Yom Teruah/Rosh HaShana is on the horizon once again…

This year (2025)  the High Holy Day of Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashana begins at sunset, September 22, and ends at sunset on September 23. (The readings for Yom Teruah/Roash HaShana are: Leviticus  23:23-25, Numbers 29:1-  6, Matthew 24:30-31, 1  Thessalonians 4:16-17.)

The biblical name for this holiday is actually “Yom Teruah” ("day of shouting/blasting"). It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days known as "Days of Awe" as specified by Leviticus 23:23–25, kicking off a ten-day period of penitence culminating in the holiest of High Holy Days, known as Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).

Why is it so important and what, exactly, makes this day so special?  Let’s begin with this passage, where God Himself commanded it to be observed:

Leviticus 23:23-25 says: And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, 24 “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you have a rest, a remembrance of blowing of trumpets, a set-apart gathering. 25 ‘You do no servile work, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה.’” (ISR)

Rosh Hashana denotes the Jewish Civil New Year … the creation of the world, according to tradition; the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve and their first actions toward the realization of man's role in the world; of the first sin that was committed and resulting repentance; a day when YHWH takes stock of all of His Creation, which includes all of humanity.

It is also a rehearsal for the day when the bridegroom will come to claim us, his bride, who are betrothed to Him … when Yeshua will return to earth as the “Lion of Judah!”

1 Thessalonians 4: 16. Because our Master (Y'shua) will himself descend from heaven with the mandate and with the voice of the chief Messenger and with the Qarna (trumpet/shofar) of Elohim; and the dead who are in the Mashiyach will first arise; 17. and then we who survive and are alive will be caught up together with them to the clouds to meet our Master (Y'shua) in the air; and so will we be ever with our Master. (AENT)

Matthew 24: 27. For as the sunshine comes out from the East and is seen even in the West, thus will be the coming of the Son of man. 28. Wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles gather. 29. And immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shine its light. And the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

30. And then will be seen the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the land mourn, when they will see the Son of man who comes upon the clouds of heaven with great power and glory. 31. And he will send his Messengers with a large trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. (AENT)

According to tradition, during this time YHWH's people are to concentrate all their efforts into making amends with their brethren and apologizing for past offenses – in preparation for the next Feast, which is Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement.

It is important to note that, judging by the fact that Yeshua has so far fulfilled the first four Appointed Times in sequence, Yom Teruah/Trumpets will be the next one to be fulfilled, because when the trumpets sound, those who have accepted YHWH as their God (along with His Divine Messiah, Yeshua) will be gathered/resurrected (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, I Cor. 15:50-54).

Halleluyah!

A MINI-LESSON ON ROMANS 9:30-33

Romans 9: 30. What will we say then? That the Gentiles who ran not after righteousness, have found righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith: 31. But Israel who ran after the Torah of righteousness, has not found the Torah of righteousness. 32. And why? Because they went after it, not by faith, but by the works of Torah. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone: 33. As it is written, Behold, I lay in Tsiyon a stumbling-stone and a stone of offense: and he who believes in him, will not be ashamed. (AENT)

IN OTHER WORDS, Paul is NOT saying that "all one has to do is to believe in Jesus!" He is saying that once one has accepted the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and begins to OBEY Him, everything changes!

Many were guilty of simply doing by rote the Seventh Day Sabbath and the Feasts, etc. But their HEARTS weren't it! They were doing because that's what everyone else was doing...without actually KNOWING YHWH and doing these things out of love or the desire to have a real relationship with Him.

(This can be likened to a teenager cleaning up his/her room because they were TOLD to. They do it to prevent punishment, not because they love their parents so much that they want to please them.)

Having a relationship with God is a two-way street...

Yes, by grace and faith we are saved; but once we enter into that relationship, we are expected to heed and obey, and live our life according to HIS Divine Instructions, and not pretend we are "holy," simply because we "believe."

Ephesians 2:4. But Elohim who is rich in His mercies because of the great love with which He loved us 5. when we were dead in our sins, gave us life with the Mashiyach and rescued[1] us by His grace; 6. and revived us with him and seated us with him in heaven, in Y’shua the Mashiyach: 7. that He might show to the coming ages[2] the magnitude of the riches of His grace and His goodness towards us in Y’shua the Mashiyach.

