of Thousands through forced labor.
 
I’m saddened to witness and experience the toxic racial division and anarchy that has formed in this country!  This is not of God.  Communism, Socialism, BLM, and Critical Race Theory are not of Adonai or His word!  For over 3,500 years the greater Jewish community has celebrated Pesach through which we remember and celebrate our own redemption from slavery! Remembering is part of the healing process!  Juneteenth is now a State and federal holiday!  It’s a step in the right direction! But there are gigantic leaps that we still need to take. No matter what your skin, hair, or eye color is we’re all members of the human race! Why does every federal form ask what race you are? Why do loan applications ask your race? What matters is if you pay your bills on time, not what color you are! As Adonai Himself said:
 
I Samuel 16:7. But ADONAI said to Sh'mu'el, "Don't pay attention to how he looks or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. ADONAI doesn't see the way humans see - humans look at the outward appearance, but ADONAI looks at the heart."
 
We will not submit to fear, we will not walk in fear, we will not be swayed by hatred, aggression, racism, disunity, Anti-Semitism, or any other divisive spirit!  We will serve the Lord and move forward in God’s Word and in the Power of the Ruach!  It took a small handful of brave, courageous people like W.E.B Dubois, Rosa Parks, Dr. King and others who had their eyes opened, who boldly stood for the freedom that was already granted 100 years earlier.  It was the absolute resolve of tens of thousands of WWII African American veterans like the Red Tails of the Tuskegee Airman who had proven their equality on the battlefield. They fought to win freedom for our people, the Jewish People in the death camps, they liberated Europe and Asia yet returned home to face a life of segregation, inequality, racism, bigotry, and injustice.  The very principles they were fighting for elsewhere in the world! Intentionality in relationship overcomes racism and Anti-Semitism.
 
As an ancient Native American Proverb states: “Don’t judge any man until you have walked two moons in his moccasins.”.  Yeshua’s warning speaks directly to us across the threads of time:
 
Mark 3:24-25. If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom can't survive; 25 and if a household is divided against itself, that household can't survive.

The only way we will conquer, and defeat racism, prejudice, and Anti-Semitism is through focused intentionality, active dialogue, relationship, fellowship, and the Blood of Yeshua coupled with the Holy Spirit!  Racism and prejudice are taught, not inherited! It won’t just go away! That which was taught can be untaught! In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King:
 
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that.”
 
May we pause June 19th to consider what this day represents and what we can do to move forward!
 
Blessings and Love,
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson
 

As we've been studying eschatology I once again proclaim the necessity to not become entrenched in a specific theology or doxology concerning the end times.  One thing is for certain, the minute someone says they have it all figured out they are proven wrong.  The key is to rely on God's word and not get set or again, entrenched on how things will unfold, instead, I look for certain biblical signs to come to pass, scripture events that will occur that reveal the time is soon.  I gave a message on signs several years ago that explained what signs are!

What is a sign?  It’s a motion or gesture by which a thought is expressed or a command or wish made known, a mark having a conventional meaning and used in place of words or to represent a complex notion, something material or external that stands for or signifies something spiritual.  Sign in Hebrew is Oth which means signal, an indication that something is happening, God is preparing to intervene in Humanity!!!
 
Signs are extraordinary natural wonders, symbols, or events used by God to instill trust and or demonstrate His authority over Humanity.  Signs are designed to reveal to our earthly senses God’s divine power.  Signs were the method God used to reveal Himself to both Israel and Egypt while Israel was enslaved in Egypt! The 10 plaques were a sign:
 
Psalms 135:9. He sent signs and wonders among you, Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his subjects.
 
Jeremiah 32:20-21.  "You gave signs and performed miracles in the land of Egypt which continue to this day, also in Isra'el and among other people; thus you made yourself the reputation you have today. 21 You brought your people of Isra'el out of the land of Egypt with signs and miracles, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror.
We within the body of Messiah should not be fearful of Heavenly signs rather we must be aware of them and understand what's happening as we witness them!  The end of the age is revealed through signs!  We are already into the end of ages.  Unfortunately, most of the body of Messiah is relying on someone else's theology to tell them what will occur vice reading the word themselves.  Remember the prophet’s warning:

Hosea 4:6. My people are destroyed for want of knowledge. Because you rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as cohen for me. Because you forgot the Torah of your God, I will also forget your children.

So, our eschatology, our understanding of the end times must reconcile to scripture. Scripture records certain signs that will preceded Yeshua's return.  What's interesting is that many events have already occurred.  So many believers and followers read scripture from their current teaching or mindset but delve into error.  Such as the following apocalyptic prediction concerning the anti-Messiah:

Daniel 7:25.  He will speak words against the Most High and try to exhaust the holy ones of the Most High. He will attempt to alter the seasons and the law; and [the holy ones] will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

It's with great irony that so many in the body of Messiah are looking for this to come to pass when its already happened.  The Holy Ones have been following altered seasons and altered Scriptures since the council of Nycea in 325 A.D. but it won't last forever.  In fact, the reemergence of the Messianic Community signals the end of this phase! The world will experience a whole scale apostasy from God, His word, His Son, and His Kingdom:
 
Amos 8:11-12. "The time is coming," says Adonai ELOHIM, "when I will send famine over the land, not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of ADONAI. 12 People will stagger from sea to sea and from north to east, running back and forth, seeking the word of ADONAI; but they will not find it.

And again in:

II Thessalonians 2:3. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way. For the Day will not come until after the Apostasy has come and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed, the one destined for doom.

Multiple passages reveal that the famine has already begun!
 
II Thessalonians 2:7. For already this separating from Torah is at work secretly, but it will be secretly only until he who is restraining is out of the way.

I Timothy 4:1. The Spirit expressly states that in the acharit-hayamim some people will apostatize from the faith by paying attention to deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

Matthew 24:12. and many people's love will grow cold because of increased distance from Torah.

Religion will replace God's word, watering down both the power and the truth.  
Matthew 15:9. Their worship of me is useless, because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.'"

There will be False prophets in abundance, False Messiah's will abound in this apostasy!  Cults and sects will flourish in conjunction with the apostasy previously mentioned.  This is mentioned by Yeshua Himself!
 
Matthew 24:23-26.  "At that time, if someone says to you, `Look! Here's the Messiah!' or, `There he is!' don't believe him. 24 For there will appear false Messiahs and false prophets performing great miracles -- amazing things! -- so as to fool even the chosen, if possible. 25 There! I have told you in advance! 26 So if people say to you, `Listen! He's out in the desert!' don't go; or, `Look! He's hidden away in a secret room!' don't believe it.
 
Good will be called evil and evil good.  The moral fabric will be turned upside down and what was unacceptable a generation ago becomes normal and mainstream.
 
Isaiah 5:20. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who change darkness into light and light into darkness, who change bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter!
A profound prophetic sign will be that Israel is restored as a nation:

Isaiah 66:8.  Who ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Is a country born in one day? Is a nation brought forth all at once? For as soon as Tziyon went into labor, she brought forth her children.

There will be earthquakes, floods, famines, plagues and diseases such as the world has never seen.  As we read the words of Yeshua in Luke it's a fascinating read done much like Isaiah.  Yeshua starts with the current generation and time then gently transitions to our time today.
 
Luke 21:20-28.  "However, when you see Yerushalayim surrounded by armies, then you are to understand that she is about to be destroyed. 21 Those in Y'hudah must escape to the hills, those inside the city must get out, and those in the country must not enter it. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, when everything that has been written in the Tanakh will come true. 23 What a terrible time it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress in the Land and judgment on the people. 24 Some will fall by the edge of the sword, others will be carried into all the countries of the Goyim, and Yerushalayim will be trampled down by the Goyim until the age of the Goyim has run its course. 25 "There will appear signs in the sun, moon and stars; and on earth, nations will be in anxiety and bewilderment at the sound and surge of the sea, 26 as people faint with fear at the prospect of what is overtaking the world; for the powers in heaven will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with tremendous power and glory. 28 When these things start to happen, stand up and hold your heads high; because you are about to be liberated!"

Verse 24 is the Rosetta stone verse, the key that tells us Yeshua has been talking about 2,000 years ago-now Yeshua transitions to our day today. These famines and plaques will also include Global Shalom, world Peace being removed from the earth.  Wars, violence, antisemitism, and hared of Israel will increase throughout the world with war on every land

Revelation 6:5-8.  When he broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, "Go!" I looked, and there in front of me was a black horse, and its rider held in his hand a pair of scales. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living beings say, "Two pounds of wheat for a day's wages! Six pounds of barley for the same price! But don't damage the oil or the wine!" 7 When he broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living being say, "Go!" 8 I looked, and there in front of me was a pallid, sickly-looking horse. Its rider's name was Death, and Sh'ol followed behind him. They were given authority to kill one-quarter of the world by war, by famine, by plagues and with the wild animals of the earth.

Some type of a new world order is established:
 
Revelation 13:16-18.  Also it forces everyone - great and small, rich and poor, free and slave - to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead 17 preventing anyone from buying or selling unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This is where wisdom is needed; those who understand should count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person, and its number is 666.
 
It's interesting that 666 in the Gematria spells "hidden"!  I believe we are on the cusp of a worldwide economic collapse.  
 
Another sign is that there will be an increase of belief and worship of the occult.

Isaiah 47:8-13.  Now hear this, you lover of luxuries, lolling at ease and saying to yourself, 'I am important, and no one else! I will never be a widow or know the loss of children.' 9 But both will come over you in an instant, in a single day loss of children and widowhood; they will utterly overwhelm you, despite your many occult practices and powerful spells to prevent it." 10 You were at ease in your wickedness, you thought, "No one sees me." Your "wisdom" and "knowledge" perverted you, as you thought to yourself, "I am important, and no one else." 11 Yet disaster will befall you, and you won't know how to charm it away; calamity will come upon you, and you won't be able to turn it aside; ruin will overcome you, suddenly, before you know it. 12 So for now, keep on with your powerful spells and your many occult practices; from childhood you have been working at them; maybe they will do you some good, maybe you will inspire terror! 13 You are worn out with all your consultations - so let the astrologers and stargazers, the monthly horoscope-makers, come forward now and save you from the things that will come upon you!

This sets the stage for false fire and false miracles, deceiving believers who are not firm in God's word. This is why I'm so hard on the body regarding holidays and worship style!  False worship and false religion paves the way for the Anti-Messiah to deceive believers.

There is a key in understanding when its false-idol worship:

Revelation 13:11-14. Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. It had two horns like those of a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence; and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, the one whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 It performs great miracles, even causing fire to come down from heaven onto the earth as people watch. 14 It deceives the people living on earth by the miracles it is allowed to perform in the presence of the beast, and it tells them to make an image honoring the beast that was struck by the sword but came alive again.

The next sign is that people will not believe God's signs, just like the days of Noah because of their apostasy:
 
Matthew 24:37-44.  For the Son of Man's coming will be just as it was in the days of Noach. 38 Back then, before the Flood, people went on eating and drinking, taking wives and becoming wives, right up till the day Noach entered the ark; 39 and they didn't know what was happening until the Flood came and swept them all away. It will be just like that when the Son of Man comes. 40 Then there will be two men in a field -- one will be taken and the other left behind. 41 There will be two women grinding flour at the mill -- one will be taken and the other left behind. 42 So stay alert, because you don't know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But you do know this: had the owner of the house known when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you too must always be ready, for the Son of Man will come when you are not expecting him.

The next sign of Yeshua’s return is that there will be manifested Signs and Wonders in heaven:

Mark 13:24-25.  In those days, after that trouble, the sun will grow dark, the moon will stop shining, 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in heaven will be shaken
And of course the biggest and most important sign is Israel, Jerusalem, and the Jewish people.  They are restored, revived, and become the center of the universe where Yeshua will reign as King when he returns:
 
Amos 9:14-15. I will restore the fortunes of my people Isra'el; they will rebuild and inhabit the ruined cities; they will plant vineyards and drink their wine, cultivate gardens and eat their fruit. 15 I will plant them on their own soil, no more to be uprooted from their land, which I gave them," says ADONAI your God.
Jerusalem will be in contention:

Zechariah 12:3. When that day comes, I will make Yerushalayim a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who try to lift it will hurt themselves, and all the earth's nations will be massed against her.

This fighting and tribulation will turn the last of Israel to receive Yeshua:

Zechariah 12:10. and I will pour out on the house of David and on those living in Yerushalayim a spirit of grace and prayer; and they will look to me, whom they pierced." They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son; they will be in bitterness on his behalf like the bitterness for a firstborn son.

Israel will cry out to Yeshua for Him to return and reign:

Matthew 23:37-39. “"Yerushalayim! Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets! You stone those who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you refused! 38 Look! God is abandoning your house to you, leaving it desolate. 39 For I tell you, from now on, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of ADONAI.'"

All the world will turn toward Israel and our people to seek the God of Israel:

Zechariah 8:20-23. "ADONAI-Tzva'ot says, 'In the future, peoples and inhabitants of many cities will come; 21 the inhabitants of one city will travel to another and say, "We must go to ask ADONAI's favor and consult ADONAI-Tzva'ot. I'll go too." 22 Yes, many peoples and powerful nations will come to consult ADONAI-Tzva'ot in Yerushalayim and to ask ADONAI's favor.' 23 ADONAI-Tzva'ot says, 'When that time comes, ten men will take hold - speaking all the languages of the nations - will grab hold of the cloak of a Jew and say, "We want to go with you, because we have heard that God is with you."'
 
Aliya, the return of our Jewish people to the land of Israel will be a sign (banner):
 
Isaiah 11:10-12. “On that day the root of Yishai, which stands as a banner for the peoples - the Goyim will seek him out, and the place where he rests will be glorious. 11 On that day Adonai will raise his hand again, a second time, to reclaim the remnant of his people who remain from Ashur, Egypt, Patros, Ethiopia, 'Eilam, Shin'ar, Hamat and the islands in the sea. 12 He will hoist a banner for the Goyim, assemble the dispersed of Isra'el, and gather the scattered of Y'hudah from the four corners of the earth.”

As we walk through this we must be engaged in salvations while we witness these events unfold before us:

II Peter 3:13. as you wait for the Day of God and work to hasten (Spuedo: That which was to come latter to come now, to urge on, hasten, or make haste) its coming. That Day will bring on the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt from the heat;

We are to be about our father’s business and bring salvation to both Jew and Gentile alike, to the Jew first (Romans 1:16). When we do so Israel will be saved and call Yeshua back!!
 
Blessings and Shalom!
 
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson
  

Shalom Mishpocha,

        February, the second month of 2026 is here already!! February has 28 days in common years and 29 in leap years, with the 29th day being called the leap day. February is the third and last month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere. February got its name from the Roman month Februarius, named after the Latin term februum, which means "purification", via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 (full moon) in the old lunar Roman calendar. The average daily daylight in February is 10.5 hours.

        Monday, February 2nd, 2026, is Groundhog Day. This worldly tradition is big, on an otherwise cold and dreary mid-winter’s day. According to legend, if the groundhog sees his shadow (a sunny morning), there will be six more weeks of winter. He then returns to his den and goes back to sleep. If, however, he does not see his shadow (cloudy days), he plays around outside of his hole for a while. If he does not see his shadow, spring is just around the corner. The Groundhog’s Day comes from German roots. In the early 1800s, German immigrants to America brought the tradition of predicting winter weather on February 2. In their native Germany, they used Hedgehogs to predict the weather. As they settled in the hills of Pennsylvania, they began the tradition of using the Groundhog to predict the arrival of Spring.

        February's full moon will reach peak illumination at 5:09 p.m. EST on February 1st, 2026 when the moon's orbit places it directly opposite the sun in Earth's sky, making it appear fully lit from our perspective. The February full moon is often called the "Snow Moon", in reference to the heavy snowfall that often coats the ground that time of year.

        Sunday, February 8th, 2026 is football Super Bowl 60. It will take place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, which is home to the San Francisco 49ers. The game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC. The Superbowl is the most watched event in the U.S. Last year, over 127.7 million people around the world watched it. Some people watch the game, while others tune in for the commercials or the halftime show are the big attractions.

February is a relatively quite month for us, comprised of the biblical months of Shevat and Adar. Tu B'Shevat for the year 2026 is celebrated/observed on sundown of Sunday, February 1st ending at sundown on Monday, February 2. Tu B’Shvat is a Rabbinical Jewish holiday (not biblical) occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. It is also called Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot, literally "New Year of the Trees". The day is celebrated in modern Israel as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration. This day is akin to our Arbor Day celebrated in April!

Monday, February 16th, 2026, is Presidents' Day, officially Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level! It is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879, has been the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington, who led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and served as the first U.S. president from 1789 to 1797. Washingtons actual birthday is February 22nd. President Abraham Lincoln's Birthday, February 12, was never a federal holiday, but nearly half the state governments have officially renamed their observances "Presidents' Day", "Washington and Lincoln Day", or other such designations.

February is Black History Month, an annual celebration that honors the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout history. Black History Month originated in the United States as "Negro History Week," which was established in 1926 by historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. The week was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and Frederick Douglass (February 14), both of whom played significant roles in the history of African Americans. The week gained popularity and was expanded to a month-long celebration in 1976 during the United States Bicentennial, with President Gerald Ford urging Americans to recognize the contributions of Black Americans.

Black History Month serves as a time to reflect on the central role of African Americans in U.S. history, acknowledging their struggles, achievements, and contributions across various fields, including politics, science, culture, and civil rights. It aims to educate the public about the rich history and culture of African Americans and to inspire pride within the community. Black History Month is more than just a month on the calendar; it is a movement that encourages ongoing dialogue about race, equality, and the contributions of African Americans to society. It serves as a reminder of the importance of inclusivity and representation in history and education. As God’s word reminds us:

Psalm 133 (TLV). A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard—Aaron’s beard—coming down on the collar of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, coming down upon the mountains of Zion. For there Adonai commanded the blessing—life forevermore!

Blessings and Shalom,

Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson

I Kings 19:19 (TLV). 'So he departed from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. Then Elijah crossed over to him and threw his mantle (addereth: a large over-garment, A representation of Elijah's office as prophet of Israel; mantle) on him. '
 
A mantle is an office, role, or responsibility that passes from one person to another.  In this case the office of “Prophet of Israel” was being passed from Elijah to Elisha.  This mantle is represented by special, peculiar clothing which was probably sheepskin.  The prophet Elijah “threw his mantle upon Elisha” as a symbol of Elijah’s ministry being passed on to Elisha. The prophet’s mantle was a symbol of his authority and responsibility as God’s chosen spokesman.  Elisha was not confused as to what Elijah was doing; wearing his mantle made his appointment official and clear.  Biblical Prophets were known for wearing mantles as a sign of their calling from God.  The prophet Samuel wore a mantle:
 
I Samuel 15:27 (TLV). As Samuel turned about to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe (me'il: robe, mantle, outer garment, garment worn over a tunic by men of rank, a garment of the high priest) and it tore. '
 
The mantle served a symbolic purpose to the people, in the case of the prophets, showing they were wrapped in God’s authority.  Like all imagery in the Tanach, the mantle presents a visible representation of a Brit Chadesha principle. The mantle can be seen as a symbol of the anointing of the Holy Spirit whom God so graciously gives to all believers, those who call upon the God of Israel in Yeshua.  
 
