Strong-and-Good-Courage
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Tanakh versions:
Throughout this site I use any of the following three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions!
Colour coded
details of our beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon,
Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and
Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and
Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some
alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’
of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim,
having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following
truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2.
However, sadly both priests and rabbis broke אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s command’s
and made countless alterations, please just check Tehillim - Psalm 53, where
they removed the sacred Name of יְהוָה -
the LORD seven times, and replaced it with אֱלֹהִים in Hebrew as well as God
in the English translation. Myself having been an archaeologist in the past, I
have seen a partial piece of this Tehillim in Jerusalem, and it had the
original blessed Name of our Beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohm as ... “Yod, He, Vav, He”. This was, and still
remains an utter disgrace of what priests and rabbis have done! Be assured they
have and shall be severly punished for their evil.
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Devarim - Deuteronomy 32:1 to 52..
With Rabbi, Dr.
Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD..
“Give ear, ye
heavens, and I will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. My
doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech
shall distil as the dew; as the small rain upon the tender grass, and as the
showers upon the herb. For I will proclaim the name of יְהוָה
- the LORD; ascribe ye greatness unto our אֱלֹהִים -
Elohim” Devarim - Deuteronomy 32:1-3 (JPS-1917 version of the
Torah).
The three
verses above are from Davarim, and like above His greatness and love will be
beautifully revealed in this study as we look at ourselves as we have come to
Rosh HaShanah once
more.
The Story of the $20 Dollar Note (Bill):
There is an
old story that goes as follows:
“A rabbi
visiting the Netherlands decided for certain reasons to commence his class by holding
up a fine crisp brand new f20 guilder note (pre the introduction of the
Euro) and asked, “Who would like this f20 guilder note?” Of course every
single hand in the room shot up. Yet, he continued, ‘I am going to give this f20
guilder note to one of you’, he said. ‘But first, I am going to do this’. And,
he proceeded to crumple up the f20 guilder note in his hand and said
‘Who wants it now?’ he asked. The hands went straight back up. ‘Really?’ he
said. ‘Well, but what if I do this to it? And he dropped the note on a rather
dirty wooden floor and began to grind it all up. He then paused and picked it
up again, and held it up, with it looking very crumpled and rather dirty.
‘Well, who wants it now?’ he asked. And again all the hands went straight back
up.
‘My
friends, the rabbi said ‘you have learned a most valuable lesson. When I
started this lesson, this note was worth f20 guilders. And no matter
what I did to it, you still wanted it. Because no matter
what happened to that note, it did not decrease its value’.
The rabbi
went on and explained what this all meant, and why he decided to use this f20
guilders note, etc. He, being my-self, then told the class, ‘The truth is we are that f20 guilder
note, for it had been crushed, and crumbled and we have been dropped
and ground into the dirt as if we were worthless. Bad decisions or simply
hapless circumstances which we were unable to control and make us feel, if we
were of no value what-so-ever, due to those who were evil in the past. But
never forget, no matter what has happened to to all
of us, or our people, or will happen to us in the future, we will always have
great value in the eyes of those who love you, especially our אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, for we
are special!”
“אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD
Elohim did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more
in number than any people, No, for ye were the fewest of all
peoples” Devarim - Deuteronomy 7:7 (JPS).
Obviously,
if we think about it the aforementioned should really speak to us for many
reasons and considering Rosh Hashanah commenced a time of reflection regarding
the year that has just passed. Or the year that is yet to come. Thus this past
year bears some reflection. For in the past few years we have all seen a great
deal of pain and hardship throughout the country as well as throughout the
world.
In our
previous Parashat we had a very powerful verse, which included a statement that
had words that resounded through history right into our own time;
“Chazak V’ematz” - “Be strong and of good courage” Devarim - Deuteronomy
31:7 (JPS).
We all know
too well, for there has been a great deal of brokenness during recent years,
certainly far more than I can recall than in many, many years. I am sure we
have seen people crumpled and ground down with the devastating events running
rampant, then there were the shocking and extreme weather conditions, bush
(wild) fires, floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, wars of the
worst kinds possible endangering the entire world.
And there would
have been countless other problems more personal nature in our lives, which is
getting harder by the day, as the world economy is suffering day after day due
to the current world conditions, thanks to Russia’s evils conquest into
the Ukraine! Sadly many people have lost their jobs and some seem to have
lost hope.
We have all
seen difficult times before but I am always the most optimistic of realists.
But somehow, as we enter this Rosh Hashanah, take heart for there is always
hope and remember, no matter what we Hebrews have gone through, and we have
gone through more than most, we will always HAVE אֱלֹהִים - Elohim
assurance of a positive future, even though we have wronged our loving אֱלֹהִים - Elohim in
the past!