8. For it is by His grace we are rescued, through faith; and this is not of yourselves, but it is the gift of Elohim; [3] 9. not of works, or else anyone glory (in themselves). 10. for we are His creation who are created in Y’shua the Mashiyach for good works which Elohim has before prepared for us to walk in. (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Literally, “saved.” A variant of this word is what we call “Savior” in English. In Aramaic the concept of a savior is literally: “giver of life.”

[2] Or, “worlds.”

[3] The synonym for “gift of YHWH” is the name Mattityahu (Matthew). Rav Shaul (Paul) perhaps intended to reference Matthew here, the writer of the first account of the Good News! Matthew’s account of the Good News might well have been the only publication in circulation in Rav Shaul’s lifetime.

What ELOHIM personally said about Torah Observance…

This mini-lesson reveals some of God’s exact words about obedience to His Divine Instructions in Righteousness:

Deuteronomy 27: 1 Then Moshe and all the leaders of Isra'el gave orders to the people. They said, "Observe all the mitzvot I am giving you today. 2 When you cross the Yarden to the land ADONAI your God is giving you, you are to set up large stones, put plaster on them, 3 and, after crossing over, write this Torah on them, every word -so that you can enter the land ADONAI your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as ADONAI, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 When you have crossed the Yarden, you are to set up these stones, as I am ordering you today, on Mount 'Eival; and put plaster on them.

5 There you are to erect an altar to ADONAI your God, an altar made of stones. You are not to use any iron tool on them, 6 but are to build the altar of ADONAI your God of uncut stones; and you are to offer burnt offerings on it to ADONAI your God. 7 Also you are to sacrifice peace offerings, eat there and be joyful in the presence of ADONAI your God. 8 You are to write on the stones all the words of this Torah very clearly." 9 Next Moshe and the cohanim, who are L'vi'im, spoke to all Isra'el. They said, "Be quiet; and listen, Isra'el! Today you have become the people of ADONAI your God. 10 Therefore you are to listen to what ADONAI your God says and obey his mitzvot and laws, which I am giving you today." (CJB)

Obviously obedience to Torah is NOT a suggestion! And Yeshua confirmed this time and time again! (See Matthew 5:17-20 and then ask yourself if ALL has already happened and heaven and earth have passed away!)

Please note verse 2, "when you cross the Yarden." Remember, the word "Hebrew" means "to cross over." YHWH's people this time are crossing over both physically and spiritually, as they are in the process of being taught the history about how YHWH came to be their God and how they are to be a light to the nations THROUGH OBEDIENCE to His Torah! Nowhere are we ever told to STOP obeying the Mitzvot YHWH gave His people! (Granted, many of the Torah laws cannot be kept today because most of them were for the priests of the day, some were only for men and others only for women. But there are several "forever" commands we can and should keep.)

Please note verse 8 which says "THIS Torah"; not "a" Torah or "the" Torah, but THIS Torah (haTorah)! Same thing in Deuteronomy 27:26 which says: "'A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by putting them into practice. 'All the people are to say, 'Amen!'

WOW! Could it be ANY clearer? Torah is not "a curse" as most Christians insist; one is cursed if one does NOT obey Torah!

If you'll look ahead to Deut. 28:69/29:1, you'll see YHWH saying: 1 These are the words of the covenant which ADONAI ordered Moshe to make with the people of Isra'el in the land of Mo'av, in addition to the covenant which he made with them in Horev."

The Covenant at Horeb was giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. THIS ONE - the one spoken of in  Parsha 50 - was given at Moab in addition to the former one that was given to the original people who came out of Egypt. Remember, at this point in time, YHWH was addressing their offspring and those who lived to see this moment, to remind them of their history.

How can a person be sure they are basing their observance on faith and not on their own efforts?

QUESTION:  How can a person be sure they are basing their observance on faith and not on their own efforts? Sometimes life events get in the way and confuse the issues.

That's a great question – and the answer is: If something doesn't line up with Torah and everything Yeshua taught, then we might be guilty of using our "own efforts."

It's not easy - especially since ONLY the Land is Israel makes Torah observance easy, because everyone there is aware of the Divine Instructions! For instance, businesses in Israel shut down on Shabbat. No work allowed.

