​Let me start by saying this – and yes, this is going to sound rather blunt and direct, but it is time that it is said. Stop telling Christians and all Believers that they are hateful. Stop telling believers that they are not loving their neighbor and stop telling them that they are NOT following Yahweh’s commandment to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Because, honestly, unless you know the true nature and content of their heart and soul, you are NOT in the place to judge that in them. 

I have been struggling with this article for almost 2 weeks, especially the title. Yet it came to me this morning, early, after reading a few more of these types of accusations against believers. Jim and I have gotten them ourselves – from friends, family and people we barely know. Why? For the same reason others are being called these horrible things - because we believe that closing down the country for an unlimited amount of time has become a disaster of grand proportions.

I have been wanting to say something for a few weeks – I have been hinting at it on my social media yet haven’t put it into much of a statement because I have been trying to weigh it all with scripture.

Now all the pieces are falling into place.

A little history to hopefully head off ad hominem attacks: I raised several immune challenged children into becoming healthy adults with no immune issues. My father was given HepC (1984) through blood transfusion during heart surgery. For the rest of his life he fought that virus, and sadly succumbed to it in 2003. During some of that battle he was also immune compromised due to the drug tests he was involved in while trying to fight the disease caused by the virus. I have fought immune issues on and off my whole life, which started when I was just about FIVE years old. We have elderly family members with health issues and challenges who are in the high-risk groups. Knowing all of this, I would hope and pray you can take a deep breath and see how deeply we, too, have a heart for those in risk groups.

Right now, we have adult children working as essential personnel in this. Two who are CNAs, one who is an EMT and dispatcher, an “in-law” who is a LEO, and a child who is a grocery store manager – ALL constantly exposed to YOU - the public. In addition, we know the science behind this virus and understand its transmission. So please, take that into consideration as you contemplate your reply to this article.

I just finished my last course for my Bachelor of Divinity Degree (BDiv). Until four weeks ago, I WAS planning to finish as a BDiv in Chaplaincy because I wanted to work as chaplain with my husband in Hospitals. My heart was pulled to work in the NICU’s at local hospitals. I was hoping to help my sweet elderly friend who LOVES to hold babies to get her chaplaincy certificate, too, so she could join me. We just wanted to hold those drug addicted babies and let them know they are loved – until they are healed or go home to God. I do not know if I want to go through with that now – because at this point, I don’t see hospitals opening up to our being able to serve as we see fit to do.

That is my heart and where it is at. . .

What pushed me to complete this article TODAY was a comment I read this morning from another person saying: “instead of just saying the words ‘do unto others as you would have done unto you’ why aren’t people actually putting them to use.” This comment is often accompanied by “You don’t love your neighbor!”

But do you realize, using those partial scriptures that way they are taken completely out of context? How? Because they are spoken as one piece of the puzzle which is being used as a complete package to guilt and manipulate others into doing what “YOU” believe is right. Yet that may not be what everyone believes, and what “you” feel is right may not be what everyone is called to “do,” either.

The Bible says there are TWO great commandments, NOT ONE. The first commandment and greatest, is to love GOD with all our heart, mind and soul, THEN second, we are to love our neighbor. We are to love God first, and part of that love is living as He would have us live. We trust in Him to lead us to what is right and true. Part of that is loving our neighbor, yes, and part of loving a neighbor is loving them as Yeshua would have loved them while he walked the earth. How we treat them must be weighed against this principle. When we are loving our neighbor, then, we are loving Yahweh. Do you see how they work hand in hand?

Many still attempt to imply the only command, though, is to love our neighbor, but WE know there are TWO. Yeshua tells us in scripture, too, that there is still MORE because upon those two hang ALL OTHER COMMANDMENTS. Every single one of them. We often see people leave off that last part of the scriptures.
Now, what we see happening is people of all walks (believers and non-believers) counselling others to “do unto others,” while not recognizing the balance of Christ’s words.

Some of those words of Jesus:

Mark 9:36-37 WEB He took a little child, and set him in the midst of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, doesn't receive me, but him who sent me."

Matthew 19:14 KJV - Jesus said, "Allow the little children, and do not forbid them to come to me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to ones like these."

Matthew 25:44-45 KJV - “…Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or…sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”

Matthew 18:5-6 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.