I Thessalonians 1:5–6 (TLV). 'because our Good News did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Ruach ha-Kodesh and with complete certainty—just as you know what kind of men we proved to be while among you for your sake. 6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having accepted the message in much tribulation, with the joy of the Ruach ha-Kodesh . '
 
We, the modern Messianic Movement, have a very specific prophetic mantle awarded, appointed, and given to us by Yeshua and confirmed by Sha’ul.  There are some very specific points to our mantle:
 
Matthew 5:14-19.  "You are light for the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don't cover it with a bowl but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine (lampo {lam'-po}: radiate, shine, radiate brilliancy, beam, give light) before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven. 17 "Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. 18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah -- not until everything that must happen has happened. 19 So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
 
We are the Light, Or in Hebrew!  The same illumination that Adonai separated the upper and lower waters, the beginning of creation!  We are to radiate that light, to beam to those around us!  Before we move on, I started with the passing of the mantle from Elijah to Elisha.  To see where we’re going we must answer a few questions.  What was Elijah’s purpose?  What was his calling?  What did He pass along to Elisha?
 
Elijah’s time frame of service is around 870 B.C., about one hundred years after the reign of King David, who’d set a high standard of trust, honor, loyalty, faithfulness, and integrity in serving the God of Israel.  After the sins of Idolatry his son Solomon committed the kingdom of Israel was divided, split into two kingdoms.  A king of the Northern Kingdom, A.K.A Israel, Ephraim, or Shomron arose; a wicked king named Ahab (whose wife was Jezebel) who did more to provoke God to anger than all the kings of Israel who had come before him
 
I Kings 16:33. Ach'av also set up the asherah; indeed, Ach'av did more to anger ADONAI the God of Isra'el, than all the kings of Isra'el preceding him.
 
The apostasy during Ahab’s reign was the result of many years of corrupt kings and increasing evil, until wickedness filled the land. A majority of the people of Israel had succumbed to apostasy through worshipping the Canaanite gods Baal and Ashtoreth.  Any religion, expression of worship, or lifestyle that is not in line with or reconcile to the Word of God is apostasy-period.  Yet God had a remnant (like the modern-day messianic movement) that remained loyal to Him, 7,000 Israelites that had not bent a knee to or worshipped Baal during this wicked time of sin and apostasy.  
 
God, in grace and mercy routinely sent warnings with a call to return to Him.  He waited patiently for His people to turn, repent, perform T’Shuva from their apostasy, from their worldly influence, their Babylonian/Hellenistic expression of worship.  He beckoned them to return to Him in Spirit and Truth.  
 
I Kings 14:15-16. ADONAI will strike Isra'el until it shakes like a reed in the water; he will uproot Isra'el from this good land, which he gave to their ancestors, and scatter them beyond the [Euphrates] River; because they made sacred poles for themselves, thus making ADONAI angry. 16 He will give up on Isra'el because of the sins of Yarov'am, which he committed himself, and with which he made Isra'el sin as well."
 
The sins of Jeroboam are alive, well, and present today within the greater body of Messiah!  Manmade religion, manmade practices, and manmade worldly expressions of worship.  To announce and warn of His pending punishment God sent a messenger, Elijah the prophet to warn the people to perform T’Shuva, to turn back to God which of course they didn’t!  Our mantle is the same!  Like Elijah We are to walk, live, and share the Kingdom of God within the confines, submission, and obedience of God’s word, His whole word!  
 
Colossians 2:16-17.  So don't let anyone pass judgment on you in connection with eating and drinking, or in regard to a Jewish festival or Rosh-Hodesh or Shabbat. 17 These are a shadow (skia {skee'-ah}: shade caused by the interception of light, a sketch, outline of things that are coming) but the body is of the Messiah.
 
Remember what actually works against HaSatan:
 
Revelation 12:17. (TLV) 'So the dragon became enraged at the woman and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring—those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Yeshua. '
 
So Yeshua, backed up by Sha’ul, has given us a precedence to our Mantle as Elijah had for His which He passed along to Elisha. You are soldiers of God and were at war!  It’s time to use every weapon He has given us in the war chest!  Every strategy, every weapon, every scripture, what every it takes!  Radical times call for radical people!  It’s a time for great boldness, to be on the offensive, not holding our own!  It’s time for the revival of Israel, the land and the people!  Yeshua gave us the order of battle:
 
Matthew 10:5-8. (TLV) Yeshua sent out these twelve and ordered them, “Do not go to the Gentiles, and do not enter into any Samaritan town. 6 But go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near!’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with tza'arat, drive out demons. Freely you received, freely give. '
 
And again in:
 
Matthew 15:24. He said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Isra'el."
 
Sha’ul gives further clarification of Yeshua’s profound words in
 
Romans 1:16. (TLV) 'For I am not ashamed of the Good News, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who trusts—to the Jew first and also to the Greek. '
 
Our Mantle is restoration, to be the Messenger of the Good News for the Salvation of Israel, the land and the people!  This isn’t just our mantle; it’s the mantle, the purpose of the entire body of Messiah!  Unfortunately, the Jeroboams, the Ahab’s, and Jezebel’s are in charge right now, the good news is we have the same God who stood with Elijah standing with us!  We’re not alone, there are thousands just like us that haven’t bowed a knee to Ba’al, who are removed from the Hellenistic mainstream expression of worship!  In fact, our mantle is one of the most critical ever in Biblical History.  Let's review some of Yeshua’s last words here on earth before He was crucified on the stake:
 
Matthew 23:37-39. (TLV)  '“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate! 39 For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘ Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai . Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”'
 
I’m restating this again as I have over decades now!  Yeshua is not coming back until Israel, we, the Jewish people call Him back!  It’s not Rome, it’s not the Church, it’s not Orthodox Judaism, it’s a redeemed Israel who become painfully aware of who Yeshua is and how we have scorned him for millennia!  But, the current state of affairs in the greater body is one of apostasy and Yeshua tells us why:
 
Matthew 22:29.  Yeshua answered them, "The reason you go astray (planao {plan-ah'-o}:  cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way, to go astray, wander, roam about, to lead away from the truth, to lead into error, to deceive, to be led into error, to be led aside from the path of virtue, to go astray, sin, to sever or fall away from the truth) is that you are ignorant both of the Tanakh and of the power of God.
 
We will mourn and cry out for the lost son of the house of David, We the People-not the Knesset, not the democracy of Israel, we the people will cry out “Baruch ha-Ba B’shem Adonai!”  The heavenly Theocracy, the Messianic reign will begin when we speak these words collectively as the People of Israel and the current state or Democracy of Israel will cease to exist. No more prime minister, Yeshua will be King and God Himself will be the Holy of Holies!  This will usher in a reign of a unified body of Messiah the Yeshua died for:
 
Ephesians 2:11-19. Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth - called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised - 12 at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra'el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God's promise. You were in this world without hope and without God. 13 But now, you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of the Messiah's blood. 14 For he himself is our shalom - he has made us both one and has broken down the m'chitzah which divided us 15 by destroying in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom, 16 and in order to reconcile to God both in a single body by being executed on a stake as a criminal and thus in himself killing that enmity. 17 Also, when he came, he announced as Good News shalom to you far off and shalom to those nearby, 18 news that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow-citizens with God's people and members of God's family.
 
This is our mantle, our destiny!  We not only bring restoration, salvation, and revival, we are to walk in and usher in the One New Man reign!  Like Elijah’s day, we are currently in transition.  The transition between Elijah and Elisha contained two specific elements.  The Mantle and a double portion of Elijahs spirit the Elisha asked for that Elijah said would occur if Elisha was with Elijah when he was taken up and he was.  
 
II Kings 2:11-15. (TLV)  As they were walking along and talking, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 As Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “Avi! Avi! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” Then he saw him no more. So he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He then picked up (Va’Yarem: pick up, lift up, elevate, raised, lifted, promotion) the mantle of Elijah that fell from him. When he returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan, 14 he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen off him, struck the waters and said, “Where is Adonai , the God of Elijah?” As he indeed struck the waters, they parted here then there. Then Elisha crossed over. 15 When the sons of the prophets at Jericho saw him some way off, they said, “The spirit of Elijah has rested on Elisha.” So they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. '
 
To get the promotion, to walk in a double portion mantle of Elijah, Elisha had to pick it up!  He had to lift it up, he had to pick it up before he was promoted to the office of Elijah!  The Spirit of Elijah didn’t rest upon him until He picked it up!  There is action involved here on Elisha’s part as well as action required on our part to walk in our mantle!  WE must be moving in a double portion of the Spirit, and we must pick up, take, receive the mantle that’s before us!
 
I Corinthians 15:46. (TLV) 'However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. '

First the physical then the spiritual.  The seeds of our Mantle, the “One New Man”, Jew and Gentile reconciliation were planted at the Jamestown settlement 419 years ago in a prayer that was spoken twice a day at the main gate of Jamestown Fort. The following is a direct quote from this prayer exactly as it was written in the book “Lawes Divine, Morall and Martiall for the Colony of Virginea”-Printed in the year 1612. “A Praier duly said Morning and Evening upon the Court of Guard, either by the Captaine of the watch himselfe, or by some one of his principall officers”.
 
“Confound thou O God all the counsel and practices of Satan and his ministers, which are or shall be taken up against thee, and the kingdome of thy deare sonne. And call in the Jewes together with the fulnesse of the gentiles, that thy name may be glorious in al the world, the dayes of iniquity may come to an end, and we with all thine elect people may come to see thy face in glorie, and be filled with the light thereof for evermore.”
 
We must pick up our mantel and go forward!  The Modern Messianic Move began in England in 1867 with the formation of the Hebrew Christian Alliance.  50 years later the Balfor Declaration in 1917, 50 years after this Jerusalem is restored back to us in June 1967, and now?  The salvation of our people, ALL ISRASEL!  
 
We’ve been given the greatest Kingdom opportunities in biblical history! Kadima!  Let’s move forward!
 
Blessings and Shalom,
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson

In political science and political history, the term power vacuum is an analogy between a physical vacuum and a political condition: When a leader has lost control of something and there is no one in line to replace them. Such a situation can occur when a government has no identifiable central power structure or authority or is one that is weak.  The analogy explains that in a power vacuum, other forces or another power will "rush in" to fill the vacuum as soon as it is created, perhaps in the form of an armed militia, insurgents, a military coup, a warlord or a dictator.
 
During or following a civil war there is often a power vacuum of some sort. A power vacuum can also occur following a constitutional crisis in which large portions of the government resign or are removed, creating unclear paths regarding succession to positions of power.
 
Throughout history, power vacuums have been dangerous. They lead to great uncertainty and apprehension as people wonder what will happen next.  A power vacuum results in a lack of vision!  This is recorded in Proverbs:
 
Proverbs 29:18. 18 Without a prophetic vision, the people throw off all restraint; but he who keeps Torah is happy.
 
Within nations, it may lead to social unrest, chaos, or anarchy! The result may be outright civil war, as non-righteous, wicked individuals step forward to grab power.  Internationally, they can lead too regional conflicts or even worse world wars as non-righteous nations see opportunities to gain more for themselves at the expense of their weaker neighbors.
 
This is a biblical, scriptural, heavenly concept.  When there is a lack of righteous, Kingdom leadership, a power vacuum arises that is quickly filled with evil, wickedness, and deceit.  
 
II Timothy 3:1-5.  Moreover, understand this: in the acharit-hayamim will come trying times. 2 People will be self-loving, money-loving, proud, arrogant, insulting, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, uncontrolled, brutal, hateful of good, 4 traitorous, headstrong, swollen with conceit, loving pleasure rather than God, 5 as they retain the outer form of religion but deny its power. Stay away from these people!
 
There is an attempt to change America’s history, to remove Adonai from our birth and foundation as a nation.  To separate ourselves as a nation from God is to deny the power of Adonai known as apostasy: From the Greek word Apostasia, which in ancient Greek culture means open insurrection, political revolt, rebellion, wholescale defiance against Adonai, His Kingdom, His word, and His Son! Its open rebellion and sedition against the Commands, Mitzvahs, and instructions of Adonai! It’s rejecting His word, His Son, His Ruach HaKodesh, and His Kingdom!! It’s a Political Revolt against His Theocracy! This is the enemies age old plan, to thwart the Kingdom of God and establish his own demonic kingdom upon the earth.
 
Denying the power of God results in a power vacuum that is quickly flooded with evil, wicked, and unrighteous power.  It is far harder to remove it once it’s become entrenched then to stop it before the vacuum is created.  We have a biblical history that records the effects Power Vacuums:  
 
Judges 2:10-15.  When that entire generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation arose that knew neither ADONAI nor the work he had done for Isra'el. 11 Then the people of Isra'el did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective and served the ba'alim. 12 They abandoned ADONAI, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, selected from the gods of the peoples around them, and worshipped them; this made ADONAI angry. 13 They abandoned ADONAI and served Ba'al and the 'ashtarot. 14 The anger of ADONAI blazed against Isra'el; and he handed them over to pillagers, who plundered them, and to their enemies around them; so that they could no longer resist their enemies. 15 Whenever they launched an attack, the power of ADONAI was against them, so that things turned out badly - just as ADONAI had said would happen and had sworn to them. They were in dire distress.
 
We are at a crossroads as a Nation, a generation is arising that doesn’t know Adonai nor His previous blessing upon us! They are abandoning Him. The “get it done” generation that sacrificed their lives, livelihoods, and lifestyles to unite against a worldwide onslaught spread of tyranny, terror, hatred, Anti-Semitism, and socialism/communism that threatened freedom around the world is gone. This year we lost the last surviving sailor that was onboard the USS Arizona on Dec 7th, 1941. A generation that rationed food, fuel, clothes, and personal comfort to resolutely, in complete unity defeat a global enemy is gone, my own 100-year-old father passed away in August 2023. He was literally one of the last! A generation that relied on God, that prayed in school every morning, had bible study in school, started every government meeting and every sporting event with prayer.  A generation that placed morality, righteousness, and holy living above all else. The generation that added “Under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. They are all gone!
 
A generation is arising that doesn’t know the pain of sacrifice! A generation that isn’t unified or resolute in defeating the rising tide of global aggression, hatred, anarchy, and antisemitism.  A generation that is self-loving, money-loving, proud, arrogant, insulting, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, uncontrolled, brutal, hateful of good, traitorous, headstrong, swollen with conceit, loving pleasure rather than God is quickly rising to prominence!  As in Israel’s history:
 
Judges 17:6. At that time there was no king in Isra'el; a man simply did whatever he thought was right.  
 
Remember, in a righteousness power vacuum, evil and wickedness quickly flood the void. The previous generation, the do it generation sent their political candidates running for office to the men and woman of God to vet and bless them.  Today Americas society rejects God, they know not the God that delivered us twice from the British, who built this nation by His providence, who saw us through the bloodiest war in Americas history, the Civil War!  The same God who carried us through WWI, the Great Depression, and WWII!  They know not the God who made us the richest, strongest, and most blessed nation on the earth! We are warned:  
 
Deuteronomy 8:11-19. "Be careful not to forget ADONAI your God by not obeying his mitzvot, rulings and regulations that I am giving you today. 12 Otherwise, after you have eaten and are satisfied, built fine houses and lived in them, 13 and increased your herds, flocks, silver, gold and everything else you own, 14 you will become proud-hearted. Forgetting ADONAI your God - who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you lived as slaves; 15 who led you through the vast and fearsome desert, with its poisonous snakes, scorpions and waterless, thirsty ground; who brought water out of flint rock for you; 16 who fed you in the desert with man, unknown to your ancestors; all the while humbling and testing you in order to do you good in the end - 17 you will think to yourself, 'My own power and the strength of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.' 18 No, you are to remember ADONAI your God, because it is he who is giving you the power (Koach: capacity, means, strength, power, might) to get wealth, in order to confirm his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as is happening even today. 19 If you forget ADONAI your God, follow other gods and serve and worship them, I am warning you in advance today that you will certainly perish.
 
God knew that when a society, a nation becomes rich, wealthy, and safe that it tends to focus inward and away from Him!  That it begins to think, in their blessed environment of safety, security, and wealth given by God that they obtained it by themselves!  That they would become proud hearted and forget who brought them through all the trials and tribulations, who blessed our fertile land and brought rain at the right season.  Who cleared that land of vermin and pestilence?  Who increased our flocks, our crops, and made us the wealthiest nation on earth!  Now we choose to turn our backs on Him and were experiencing odd weather phenomenon, wars and rumors of wars, ethnic wars, famines, pandemics, people betraying each other, vile polarization of our nation, while our love grows cold because of increased distance from Torah, everything has warned us that He will do if we forget Him!
 
Verse 18 contains a whole other message! Adonai doesn’t just give you everything.  He gives YOU the power, the capacity, the means, the strength, the ability to gain wealth.  He has given you gifts, wisdom, knowledge and power to work, tithe, and change your stay in life! You must work for it. He’s not giving you everything on a silver platter.  Yeshua talks about the power struggle in:
 
Matthew 12:29. "Or again, how can someone break into a strong man's house and make off with his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? After that he can ransack his house.  
 
The power vacuum doesn’t just happen by accident.  The enemy can only come in if the strong man is bound!  Who is that?  It’s us, it’s you, it’s me, it’s every believer in the body of Messiah.  It's every believer that remains silent in the face of wickedness and evil.  Its every believer who fails to vote with a biblical world view, its every believer who would vote for someone who is pro-abortion, every believer who would vote for someone who stands against Israel, its every believer who doesn’t vote according to biblical morals and ethics. It’s every believer who is part of the silent majority, every believer who won’t stand up and raise their voice for justice.  Every believer who falls into the trap of political correctness. Every believer who will not stand for the Kingdom of Adonai, truth and righteousness. Every believer who won’t share the Gospel! The late Elie Wiesel, Jewish author and survivor of Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps said: “The opposite of love is not hate; it’s indifference. The opposite of beauty is not ugliness; it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy; it’s indifference.” It all causes a power vacuum.
 