Same with the seven commanded and glorious Mo'edim/Feast Times. each of which has its own special meaning. The whole Jewish community throughout the Land, observes them. For instance, in Sukkot (Tabernacles) everybody builds their own sukkahs (temporary dwellings) in which they reside for a week, in remembrance of the hardships of Israel's 40 years in the wilderness.

The rest of the world doesn't have that luxury; therefore, those of us whose eyes have been opened to God's Truth, live outside of Israel are forced to deal with life and the every day workings of "the world," while doing our best to BE Torah observant, to KEEP the commanded Seventh Day Sabbath Rest holy, and to live our lives as closely as possible to what the Bible tells us.

Unfortunately, the most of us are forced to live in this "fallen world" which pays no attention to God. (Be assured that the Holy One KNOWS how hard it is for us who are trying to be as obedient as possible - and He never said we had to be perfect at it; He just expects us to stay our minds on Him while we continue to strive to be the best servants possible, given our limited knowledge in a world FULL of "voices" trying to tell us what to do and how to do it, etc.)

So, my response to your question is:

While Some things are clear cut, such as refusing to, for instance, commit adultery. As we see in Torah, in ancient times, anyone proven guilty of adultery (or any other sex crimes, for that matter) were to be put to death.  Any type of sex crimes are considered heinous because they involve our own bodies – our TEMPLES – which we are commanded to keep holy. There should be NO confusion about that!

On the other hand, the keeping of the Shabbats in our fallen world is only easy for those whose jobs don't require them to work on Saturdays.  But, not everyone has a job like that, and so, while they HAVE to make a living, and perhaps cannot find work that allows them to keep the Sabbath REST, common sense would dictate that, at least, they can still OBSERVE it by at leaset REMEMBERING the Shabbat and taking time out to talk to ADONAI during their break times, and reading the Torah portions either BEFORE going to work, or during their lunch hour - or whatever else it takes to show Him that they KNOW it's Shabbat and they ARE trying to honor it.

Sometimes, the things directly affecting our life are less clear cut. For instance, we know that God HATES divorce - yet, He also doesn't expect His people to live in agony in a broken relationship that absolutely cannot be fixed for whatever reason. He doesn't expect nor condone spouses being either mentally or physically abusive towards one another.

In those cases where a relationship is broken beyond repair, it's best to separate - remembering to keep in mind that HE wants to keep His relationship with BOTH of you!  The only GOOD way to move on in a situation where you suddenly find yourself “single” again, is by remaining a Torah observant believer in YHWH, His Torah, and His Divine Messiah who died on your behalf to redeem your soul.

Whatever the situation, it is imperative to repent, turn from any sins you might be committing, and – setting your own desires aside, while taking care of yourself to the best of your ability - ask God to put you back on HIS Path. Be patient and wait for Him to work in your life.  You’ll notice it when He does.

Whenever "confusion" gets in the way, we MUST to turn to HIM – to prayer, to His Word where we can always get the answers we need to continue on HIS Path. Please see our short article on how to hear His Voice.

A word for those who believe they can have their “best conversations with God” while perched on the toilet…

IT TRULY DISGUSTS ME when supposed "believers" (especially those who consider themselves Torah teachers) unashamedly posting on their wall that they have some of their best conversations with God while sitting on the toilet...

Sorry, but I consider people like that, disgusting, disrespectful and immature in the faith. I suggest reading Leviticus 15 to anyone who thinks God is happy to chat with you while you're doing your private business on the john!

Below are just a couple of small passages that reveal just exactly how HE fells about cleanliness and holiness. (Even though they don't specifically mention pooping, He makes it amply clear that no one should come into His Presence with anything "unclean" on them - whether physically or spiritually.)...

Leviticus 15: 1 Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, 2 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, the discharge is unclean. 3 The discharge is unclean no matter whether it continues flowing or has stopped; it is still his uncleanness. (CJB)

Leviticus 16: Adonai spoke with Moshe after the death of Aharon’s two sons, when they tried to sacrifice before Adonai and died; 2 Adonai said to Moshe, “Tell your brother Aharon not to come at just any time into the Holy Place beyond the curtain, in front of the ark-cover which is on the ark, so that he will not die; because I appear in the cloud over the ark-cover. (CJB)

ADONAI IS HOLY! Trying to force your filth on Him can be very dangerous to your health! If He is that strict about bodily discharges and physical and spiritual cleanliness, then He’s surely NOT happy with anyone trying to engage Him in a friendly chat while they're busy discharging feces from their rear end!