To sum it all up, we must love our neighbor and love the little children. In doing so, we are loving God. When we do anything to those neighbors and children, whether good deeds or bad, it is as if we are doing it unto Yeshua, himself. So, as you weigh your actions in this situation, think of it that way. Everything you are doing; you are doing unto Yeshua.

If what we do causes them harm, or to be led away from Christ, then we are warned that it would be better to be cast in the sea with a millstone around our necks. Many will take this time to exclaim, “YES! SEE?! That is why you all need to stay home! So, you do not make them sick with the virus!” THAT is only one piece of the puzzle, again.

THIS is where it gets complicated for those of us who serve in the church whether in an official capacity as pastor, teacher, chaplain, youth leader, or as a member who wants to love their neighbor. If whatever we do in life, we do it to God, then I MUST weigh EVERY “love your neighbor” not against ONE PART OF ONE VERSE nor against one person’s opinion. I must weigh each one against ALL of the context of scripture. 

I constantly hear people today accuse Believers of not loving their neighbor when they want the economy to reopen because “THEY” believe that ONLY those compromised or vulnerable to the virus must be guarded at this time. The problem comes when you force that opinion on others who believe they are led to be helping someone else or in a different way. This makes me ask one big question:

WHICH NEIGHBORS WOULD YOU HAVE ME LOVE?
WHICH of these neighbors should I choose?

-- The drug addicted babies I mentioned earlier in our local hospitals – their death rate and return to addiction rate increases dramatically without loving contact. We are denied that opportunity to help because chaplains can no longer go into many hospitals, programs have been put on hold.

-- MANY people – men, women, children, young adults, are all dying WITH NOONE THERE TO COMFORT THEM. No one to hold their hand – not even a loved one. It is our heart to be there when someone dies – especially considering eternity. Catholics in particular, believe it a sacrament to give/receive last rights. That is being DENIED across the country. Personal example of end of life prayers: Jim and I were there with his uncle who lived away from God for a long time. On his deathbed, he wanted forgiveness, wanted to repent – he wanted someone to hear him, he needed to know God was with him. We were privileged to be there to pray with him and help him accept Christ again into his life. We didn’t want that for US, didn’t do that for glory, we want this right for THEM, those who need it. To many people, it is the difference between Heaven and Hell. Fine – for those of you who don’t believe that, don’t. But to those that DO, it is valuable and necessary.

-- In one week alone, I was asked to pray for a little boy injured in a tornado – little man. He passed away of his injuries. NOONE was allowed to be with him. The day before that, a little 4 year old girl, health declined suddenly – diagnosed with a massive brain tumor. Her parents are denied visiting her. They are not even allowed to go to the floor and look through a window in the PICU to wave to her. These are just TWO examples of the HUNDREDS I am seeing daily.

Were YOU THERE when your children were sick???  I was – not for me, FOR THEM. They were frightened. Children don’t understand news reports and claims that this is necessary to “protect” them from a virus. They only register that mommy and daddy left them alone. AND, no chaplain to comfort the families in these situations. There have been times when people in hospitals have ASKED FOR CHAPLAINS and been denied.

-- The woman we saw in our local grocery with a massive tumor on her face, it grew that large, sadly, in just a few weeks. She was denied surgery at this point because it was considered “non-essential,” in spite of the fact it had been confirmed cancer through biopsy. She NEEDS it removed because it continues to grow, apparently quickly. We watched as another sweet sister stepped in and prayed for her, right there in the produce aisles! Praise Yahweh!

-- The man who, with his wife, are trying to help their neighbor (literal neighbor!) raise enough money to afford an attorney to fight the insurance company and coroner who declared her husband’s death corona. He was killed in a horrific accident at home. The insurance refuses to pay the life insurance because he “died during a government action.” And another family who has been given the same reply from insurance companies when the woman’s husband killed himself as his business folded, he could not get unemployment and he saw no other way out. He killed himself thinking he would leave behind that policy to help her and the kids.

-- The town in Tennessee where more people died of suicide in a week than did in the entire state from covid 19. Suicides and domestic violence have already been on the increase. In some areas dramatically. In discussing this issue with those we know personally in the first responder fields, domestic cases are not only increasing but increasing in level of violence. There appear to be more ambulance dispatches to domestics than before going on lockdown.