We have a chilling similar biblical account of another power vacuum in David’s day.  Saul was so distracted, so busy trying to kill David that he failed to properly protect and defend his people and nation.  One can be so mired in the minutia of special interest politics that they fail to properly do their job of protecting and defending the nation and its citizens.  This is what Saul fell into and it cost them dearly when the Philistines attacked and routed Israel:
 
I Samuel 31:6-10. Thus Sha'ul, his three sons, his armor-bearer and all his men died that same day together. 7 When the men of Isra'el who were on the other side of the valley and those who were on the far side of the Yarden saw that the men of Isra'el had fled and that Sha'ul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled; then the P'lishtim came and lived in them. 8 The following day, when the P'lishtim came to strip the dead, they found Sha'ul and his three sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head, stripped off his armor and sent these all over the territory of the P'lishtim to carry the news to the temples of their idols and to the people. 10 Then they put his armor in the temple for the 'ashtarot and fastened his body to the wall of Beit-Sh'an.  
 
The Army of God, the men of Israel fled when they witnessed Saul fall.  They abandoned their cities while the Philistines came and lived in them.  Saul’s death was mocked when the Philistines placed his weapons in their temple.  Saul’s dishonor had reached its climax, defeated, beheaded, and his body and those of his sons hung on the walls of Bet-S’hean.  The Philistines were known to mutilate the bodies of their enemies to disgrace and shame them just as Hamas does today.  This Vacuum set the stage for Davids Kingship but not immediately, crowned King of Judah David, he ruled from Hevron until the other tribes finally came together and made him king of all Israel years later. I pray following will help you know if you are living in a Spiritual Vacuum:  
 
Seven Signs you are living in a “Spiritual Vacuum”
 
1. You talk about Yeshua but haven’t genuinely experienced him. He’s distant and unreal in your everyday life.  You know of Him, but you don’t KNOW Him, you don’t SEE Him.  You talked about Him more than you talk with Him.  You’re not hearing is voice!  
 
2. Your spiritual walk with Yeshua is more of a weekly service event, vice a daily, 24/7 walk with Him.  Religious services define your experience with Yeshua vice Yeshua defining your life experiences.  He is not a reality every day of your life!
 
3. Your walk with God is a façade of religion while the power is denied.  You may do and say all the right things, avoid all the wrong things, but you are not demonstrating the Power of God.  Your walk is an outward appearance of religion, going through the motions while not experiencing and demonstrating the Power of God.  
 
4. There are no supernatural, transformational changes visible in your life or there hasn’t been any life change experienced in a long while.  Your Godly relationship has plateaued even though you’re doing all the right things.  It’s impossible to genuinely experience Yeshua and remain unchanged!  No personal change is a profound sign that your spiritual life is in a spiritual vacuum.  World revival begins with personal revival!
 
5. You are more concerned about God fitting into your life and desires vice aligning your life to align and fit into Gods will and desire.  
 
6. You live unnoticed as a believer by the people around you such as neighbors, work associates, school mates, friends and family!  The people around you can’t tell you follow Yeshua by being around you!  You’re not visibly different than those around you because there’s nothing to notice.  You’re not sought after for advice or help when their lives are in turmoil because they don’t see Yeshua in you.
 
7. You live for the moment vice establishing your life in eternity.  You live by and in the world vice being in it but not of it. You don’t have a global messianic vision.  You are not an agent of change in this world.  
 
I pray you have a transformational year of renewal and dunamis power! May you be world changer wherever you go! May you experience a Road to Damascus encounter with the Most High God this year!  
 
Blessings and Shalom,
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson  

Shalom Mishpocha, 
 
Happy New Year! We have entered the Gregorian Calendar year of 2026. The 1st of Nisan (the Biblical New Year) begins at sunset, Wednesday March 18th, 2026, beginning the year 5786. January is the first month of the year, named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions, who had two faces looking at the past and the future. The months of January and February were not originally in the ancient Roman calendar as the winter months were considered dormant, both in terms of agriculture and in terms of making war. This was a time of peace. Until 450 BCE, the Roman calendar was 10 months, beginning in March (Martius), due to the March Equinox. Remember, March was named for “Mars,” the god of War who was also an agricultural guardian.  
 
Let’s look at the prophetic meaning of the year 5786/2026. Hebrew letters also serve as numbers, so every year’s number can be read as a word or phrase: 
 
5000: Heh, “behold” or “the” when added before word. The number 5 represents grace, God’s unmerited favor through His empowering presence.  It signifies victory and divine enablement!  
 
700: Shin, often tied to fire, divine energy, or transformation. The number 7 (Sheva in Hebrew) is the DNA, the building blocks of creation. Seven is the central key to God’s creation and design.  The world was created in seven days.  There are seven feasts of the Lord in the annual feast day cycle.  There are Sheva festival days when work is forbidden.  Sheva days of Matzah!  Sheva days of Sukkot.  Sheva (seven) is the number of creation and is the number of perfection. It speaks of completion and perfection through warfare.   
 
80: Peh, means “mouth” in Hebrew. It’s linked to speech, proclamation, declaration, and prophecy. The Number 8 symbolizes new beginnings. It points to the transition from the old into the new, the breaking forth of a new day, and the power of renewal and transformation through Yeshua. 
 
6: Vav, means “hook” it relates to connection, unity, joining heaven and earth. The Number 6 is associated with humankind, as humanity was created on the sixth day. It functions as a nail that fixes two things together or as a hook that draws something into place.  Symbolically, it is the divine link between Heaven and Earth. 
 
So, 5786 can be read as: “The year of connecting (Vav) through the mouth (Peh), with divine fire/energy (Shin).” It’s a year of Divine Connections, Divine Shifts and Divine Alignments from Heaven to our Earth. 
 
The number 26 from the year 2026 in the gematria is the value of God's Name YHWH, symbolizes authority and love, marking a year with divine connections and the fulfillment of long-awaited promises. 2026 is described as a year of reaping, where believers are expected to witness the fulfillment of prophecies and the manifestation of God's Word in power. This new year will be one of the most significant transitional shifts that we will see and experience. This New Year will be one of divine connections, radical divine shifts, coupled with divine alignments with the authority of Kingdom of Adonai! Nations will feel this radical shift profoundly. Political, economic, and spiritual strongholds will not remain the same. Adonai is connecting, aligning, and joining us into His Heavenly purposes here on the earth. We must live our lives in this new year with great biblical intentionality! 
 
Friday January 9th, 2026, is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day or L.E.A.D. It is a day to express our gratitude to our police officers for all their hard work and for protecting the community. Those who serve as police officers put their lives on the line every day! They are not appreciated enough. Pay for their meal if you see them at a restaurant or purchase food gift cards to give to our men and woman in blue! They will appreciate it! Thank you to all of our law enforcement for protecting us every day! 
 
Monday, January 19th, 2026, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day (observed). This holiday is held on the third Monday in January and honors the principles of this civil rights leader and Nobel Prize Winner dedicated to change through nonviolence. Dr. King also organized and led marches for the right to vote, desegregation, and labor rights in addition to basic civil rights. The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 are attributed, in part, to the works of Dr. King. 
 
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an important day to remember the atrocities of the genocide carried out against Jewish people and other marginalized groups during WWII by Nazi Germany. This year, Holocaust Remembrance Day is on Tuesday, January 27th, 2026. As we continue to suffer rising, rabid antisemitism, anti-Israel sentiment, we must remember what happened 85 years ago in Germany. We must remember what happened in Israel on October 7th, 2023. Never again is now! Am Israel Chai! 
 
 
Blessings and Shalom! 
 
 
Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson 

Planting and building a Messianic Congregation is unlike any other work or ministry within the body of Messiah.  Jewish believers come to the body with over 4,000 years of biblical history and heavenly mandates coupled with the oracles of God! Paul described this in
 
Romans 9:4-5. the people of Isra'el! They were made God's children, the Sh'khinah has been with them, the covenants are theirs, likewise the giving of the Torah, the Temple service and the promises; 5 the Patriarchs are theirs; and from them, as far as his physical descent is concerned, came the Messiah, who is over all. Praised be ADONAI for ever! Amen.

For a Jewish person, our biblical expression of messianic worship and lifestyle is second nature, it connects directly with our soul, with our neshamah! The difficulties arise in separating manmade traditions of legalistic observances and practices compared with what Torah actually commands.  A common example I use is Sukkot.  If you Google how to build a Sukkah for Sukkot, your search results will contain thousands of Orthodox Jewish web pages detailing very specific rabbinical instructions on how to do this, what material to use, and the specific amounts.  What does the word of God say?
 
Leviticus 23:42-43.  You are to live in sukkot for seven days; every citizen of Isra'el is to live in a sukkah, 43 so that generation after generation of you will know that I made the people of Isra'el live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am ADONAI your God.'"
 
Sukkah in Hebrew means a temporary booth or hut (as of entwined boughs); also a lair, den, pavilion, or a tabernacle.  I find it extremely interesting; in fact it’s a reflection of corrupted human nature.  Where God is not specific and has given us leeway and freedom to worship Him such as Sukkot and building a temporary structure that people become legalistic and want to confine that freedom and limit our expression of worship!  Yet, in other areas of scripture God is very specific and confines our behaviors and activities to protect us (such as dietary and sexual impurities laws) and we as humans want to argue those areas and inject a freedom and leeway that is not found in God’s word!  This brings me to a point here, God’s word defines who we are in Him!  God’s word is both our cultural and moral metric, the threshold of both holy and righteous lifestyles that establish our heavenly identity for both Jew and Gentile alike. The word of God is what defines us and binds us together as one!  Sha’ul defines this so clearly and succinctly in:

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.
 
Hearers in the Greek is akroates {ak-ro-at-ace'}, to hear, to listen.  In the Hebrew the term is “Shema”.  Being like the Good People of Berea we must check this out and go back to the first time Shema is mentioned in scripture.  Most are familiar with the following passage:
 
Deuteronomy 6:4. "Sh'ma, Yisra'el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra'el! ADONAI our God, ADONAI is one];

The term Shema is derived from the Hebrew root shin, mem, ayin. Sh'ma is a noun that is most often translated as hear or hearing. On a side note, the word for rumor is shmu-aw; the plural, rumors, is shmu-aws. If that word for rumors, shmu-aws, sounds vaguely familiar, it should. For rumors, shmu-aws, is the basis of that wildly popular yiddish-american word, “schmooze”. So the next time you hear or use the word schmooze, and that probably won’t take very long, you will I’m sure recall that the Hebrew root of “schmooze” is shin, mem, ayin, and from that you will be reminded of the daily obligation of the recitation of the Shema.
 
The Shema marks the declaration that God is One. If someone doesn't understand Hebrew, they might read this verse "Here, O Israel, The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Deu.6:4) and think that Adonai doesn’t exist as a triune nature or in plurality! This however is not the case, the word used in Hebrew is echad.
 
The word echad, or “one” as it appears in the Hebrew text of Deuteronomy 6:4, doesn't mean one, Yachid in modern Hebrew means singular or Aleph in biblical Hebrew means one. Echad means more than one part, a compound, a complex unity, oneness through plurality.
 
For example, in Exodus 26:6 the various parts of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) are to be constructed so that "it shall be one (echad) tabernacle," and Ezekiel spoke of two "sticks" (representing a divided nation) as being reunited into one: "and they shall be one (echad) stick in My hand" (Ezekiel 37:19).
 
So scripturally we see that Echad is a completeness through pluralism!  The root word of Echad is “Ached”:  It means to unify, to be in accord, in unison, no more separate parts!  
Shema (Sh'ma), in the gematria has a numerical value of 410, the same as the word Kadosh, Holy.  But the root shin, mem, ayin has other meanings, particularly “understand” and “obey”.   A powerful example of this is in one of the most famous places where the same root word appears. After Moses writes down the Book of the Covenant, the people respond in:
 
Exodus 24:7. Then he took the book of the covenant and read it aloud, so that the people could hear; and they responded, "Everything that ADONAI has spoken, we will do and obey."

“Na'aseh v’nishma” “Na-aseh” means “we will do”, but what does “nishma”, nun, shin, mem, ayin mean? The most common is “obey”, “be obedient" listen
 
“Moses took the book of the covenant and read it to the nation, and they said everything that Hashem tells us we shall keep and receive” - ‘Naase VeNishma’.  This reply given by Israel embodies a profound secret that only a few Hebrew scholars and now you understand after what we've just shared.  N'ase is from the root Oseh, from O'seh Shalom Bimrumov--Oseh means do. add a nun which is plural N'ase we will do.  Same with Sh'ma. V'Nishma is Sh'ma with a nun added to make it plural so the heart and essence of the Sh'ma and what Israel answered to God upon hearing God's proposal was that they, Israel, would accept Torah even before knowing what it was all about!
 
This is the same exact concept Sha’ul is telling from Exodus in Romans 2:13 that it’s “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 not those who say they will hear and obey God, but it’ those who actually do so.  Doers in the Greek is poietes {poy-ay-tace'}, a doer, a performer, one who obeys, fulfills Torah!  “Na'aseh v’nishma”, those who hear and do are the ones who shall be made righteous for God!  You strife and work on righteousness every day!  Again, second nature for Jewish congregates but what about Gentiles?  The age old argument, surrounded by millennia of Hellenistic teaching and apostasy!  Sha’ul takes us there:

Romans 2:14. 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!

Whenever gentiles who have no Torah, as just about every believing Gentile who entered through our doors experienced when they first visited a Messianic synagogue, when Gentiles do naturally: phusis {foo'-sis} in the Greek means the natural order of things as opposed to abnormal or perverse, to bring forth, to grow, to be reborn into, to sprout.  When Gentiles do- poietes {poy-ay-tace'}, a doer, a performer, one who obeys, fulfills Torah naturally, when they sprout, grow, follow the heavenly natural order, and begin to bring forth Torah, even though they didn’t have it become for themselves: heautou {heh-ow-too'} in the Greek which means itself, they become Torah itself!  
 
Ephesus is an excellent study on this conceptually!  Ephesus was a city in Asia minor and the regional capital for that part of the Roman Empire.  The Kehillat, the Congregation Sha’ul seeded in Ephesus was comprised of Jew and Gentile in the Diaspora as we are.  This is topical and relevant to the message regarding Yeshua’s rebuke to the Congregation in Ephesus
 
Revelation 2:4-5. But I have this against you: you have lost the love you had at first. 5 Therefore, remember where you were before you fell, turn from this sin, and do what you used to do before. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your menorah from its place - if you don't turn from your sin!

Yeshua's warning to the Kehillat at Ephesus is stern; “turn from this sin, and do what you used to do before you fell”. I have spoken on this numerous times, I’ve heard many teachings on this. What is their "first love”? What have they fallen from, and what were their first works?  Ephesians tell us what Yeshua's issues are with them:
 
Ephesians 2:1-2.  You used to be dead because of your sins and acts of disobedience. 2 You walked in the ways of the 'olam hazeh and obeyed the Ruler of the Powers of the Air, who is still at work among the disobedient.

Ephesians 2:11-13. Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth - called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised - 12 at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra'el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God's promise. You were in this world without hope and without God. 13 But now, you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of the Messiah's blood.

Sha'ul is specifically speaking to Gentiles within the Congregation at Ephesus.  He tells them that they were among those who walked according to the world, and were not living a biblical lifestyle like the rest of Israel!  Gentiles were strangers to God's word (Torah) and all of its covenants and promises until Yeshua came.  Now, through the blood of Yeshua Gentiles had become joint heirs, joint partakers in the greater commonwealth of Israel, not a new faith or a new religion as is taught today.
 
So, before the Kehillat or Congregation at Ephesus fell where were they?  They were walking in the truth and power of God's word!  Their salvation came through the blood of Yeshua, our sacrifice, as brought through the house of Israel.  Gentiles are grafted into or adopted into the commonwealth of Israel as fellow citizens of God's kingdom, a dwelling place for God's Glory!  This is part of the mystery that Sha'ul talks about here, it's Jew and Gentile coming together as one that makes the dwelling place for His Shekhinah, His presence, His glory!  This adoption or grafting in gives Gentiles all the same covenant promises that Israel has!
 
Through study, immersion into God’s word, and retention of the Mitzvah’s and commands of God through Torah, the Tanach, and the Brit Hadasha we develop awareness and understanding of our world (God’s Creation).  We develop Love of God, love for one another, character, integrity, purity, and we begin to reapply what we have learned, reshaping the world that we live in, transforming it according to God’s plan, not mans or the worlds.  Through prayer and fasting, we transform our minds and soul in conformity to the Kingdom of Heaven, adapting and reflecting a biblical lifestyle modeled after Messiah
Romans 2:15-16.  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. 16 on a day when God passes judgment on people's inmost secrets. (According to the Good News as I proclaim it, he does this through the Messiah Yeshua.)

Written in the Greek is graptos {grap-tos'}, inscribed, written in their heart.  A circumcised heart, a heart that is in covenant with God and His word!!  This word inscribed in hearts witness to their consciences, suneidesis {soon-i'-day-sis} in the Greek, the conscience, the soul as distinguishing between morally good and morally bad.  When Torah is inscribed in the heart, you become torah therefore your thoughts are judged by your conscience according to what’s written on your heart.  Some thoughts are good, some not, some accuse, some defend, all based upon the metric of God’s word inscribed on your heart.  God judges the inmost secrets, Kruptos in Greek, the hidden, secret, concealed areas of the heart.  These hidden, concealed areas can only exist if Torah is not inscribed upon your heart.  The Good News of Yeshua inscribes Gods word into your heart, circumcising it.  Both Jew and Gentile.  It is how we both come together as one!

Ephesians 4:1-6.  Therefore I, the prisoner united with the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called. 2 Always be humble, gentle and patient, bearing with one another in love, 3 and making every effort to preserve the unity (henotes {hen-ot-ace'} in the Greek, unity, oneness, agreement) the Spirit gives through the binding power of shalom. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as when you were called you were called to one hope. 5 And there is one Lord, one trust, one immersion, 6 and one God, the Father of all, who rules over all, works through all and is in all.

Abba, Father, help us to live in harmony, to set aside our differences and focus on what truly matters: loving You and each another. We pray that You would give us hearts that are patient and humble, seeking to build bridges rather than walls. As Shaul prayed in Ephesians 4:4-6 and making every effort to preserve the unity the Spirit gives through the binding power of shalom. There is one body and one Spirit, just as when you were called you were called to one hope. 5 And there is one Lord, one trust, one immersion, 6 and one God, the Father of all, who rules over all, works through all and is in all.
 
