Shabbat is Hebrew for Sabbath. You may be surprised to learn that the Shabbat is one of God’s appointed festivals (Leviticus 23:3 Genesis 2:2). After six days of Creation, God set apart the seventh day as a day of rest and remembrance for the whole world. After God rescued the Children of Israel from Egypt’s bondage, God further delineated that the Shabbat should have a sacred assembly—which in modern days essentially encourages doing no regular work and going to services. In Jewish households around the world, the Shabbat is a joyful celebration of God’s goodness. As Believers in Yeshua (Jesus) the Jewish Messiah and Redeemer of the world, we know that our salvation does not rest in our works, but what He has done for us (Ephesians 2:9). How beautiful that we can celebrate this miraculous event every week!
“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.” (Leviticus 23:3 CJB)
A Parasha (Hebrew: פָּרָשָׁה Pārāšâ “portion,” plural: parashot or parashiyot) formally means a section of a Biblical book in the Masoretic Text of the Tanach (Hebrew Bible). In the Masoretic Text, Parasha sections are designated by various types of spacing between them, as found in Torah scrolls, scrolls of the books of Nevi’im (Prophets) or Ketuvim (Writings, especially Megillot), masoretic codices from the Middle Ages and printed editions of the masoretic text.
The division of the text into parashot for the Biblical books is independent of chapter and verse numbers, which are not part of the masoretic tradition. Parashot are not numbered, but some have special names.
The division of parashot found in the modern-day Torah scrolls of all Jewish communities is based upon the systematic list provided by Maimonides in Mishneh Torah, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and Torah Scrolls, Chapter 8. Maimonides based his division of the parashot for the Torah on the Aleppo Codex. The division of parashot for the books of Nevi’im and Ketuvimwas never completely standardized in printed Hebrew Bibles and handwritten scrolls, though important attempts were made to document it and create fixed rules.
A parasha break creates a textual pause, roughly analogous to a modern paragraph break. Such a pause usually has one of the following purposes:
In most cases, a new parasha begins where a new topic or a new thought is clearly indicated in the Biblical text.
In many places, however, the parasha divisions are used even in places where it is clear that no new topic begins, in order to highlight a special verse by creating a textual pause before it or after it (or both).
A special example of #2 is for lists: The individual elements in many Biblical lists are separated by parasha spacing of one type or another.
To decide exactly where a new topic or thought begins within a Biblical text involves a degree of subjectivity on the part of the reader. This subjective element may help explain differences amongst the various masoretic codices in some details of the section divisions (though their degree of conformity is high). It may also explain why certain verses which might seem like introductions to a new topic lack a section division, or why such divisions sometimes appear in places where no new topic seems indicated. For this reason, the parashah divisions may at times contribute to Biblical exegesis.
Parashot appear in manuscripts as early as the Dead Sea Scrolls, in which the division is generally similar to that found in the masoretic text. The idea of spacing between portions, including the idea of “open” and “closed” portions, is mentioned in early midrashic literature and the Talmud. Early masoretic lists detailing the Babylonian tradition include systematic and detailed discussion of exactly where portions begin and which type they are.
As a group, Tiberian masoretic codices share similar but not identical parasha divisions throughout the Bible. Unlike the Babylonian mesorah, however, Tiberian masoretic notes never mention the parasha divisions or attempt to systematize them. This is related to the fact that the Babylonian lists are independent compositions, while the Tiberian notes are in the margins of the biblical text itself, which shows the parashot in a highly visible way.
In the centuries following the Tiberian mesorah, there were ever-increasing efforts to document and standardize the details of the parasha divisions, especially for the Torah, and even for Nevi’im and Ketuvim as time went on.
Join us at the Synagogue on Saturday, May 31, at 11:00 am to experience Shavuot (Feast of Weeks/Pentecost), the “Giving of the Torah“, as recorded in Exodus 20 and the “Giving of the Ruach HaKodesh“, as recorded in Acts 2. May HaShem greatly pour out His Ruach (Spirit) upon us this day.
EXTRA EXTRA: A Picnic will take place on Sunday, June 1st at 11:00 am at Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park, 100 Alderman Ford Park Drive, Lithia, FL 33547. There will be Food, Games, Hiking, Boardwalk, Playground, and Wildlife. We have Shelters 2 and 4.
