High Holy Days

High Holy Days

What about Repentance?

Repent is a confusing word. It is one of those English words that has more than one meaning. One meaning is “to feel regret” or “to feel sorry.” A strong regret, but still primarily a feeling. We see this usage in the King James Version of the Bible in places such as “God repented that He had created man” at the time of Noah. The other meaning is…

Forty Days

The Forty Days of Repentance have started. The Jewish world is preparing for the High Holy Days, but some of you may be wondering, “What does this have to do with us, the followers of Messiah Yeshua?” For hasn’t our Messiah: …entered into the Holies once for all—not by the blood of goats and calves but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. (Heb…

Getting It Right

Yom Kippur gives us the chance to get it right. Right with HaShem and right with one another. This day is a day of national repentance and cleansing, so that the Jewish people can intercede for all nations during Sukkot. But, every nation, every kingdom, is made of individuals. Each of us must address our issues individually, so we can address our national sins before The…

Foods of Rosh Hashanah

Are you wondering what to serve when we celebrate Rosh Hashanah (Yom Teruah)? We all know that it’s not really a Jewish Festival without food… unless, of course, it’s Yom Kippur and we’re instructed to “afflict ourselves” by fasting. But even then, a fair bit of thought goes into what will be served at the break-fast after…

Yom Teruah

So our Fall Festivals, or High Holy Days, are almost upon us. Here we are past halfway through the month of Elul and fast approaching the 1st of Tishrei, the first of our Feasts. So here is the question—is that first holy day Yom Teruah, Feast of Trumpets, or is it Rosh Hashanah, New Year? The answer is YES! The 1st of Tishrei is, in fact, both of these things, together,…