In Yeshua’s name I pray. Amen
 
Blessings and Shalom.
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson

As Jews we are tied to this Gentile Christmas season whether we like it or not.  The ENTIRE WORLD (secular and Christian alike) pauses December 25th to recognize and celebrate the birth of a Jewish baby, the Mashiach 2,000 years ago. Such a momentous event that has changed [EC1] time! Before you judge me, hear me out for a moment. This time of year, I listen to the holiday channel on Sirius Radio.  I love the jazz/Big Band music of Ella Fitzgerald, Vince Garibaldi, Louis Armstrong, Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, most are jazz songs or winter songs that should play all winter but don’t. And yes, there are Christmas Songs being played! Many singing about “Born is the King of Israel”, “O little town of Bethlehem”, “O Come Emmanuel” “Joy to the World” based on Gen 3, and Psalm 96 & 98! A majority of the holiday songs are written and performed by Jews! How did this event get so far off track when even its music is Jewish? It’s about the supernatural birth of Yeshua, Mashiach, an event that affected all humanity:
 
Luke 2:7-14. and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in cloth and laid him down in a feeding trough, because there was no space for them in the living-quarters. 8 In the countryside nearby were some shepherds spending the night in the fields, guarding their flocks, 9 when an angel of ADONAI appeared to them, and the Sh'khinah of ADONAI shone around them. They were terrified; 10 but the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, because I am here announcing to you Good News that will bring great joy to all the people. 11 This very day, in the town of David, there was born for you a Deliverer who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 Here is how you will know: you will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a feeding trough." 13 Suddenly, along with the angel was a vast army from heaven praising God: 14 "In the highest heaven, glory to God! And on earth, peace among people of good will!"
 
This story of Yeshua’s birth begins over 1,283 years prior to His arrival with a Gentile woman who loved the Jewish people, Ruth! Ruth was a Moabite whose Jewish husband died. Instead of going back to her own people, she clung to her mother-in-law Naomi:
 
Ruth 1:16-19. But Rut said, "Don't press me to leave you and stop following you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. 17 Where you die, I will die; and there I will be buried. May ADONAI bring terrible curses on me, and worse ones as well, if anything but death separates you and me." 18 When Na'omi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. 19 So the two of them went on until they came to Beit-Lechem. When they arrived in Beit-Lechem, the whole city was stirred with excitement over them. The women asked, "Can this be Na'omi?"

This is the model for the church’s relationship to Israel and the Jewish people. Ruth's reputation, her humility, and Character preceded her! She was already known by the city elders at the city gate for her loyalty, support, and commitment to Naomi through her gleaning in Boaz’s fields, Elimelekh’s kinsman redeemer. She catches the eye of Boaz who offers to take Ruth as his wife and be Naomi’s redeeming kinsman. Boaz takes the case to the elders at the city gate and Ruth and Naomi are redeemed by Boaz.  Where is Boaz from? Bethlehem. Where is Yeshua born??? Bethlehem!  The people there make a prophetic proclamation at the city gate over the gentile Ruth when she is redeemed by Boaz, her Jewish husband:

Ruth 4:11-12. All the people at the gate and the leaders said, "We are witnesses. May ADONAI make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Le'ah, who between them built up the house of Isra'el. Do worthy deeds in Efrat; become renowned in Beit-Lechem. 12 May your house, because of the seed ADONAI will give you from this young woman, become like the house of Peretz, whom Tamar bore to Y'hudah."

Boaz and Ruth became husband and wife and Ruth became pregnant: ” …Ruth …  gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: ‘"Blessed be ADONAI, who today has provided you a redeemer! May his name be renowned in Isra'el. 'Oved. He was the father of Yishai the father of David.’” (Ruth 4:11-17)

Ruth is the great-grandmother of David, Yeshua’s lineages is of the Son of David. Those blessings over Ruth were prophetic and referred to the coming Messiah who would be born in Bethlehem from the lineage of Ruth and Boaz. The women referred to Obed as a redeemer, just as Boaz was, but prophetically, they were speaking about the Redeemer of all humanity: Yeshua!
 
Those elders at the city gate thought that Boaz’s redeeming Elimelekh’s estate was just another real-estate settlement yet when it happened the Spirit of God falls on them when Ruth is legally given to Boaz. They prophesied these prophecies over this gentile woman, “We are witnesses. May ADONAI make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Le'ah, who between them built up the house of Isra'el. Do worthy deeds in Efrat; become renowned in Beit-Lechem.” (Ruth 4:11) They were actually prophesying about the Messiah and the location of His birth as confirmed by the prophet Micah, who said:
 
Micah 5:2. But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y'hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra'el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times.

How profound, when they said, “become like the house of Peretz, whom Tamar bore to Y'hudah,” they were again prophesying a large, vast Jewish family line that has a prophetic promise connected with it! They unwittingly were prophesying about the entire Body of Messiah that would come forth through the Tribe of Judah.

Genesis 49:10. The scepter will not pass from Y'hudah, nor the ruler's staff from between his legs, until he (Shiloh in Hebrew: epitaph of the Messiah, a Messianic Title) comes to whom [obedience] belongs; and it is he whom the peoples will obey.

The very embodiment and fulfillment of God’s covenant promise, of His redemption and salvation of both Jew and Gentile through the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.  Judah became his own kinsman redeemer through his daughter in law Tamar after both his sons died. The same Judah stood in the gap to prevent his brothers from murdering Yosef, it was Judah’s idea to sell him to the Ishmaelites as a slave. Profoundly it was also Judah who offered himself in the place of his brother Benjamin before Yosef in Egypt!

How detailed is Adonai? The saying “God is in the details” is used to emphasize the importance of paying careful attention to the tiniest things. That principle holds, but there is a deeper understanding that we see in these passages alone, our Creator reigns fully over every minute detail. Nothing ever occurs outside of Adonai’s decree and providential rule. This reveals to us a significance in all that we do, even the most minor, small thing! Let’s continue to read of Yeshua’s birth:

Luke 2:22-32. When the time came for their purification according to the Torah of Moshe, they took him up to Yerushalayim to present him to ADONAI 23 (as it is written in the Torah of ADONAI, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to ADONAI") 24 and also to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the Torah of ADONAI. 25 There was in Yerushalayim a man named Shim`on. This man was a tzaddik, he was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra'el, and the Ruach HaKodesh was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah of ADONAI. 27 Prompted by the Spirit, he went into the Temple courts; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua to do for him what the Torah required, 28 Shim`on took him in his arms, made a b'rakhah to God, and said, 29 "Now, ADONAI, according to your word, your servant is at peace as you let him go; 30 for I have seen with my own eyes your yeshu`ah, 31 which you prepared in the presence of all peoples -- 32 a light (apokalupsis {ap-ok-al'-oop-sis}: light, disclosure of truth, a revelation, manifestation) that will bring revelation to the Goyim and glory to your people Isra'el."

Simeon was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra'el, He had attentive expectancy! The Ruach HaKodesh was upon Simeon, and he was righteous and devout. The two facts are directly connected. Simeon wasn’t perfect, but he was someone who walked in God’s ways with great intentionality! Simeon was serious about it. He knew what he was looking for, and was in tune with God. Same with Anna. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)
 
A word for us today, we must worship and listen, carefully, and attentively while waiting! Simeon and Anna were paying attention. They were listening, and they were expectant. Like our day today, we all know something is happening! We must listen, be attentive, with expectancy! Simeon and Anna were attentive and All the People, the Goyim, the nations, and Israel will see, witness, and experience salvation, redemption, this light, this revelation of truth!

Messiah has come bringing revelation of to the Gentiles and glory to His people Israel! The nations shall see the light! God’s plan all along was for Israel to be the light bearer of all of humanity! The standard of truth and revelation regarding Adonai! We are not to be exclusive, selfishly keeping God to ourselves, rather, we are to bring the God of Israel to the world, proclaiming His Glory! Our lifestyle is to be an example to those who do not know God. We are to be the light to a darkened world!  

Isaiah 49:6. he has said, "It is not enough that you are merely my servant to raise up the tribes of Ya'akov and restore the offspring of Isra'el. I will also make you a light ('owr {ore}: light, light of life, light of instruction, Adonai as Israel's light, enlightenment) to the nations, so my salvation can spread to the ends of the earth."

This light goes all the way back to creation itself! It was the light, the “ore” of Adonai, the revelation of the “Great I Am” that divided, separated the light from the darkness…all before He created the sun, the moon, and stars!
 
Genesis 1:3-5.  Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God divided the light from the darkness (Choshech: darkness; misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness). 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. So there was evening, and there was morning, one day.

Choshech’s root word Chosh: lacking, missing, unenergetic, lacking energy, powerless, beyond repair, aimless, chaotic, hopeless, feared, suspected, worthless, meaningless. Darkness or Choshech are all of these attributes!  The enemy, HaSatan, the Devil, the Prince of Darkness is chosech or darkness. The light here is the same as Isaiah 49:6 “Or” illumination, revelation, joy, happiness, instruction, teaching, directive, order, puts in order, woke up, and roused. Light is all of these terms! Yeshua is our “Or”, our light of the world as we read in Luke 2! Yeshua is the physical manifestation of Adonai’s revelation on earth, as Sha’ul so eloquently shared the impact Yeshua had in:
 
Colossians 1:13-16. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. 14 It is through his Son that we have redemption - that is, our sins have been forgiven. 15 He is the visible image of the invisible God. He is supreme over all creation, 16 because in connection with him were created all things - in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, lordships, rulers or authorities - they have all been created through him and for him.
 
In connection with Him, with Yeshua were created all things; through Him and for Him! The light reveals the knowledge and order of Adonai! Each and every day begins at sunset and is a recreation, a reminder of God’s creation of the universe.  Each day begins just as the universes began, in darkness; powerless, aimless, hopeless, feared, suspected, worthless, meaningless and streams towards the light, the knowledge, the illumination, the revelations of God Himself who separated this hopelessness with His very being which is joy, happiness, instruction, teaching, directives, power, order, perfection, holiness, righteousness, purity, and love. Yeshua Himself is the ULTIMATE manifestation of this light!
 
John 8:12. Yeshua spoke to them again: "I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light which gives life."

His unique divine identity and purpose. In declaring Himself to be the "Light of the world, Yeshua reveals that He is the exclusive source of spiritual light. No other source of spiritual truth is available to mankind. He is His Fathers Son, whose very light formed creation, dividing the powerless, aimless, chaotic, hopeless, darkness from the light!!  The light was manifest in the flesh and born into this world through a virgin birth by a young Jewish girl…. Yeshua is confirming to those who already know, while at the same time revealing to those who do not yet know, that He is the Light of the world. He is the Hope, He is the Way. He is our Light, our everlasting Light.  It is Yeshua whom each of us must look to and receive, Jew and Gentile alike, in order to overcome the darkness that is in this world.
 
John 1:4-5. In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not suppressed it.

God’s or, His light is Life itself and darkness cannot overcome it!
 
I John 1:5. And this is the message which we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him - none!

That means His Glory is absolute. Adonai is pure bright Light that shines like the sun on all sides of the world… there is no darkness in Him, He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent! He is the source of all prophecy, all revelation, and the author of life! This is so important that Adonai sent His only Son, Yeshua to both declare and impart this light to us, to all mankind, Jew and Gentile, Male and female, so that those who perceive and receive the “true Light” will never walk in spiritual darkness! Darkness can only exist where light is not present.  Once light appears, regardless of how small, it causes the darkness to flee. It cannot stay. This is how Christmas should be celebrated, arise and shine, the light has come, nations will stream toward Your light, kings towards your shinning splendor (Isaiah 60)! This is what should be shared and celebrated on this day by those who don’t know the actual day. This is the real story of Charlie Brown!
 
Out of 196 countries worldwide, 160 celebrate Christmas in some form. That calculates to 81% of the world’s population. Since only 32% are Christian, what is the other 49% celebrating? Some sort of a birthday party, even though 49% don’t know whose birthday they’re celebrating. There are two motivations at the core of their celebration, altruism or capital gain. On the surface, altruism seems a noble attitude but is severely hampered by our corrupt nature. A flawed effort to duplicate the light of God without possessing the light. Capital Gain is the other major motivator with over a trillion dollars spent on Christmas in America alone! Many retailers share that over 70% of their annual revenue is from Christmas shopping alone.  The monetary and cultural impact of this is huge.  Because of the money involved we are bombarded by all media sources to get out and shop and celebrate and it starts earlier and earlier every year!  

Let's not antagonize and demand an end to Christmas, rather let us be an example, a loving correction, a confirming voice that the story is true even though December 25th isn’t the day. Let us be influential vice antagonistic.  Almost the entire world pauses to celebrate the birth of Israel's most famous Jewish Son. As we acknowledge and recognize that the entire world is pausing to celebrate the birth of our Messiah let it not get muddled in the traditions and paraphernalia of the season, rather let us focus upon the light that came into this world 2,000 years ago to set us free!!! Let's celebrate Yeshua!
 
In His Love,
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson
    

We pray you had a blessed and meaningful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends! As we have entered into the month of December, we look forward to the M.J.A.A. Southeast Regional Conference December 19th-21st, 2025 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando Florida! It is a powerful, supernatural weekend of Messianic praise, worship, teaching, and fellowship! Emmanual Roro, Paul Wilbur, and the Nesbitts will be our guest psalmists! Dr. Raleigh Washington is teaching this year’s Yeshiva course. The fighting continues in Israel! It has never been more important to stand with us than right now! Put action to your love and join us in solidarity with Israel! This is a weekend you don’t want to miss!

https://mjaa.org/southeast2025/

        December's name derives from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the calendar of Romulus in  750 BC, which began in March. The winter days following December were not included as part of any month. Later, the months of January and February were created out of the monthless period and added to the beginning of the calendar, but December retained its name. December contains the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the day with the fewest daylight hours that occurs Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 10:03 A.M. On the day of the winter solstice, we are tilted as far away from the Sun as possible, which means that the Sun’s path across the sky is as low in the sky as it can be.

December is the month that we celebrate Hanukkah which begins Sunday, December 14th, 2025, at sunset. The last day of Hanukkah begins Sunday, December 21st, 2025, at sunset. Around 170 BC the Greeks under Antiochus IV Epiphanies desecrated the temple by sacrificing a pig at the altar. Antiochus tried to eliminate Judaism, not so much by killing the Jews as by forbidding the Worship of the God of Israel. Reading Torah was forbidden, along with circumcision, honoring the Sabbath, etc. In 167 BC a priest by the name of Mattityahu Hasmonea started guerrilla warfare along with his sons and a few followers. What they did in the hill country of Judea and Samaria was so amazing that books on their exploits are still studied by modern guerrilla fighters. Early in the war Judas Hasmonea took over after his father's death and he is the one who came up with the legendary tactics. His motto was "Mi Camokha Ba Elim Adona'y," from Exodus 15:11. The translation is: "Who is Like You, Oh Lord, Among the Mighty."

The initials of those words spell Maccabee, which is the name that was later applied to Judas and his followers. Although spelled differently in Hebrew, the Hebrew word for hammer sounds like maccabee. Therefore, he was called "The Hammer," which in Hebrew is Maccabeus, so the books of Maccabees in the Apocrypha were written about their successful wars. In 164 BC they took over the temple. This was the first war fought over a principle, religious freedom, and was the first successful guerrilla war, paralleling our American Revolution, also fought over principle, using guerrilla tactics. Yeshua observed Hanukkah:

John 10:22-23.  Then came Hanukkah in Yerushalayim. It was winter, 23 and Yeshua was walking around inside the Temple area, in Shlomo's Colonnade.

Yeshua is the light of the world! This Hanukkah let your light shine forth:
Matthew 5:16. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

We’ve included a “How to Celebrate Hannukah “guide” in this Newsletter.
Tuesday, December 2nd,2025 is the National Day of Giving! The National Day of Giving takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which occurs every fourth Thursday of November. Did you know that the National Day of Giving was only created in 2012? The National Day of Giving, also known as Giving Tuesday or Global Day of Giving follows three major shopping days: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. It is created to unleash the power of radical generosity by giving a healthy donation to Non-profits and charitable organizations such as Congregation Zion’s Sake. Click on the link below to donate!

https://subsplash.com/u/-7G7VWJ/give?frequency=once&next_process_date=05/06/2025
       
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, also referred to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day or Pearl Harbor Day, is observed annually in the United States on December 7, to remember and honor the 2,403 Americans who were killed in the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, which led to the United States declaring war on Germany and Japan the next day and thus entering World War II. National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is a day we should never forget!

On Pearl Harbor Day, the American flag should be flown at half-staff until sunset to honor those who died because of the attack on U.S. military forces in Hawaii.

And last, but not least, Thursday, December 25th, 2025 is Christmas!  A holiday to commemorate the birth of the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua! This day is celebrated by 81% of the world’s population. 160 countries out of 196 total celebrate Christmas in some form or fashion! Since it is a Federal Holiday, our offices will be closed! Since Messianic Believers (both Jew and Gentile) don't celebrate Christmas, what do we do on December 25th?

It's tough to find something to do on Christmas, because just about everything is closed! Except on Christmas, even the grocery stores are closed! But here are a few of the more popular Jewish December 25th activities! We go out for Chinese food on Christmas. There is even a meme of a sign on a Chinese Restaurant (not real!) from the "Chinese Restaurant Association" thanking the Jewish People that our God insists that we eat their food on Christmas! The Chinese do not celebrate Christmas any more than Jews do, so most Chinese restaurants are open on Christmas.

Another tradition is to go to the movies. Many movie theaters are open on Christmas day, particularly in the afternoon (after 4PM). Of course, nowadays, if you're not up for going to a movie in person, you can stream them at home. Whatever you choose to do we pray you have a blessed and wonderful December as we prepare to enter into the new Gregorian Calendar year of 2026!

Blessings and love,

Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson

The cool winds of November have arrived! For those of us who live here in Coastal Virginia November is a fall month of harvest, pumpkin pies, and the peak of our fall colorful leaves. November is a month filled with warmth, reflection, and preparation. As autumn transitions to winter in the Northern Hemisphere and spring blooms into summer in the Southern Hemisphere, November offers a mix of seasonal beauty and cultural richness. It’s a time for gratitude, with Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States, and a period for honoring history and traditions through observances Veterans Day. Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 27th, 2025. November is the 11th month of the Gregorian calendar. Its name is derived from “novem”, Latin for “nine,” an indication of its position as the ninth month in the early Roman calendar. November is the last of four months to have a length of 30 days (the other three are April, June, and September). There is still time to register and attend the MJAA Southeast Reginal Conference in Orlando, Florida next month, December 19th – 21st, 2025! This conference is a profound way to show your love and support for the Jewish people! To stand with us in solidarity. https://mjaa.org/southeast2025/
 
     The official birthday of the United States Marine Corps is November 10, 1775, when the Second Continental Congress established the Continental Marines during the American Revolution. The Marine Corps celebrates this date annually to honor their legacy of honor, courage, and commitment. The United States Marines were tasked to conduct ship-to-ship fighting, provide shipboard security and discipline enforcement, and assist in landing forces. Its mission evolved with changing military doctrine and foreign policy of the United States. Owing to the availability of Marine forces at sea, the United States Marine Corps has served in nearly every conflict in United States history. This year marks the 250th Birthday Day of the United States Marine Corp! Happy Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) U.S. Marines! Semper Fi!