“And I will
sanctify My great Name, which hath been profaned among the nations, which ye
have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am יְהוָהsaith the LORD, when I shall be sanctified in you before
their eyes. For
I will take you (Yisrael) from
among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you
into your own land … Then the nations that are left round about you shall know
that I יְהוָה - the LORD have builded the
ruined places, and planted that which was desolate; I יְהוָה - the LORD have spoken it, and
I will do it. Thus saith יְהוָה - the LORDְ, I will yet do
for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will
increase them with men like a flock” Yechezkel - Ezekiel 36:24 -
36-37 (JPS).
And also
the following powerful prophecy;
“I remember
My covenant with Ya’aqov - Jacob, and also My covenant with Yitzchak - Isaac,
and also My covenant with Avraham will I remember; and I will remember the land
… And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I
will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and
to break My covenant with them; for I am יְהוָה - the
LORD their אֱלֹהִים - Elohim. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their
ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the
nations, that I might be their אֱלֹהִים: I am יְהוָה - the LORD” Vayikra - Leviticus 26:42, 44-45 (JPS).
Restless
souls tend to yearn for some relief and some sense of validation. But sometimes
I am well aware that many are looking in the wrong place. Sometimes I believe
the old ways are not always the best ways, as many are turning to the mental
health system, when the spiritual is always the better, for the older and more
eternal is able to nourish us and allow our souls to blossom, even as we
struggle. The problem is we are just not used to asking.
“And Elohim
created man in His own image, in the image of Elohim created He him; male and
female created He them. And אֱלֹהִים - Elohim blessed
them” Bereshit - Genesis 1:27-28 (JPS).
But if we
are created - “B’tzelem Elohim”, “in the
image of Elohim”, as I believe we are – then a simple truth emerges: we
are valued; we are
valuable, no matter
what. It is not the love of another which
validates us. We, each of us are fully deserving by
His love! Yes we might well be crumpled, but we will never lose our intrinsic
worth. Many years ago I fell chronically ill and today I live in a crumpled
body, yet I continue in a completely undiminished spirit, for My אֱלֹהִים - Elohim is with me, and even from my wheelchair I am able
to share my messages with you!
When we are
lost and alone, when you feel that no one knows us or loves us; when we are
crumpled and torn we doubt our own value: there is a path.
The
Psalmist, who knows well the pain of life, tells us about the Holy One, the אֱלֹהִים - Elohim,
blessed be He, we have always known, and who always knows us:
“He gathereth together the dispersed of Israel;
Who healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He counteth the
number of the stars; He giveth them all
their names” Tehillim - Psalms 147:2-4 (JPS).
The
Psalmist clearly tells us: that we are known, even when we are alone. The
innumerable stars are known by the One who our tradition calls “The Holy
One Blessed be He” and the “Source of Life”.
The world
tends to have many images and metaphors to explain of what we cannot directly
perceive. But though we think about אֱלֹהִים - Elohim,
blessed be He, in many ways, I believe that we simply do not think about our
beloved Creator - Elohim enough.
Why not
start with gratitude for what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim has
done in your life?
Yes, there
has been difficult times of late, but think about it, I am sure that you can
remember countless happy and memorable events that have occurred in your life!
Remember
this; Even when we feel broken, remember that we are always valued, for יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, is always
by your side!
When I am
felling low, as for me there is one thing I ask of Elohim, for I only seek for
my future the following
“One thing
have I asked of יְהוָה - the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the
house of all the days of my life, to behold the graciousness of יְהוָה - the LORD, and to visit early in His Temple” Tehillim - Psalms
27:4 (JPS).
Life is
precious and we are finely balanced. Sometimes that balance may be shattered
and we tumble and feel lost in the void. But no matter our circumstances, no
matter how crumpled and crushed we are, so long as the breath of life is within
us, we can give thanks for life. And from that place of gratitude, we can feel
the Divine Presence supporting us. Sometimes, even in our pain, our spirits can
soar with the breath of life. יְהוָה - the LORD gives us life,
the most precious gift, and we have value.
I said
earlier that “we were special” you might ask, on what grounds do you make that
statement? Simple from what our Creator said!
“Ye shall
be unto Me a kingdom of
priests, and a holy nation” Shemot - Exodus 19:6 (JPS).
Yes, we
have made mistakes and we have been punished for them, but we have also read
that;
“And yet
for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject
them, neither will I abhor them” Vayikra - Leviticus 26:42:44 (JPS).
As we begin
a new year, we reflect on the brokenness of the year that has passed. May אֱלֹהִים -Elohim grant us
the patience to still the voice of our own despair! May we have the courage to
reach out to Holiness and begin to feel whole again.
May His embrace remind us that no matter how we are crumpled, we are
still valued. And may this Year bring us
‘Healing’, ‘Joy’ and ‘Peace’. Shalom.
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This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember
what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be
He, said the following via several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
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He
is the one who gave us our Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom =
Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of
hosts. be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as
well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your
daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and
regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before food and
drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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