If you believe Paul was anti-Torah, then how do you explain these verses?

Contrary to popular belief, the Apostle Paul was NOT against Torah (the laws/divine instructions from God). Why would he be, since without Torah, the world would have no blueprint of moral, holy living!  As proof of this, we present the following passages, straight from the “New Testament”:

Acts 28: 23 From morning till evening the Apostle Paul explained and declared the Kingdom of God and tried to convince people about Yeshua from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. (CJB)

Acts 24: 14. But this indeed I (Paul) acknowledge, that in that same doctrine of which they speak, I do serve the Elohim of my fathers, believing all the things written in Torah and in the prophets. (AENT)

Acts 21: 15. And after those days, we prepared ourselves and went up to Urishlim (Jerusalem). 16. And some disciples of Caesarea went along with us, taking with them a brother from among the earlier disciples, whose name was Mnason, and who was from Cyprus; that he might entertain us at his house. 17. And when we arrived at Urishlim, the Brothers received us with great happiness. 18. And the next day, with Paul, we went to Ya’akov (James), when all the Elders were with him. 19. And we gave them (wishes) of peace: and Paul narrated to them in great detail what Elohim had created among the Gentiles by his ministry.

20. And when they heard (it) they glorified Elohim. And they said to him: “Our brother, You see how many myriads[1] there are in Judaea who have believed: and these are all zealous for Torah![2] 21. And it has been told them, of you, that you teach all the Jews that are among the Gentiles to depart from Moshe, by telling them not to circumcise their children, and not to observe the rites of Torah.[3]

22. Now, because they have heard that you have arrived here, 23. do what we tell you. We have four men, who have vowed to purify themselves. 24. Take them, and go and purify yourself with them, and pay the expenses along with them, as they will shave their heads; that every one may know, that what is said against you is false, and that you fulfill and observe Torah.

25. As to those of the Gentiles who have believed, we have written, that they should keep themselves from (an idol’s) sacrifice, and from sexual sin, and from what is strangled, and from blood.”[4] (AENT)

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Greek murias (myriads) refers to a minimum of 10,000 souls.

[2] Most translations read “zealous for the law”; it is a self-evident truth that myriads of Netzarim followers of Y’shua were also zealous for Torah! The work of the Ruach haKodesh (Set-Apart Spirit) is to write Torah (instructions in righteousness) upon the hearts of YHWH’s people, both Jew and Elohim Fearers.

[3] Attacks against Rav Shaul (Paul) by factions of rabbinical zealots were manifold. Shaul taught that faith and intent of the heart determines whether a person is ready to be circumcised and walk in Torah. At no time did Shaul teach against either circumcision or Torah; however, he opposed the “traditions of the Pharisees” who demanded blind observance to their religious traditions.

Shaul required that Gentile converts be taught about covenant and have clear understanding of what they were doing, in relationship to YHWH and His Mashiyach (Messiah) ; to be expected to know and observe complex halakha (way of walking) at early stages of belief is unacceptable. Both the Pharisees and Netzarim taught that a person must study to develop their understanding and establish the intent in their heart before circumcision, rather than blindly follow the wishes of others.

Only a small group of zealots demanded immediate circumcision, which is something Rav Shaul clearly opposes. It is very evident that Avraham received instruction before his circumcision, and he is the father of Faith for both Jews and Gentiles alike.

[4] Acts 15 does NOT suggest that Gentiles are exempt from obeying God’s Divine Instructions in Righteousness (Torah); rather, the point in the letter was to ease the mind of the new gentile believer that all the demands of Judaism would not be levied on them all at once. Rather, in the beginning, the gentile should leave behind the pagan ways of accepting as food, animals sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication. (Acts 15:29).

Are you among those who believe the “Old Testament” is irrelevant?

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO PONDER ABOUT THE BIBLE; THE FOLLOWING IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE:

If you are among the many who believe the “Old Testament” is no longer relevant today, or that it doesn’t pertain to the modern-day world, then you – unfortunately -  are DENYING that passages such as Isaiah 52 and 53 both foretell and perfectly outline the coming of God’s Messiah!

No, really – don’t sit there, rolling your eyes!  The bottom line is, you either believe ALL of the Bible is true and relevant; or not.  There is no “gray area.” 