Veterans Day occurs on Tuesday November 11th, 2025 It is an official United States public holiday that honors military veterans, that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.  Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day; Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who died while in military service.
 
        We experienced the Presence of Adonai profoundly in our Yom Teruah, Ten Days of Awe, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah Services last September and October! A season of repenting, forgiveness, Joy and Happiness! We look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving as a nation. The traditional teaching for the "First Thanksgiving" is the celebration that occurred at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in 1621, however that wasn’t the first. The Plymouth celebration occurred early in the history of what would become one of the original thirteen colonies which became the United States. However, there was another, more modest Thanksgiving at Berkley Plantation, Virginia on the banks of the James River in 1619, two years before the Pilgrims even landed at Plymouth.

On December 4, 1619, after ten weeks at sea, thirty-eight English settlers arrived at Berkeley Hundred, about 20 miles upstream from Jamestowne. Upon arrival Captain John Woodleaf held the first service of Thanksgiving as the newly landed settlers fell to their knees to thank God for their safe arrival. The Charter of Berkeley Hundred stated “We ordaine that the day of our ships arrival at the place assigned for plantacon in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”
George Washington's October 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation:

“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

The Thanksgiving celebration became an important part of the American history by the 1800s. Thanksgiving was modeled after the biblical celebration of Sukkot (which we just recently celebrated) when Israel thanked God for sustenance and provision in the desert wonderings.

Thanksgiving as we celebrate it today is one of copious amounts of food:  Turkey, stuffing, vegetables, gravies, and numerous pies and is centered around Family!  Thanksgiving is the most travelled holiday in America, families reunite and come together, and for some it’s the only time of the year they do so.

The act of Thanksgiving is biblical, not the American holiday, but the act.  It is a sacrifice of thanks commanded in Torah where one gives heartfelt thanks to Adonai for many reasons including but not limited to: recovery from illness, delivered from danger, safe return home from a trip or journey, provision and sustenance, or any other reason for thanking Adonai for His blessings:

Leviticus 7:12. If a person offers it for giving thanks (todah {to-dah'}: to give thanks, laud, praise, to confess, give praise to God, songs of liturgical worship in the Psalms, hymn of praise, thanks offering, sacrifice of thanksgiving), he is to offer it with the thanksgiving sacrifice (Zevach Todah: Zevach is an animal sacrifice but is not a Korban, not a sin sacrifice. It’s a sacrifice of covenant righteousness-fellowship with God) of unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, matzah spread with olive oil, and cakes made of fine flour mixed with olive oil and fried.

Todah is an act of worship whose root word is Yadah, is from the root yad that means hand. So Yada is an extended hand, worshipping the Lord with extended hands. "Thanksgiving" (Todah) is an extension of the hands, avowal, adoration, the kehillah, the congregation of worshippers offering a sacrifice of praise.  In Leviticus 9:22 Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them after offering the sacrifice.  Raised hands signifies praise and worship, accepted of sacrifices, and blessings!  We raise our hands to give thanks for the blessings in our lives to the glory of God.  We find Yada being used when Adonai intervened in the affairs of His people with miraculous deliverance.  Yadah is our response to answered prayers and when Adonai reveals Himself through His word, through revelation, or the manifestation of His presence. Yadah is a believer’s natural response for Adonai’s blessing upon us or His divine intervention on our behalf. As you gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving give thanks to the Lord for all that He has done for you and all that He will do for you! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His mercy endures forever! This is the very purpose of this day, give Him thanks!!

May you have a blessed and peaceful Thanksgiving!

Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson!
 

We often refer to Ephesians 2 and the One New Man.  Yeshua died to repair the division between Jew and Gentile and release reconciliation.  He actually did way more than that, He brought restoration between socio economic differences, cultural differences, division between men and women, and restored honor, integrity, character and dignity into a dishonorable and corrupt society.  Yeshua also commanded us to honor our mother and father in Matthew 15:4 based upon a profound yet mostly ignored, rarely mentioned command tucked into Leviticus:
 
Leviticus 19:32. "'Stand up in the presence of a person with gray hair, show respect for the old; you are to fear your God; I am ADONAI.
 
Stand is koom in Hebrew, to arise, to show deference to the person of wisdom. Gray hair is seybah {say-baw'} in Hebrew, a person who is gray haired, older in age, graying years.  Respect is hadar {haw-dar'} to honor, to pay honor too, to, show partiality, to elevate above others.  Person is either man or woman here.  This understanding of deference to those with gray hair is connected to fear of the Lord, why?
 
Proverbs 9:10-11.  The fear of ADONAI is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of holy ones is understanding. 11 For with me, your days will be increased; years will be added to your life.
 
A person who is in covenant with God and lives their life in fear of God will gain wisdom which results in years being added to their life!
 
The west does not honor and elevate our sages of wisdom, in fact we look down on those of gray hair as yesterday’s beings, as no longer viable or relevant in our youth oriented, fast paced society. So, our society sends the elderly away into homes and retirement villages vice keeping them with us, honoring and seeking their wisdom and experiences.  Yet we are commanded to do just the opposite. We are not to argue with, scoff at, disrespect, or in any other way belittle those who have fear of the Lord and gray hair. I respect the First Nations people for their deference to their elders.  In fact, often the elders sit in a semi circle behind you when you speak at their congregations.  As a representation of tribal authority, their presence behind you when you speak is a sign of their blessing the speaker in what they have to say.  Second it gives the speaker the authority to speak and do what they are doing!  It’s also our relationship with God, the Ancient of Days.  
 
It’s with great irony that in today’s social media culture, advice is sought from contemporaries vice the previous generations, from the social media vice those who have already tread the path before us.  The word speaks at length about those who are aged a bit and of gray hair.
 
Titus 2:1-7.  But you, explain what kind of behavior goes along with sound teaching. 2 Tell the older men (In the Greek is presbutes {pres-boo'-tace}, an aged or older man, an ambassador!) to be serious, sensible, self-controlled and sound in their trust, love and perseverance. 3 Likewise, tell the older women (same exact word presbutes {pres-boo'-tace}, an aged or older woman, an ambassador!) to behave the way people leading a holy life should. They shouldn't be slanderers or slaves to excessive drinking. They should teach what is good, 4 thus training the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to take good care of their homes and submit to their husbands. In this way, God's message will not be brought into disgrace. 6 Similarly, urge the young men to be self-controlled, 7 and in everything set them an example yourself by doing what is good. When you are teaching, have integrity and be serious;
 
This describes one generation handing down to the next (L’Dor V’Dor) the tenant and oracles of God.  One generation of matriarchs and patriarchs mentoring and raising up the next to take their place as matriarchs and patriarchs.  Generation unto generation.  It’s a family, raising people up in the way that they should go.  It’s not a denial of new technologies nor is it an insistence that things be done that way we did them.  There is always a better way, I prefer driving to service vice riding a horse and all of the intense labor of saddling, grooming, and feeding involved in that equine process!  Trust you me, it’s a lot easier and quicker to hop into a car and turn the key!  I’m not against social media if it’s used to glorify Adonai and His Kingdom!
 
No one can give better, more sage advice to a new mother than a mother who has raised 3-4 kids and experienced all the cycles of sickness, bumps and bruises, school & rebellious teen advice, even eventual courtship. No one can give better advice to a young entrepreneur than a business owner who has successfully run a business for 30-40 years.  No one can give better marriage counseling than a couple that’s been married 25, 35, 45, 55 years!  No one can give better advice to a troubled young person than someone who was once a troubled young person and successfully matured through it.  Our society doesn’t work that way, most of the younger generation thinks social media is the source of all information. It can be a resource but unfortunately it’s also a lot of snake oil and untruths being sold on the internet for one purpose, to sell snake oil and make money.  We are literally blasted with unsubstantiated and unfounded information every day through the internet and infomercials!  Take this super pill, drink this super drink, get rich schemes etc etc etc.  Don’t get me wrong some foods, some products are filled with bad chemicals that should be eliminated from our lives.  But not everything!  I remember when kids were getting polio and became crippled for life.  My 100 year old father often commented about the good ole days, before antibiotics when an impacted molar or an ear infection would often end in death.  Smallpox, cholera, influenza, and various fever outbreaks killed thousands of children at a time.
 
What you cannot obtain through college, university, or social media are life experiences that produce wisdom and knowledge.  The second time you burn your hand on a hot stove you learn some wisdom regarding hot stoves!  God gave us instructions for generational transference after the Shema in:
 
Deuteronomy 6:6-7.  These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; 7 and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
 
You are to teach them: Veshinantam in Hebrew, to sharpen, to teach, to pierce their hearts with (circumcised heart), to inculcate them with Davar Adonai, the Words of God!  This generational mentoring and teaching process is missing from our homes, our schools, the workplace, and our society in general.  Without these principles we wind up in the situation we are in today.  No desire or value is placed upon the previous generation’s experiences and wisdom which is based upon Fear of the Lord!   We have a biblical example of this in King Rehoboam.
 
Rehoboam was 41 according to the Jewish Encyclopedia when he took the throne upon His father Solomon’s death, but he didn’t learn from His father.  
 
I Kings 12:1-7. Rechav'am went to Sh'khem, where all Isra'el had come to proclaim him king. 2 When Yarov'am the son of N'vat heard of it - for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from Shlomo; so Yarov'am was living in Egypt; 3 but they sent and summoned him - Yarov'am and the whole community of Isra'el came and said to Rechav'am, 4 "Your father laid a harsh yoke on us. But if you will lighten the harsh service we had to render your father and ease his heavy yoke that he put on us, we will serve you." 5 He said to them, "Leave me alone for three days, then come back to me." So the people left. 6 King Rechav'am consulted the older men who had been in attendance on Shlomo his father during his lifetime and asked, "What advice would you give me as to how to answer these people?" 7 They said to him, "If you will start today being a servant to these people - if you will serve them, be responsive to them and give them favorable consideration, then they will be your servants forever."

Servant is “eved” in Hebrew, a servant of men, a servant of God, a worshipper!  This is what most younger people have yet to understand.  Joshua loyally served Moshe and Israel over 40 years before he was raised to the next level.  Yeshua taught this:

Matthew 20:25-28. But Yeshua called them and said, "You know that among the Goyim, those who are supposed to rule them become tyrants, and their superiors become dictators. 26 Among you, it must not be like that. On the contrary, whoever among you wants to be a leader must become your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave! 28 For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve -- and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Servant used here is diakonos {dee-ak'-on-os} in the Greek, the same exact meaning as Eved, servant, servant of a King, one who executes the commands of another!  This is so complex yet almost completely lost on our society today!  There are truly very few servant leaders.  This is why we deal with the “gypsy spirit”: those who migrate from one congregation to another.  Also the entitlement generation who believe they are owed something.  Servant hood requires the exact opposite! Servanthood requires submission and obedience over the long haul.  When you have excelled in that arena, you have a solid foundation of biblical leadership.  Servant hood teaches commitment, integrity, and loyalty to name a few key biblical principles required to grow into maturity and wisdom, into the next level.  
 
In His book “The Minute Manager” Ken Blanchard says:
 
“There’s a difference between interest and commitment.  When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient.  When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses”
 
We witness this every week right here.  Some are committed, some are interested.  God doesn’t equip those who are interested, He equips those who are committed.  Commitment isn't based on feelings and emotions.  Commitment is a character quality that enables individuals and congregations to reach their vision, their goals, no matter the struggle and hardship.  Emotions will continually sway back and forth, up and down all the time while commitment has to be rock solid, unmovable, unalterable.  The build it generation born in the 1930’s and 1940’s held an average of 2-3 jobs in their lifetime, the millennial generation are averaging 15-20 in their lifetime, and they are still working on it.  There is a sore lack of commitment which we see reflected and experience in the congregation.  Commitment is the first step in trusting God:
 
Psalms 37:5. Commit your way to ADONAI; trust in him, and he will act.
 
The next is Integrity. Which is a firm adherence to a code of moral values and conduct, the Word of God!  It is incorruptibility, soundness, and completeness. Integrity in the Hebrew is:  Slemoot- totality, and perfection, its being whole in the Lord. Integrity puts you on the map.
 
Psalm 101:6. I look to the faithful of the land, so that they can be my companions; those who live lives of integrity (Slemoot) can be servants of mine.
Next is Loyalty. It’s the unswerving, faithful allegiance to a person and principle.  Another term for loyalty is faithfulness.  Servant hood is only complete through Loyalty: Loyalty is A’man in the Hebrew, faithful, trustful, pillars, stand firm, and permanent!  
 
Psalms 31:23. Love ADONAI, you faithful of his. ADONAI preserves the loyal, but the proud he repays in full.
 
The loyal are the foundational pillars in God’s kingdom.
 
Revelation 3:12. I will make him who wins the victory a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he will never leave it. Also I will write on him the name of my God and the name of my God's city, the new Yerushalayim coming down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.
 
In the Rabbinical world of Judaism, one cannot be ordained as a rabbi until 30 years of age or older!  When did Yeshua start His ministry?
 
Luke 3:23. Yeshua was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. It was supposed that he was a son of Yosef who was of Eli,
 
When the core traits and values learned in servant-based leadership are missing, when they are not taught and preserved things go awry as King Rechav'am revealed in:
 
I Kings 12:8-15. But he didn't take the advice the older men gave him; instead he consulted the young men he had grown up with, who were now his attendants. 9 He asked them, "What advice would you give me, so that we can give an answer to these people who said to me, 'Lighten the yoke that your father laid on us'?" 10 The young men he had grown up with said to him, "These people who said to you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy; but you, make it lighter for us' - here's the answer you should give them: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist! 11 Yes, my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will make it heavier! My father controlled you with whips, but I will control you with scorpions!'" 12 So Yarov'am and all the people came to Rechav'am the third day, as the king had requested by saying, "Come to me again the third day"; 13 and the king answered the people harshly. Abandoning the advice the older men had given him, 14 he addressed them according to the advice of the young men and said, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke! My father controlled you with whips, but I will control you with scorpions!" 15 So the king didn't listen to the people; and that was something ADONAI brought about, so that he could fulfill his word, which ADONAI had spoken through Achiyah from Shiloh to Yarov'am the son of N'vat. 16 When all Isra'el saw that the king wasn't listening to them, the people answered the king, "Do we have any share in David? We have no heritage in the son of Yishai! Go to your tents, Isra'el! Care for your own house, David!" So Isra'el left for their tents.
 
The result, a divided kingdom.  To honor your mother and father comes with a promise of living life in success. To empower our young people, we must return to biblical core values in all that we do and instill them upon the middle and younger generations.  There are no shortcuts in the kingdom, the deeper you are in Him the deeper you must dig the foundation.  It requires a lifetime:
 
Proverbs 15:22. Without counsel, plans go wrong; but with many advisers, they succeed.
What’s important is that Adonai recognizes the importance and value of youth in His Kingdom. Young people have vigor, enthusiasm, they are daring, they have big hopes and big dreams! Their hearts are filled with visions of the future. It is incumbent upon us to teach them the way they should go so that they will not depart from it when older!
 
Shalom and Blessings,
 
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson

Genesis 4:2-8. In addition she gave birth to his brother Hevel. Hevel kept sheep, while Kayin worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Kayin brought an offering to ADONAI from the produce of the soil; 4 and Hevel too brought from the firstborn of his sheep, including their fat. ADONAI accepted Hevel and his offering 5 but did not accept Kayin and his offering. Kayin was very angry, and his face fell. 6 ADONAI said to Kayin, "Why are you angry? Why so downcast? 7 If you are doing what is good, shouldn't you hold your head high? And if you don't do what is good, sin is crouching at the door - it wants you, but you can rule over it." 8 Kayin had words with Hevel his brother; then one time, when they were in the field, Kayin turned on Hevel his brother and killed him.  
 
Did not accept in the Hebrew is lo sha'ah, from the root Ga’al to look away, turn away, to reject.  It is a verb, an action word meaning to cast off, loath, reject, cast away, to overlook.  To be rejected is the failure to measure up to a certain standard.  There is so much more to this story in Genesis, so much that isn’t stated that it gets lost in both translation and teaching.  I’ve heard numerous teachings that God wanted the blood of the animal and so He accepted Hevel (Able’s) sacrifice but rejected Kayin (Cain’s) because it was grain, but, Grain offerings are acceptable to God:

Leviticus 2:1-6.  "'Anyone who brings a grain offering to ADONAI is to make his offering of fine flour; he is to pour olive oil on it and put frankincense on it. 2 He is to bring it to the sons of Aharon, the cohanim. The cohen is to take a handful of fine flour from it, together with its olive oil and all its frankincense, and make this reminder portion go up in smoke on the altar as an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for ADONAI. 3 But the rest of the grain offering will belong to Aharon and his sons; it is an especially holy part of the offerings for ADONAI made by fire. 4 "'When you bring a grain offering which has been baked in the oven, it is to consist of either unleavened cakes made of fine flour mixed with olive oil or matzah spread with olive oil. 5 If your offering is a grain offering cooked on a griddle, it is to consist of unleavened fine flour mixed with olive oil; 6 you are to break it in pieces and pour olive oil on it -it is a grain offering.

Verse 11 of Leviticus 2 also states that no Chametz (Yeast) is to be included with the flour or cake offering.  Adonai accepts grain offerings but there is certain requirements in the preparation and presentation of that grain offering to give to be presented to Adonai, just as there is with blood offerings.  
 
Leviticus 3:3-6. He is to present the sacrifice of the peace offerings as an offering made by fire to ADONAI; it is to consist of the fat covering the inner organs, all the fat above the inner organs, 4 the two kidneys, the fat on them near the flanks, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. 5 Aharon's sons will make it go up in smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering which is on the wood on the fire; it is an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for ADONAI. 6 "'If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to ADONAI is from the flock, then, when he offers it, no matter whether it is male or female, it must be without defect.

Hevel (Able’s) offering was accepted, Sha’ah in Hebrew to raise up with dignity, to look upon or gaze, to receive.  The opposite of this is Lo Sha’ah, to not receive, to reject, to cast off.  So why was Able’s offering really accepted and Kayin’s (Cain’s) offering not?  God give the answer:
 
Genesis 4:6-7. ADONAI said to Kayin, "Why are you angry? Why so downcast? 7 If you are doing what is good, shouldn't you hold your head high? And if you don't do what is good, sin is crouching at the door - it wants you, but you can rule over it.
 
Adonai said to Kayin: “If you are doing what is good”. Do Good: im-teytiv in Hebrew, to be good, pleasing, to make a thing good, to do it right, to do thoroughly. Adonai tells Cain directly that if you are doing it right, if you are thoroughly doing it well in a pleasing fashion unto me shouldn’t you hold your head high?  Head high is Se’et- a variant of Sha’ah, dignified, elevated, received, accepted!  If you are doing the right thing, if you are presenting an offering to me in the right way, the way I desire you will be elevated, accepted, received!  Just like His brother did. But Kayin didn’t listen to God or his brother.  
 