It is customary to eat a dairy meal at least once during Shavuot. There are varying opinions as to why this is done. Some say it is a reminder of the promise regarding the land of Israel, a land flowing with “milk and honey.” Others say it is related to Shir HaShirim (The Song of Songs). One line of this poem reads “Honey and milk are under your tongue.” Many believe that this line is comparing the Torah to the sweetness of milk and honey.
The period from Passover to Shavuot is a time of great anticipation. We count each of the days from the second day of Passover to the day before Shavuot, 49 days or 7 full weeks, hence the name of the festival (The Counting of the Omer). Shavuot is also sometimes known as Pentecost, because it falls on the 50th day. The counting reminds us of the important connection between Passover and Shavuot: Passover freed us physically from bondage, but the giving of the Torah on Shavuot redeemed us spiritually from our bondage to idolatry and immorality.
Many observant Jews commemorate Shavuot by spending the entire night studying Torah at their synagogue or at home.
In addition to study, other Shavuot customs include:
Chanting the Ten Commandments.
Reading Megilat Rut, known as the Book of Ruth in English. This biblical book tells the story of two women: a Jewish woman named Naomi and her non-Jewish daughter-in-law Ruth. Their relationship was so strong that when Ruth’s husband died she decided to join the Jewish people by converting to Judaism. The Book of Ruth is read during Shavuot because it takes place during the harvest season and because Ruth’s conversion is thought to reflect our acceptance of the Torah on Shavuot. Also, Jewish tradition teaches that King David (Ruth’s great-great-grandson) was born and died on Shavuot.
The Biblical Reference in the Torah for Shavuot can be found in Leviticus 23:9-22
9 Adonai said to Moshe, 10 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘After you enter the land I am giving you and harvest its ripe crops, you are to bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the cohen. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before Adonai, so that you will be accepted; the cohen is to wave it on the day after the Shabbat. 12 On the day that you wave the sheaf, you are to offer a male lamb without defect, in its first year, as a burnt offering for Adonai. 13 Its grain offering is to be one gallon of fine flour mixed with olive oil, an offering made by fire to Adonai as a fragrant aroma; its drink offering is to be of wine, one quart. 14 You are not to eat bread, dried grain or fresh grain until the day you bring the offering for your God; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations, no matter where you live.
15 “‘From the day after the day of rest — that is, from the day you bring the sheaf for waving — you are to count seven full weeks, 16 until the day after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to present a new grain offering to Adonai. 17 You must bring bread from your homes for waving — two loaves made with one gallon of fine flour, baked with leaven — as firstfruits for Adonai. 18 Along with the bread, present seven lambs without defect one year old, one young bull and two rams; these will be a burnt offering for Adonai, with their grain and drink offerings, an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma forAdonai. 19 Offer one male goat as a sin offering and two male lambs one year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20 The cohen will wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before Adonai, with the two lambs; these will be holy for Adonai for the cohen. 21 On the same day, you are to call a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations, no matter where you live.
22 “‘When you harvest the ripe crops produced in your land, don’t harvest all the way to the corners of your field, and don’t gather the ears of grain left by the harvesters; leave them for the poor and the foreigner; I am Adonai your God.’”
The Biblical Reference for Shavuot in the B’rit Chadasha can be found in Acts 2
2 The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. 2 Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
5 Now there were staying in Yerushalayim religious Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered; they were confused, because each one heard the believers speaking in his own language. 7 Totally amazed, they asked, “How is this possible? Aren’t all these people who are speaking from the Galil? 8 How is it that we hear them speaking in our native languages? 9 We are Parthians, Medes, Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Y’hudah, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome; 11 Jews by birth and proselytes; Jews from Crete and from Arabia. . . ! How is it that we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great things God has done?” 12 Amazed and confused, they all went on asking each other, “What can this mean?”13 But others made fun of them and said, “They’ve just had too much wine!”
14 Then Kefa stood up with the Eleven and raised his voice to address them: “You Judeans, and all of you staying here in Yerushalayim! Let me tell you what this means! Listen carefully to me!
15 “These people ar en’t drunk, as you suppose — it’s only nine in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken about through the prophet Yo’el:
17 ‘Adonai says: “In the Last Days, I will pour out from my Spirit upon everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my slaves, both men and women, will I pour out from my Spirit in those days; and they will prophesy. 19 I will perform miracles in the sky above and signs on the earth below — blood, fire and thick smoke. 20 The sun will become dark and the moon blood before the great and fearful Day of Adonai comes. 21 And then, whoever calls on the name of Adonai will be saved.”’