TIME may have changed, but GOD has not! (Malachi 3; Hebrews 13:8; Hebrews 6:17–20; James 1:17; Psalm 102:25–27; Psalm 90:1–2; Isaiah 40:27–28; Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29 and 2 Timothy 2:13.)

NORMS, CUSTOMS AND STANDARDS may have changed, but the nature of humanity has not! Human beings are still the same carnal beings they always were – and we can see that more than ever in today’s corrupt, immoral society, where everything God ever considered “good” is now considered “evil”, and “evil” is now considered “good” by society at large…

So, let’s check out the passages to which I’m referring:

Isaiah 52: 13 "See how my servant will succeed! He will be raised up, exalted, highly honored! 14 Just as many were appalled at him, because he was so disfigured that he didn't even seem human and simply no longer looked like a man, 15 so now he will startle many nations; because of him, kings will be speechless. For they will see what they had not been told, they will ponder things they had never heard." (CJB)

Isaiah 53: 1 Who believes our report? To whom is the arm of ADONAI revealed? 2 For before him he grew up like a young plant, like a root out of dry ground. He was not well-formed or especially handsome; we saw him, but his appearance did not attract us. 3 People despised and avoided him, a man of pains, well acquainted with illness. Like someone from whom people turn their faces, he was despised; we did not value him.

4 In fact, it was our diseases he bore, our pains from which he suffered; yet we regarded him as punished, stricken and afflicted by God. 5 But he was wounded because of our crimes, crushed because of our sins; the disciplining that makes us whole fell on him, and by his bruises we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, went astray; we turned, each one, to his own way; yet ADONAI laid on him the guilt of all of us. Or: and in fellowship with him 7 Though mistreated, he was submissive - he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to be slaughtered, like a sheep silent before its shearers, he did not open his mouth.

8 After forcible arrest and sentencing, he was taken away; and none of his generation protested his being cut off from the land of the living for the crimes of my people, who deserved the punishment themselves. 9 He was given a grave among the wicked; in his death he was with a rich man. Although he had done no violence and had said nothing deceptive, 10 yet it pleased ADONAI to crush him with illness, to see if he would present himself as a guilt offering. If he does, he will see his offspring; and he will prolong his days; and at his hand ADONAI's desire will be accomplished.

11 After this ordeal, he will see satisfaction. "By his knowing [pain and sacrifice], my righteous servant makes many righteous; it is for their sins that he suffers. 12 Therefore I will assign him a share with the great, he will divide the spoil with the mighty, for having exposed himself to death and being counted among the sinners, while actually bearing the sin of many and interceding for the offenders." (CJB)

Do you see what I’m getting at?  To ignore ANY of the “Old Testament” is NOT a wise idea – because, without it, you cannot KNOW the God you serve – the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and His Divine Messiah! Unfortunately, many “New-Testament-only” Christians view the “Old Testament” as being interesting, but totally irrelevant “old stories”…

On the other hand, many  (if not most) Jews view the above passages as referring to Israel.  They never ask themselves how Israel can possibly "die" for Israel; or how Israel can’t be "well-formed or especially handsome" or have an "appearance that did not attract us."  They don’t ask how Israel can be "a man of pains, well acquainted with illness" or bear "our diseases" or be "forcibly arrested and taken away," or "given a grave among the wicked"…

But, yet –  just like their Christian counterparts – they will  “cherry-pick” Scripture, to find other passages to help them “tweak the truth” to match their own beliefs or understanding. (We’ve ALL been guilty of it, at some point!)

Regardless, as you can plainly see, the Bible should NEVER be viewed as “two separate “testaments.”  The “old” and the “new” are ONE ENTITY that reveal God’s Plan from beginning to end! Why is that so hard to understand?

Attempting to cherry-pick” the whole of ELOHIM’s Word is dangerous business, because it keeps one from actually KNOWING the God we worship: the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the One who never changes; the One who gave us His Only Begotten “Son” – Messiah Yeshua who willingly shed his own Divine Blood to become our Redeemer; the One who has ALWAYS expected mankind to get to know and obey His Divine Instructions, without which we would have NO blueprint for moral, holy living…

Please don’t take my word for it; simply remove those bigoted glasses through which you’ve been reading the Bible, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand GOD’s Truth as you begin reading your way from cover to cover, starting in Genesis, and heading straight through to Revelation.