Genesis 4:8. Kayin had words with Hevel his brother; then one time, when they were in the field, Kayin turned on Hevel his brother and killed him.
 
Kayin had words; Vayomer in the Hebrew: Informs, speaks, proposes, utters commands tells his brother Able what to do, he is apparently trying to entice Able to do it his way which was not accepted by God.  Hevel (Able’s) answer isn’t recorded but the end result is, Able doesn’t accept Cain’s words so Kayin (Cain) turned on his brother and turned on him: vayakom in Hebrew; to arise in a hostile sense, to accuse, to stand against, to rise against.  Cain stood against everything that His brother stood for! Cain didn’t just reject and murder his brother, he rejected Adonai. He killed Able, his brother.  God is the only author and taker of life; murder is the ultimate sin and rejection of God.  It is the antitheses of everything that God and His kingdom stand for.  In fact, God states in
 
Genesis 4:10. He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground!
 
Crying is tsoakim in Hebrew: Blood shrieks, screaming, crying out for help, appeals!  The life blood of his brother Abel is screaming from the ground to God, appealing to God for vindication, for help!  It accuses Cain, his guilt is crying out, screaming to God!  God warned him that if he didn’t do right that “sin was crouching at the door!” in verse 7. But God told Cain he could rule over it and have authority over it, to take charge of it, to control it!
 
I Corinthians 10:13. No temptation has seized you beyond what people normally experience, and God can be trusted not to allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. On the contrary, along with the temptation he will also provide the way out, so that you will be able to endure.

Temptation is peirasmos {pi-ras-mos'} in the Greek: A trial of a man's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy, an enticement to sin, temptation, whether arising from, the desires or from the outward circumstances an internal temptation to sin.  Sin is crouching at the door, lurking, waiting to come in, if you let it in!  Waiting to devour….

I Peter 5:6-9. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the right time he may lift you up. 7 Throw all your anxieties upon him, because he cares about you. 8 Stay sober, stay alert! Your enemy, the Adversary, stalks about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand against him, firm in your trust, knowing that your brothers throughout the world are going through the same kinds of suffering.
 
We humble ourselves, stay alert, and stand against the enemy in trust, knowing that others are also going through the same thing! Fear of rejection is universal. All have suffered it one time or another in your lives.  We all seek, we all long for acceptance.  Though rejection is often related to the world, we must master sin if we want to be accepted by God. With this idea in mind one can easily see and even understand how people believe that acceptance is based on "works," on "doing it right."
 
Israel, Ephraim, Shomron, the Ten Tribes the Northern Kingdom were rejected and scattered among the nations for this very reason

Hosea 4:1-6.  Hear the word of ADONAI, people of Isra'el! For ADONAI has a grievance against the inhabitants of the land: there is no truth, no faithful love or knowledge of God in the land; 2 only swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery! They break all bounds, with one blood crime following another. 3 Therefore the land mourns, and everyone living there languishes, wild animals too, and the birds in the air; even the fish in the sea are removed. 4 But no one should quarrel or rebuke, because your people are having to quarrel with the cohen. 5 Therefore you will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you at night. "I will destroy your mother. 6 My people are destroyed for want of knowledge. Because you rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as cohen for me. Because you forgot the Torah of your God, I will also forget your children.

Heavenly, Godly rejection (Judgement) is the result of lack of knowledge, not knowing who God is!  Rejecting God, His word, and His Son results in God’s rejection of even his children.  Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Rejecting Adonai actually results in legalistic religion, a system based upon works which affects both Judaism and Christianity. Both systems have rejected the full knowledge of God, developed and instituted religious systems like Ephraim and based their relationship upon works.  James says trust without works is dead, true, but your actions must match and reconcile to the word.  But you are not saved by works:

Ephesians 2:6-9. That is, God raised us up with the Messiah Yeshua and seated us with him in heaven, 7 in order to exhibit in the ages to come how infinitely rich is his grace, how great is his kindness toward us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. 8 For you have been delivered by grace through trusting, and even this is not your accomplishment but God's gift. 9 You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast.
No matter how many wonderful things you do in this world, how many acts of charity, how big your donations are, it does not get you a seat in eternity.  God’s acceptance requires a life lived in an even balance of trust, faith coupled with works, deeds & actions.  This brings us back to basic Torah understanding, morality, feasts, Shabbat etc…   But it is even more refined, it is a very personal issue that everyone must deal with.  One of Gods first and most basic tenants is:

Deuteronomy 5:7-10. "'You are to have no other gods before me. 8 You are not to make for yourselves a carved image or any kind of representation of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath or in the water below the shoreline - 9 you are not to bow down to them or serve them; for I, ADONAI your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents, also the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but displaying grace to the thousandth generation of those who love me and obey my mitzvot
We define other "gods" as something or someone that comes between us and Him, something or someone that rules over you or has power over you.  God’s first command is that we are to Love the Lord thy God with all they heart, strength, and soul.  God’s love, His word is to circumcise our heart so that He may dwell within us, in our hearts!  Anything else that takes Gods place in our heart is an idol.  
 
Idols affect our judgment, our thinking, our emotions, and our actions.  It replaces God’s teachings, morality, and lifestyle so that we in turn give ourselves over to the power of whatever is in opposition to God, that takes God’s place in your heart with all of His teachings, knowledge, and all that He is and stands for.  This idolatry is actually a rejection of God.  This isn’t just the classic idolatry such as worshiping cast idols, statues, or anything else that comes between us and God such as money, relationships, addictions, internet, and material possessions. It’s also a variety of various spiritual afflictions such as the Spirit of lust, Spirit of Fear, Fear of Men (people pleasing spirit), and codependency.  God alone is our source of approval and acceptance, it comes from no other source.  If you mistakenly look to man, to another person for approval and acceptance instead of Adonai that is idolatry, rejection of God.  By allowing this we give those various spirits and afflictions power to rule our thoughts and decisions, to decide if we are or are not acceptable.  Your acceptability belongs to God alone.

Once you believe you are not acceptable to Him or have replaced Him with someone else or something else your thinking becomes clouded and fuzzy, Kingdom principles become hard to understand, people question their identity, they seek an alternative identity, because theirs isn’t good enough or they are ashamed of who they are. This then leads to lies and fabrications because of rejection!  This then leads people to look for love in all the wrong places, inappropriate relationships, and various other sexual dysfunctions.  Like Cain it leads to anger, hatefulness, abandonment, out bursts of anger, and hateful, even murderous thoughts, which manifest like Cain or come forth in less drastic but just as murderous actions such as gossip and slander or character assassination.  Other dysfunctional behavior manifests in order to drive people away through needy codependence, smothering people, relational suicide in an attempt to prevent yourself from getting hurt again. Hurting people hurt people, and usually the ones they love the most.  This becomes an endless list of repetitive dysfunctions, you can only have one God, one master not two.
 
Matthew 6:24. No one can be slave to two masters; for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can't be a slave to both God and money.

Whatever doesn’t reconcile to the truth of Scripture must be forsaken and no longer carried in our hearts. The very words and acts of rejection used against you is exactly what Adonai uses for His glory. You shine the light of Messiah in freedom despite the ugliness in attitude from those who reject you. The beauty, peace, and love of Adonai has no limits in the lives of courageous believers who reject the lies of this world and embrace the truth of acceptance in Yeshua.
 
Blessing and Shalom,
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson

Shalom and Chag Sameach (Happy Holidays)!
 
October is here; we’re cruising into the peak autumn season!! October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. The eighth month in the old calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC, October retained its name (from Latin and Greek ôctō meaning "eight").  
 
With great sadness and a heavy heart, we remember the 2nd anniversary of the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7th, 2023. Hamas terrorists breached the Gaza–Israel barrier, attacking military bases and massacring civilians in 21 communities, including Be'eri, Kfar Aza, Nir Oz, Netiv Haasara, and Alumim. In total the attackers killed 1,139 people: 695 Israeli civilians (including 38 children), 71 foreign nationals, and 373 members of the security forces. 364 civilians were killed and many more wounded while attending the Nova music festival. Still we (Israel) remains at war! We cannot cease until Hamas no longer exists! Never again is now! We shall never forget!
 
As we started the Fall Feast Celebrations last month we celebrate Yom Kippur on Wednesday, October 1st at sunset, then the start of Sukkot on sunset, Monday, October 6th at sunset! The Fall Feasts in Biblical culture are significant religious observances that occur during the month of Tishrei, which is considered the holiest month of the Hebrew calendar as all the Fall Feast days are in this month. The Modedim, or Biblical Fall Feasts, are a unique season that altars the rhythm of our normal lives among all the Jewish People around the world for almost a month. There is nothing like it. During the Fall Feasts we come before Adonai with anticipation and expectation!  We yield ourselves of Adonai’s instruction and plans as we look to Him for guidance. May heartfelt reverence and thanksgiving accompany us daily! The Fall Holidays are not just an opportunity to decorate our homes and cook delectable meals. They were established by Adonai to remind us of His prophetic future for us and of His endless goodness.
 
October is a pivotal month in history. On October 1st, 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Model T automobile, revolutionizing transportation. The October Revolution in Russia, happened on the night of October 24, 1917, when Bolshevik Red Guards began to take control of key points in Moscow, which led to the establishment of the Communist Soviet Union. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth. NASA was officially established on October 1, 1958, marking the beginning of civilian space exploration in the United States which led to America placing a man on the moon in on July 20th, 1969. The Cuban Missile Crisis, a pivotal moment in the Cold War, began on October 16, 1962. On a more upbeat note, October is also national Pizza Month, good news for Pizza lovers!
 
Monday October 13th, 2025 marks the 250th birthday of the United States Navy! The Continental Congress's resolution to procure two armed vessels, adopted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 13 October 1775, was the original legislation out of which the Continental Navy grew. Within a few days of that vote, Congress established a Naval Committee, which directed the purchasing, outfitting, manning, and operations of the first ships of the new Navy, drafted naval legislation, and prepared rules and regulations to govern the Navy's conduct and internal administration. Happy Semiquincentennial (250th) Birthday United States Navy!
 
Monday, October 13th is also both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day (occurs on the second Monday in October). Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the histories, cultures, and perspectives of Indigenous peoples and their ancestors who lived on the land now known as North America. They existed in these areas for thousands of years before the first European explorers arrived. Consider honoring our indigenous people by visiting one or more of these cultural Museums:
 
Rappahannock Tribal Museum
Rappahannock Tribal Center
5036 Indian Neck Road
Indian Neck, VA 23148
 
Historic Jamestowne Visitor Center and Museum
1368 Colonial Pkwy
Jamestown, VA 23081
 
Love and blessings,
 
Rabbi Eric and Rebbetzin Barb Carlson  

Contemporary, mainstream religious services follow a worship model known as “Seeker Sensitive”. Seeker Sensitive worship was established some 40 years ago by Pastor Bill Hybels and his church “Willow Creek” outside Chicago, Illinois.  I almost guarantee you all have seen it you’re just not familiar with the term.  The following is a quote from a 2008 Charisma Magazine article describing seeker sensitive worship:  
 
“Since 1975, Willow Creek has avoided conventional church approaches, using its Sunday services to reach the unchurched through polished music, multimedia, and sermons referencing popular culture and other familiar themes. The church's leadership believed the approach would attract people searching for answers, bring them into a relationship with Christ, and then capitalize on their contagious fervor to evangelize others.”  
 
The model established a hip, trendy, rock concert type service that caters to your emotions.  Modeling modern concerts, it’s a stage show with special effects, lights, stage presence, a Las Vegas type of show!  It’s extremely entertaining and there’s no tickets to purchase!  Seeker Sensitive worship caters to the worshipper- trendy hip clothes, specialty coffee, hip atmosphere, all created to place you, the worshiper at the center of the action.  After an extensive four-year review of their seeker-sensitive approach to church growth for three decades, Willow Creek Community Church now gears its weekend services toward mature believers seeking to grow in their faith-discipleship.  With great transparency Senior Pastor Bill Hybels said: 
 
"We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become ‘self feeders.’ We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own. 
 
In other words, spiritual growth doesn’t occur when congregates are dependent on elaborate entertainment and programs.  Spiritual growth and maturity only occur through Torah based, biblical mandated practices of prayer, scripture reading, and repentance.  Ironically, these basic disciplines do not require multi-million-dollar facilities and hundreds of staff to manage. Hybels said they successfully filled seats but failed to disciple people!  People weren’t transformed to the Kingdom of God; in fact they weren’t challenged to change at all.  Seeker Sensitive attempts to conform God to peoples tastes and desires vice transforming them into the Kingdom of God!  Despite Pastor Hybels transparency and brutal honesty this style and expression of worship continues, it is now mainstream!  Most Pastors desire to be Rock Stars and grow their congregation into a mega Churches and if you follow the pattern, you’ll do it but you won’t make Talmidim.   
 
What’s the difference between a Seeker Sensitive service and a modern concert?  Nothing!  They all fill the seats, they’re all financially successful, they all cater to your personal desires, they all entertain and powerfully connect to you emotionally but none of them transform you to the Kingdom of God, you’re not Discipled.  Several years ago, I had several conversations with people who’d been bruised and hurt in previous congregations.  They’re now attending a hip, seeker sensitive, emotion-based service because the music spoke to them.  Throughout the numerous conversations I never heard the words “healed” or “transformed”!  All I heard was how awesome and charged the music is!  Though this is widespread among believers today, it’s a demonic set up, it’s a distraction from becoming a true Talmidim, a true follower of Yeshua!   
 
We must pray and seek divine discernment as we keep and celebrate the Fall Feasts this Month.  We will not celebrate the feasts as a traditional synagogue, or a church, or as a Seeker Sensitive congregation but as a new creation, the bride of Messiah preparing for the wedding feast (Sukkot).   
 
II Corinthians 5:17. Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation - the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new! 
 
We see the spiritual source of this seeker sensitive spirit in Daniel, who’d been fasting for 21 days when the angel appeared to him and said we heard you on the first day, but it took 21 days to fight through the Prince of Persia to get to you.  We understand that this reference to Persia is a spiritual one denoting a principality that the angel was fighting and only got through with the help of another angel Michael.  
 
Daniel 10:20. Then he said, "Do you know why I came to you? Although now I must return to fight the prince of Persia; and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come; 
 
After this period the Prince of Persia Principality came the principality of Greece (Hellenism) which has gone from the time of the Maccabee's through to today which is exactly what we are battling!  Where was the theatre invented?  Greece!  What is seeker sensitive?  Hellenistic entertainment just like Greece and Rome, in fact as I’ve said before our sanctuary is based upon that model, the audience wrapped around the entertainment.  The prince of Greece will be defeated, no matter how hard the battle: 
 
Zechariah 9:13. For I have bent Y'hudah as my bow and made Efrayim its arrow. I will rouse your sons, Tziyon, and make you like a warrior's sword against your sons, Greece." 
 
As in Ephesians 2, the “One New Man” or “One New Humanity” Congregation that’s centered, focused on unity, Echad, and equality between Jew and Gentile, black and white, male and female, we must overcome the grave misconception that being in One Accord will reflect or look like any form of Hellenistic or Talmudic practice or expression of worship.  We are not here to be hip, to be entertaining, to wow you emotionally, to cater to your coffee preferences, to give you a warm emotional fuzzy, or host a weekly worship concert.  We are here to fulfill the biblical mandated transformation of individuals into Talmidim of Yeshua.  We are going back to the future, to the Messianic expression of worship and Faith Yeshua celebrated.  We are commissioned to make Talmidim, to lead people into heavenly transformation.  
 
What I have come to understand is that what God is doing through us will not fit into an old Greek Wineskins or an old Persian wineskin.  What God is doing today cannot be compared to anything that currently exists because there is nothing like it.  What God is doing requires a New Wine Skin, a teaching that Yeshua Himself gave us 2,000 years ago. 
 
Luke 5:29-31. Levi gave a banquet at his house in Yeshua's honor, and there was a large group of tax-collectors and others at the table with them. 30 The P'rushim and their Torah-teachers protested indignantly against his talmidim, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax-collectors and sinners?" 31 It was Yeshua who answered them: "The ones who need a doctor aren't the healthy but the sick.  
 
Let me put this into modern terms.  Modern day Pharisee’s ask: Why do you keep Shabbat while we keep Sunday?  Why do you abstain from Pork and Shellfish when we eat ham and have clam bakes?  Why do you stay steadfast to the Feast Days while we celebrate Easter and Christmas?  Yeshua explains to the Pharisee’s in a Parable: 
 
Luke 5:36-39.  Then he gave them an illustration: "No one tears a piece from a new coat (himation {him-at'-ee-on}: Cloak, Garment, a mantle [a symbol of authority or leadership]) and puts it on an old one; if he does, not only will the new one continue to rip, but the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 Also, no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and be spilled, and the skins too will be ruined. 38 On the contrary, new wine must be put into freshly prepared wineskins. 39 Besides that, after drinking old wine, people don't want new; because they say, `The old is good enough.'" 
 
Contemporary Theology is vexed by these Hebrew idioms because they make no sense in Hellenistic study. The fact that it’s wine not grape juice is a foundational tenant in daily, biblical life.  In fact, the grapevine and its primary product, wine, are mentioned more than any other plant in scripture. We find the word "wine" mentioned in the Bible over 300 times.  Archeological evidence reveals that Israel was a major and significant grape growing and wine producing region with thousands of ancient wine presses discovered throughout Israel.  Its natural then for Yeshua to teach using a parable concerning wine since it was and is a central theme and focus of scripture and biblical culture.  So those who teach its grape juice are even more out of touch as this parable won’t make sense. 
 
The general consensus in Christian Commentaries, Expositions, Concordances, and References is this: The old wine, old wineskins and the old coat are all symbols of Judaism, Torah, Tanach, and Israel whereas the new wine and the new coat are symbols of Christianity and Grace. 
 
This theology is the root issue that results in the habitual battle and division between Christianity and Messianic Judaism.  This is why we have had such a vast separation for over 1,700 years.  This is why there’s no unity between Jewish and Gentile believers.  Contemporary interpretation, theology teaches that the Old and the New are incompatible, that Judaism is incompatible with Christianity (Ironically Judaism teaches the same!). The old is worn out, obsolete, no longer valid, and done away with.  So, by default, this teaching makes the Church a new and separate entity, not a patch that weaves the Old to the New Covenant. The New Covenant has erased and replaced the Old.  This results in Suppersessionism (Church Replacement Theology) and Anti Semitism within the greater body of Messiah.  Yeshua’s statement in verse 39 makes contemporary theological interpretation impossible to reconcile to scripture: 
 
Luke 5:39. Besides that, after drinking old wine, people don't want new; because they say, `The old is good enough 
 
Yeshua’s statement creates a significant flaw with the commonly accepted interpretation of this parable.  It reverses the meaning assigned to the new wine. If the Gospel were represented by the new wine, then Yeshua’s words would mean this:  “Judaism is a good, Mature wine worth drinking and the Gospel is cheap dollar wine that no one wants”.  We know this is not true, therefore, the interpretation is wrong.  Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common error in modern theology.  This is exactly why new wine skins are required, because the old won't accept the new! 
 
