Special holiday reading for Simchat Torah on 23 Tisrei, 5764 - October 19, 2003 Simchat Torah: Holiday Torah reading Deuteronomy 33:1 to 34:12; Haftarah: Joshua 1:1-18; Brit Chadashah: Matthew 10:1-42

The Bagel: From old to new. We have two examples of "Tel Aviv" or "Altneu" in the Simchat Torah readings. Both terms mean "old" and "new." Theodor Herzl called the national homeland for the Jews, "Altneuland" in his native German and Tel-Aviv, the Hebrew translation, is named after this appellation. The Parashah Vesot Habarakhah is Moses' last will and testament for Israel. This is a transitional text that moves from Moses' leadership to that of Joshua's. But it includes blessings on each of the tribes. Moses prepared the twelve and Joshua for conquest of the Land.

The Haftarah picks up the transition. Joshua is commissioned by G-d to commence the conquest with boldness and strength. In chapter four of Joshua, representatives from each tribe, the twelve, were commanded to carry stones for a memorial to be built in the middle of the miraculously dried Jordan River. Then in chapter thirteen of Joshua is the record of tribal territorial acquisitions in fulfillment of Moses prophecy in Numbers.

Simchat Torah closes the yearly cycle of Scripture reading. The old, Deuteronomy, is going out and yet the New, Genesis, is about to begin again. Simchat Torah includes two transitions, the historical transition from Deuteronomy to Joshua and the transition of the yearly readings, recycling from Deuteronomy back to Genesis again. Both transitions are Altneu - from old to new.

In the reading of the Brit Chadashah is another transitional text. Yeshua commissioned his twelve to go forth and make conquest of the Land. The enemies in the Land were numerous spiritual and physical foes that oppressed the people: "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons" (Matthew 10:7-8 NASB).

Yeshua was preparing Israel for the Kingdom of G-d, but he was also preparing Israel for the long hatafutsot or diaspora, which is the scattering from the Land into many gentile lands for two millenia. The rejection of Yeshua brought the consequence of a long exile, but it did not defeat the Kingdom of G-d: "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me" (Matthew 10:38-40 NASB).

Yeshua's plan called for Altneu: the going out of the old in-Land living to the new and victorious diaspora living that would spread the Kingdom of G-d into all nations. The Kehilat Yeshua morphed into the congregation of redeemed Jews and Gentiles, the invisible Kingdom within. Thus on that fateful Shavuot (Pentecost) after Yeshua's redemptive work on the cross and ascension into heaven, the Ruach Ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit) commenced the Kehilat Yeshua in Israel, the church that has gone into all nations. From old to new.

Cream Cheese: Yeshua, eternally old (the Ancient of Days) and eternally new!


Special holiday reading for Simchat Torah on 23 Tisrei, 5764 - October 19, 2003 Simchat Torah: Holiday Torah reading Deuteronomy 33:1 to 34:12; Haftarah: Joshua 1:1-18; Brit Chadashah: Matthew 10:1-42