The Pharisees Yeshua was talking to in Luke Chapter 5 knew exactly what Yeshua meant.  They were very familiar with this Hebrew idiom of new and old wine.  How would we know this?  The Pharisees wrote extensively, and their writings are found in the Talmud and Mishnah.  By comparing Luke 5:36-39 with the well-known Pharisaic proverb found in the Mishna; Avot 4.20, a light of revelation is unleashed as the true meaning begins to unfold before our very eyes.   
 
Pirkei Avot 4:20 
 
“He who studies as a child, unto what can he be compared? He can be compared to ink written upon a fresh [new] sheet of paper. But he who studies as an adult, unto what can he be compared? He can be compared to ink written on a smudged [previously used and erased] sheet of paper. 
 
“He who learns from the young, unto what can he be compared? He can be compared to one who eats unripe grapes, and drinks unfermented wine from his vat. But he who learns from the old, unto what can he be compared? He can be compared to one who eats ripe grapes, and drinks old wine. 
 
This Avot passage is comparing different types of teachers, disciples and teachings.  We now begin to see a surprising result, a similarity between the Hebrew Idioms of Avot 4 and the words of Yeshua in Luke 5.  In Avot, the vessels for containing wine are not institutions, religious movements or teachings. The skins or cloth represent individuals. The patch or the wine is the teaching that the individual receives, consumes or contains.  
 
Now apply this profound understanding to Yeshua’s statement in Luke 5: 
 
New garment = uneducated students 
Old garment = previously educated students 
Patch = teaching 
 
New wineskins = uneducated students 
Old wineskins = previously educated students 
New wine = new teaching 
Old wine = previous teaching 
 
Every great move of God in the last 2,000 years has resulted in those with whom God was using to be thrown out of or removed from the current religious base and system.  Yeshua, Sha’ul, Luther, John Fox, John Wesley, Evan Roberts, William Seymour, Aimee Semple McPherson, Kathryn Coleman to name but a few.  All were shunned by the contemporary religious establishment when God moved.  The old refuses to accept the new.  Yeshua sums this up and puts this all together in: 
 
Matthew 13:52. He said to them, "So then, every Torah-teacher who has been made into a talmid (Matheteuo {math-ayt-yoo'-o}: Disciple (Tamid), teacher, instructor, pupil) for the Kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of a home who brings out of his storage room both new things and old. 
 
We must understand and comprehend Yeshua’s words here…  Every true Talmid, every true Disciple is one who teaches both the old and the new!  If you’re not being taught both the old and the new, you’re not a disciple, you’re not a Talmid or Talmidim!  This is radical but the words are Yeshua’s. This is where I must admit I get slightly agitated.  People will see this, hear this, and go right back to their old Hellenistic way.  There’s grave danger in knowledge and awareness regarding the Kingdom of God. You’re held accountable for the truth when you are exposed to it and know it. People will drive for an hour to attend a hip; seeker sensitive service yet repeatedly turn their back on truth when presented.  We were warned this was coming: 
 
II Timothy 4:3-4. For the time is coming when people will not have patience for sound teaching, but will cater to their passions and gather around themselves teachers who say whatever their ears itch to hear. 4 Yes, they will stop listening to the truth, but will turn aside to follow myths. 
 
Every teaching, doctrine, or word that states the Old Testament is done away with is not of Yeshua!  Who said: 
 
Matthew 5:17-19. "Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete (pleroo {play-ro'-o}: to make full, complete, to cause God's will as made known in Torah to be obeyed as it should be, to carry into effect, bring to realization). 18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah -- not until everything that must happen has happened. 19 So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 
What God is really doing is not only preparing His bride for the return of His son, He’s restoring His word, His Torah with integrity, honor, loyalty, submission, obedience, trust, and faith accompanied by signs and wonders back into His body.  Not great coffee, emotionally charged music, counterfeit grace. Or hyper love theologies.  Love is even miss taught.  Love is a command of God, not an emotion, not a warm fuzzy.  We are returning to the basic core principles in the Kingdom of Heaven that have been and are being taught throughout scripture yet have fallen asunder as the greater bodies love has gown cold due to increased distance from Torah as Matthew 24:12 states.  The hypocrisy within the body is mind boggling.  I've met people who are professed Christians who frown upon having a glass of wine yet are OK with a man and woman living together outside the bonds of marriage or same sex marriage. We must remember one fact: However much you deny the truth, the truth goes on existing. Torah, Adonai, Yeshua, and the Holy Spirit are truth! 
 
Blessings and Shalom, 
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson 

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 

 
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.  For everything there is a season, a right time for every intention under heaven 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to discard, 7 a time to tear and a time to sew, a time to keep silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
 
It's hard to believe that 24 years have passed since 9/11/01.  9/11, a day that will be forever remembered through the heinous, cowardice act of barbaric terrorists that was inflicted upon this nation in New York City, The Pentagon in Springfield, Virginia and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.  Everyone today vividly remembers where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news of the aircraft slamming into the World Trade Center buildings on the crystal clear September morning of 2001.  3,024 unarmed American civilians and numerous other people of various nationalities were murdered in an attack that had until that defining moment been unprecedented in human history. WE have an entire generation born after 9/11 that we must teach so that they may never forget!
 
America's character was revealed on September 11th, 2001 and in the troubling days to follow as the world witnessed photos and film of hundreds of fireman and police officers solemnly responding to the crisis, climbing the stairs into harms way, floor after floor of these massive buildings to battle the raging fires and rescue the victims of this attack and in turn became victims themselves as the towers collapsed upon them.  Untold stories of bravery and courage as peopled helped people out of the burning towers, as both military personnel and rescue workers entered into the blazing furnace that was the west side of the pentagon to rescue trapped workers, and those heroes and patriots aboard hijacked flight 93, aware of the attacks that were happening, and chose to fight the terrorist enemies which  resulted in their plane crash into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.  Great courage and heroism was displayed by many on 9/11.
 
-Karl Barth, a Swiss Theologian said: "Courage is fear that has said its prayers."
 
Courage is the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger or fear, with self-possession, confidence, and resolution: bravery.
 
Courage is reflected in our daily lives and actions.  The courage to speak truth and not stay silent in the face of adversity, because we are afraid that other people might not agree with us or worse it could be dangerous. IT takes courage to be a Messianic Believer. To stand on and live biblical truth, swimming against the current of manmade theology and holidays.  It takes courage to stand up for the Kingdom of God in a politically correct nations and world that fears speaking out against the black tide of Islam, moral corruption, and sin.  The courage to do what is right and resist the easy way out in life's situation which leads compromise and tolerance.  It takes courage to be a faithful follower of Yeshua.  
 
Mark Twain said: "Courage is not the absence of fear. It is acting in spite of it."
 
A courageous person is someone who senses, recognizes, feels, and faces fear and still goes on to do what is right.  9/11 was the defining event for this generation, it was this generations Pearl Harbor.  Young people today, post 9/11 will never know the America that existed prior to, and the freedoms enjoyed pre 9/11.  America changed forever on September 11th, 2001.  
 
The world watched as America responded to 9/11 with great solemnity, rescue workers and volunteers working around the clock, remove the rubble stone by stone, searching for survivors.  There is testimony after testimony of God answering prayers and people escaping the carnage in the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon who thought they were doomed to never get out.  God was there! As we remember the tragedy of 9/11 we also must seek to comprehend and understand this roots of this attack and why it happened.  
 
People who do not have a relationship God and some that do asked; "Where was God on 9/11", "Why did God allow this to happen"
 
God was there on 9/11, nothing escapes Him but all too often people are incorrectly told in situations like this that God is in control which means it was His fault which is not true. God is Sovereign, not in control.  He gave dominion, control to us.

The sages teach God's creation exists through heavenly separation. This separation is known as Tsimtsum in Hebrew, which means withdrawing.  Tsimtsum is a voluntary limitation God Himself does that is necessary in order to allow us to exist.  Scripture explains again and again that God is Kadosh, Holy, separated, set apart, but the word really translates more closely as pure in English.  Since God is completely pure, omnipotence, omnipresence, righteous, loving, full of grace, justice, mercy and perfect in all essence and reality it defines what God is not.  
 
The things that define what God are also define what He is not, which is what humans by nature are, impure, sinful, prideful, unloving, judgmental, and many other faults and flaws too numerous to mention that we all have in varying degrees.  These human faults therefore require a separation by God, a withdrawing of His full presence from His creation or it could not continue to exist.  
 
The sinful flaws inherent to humanity cannot exist in God's pure presence, we would be completely and immediately destroyed because impurity and imperfection cannot exist in His presences.  However, God is affected by human tragedies.  Scriptures tell us that God hates the gatherings of those that are evil that He is grieved by them!  Look at God's response to evil:
 
Psalms 26:5 (NLT) I hate the gatherings of those who do evil, and I refuse to join in with the wicked

God Himself is grieved by our actions and our rebellion against Him and the injustices we do to each other.

Psalms 78:40. How often they rebelled against him in the desert and grieved him in the wastelands!

But God remains sovereign because of Tsimtsum.  Sovereign is defined as: One that exercises supreme authority within a limited sphere, an acknowledged leader.  Remember Tsimtsum, God limits Himself or everyone would be destroyed, therefore,  GOD IS SOVEREIGN!  

Psalms 8:9.(NRSV) O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
God's oneness, His echad, wholeness, and perfection requires that He remain separate from anything that could dilute His purity and perfection.  When we hear of horrific events such as the attacks of 9/11 people immediately ask "How could God do this?  How could He let this happen?"  The body has been falsely taught that God’s in control which is false, God is sovereign, man is in control! In fact, there is a heavenly purpose in grief:
 
Ecclesiastes 7:3. Grief is better than laughter, for sadness can improve a person.
 
God does Shema, hear those who cry out to Him
 
Psalms 18:6. In my distress I called to ADONAI; I cried out to my God. Out of his temple he heard my voice; my cry reached his ears.
 
God is with the broken hearted:
 
Psalms 34:17-18.  [The righteous] cried out, and ADONAI heard, and he saved them from all their troubles. 18 ADONAI is near those with broken hearts; he saves those whose spirit is crushed.
 
As we remember we must ask of ourselves, has the nation improved from this tragedy in the last 24 years?  In fact, 9/11 was the culmination of years of sadness.
 
Unlike previous defining moments of American history from Bunker Hill and the shot heard around the world to the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor that began Americas involvement in WW-II, the attack on 9/11 was specifically designed and targeted against civilians by Islamic religious warriors who seek America’s, Israel, and other western nations destruction.  
 
A few leaders said: "Do you think God is trying to get our attention".  This comment always brings immediate backlash of criticism from the press who belittled the comment and the person remarking that a loving God could never do such a thing and that it was insensitive. People get highly offended when a correlation like this is made!  They say "How can you say such a thing when so many people are killed, hurt, and suffering....they say: "It's being insensitive".  

If you don't believe God doesn't do this look at Israel's history.  God continuously sent prophets to tell them of His great displeasure with them in their rebellion and idol worship.  The Prophets forewarned of impending judgment through attacks by foreign armies, foreign invasions and horrific oppression by hostile nations who hated Israel and God brought upon them for one purpose:   "To awaken the people" so that they would repent and turn back to Him yet the track record of repentance is not good!  Remember Isaiah's words chilling to Israel (Northern Kingdom, Shomron, Ephraim) when they suffered a similar, 9/11 style terrorist attack from on their border over 2,700 years ago that hearken to our own plight today in America.  
 
Isaiah 9:8-13.  Adonai sent a word to Ya'akov, and it has fallen on Isra'el. 9 All the people know it, Efrayim and the inhabitants of Shomron. But they say in pride, in the arrogance of their hearts, 10 "The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stone; the sycamore-fig trees have been chopped down, but we will replace them with cedars." 11 So ADONAI has raised up Retzin's foes against him and spurred on his enemies - 12 Aram from the east, P'lishtim from the west; and they devour Isra'el with an open mouth. Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens. 13 Yet the people do not turn to the one striking them, they don't seek ADONAI-Tzva'ot.

These words written by the prophet Isaiah seem too contemporary. Has nothing changed in 3,000 years? America must learn from the past and repent of its wicked ways and turn back to God:
 
Psalms 34:15. turn from evil, and do good; seek peace, go after it!

God had been trying to get our attention for quite some time.  A religious war has been raging against America for 25+ years prior to 9/11, America herself was not aware of or awakened to the danger until the morning of Sept 11, 2001.  The phrase is "Remember
9/11-never forget", but we have much more to remember:
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon in 1983!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of Pan Am Flight #103 in 1988!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the military barracks in Khobar, Saudi Arabia 1996!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the American Embassies in Kenya in 1998!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the USS COLE in 2000!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM attack against the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Flight #93 crash 2001
REMEMBER the Muslim bombing at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013
REMEMBER the MUSLIM attack in the Orlando Nightclub on June 12th, 2016!
REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombings in New York and New Jersey on Sept. 17th – 19th 2016.
REMEMBER the MUSLIM truck ramming attack in New York on Oct. 31st 2017.
REMEMBER the MUSLIM truck ramming attack in New Orleans on Jan. 1st 2025.

Terror has a long and dark history against humanity.  It's had many names over the centuries:  Crusades, Inquisitions, Pogrom's, and Holocaust to name a few.  Although the attacks of 9/11 were focused and directed at America, the root cause remain the same as it always throughout history" Anti-Semitism and Judeo/Christian hatred. Sadly, its gaining ground in America since the horrific attack against Israel on Oct. 7th, 2023. It’s hard  to believe that New York City may soon elect a communist Muslim Mayor who will not denounce terror attacks.  
 
Dennis Prager, a nationally syndicated radio talk-show hosts and the author of several books wrote about why Muslims hate America:
 
Because America alone (and the little America in the Middle East, Israel) prevents the expansion of Islamic rule.
 
Because expansionist totalitarian movements, whether socialism, communism or Islam, always hate free societies, and America is the strongest free society in the world.  Because America is not only strong, it is Judeo-Christian, the two religions the Islamists need to overcome to expand globally.
 
The greatest problem confronting America is not that people who loathe freedom loathe us. Indeed, it is to America's enduring credit that it is hated by Islamists. Our great problem is that so many in our country do not understand that those who loathe liberty loathe America.
 
Thus 9/11 reveals another hard fact for America, we are in a physical and spiritual war!  

Just 1,000 years ago Jews and Christians rejected the writings of Muhammad so he turned fiercely against them, and later passages in the Koran speak of them in an extremely negative manner.  Muslims are commanded to fight against Jews and Christians until they either submit to Allah or die.
 
[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers
 
[4.89] They (christians and Jews) desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they fly (their homes) in allah's way; but if they turn back, then seize them and KILL THEM wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper.
 
[9.14] FIGHT THEM, ALLAH WILL PUNISH THEM BY YOUR HANDS and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of a believing people.
 
This is just a minute layer of info regarding this topic but in the 24 years since 9/11 what have we learned. There seems to be a great hindrance or denial of the truth in America regarding who attacked us on 9/11 and why!  If we deny the truth we’re doomed to suffer more of the same.  PEACE CAN NOT BE OBTAINED BETWEEN WESTERN JUDEO/CHRISTIAN DEMOCRACIES AND ISLAM.  

The term “Peaceful Islam” is an oxymoron!  I know some Muslims that are not very religious and are peaceful people, but Islam is not.  In fact, the Islamic movement is brash and brazen as witnessed what they did on October 7th 2023.  America must awaken from its slumber of wokeness, D.E.I., political correctness ,and ignorance.
 
Appeasement never works.  9/11 was just the beginning.  This religious war America is fighting today will be the longest conflict in our history if America survives.  We are quickly learning that we are our own worst enemy.  A young Abraham Lincoln, in a speech given in January 1838 said America would never fall to a foreign power, not in a thousand years, but Americas demise would come from within:
 
"At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher."
 
 
It's time to learn from history, not repeat its mistakes and come to understand!  Islam is at war with us whether we chose to believe it or not, or to fight or not!   Islam is bringing the fight and war to us!  THERE WILL NEVER BE PEACE WITH ISLAM.  
 
As we remember 9/11 and mourn those who were slain, we must do so with the courage and fortitude to reflect upon ourselves and the nation these past 24 years to see where we've come from and where we're going.  We must remember why it happened! We must remember who did this!  Foremost and most importantly we must remember God's words:
 
Exodus 23:22. But if you listen to what he says and do everything I tell you, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes
 
We must be honest and ask, is America heading in the right direction!  Has the moral fabric and character of the nation and ourselves gotten better or worse? Do we have the moral fortitude to stand for biblical truth, justice, and equality! To stand against the raging antisemitism found at our universities and cities! Will America survive this Muslim invasion?
 
Never forget!!!!!!
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson
 

The seven feasts of the annual Feast Day cycle are primarily covered in Leviticus 23 and Numbers 28-29. Seven, Sheva is a supernatural Hebrew number.  The Feast Days cycle follows a pattern of seven and begins with Pesach.  Seven in Hebrew is represented by the letter Zain.  Seven (Sheva) is the central key to God’s creation and design.  Sheva is the building blocks of the universe.  The world was created in Sheva (seven) days.  There are Sheva (seven) feasts of the Lord in the annual feast day cycle.  There are Sheva festival days when work is forbidden in Torah.  Sheva days of Matzah!  Sheva days of Sukkot.  Sheva (seven) is the number of creation and is the numbers of perfection.  There are Sheva (seven) days in the week.  Sheva Messianic Congregations in Revelation, seven stars, sheva Menorahs!  There is the shenat ha-sheva, the seventh year or Sabbatical year in which the ground is to lay fallow.  Sheva shabtot shanim-seven sabbatical years are counted (49 years) which bring in the Yovel, the Jubilee on the 50th year!  All of creation streams towards the Sheva Millennia, the seventh thousand year which heralds the Messianic age. Sheva, seven is the DNA of the Kingdom of God. The Spring Feasts have been fulfilled in Yeshua!  Yeshua was born on the First of Nisan, He was crucified on Passover, then was resurrected on the First Fruits offering, and we received the Holy Spirit on Shavuot (Pentecost). The fall feasts have not yet been fulfilled, they are:
 

1. Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets).  Num 29:1-6.
2. Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement or Purge).  Lev 16:2-34, Num 29:7-11.
3. Sukkot (Tabernacles).  Num 29:12-39, Deut. 16:13-17

 
Leviticus 23:1-2. ADONAI said to Moshe, 2 "Tell the people of Isra'el: 'The designated times of ADONAI which you are to proclaim as holy convocations are my designated times.
 
Convocation in Hebrew is Mikra (calling out of the holy ones) who's root word is Kaw-raw which means rehearsal.  Divine Appointment in Hebrew is Moed, a specific date in which the King of heaven comes off the throne to meet His people.
 
We will observe and celebrate Yom Teruah at sunset, September 22nd, 2025
Leviticus 23:23-25. ADONAI said to Moshe, 24 "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'In the seventh month, the first of the month is to be for you a day of complete rest for remembering, a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar. 25 Do not do any kind of ordinary work, and bring an offering made by fire to ADONAI.'"
 
We are told this is a day of complete rest for remembering and sounding the Shofar! The day that we Remember the soon return of Messiah and His Kingship as He'll rule this world from His throne in Jerusalem and as we look toward the Glorious Wedding Feast with Yeshua. Yom Teruah is peculiar in that it doesn't give us specific instructions of what hour to sound the Shofar and the day it falls on changes every year, sometimes Monday, or Tuesday, etc. We know what the season is, but not the hour. This I believe is a direct correlation to Yeshua's return.
 
Matthew 24:31-36. He will send out his angels with a great Shofar blast and they will gather together his chosen people from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 "Now let the fig tree teach you its lesson: when its branches begin to sprout and leaves appear, you know that summer is approaching. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you are to know that the time is near, right at the door. 34 Yes! I tell you that this people will certainly not pass away before all these things happen. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 36 "But when that day and hour will come, no one knows -- not the angels in heaven, not the Son, only the Father.

We know the season of His return-just not which one or what hour just like Yom Teruah. Yom Teruah also begins the 10 days of Awe between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur. In the Hebrew its Yamim Noraim, “Awesome Days” or “Days of Awe”.  These are days of anxiety, trepidation, humility, and soul searching and repentance.  A period of self-examination, self-reflection, and self-judgment to bring awareness of our failures, how we’ve failed ourselves, failed other people, and failed Adonai!  It is a time of regret and remorse for the harm we have inflicted on others and within the Kingdom of God!  It is not a time of selfishness, rather is it a time of crying out to God, it’s the awakening of your soul, a stirring in oneself for the greater Kingdom of God!  This is the preparation for Yom Kippur, the Day of Purging which begins Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, at Sunset.  The Shofar we sound on Yom Teruah is a rehearsal of Yeshua’s return who comes back to judge during the 10 Days of Awe.
 
Matthew 25:31-33. "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, accompanied by all the angels, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. 33 The `sheep' he will place at his right hand and the `goats' at his left.

The Ten Days of Awe culminate on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement or in its deepest Hebrew meaning the Day of Purging. The Sefer HaChaim, the Book of Life is opened on Yom Teruah and closes on Yom Kippur. Your name is in the book when your born:
 
Psalms 139:16. Your eyes could see me as an embryo, but in your book all my days were already written; my days had been shaped before any of them existed.

Your crimes are held against you if there is no redemption, no sacrifice, no blood.  David prayed to God regarding the evil and wicked:
 
Psalms 69:28. Erase them from the book of life, let them not be written with the righteous
 
Accepting Yeshua as your sacrifice allows your name to remain in the book of life.  As the prophet Jeremiah stated in Jeremiah 31:34 by accepting the Messiah God knows your sins "No More"!  Yeshua blots out your transgressions and sins and your name stays in the book
 
Revelation 3:5 He who wins the victory will, like them, be dressed in white clothing; and I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life; in fact, I will acknowledge him individually before my Father and before his angels.
 
Yeshua returns on that final Shofar Trump (Yom Teruah) to judge the nations during the Ten Days of Awe:
 
Revelation 20:12. And I saw the dead, both great and small, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened; and another book was opened, the Book of Life; and the dead were judged from what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
 
Revelation 20:15. Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was hurled into the lake of fire.
 
Those who don’t receive Yeshua as their substitute sacrifice will have their names purged from the Book of Life on Yom Kippur.
 
Leviticus 23:27-32.  "The tenth day of this seventh month is Yom-Kippur; you are to have a holy convocation (Mikra: convocation, a calling together, sacred assembly, Two root words 1. Kaw’ra: Rehearsal.  2.  Tehoor which means pure hearted; to clear of guilt: to free from moral or ceremonial defilement: to make free of something unwanted: the removal of elements or members regarded as undesirable and especially as treacherous or disloyal), you are to deny (ta'anit: Deny, fast) yourselves, and you are to bring an offering made by fire to ADONAI. 28 You are not to do any kind of work on that day, because it is Yom-Kippur, to make atonement for you before ADONAI your God. 29 Anyone who does not deny himself on that day is to be cut off from his people; 30 and anyone who does any kind of work on that day, I will destroy from among his people. 31 You are not to do any kind of work; it is a permanent regulation through all your generations, no matter where you live. 32 It will be for you a Shabbat of complete rest, and you are to deny yourselves; you are to rest on your Shabbat from evening the ninth day of the month until the following evening."
 
Tehoor is also the root word for Teruah, or Teruah Gadola, the great trump of the Shofar that announces the Kings arrival or return!  Another word with Tehoor is Tsarfam, refine: to be free from impurities or unwanted material: to free from moral imperfection: to improve or perfect by pruning or polishing: to free from what is coarse, vulgar, or uncouth: to become pure or perfected.  Impurities are what cause your name to be blotted out the book of life.  Purging the impurities allows your name to remain in the Sefer HaChaim, the book of life:
 
Book is Sefer in Hebrew, Book, indictment, legal document, commission, written decree.  Your crimes are held against you if there is no redemption, no sacrifice, no blood, no purging of the sin. Yom Kippur is a day of fasting. A fast is where one willingly abstains from all food and drink to focus on the presence of God through prayer, worship, and supplication.  Fasting is a means of supplication and ministering unto God. To fast without supplication is dieting.  An interesting root word of Ta'anit is Ta'aneh which is answer or reply.  So we Ta'anit, fast in order to receive a Ta'aneh and answer or reply from God as we willingly abstain from the things of the world in supplication and worship of Him. There is only one biblically fast prescribed in all of Torah and it is for Yom Kippur
 
Yom Kippur actually means the day of purging.  It is the day of rehearsal (convocation) of the day to come in the near future when we all shall stand before the Judge, and you either remain in the book of Life through the blood of Yeshua or your name will be blotted out, hence day of purging. Those whose names remain the Book of Life are the ones who go to the wedding feast which is Sukkot just four days away from the end of Yom Kippur. In the Temple times it was the only time of the year that the High Priest actually went into the Holy of Holies as recorded in Leviticus 16. The Falls Feasts culminate with the celebration of Sukkot! Sukkot begins Monday October 6th, 2025 at sunset.

Leviticus 23:40. On the first day you are to take choice fruit, palm fronds, thick branches and river-willows, and celebrate in the presence of ADONAI your God for seven days.."
On Sukkot, we bind all the branches together – willows, palm branch, and myrtles.  We hold this bundle in our right hand, and then lift them together with the Esrog. We then shake them all together, three times in each direction: front, right, back, left, up and before waving the four species, we say the following blessing:
 
"Baruch ata Adonoy, Elo-heinu Melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu bi'mitzvo-sav, vi'tzivanu al ni-tilas lulav."
 
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us with His mitzvot, and instructed us to raise up the Lulav.
 
Leviticus 23:33-36. ADONAI said to Moshe, 34 "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of Sukkot for seven days to ADONAI. 35 On the first day there is to be a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work. 36 For seven days you are to bring an offering made by fire to ADONAI; on the eighth day you are to have a holy convocation and bring an offering made by fire to ADONAI; it is a day of public assembly; do not do any kind of ordinary work.

In keeping with the Feast Days theme of Sheva or Seven, Numbers 29:12-38 shares about the sacrifices that were done for Sukkot.  Each consecutive day had a decreasing number of bulls sacrificed. Day one of the feast had 13 bulls sacrificed, day 2; 12 bulls, through the seventh day when seven bulls were sacrificed then on the eighth day one single bull was sacrificed. All together seventy oxen were to be sacrificed through the course of the eight-day festival. These seventy oxen correspond to the seventy original nations of the world who descended from the sons of Noach, who were the ancestors of all the nations till this day. Israel brought these sacrifices as atonement for the nations of the world and in prayer for their wellbeing as well as for universal peace and harmony between them.  Israel’s destiny is to be the Light to the Nations and Yeshua is that LIGHT!

Seventy is the traditional number of Gentile nations, and the seventy bullocks are offered to make atonement for them. The last Ox on the last day is for Israel.  This feast is for the Nations and the Harvest! There is a spiritual significance to the number 70.
 
70 is the Hebrew letter Ayin: This letter represents perception and insight.  Ayin means eye:  The eye reveals more to man than any other of the senses.  Ayin also means a spring of water.  Through the narrow eye the world is brought into focus.  Spiritually without vision, we perish! Sukkot is the global ingathering of the Nations, the Harvest, it represents the Wedding Feast of the Bride and the Lamb!
 
Look at when Sukkot occurs regarding the other Fall Feast Days.  The Feast of Sukkot starts a mere four days after the completion of the Days of Awe, after that intense period of inward reflection and t’shuvah (repentance) capped by Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.  We enter Sukkot spiritually clean and pure, sins and transgressions removed by the Blood of Yeshua. We are then summoned to REJOICE with GREAT JOY before Him on the Festival of Sukkot. Sukkot is a rehearsal of the wedding feast to come between the Bride and the Lamb!  What greater joy is there than being "reborn" anew, pure, and cleansed? Remember, the major theme of Sukkot is JOY!  Whenever Sukkot is mentioned in the Talmud it is referred to as “The Festival” with Great Joy and Rejoicing.
 
Still there are many who ask why we should celebrate these feasts and festivals. Isn’t studying them enough? As one who keeps the feast, I assure you that there are certain lessons that you can only learn “in the camp.” If you celebrate the feast with others, you learn just what it was like to live in fellowship with other Children of Adonai in His presence. The prophet Zechariah tells us that we will be keeping this feast during the Millennial Reign after Yeshua returns.
 
Zechariah 14:16 Finally, everyone remaining from all the nations that came to attack Yerushalayim will go up every year to worship the king, ADONAI-Tzva'ot, and to keep the festival of Sukkot.!
 
Yeshua Himself celebrated Sukkot and we will be celebrating Sukkot in the Kingdom to come, so why isn’t the entire Body Of Messiah celebrating it now as well? If we want to have an intimate relationship with God and Yeshua we must arise from our place of Comfort and meet the King who has risen from the throne to meet us on His appointed Times.
 
Everyone is invited to the wedding feast, but only those who have prepared and are in their wedding clothes will be allowed to remain. Many will respond to the invitation, but only the few who are ready will be able to attend, for many are called, but few are chosen. Rehearsals prepare one for the final performance; Are you ready for His return?
 
May you have a meaningful and blessed Holiday season,
 
Blessings and Shalom,
 
Rabbi Eric S Carlson

Shalom Mishpocha,
 
     Autumn is just around the corner! School has started, hurricane season is ramping up, and though September is a transition month into fall time we still have 21 days of summer left until the Autumnal Equinox on September 22nd at 2:19 P.M. EDT-the first day of Fall. Fall is one of the perfect seasons. It's not too cold. It's not too hot, and it doesn't have as many allergies that spring and summer have. We enjoy cooler nights for sitting around the fire pit.
 
     September’s name comes from the Latin word septem, meaning “seven.” This month had originally been the seventh month of the early Roman calendar. September, in Old England, was called Haervest-monath (Harvest Month). This is the time to gather up the rest of the harvest and prepare for the winter months. September is a month full of meaningful celebrations, awareness days, and commemorations that bring attention to important causes and milestones nationwide. September has a diverse range of significant days.
 
     Monday, September 1st, 2025, is Labor Day. Labor Day is a Federal Holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. The three-day weekend it falls on is called Labor Day Weekend. As we do on all three-day weekends join with us as we pray there will be NO traffic fatalities in the Commonwealth of Virginia this Labor Day weekend! 
 
     Tuesday, Sept. 2nd 2025, is the 80th anniversary of V-J Day (Victory over Japan Day) that recognizes Allied Forces' victory over Japan during World War II.  Officials announced the surrender of Japan to the Allies on August 15, 1945. The official signing of surrender took place on September 2, 1945, officially ending World War II. The surrender ceremony was held onboard the battleship USS Missouri BB-63 on September 2, 1945, in Tokyo Bay Japan. The USS Missouri, a powerful battleship, was chosen as the site for the surrender ceremony for symbolic and practical reasons. Launched in 1944, the USS Missouri had seen significant action in the Pacific Theater, making it an appropriate venue for the historic event. Moreover, the ship bore the name of President Harry S. Truman’s home state, adding an additional layer of significance to its selection. 
 
     Friday, September 5th 2025 is the International Day of Charity. A day to encourage charitable actions and donations, highlighting the importance of giving back and supporting the needy around the world.
 
     Patriot’s Day is Monday, September 11th. By presidential proclamation, Patriot Day is observed in the United States on September 11th, or 9/11, in memory of the thousands who lost their lives because of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States that involved four hijacked planes. The observance also honors those who came to aid in the aftermath. Each year on Patriot Day, the U.S. flag is flown at half-staff. Citizens are asked to observe a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. EDT (when the first hijacked plane struck the World Trade Center in New York City)! We are encouraged to devote the day to serving our neighbors and communities.
 
   September 17 is Constitution Day. This day celebrates the adoption of the U.S. Constitution by all thirteen states, which occurred on September 17, 1787.
 
     This September is a busy one as we begin the Fall High Holy Days, The Fall Feasts so mark your calendars!  Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) begins at sunset, Monday Sept. 22nd through Sunset Tuesday Sept. 23rd. 2025. Yom Kippur begins at Sunset on Wednesday, Oct. 1st, 2025, through sunset on Thursday Oct. 2nd. Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) begins at sunset, Monday Oct. 6th through sunset on Tuesday Oct. 14th 2025. 
 
     We pray you have a safe Labor Day Weekend as we pray for no traffic fatalities in the Commonwealth of Virgina over the three-day weekend! Let us prepare to enter in and celebrate the Fall Feast Days, the High Holy Days next month with anticipation and expectation!! 
 
Love and Blessings,
 
Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson!
 

Shalom Mishpocha!

August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Southern Hemisphere, August is the seasonal equivalent of February in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, August falls in summer. In the Southern Hemisphere, the month falls during winter. In many European countries, August is the holiday month for most workers.

Certain meteor showers take place in August. The Kappa Cygnids occur in August, with yearly dates varying. The Alpha Capricornids meteor shower occurs as early as July 10 and ends around August 10. The Perseids, a major meteor shower, typically takes place between July 17 and August 24, with the peak days varying yearly.

The month was originally named Sextilis in Latin because it was the 6th month in the original ten-month Roman calendar under Romulus in 753 BC, with March being the first month of the year. About 700 BC, it became the eighth month when January and February were added to the year before March by King Numa Pompilius, who also gave it 29 days. Julius Caesar added two days when he created the Julian calendar in 46 BC (AUC 708), giving it its modern length of 31 days.

In 8 BC, the month was renamed in honor of Emperor Augustus. According to a Senatus consultum quoted by Macrobius, he chose this month because it was the time of several of his great triumphs, including the conquest of Egypt..

Saturday, August 2nd, 2025, at sunset begins Tisha B’av (the 9th of Av). Av is the fifth month of the Hebrew calendar which falls in July/August on the Gregorian calendar.  The 9th of Av is a traditional day of fasting and mourning by the Orthodox Jewish community in Israel due to numerous, national catastrophic events that have occurred against Israel and our people through the span of History. The main focus of this day is the destruction of both Solomon’s Temple and Herod’s Temple accompanied by the expulsion of our people from the Land of Israel into Exile or Diaspora.
 
Historically the 9th of Av is not a good time frame for us as a people and as a nation! Let us pause on Sunday August 3rd, 2025, and pray for the protection, restoration, and salvation of the land and people of Israel!

Sunday, August 24th at sunset begins the month of Elul. The 1st of Elul begins a time of repentance in preparation for the High Holy Days, 30 days until Yom Teruah and 40 days till Yom Kippur. Elul is seen as a time to search one's heart and draw close to God in preparation for the coming Day of Judgement when the Sefer HaChaim, the Book of Life is opened, Yom Kippur, The Day of Purging. The month of Elul is likened to a king visiting his subjects in the field before returning to his palace.

Elul is an Akkadian word for "harvest". The Jewish names of months came from our captivity in Babylon. Scripture refers to the months by their numerical order except for the first month of the new year, Aviv. Elul is a time to search one's heart to draw closer to Adonai. It is customary to recite Psalm 27 every day during this 40-day period of seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness. The 27th Psalm is one of trust, the psalmist has no fear of enemies while in the Lord’s protection. This Psalm is extremely relevant today:

Psalm 27. By David: ADONAI is my light (Ori) and salvation (Yeshua); whom do I need to fear? ADONAI is the stronghold of my life; of whom should I be afraid? 2 When evildoers assailed me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and foes, they stumbled and fell. 3 If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear; if war breaks out against me, even then I will keep trusting. 4 Just one thing have I asked of ADONAI; only this will I seek: to live in the house of ADONAI all the days of my life, to see the beauty of ADONAI and visit in his temple. 5 For he will conceal me in his shelter (Sukkah) on the day of trouble, he will hide me in the folds of his tent, he will set me high on a rock. 6 Then my head will be lifted up above my surrounding foes, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, sing praises to ADONAI. 7 Listen, ADONAI, to my voice when I cry; show favor to me; and answer me. 8 "My heart said of you, 'Seek my face.' "Your face, ADONAI, I will seek. 9 Do not hide your face from me, don't turn your servant away in anger. You are my help; don't abandon me; don't leave me, God my savior. 10 Even though my father and mother have left me, ADONAI will care for me. 11 Teach me your way, ADONAI; lead me on a level path because of my enemies 12 don't give me up to the whims of my foes; for false witnesses have risen against me, also those who are breathing violence. 13 If I hadn't believed that I would see ADONAI's goodness in the land of the living, 14 Put your hope in ADONAI, be strong, and let your heart take courage! Yes, put your hope in ADONAI!

This reason this Psalm is fundamental to this period of T’Shuvah (repentance) is that it contains references to all three fall feasts: "my light," ori in Hebrew refers to Yom Teruah as the shofar announces the arrival of Adonai, the “or”, the light! My Salvation, Yeshua refers to the atonement He gave us for Yom Kippur. Then David states Adonai would hide him in his sukkah in the times of trouble, referring to the holiday of Sukkot in verse 5. Let us search ourselves, removing everything that is not of God, and prepare ourselves the coming Fall Feast Days!

Blessings and Shalom,

Rabbi and Rebbetzin Carlson