-- Or, the stay at home single moms who until this happened, were able to operate their small home businesses at farm markets, art markets, and craft fairs – fully supporting their families on what they make and sell. Sadly, they are now online trying to compete with millions of others trying to do the same things. Yet if they could just go back to work, they would be able to provide for their families.

Oh, maybe they should just go out and get a different job? Who will care for their children while they are working outside the home? This is why they built their home business to begin with.

And please, do not say, UNEMPLOYMENT!!! Yesterday, I listened to four nurses on the news talking about how they have been furloughed from hospitals in New York state. They applied for unemployment and have been told it could take WEEKS before they see it. Their governor recently told them to go out and get a job in essential services – they WERE in essential services to begin with.

Oh, no worries, they can survive off their stimulus money – no. Many work from home parents do not qualify for the first wave because they are 1099 employees. According to a lot of reports, they may be in the last round. So, it may be weeks before they see that money, too.  Because of financial crisis at home, tens of thousands are flooding food banks, who are running out of food faster than they can get it in.

These are all REAL EXAMPLES, just a FEW of the lives touched or ruined by this shutdown. Every day I am seeing these through our women’s ministry – people asking for prayers, direction, wisdom, or help. The list is huge, but I just want to ask you again:

PLEASE TELL ME, which neighbor do YOU believe I should love???

To some of you, you believe that the only way we can be loving our neighbor is to abide by government rules, a quarantine and economic shutdown. But WE see that many would be helped by our communities being returned to normal ways of LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS, while others would be helped by simply being allowed to GO BACK TO WORK.

We keep being told: “Oh! YOU are just all about the money!!!!” I suppose, YES, it IS about the money, in the end, isn’t it? The money to be able to feed their families, the money to keep their homes. These aren’t RICH people. These are average people. THESE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS.

So please, the next time you open your mouth and are tempted to call out that believers are hateful, that we don’t love our neighbors, that we are not doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, PLEASE take a deep breath AND JUST STOP. Remember what I have shared here. PLEASE.

My hope is that you can see ANOTHER SIDE to this now, I truly pray that you can. . . .

Loving one’s neighbor NEVER means only love ONE GROUP of people. Sometimes, we have to truly be willing to weigh EVERYTHING in The Word of God properly. . . and it is a heavy burden to do so.
 
Blessings and Shalom.
 
 
 
Scripture References
Matthew 7:12 “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

Matthew 18:5-6 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.

Matthew 22:36-40 says "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" He said to him, "'You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and first commandment. A second likewise is this, 'You are to love your neighbor as yourself.' The whole Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments."

Matthew 19:14 KJV - Jesus said, "Allow the little children, and do not forbid them to come to me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to ones like these."

Matthew 25:44-45 KJV - “…Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or…sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”
​
Romans 13:9 & 10a "…You are to love your neighbor as yourself." Love does not harm a neighbor… (New Heart Bible)

​This was an interesting year (2020) for Pesach and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. You see, we had a double Sabbath this year based on the calendar and where the first day of Unleavened Bread fell in the week. The Feast began at sundown on Thursday and went until Sundown on Friday. Then, at sundown Friday the weekly Shabbat began.

There are times when this happens around other Feast Days, too. I love it because it is a great blessing when we are prepared for it and don’t allow it to stress us that there are two in a row. If you watch well in advance for this to happen, it can give you the opportunity to enjoy two days of rest and pure shalom in a row, basking in the presence of Yahweh. All it takes is being prepared.

In the scriptures we read about Unleavened Bread’s first and last days described as such, Exodus 12:16  KJV “And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.”
Here you can see that we are told to not do any work – which means our employment or regular job, but we can do that which is needed for meals. This shows on the first and seventh day of Unleavened Bread we are permitted to do some cooking so that everyone can eat. Friday, which is our normal Shabbat preparation day, we can cook for the Feast day if we like.

Now, because of how the commandments for Unleavened Bread are written, some will say you can only cook for the Feast day, and not for Sabbath meals. This would imply a direct rule to prepare for both days in advance. The only information to back this teaching up, though, is that of oral tradition. Yet it is something to be considered. Therefore, I suggest you cook the day before the Feast day’s Sabbath – and cook for BOTH DAYS. Or at least cook as much as you can for both days and store it for when meal-times come along. Please remember this is a suggestion, not a commandment or rule. Yet it is a reasonable conclusion based on the wording in scriptures for the Feast day, and in knowing that we are not allowed to cook on Shabbat.

A quick note here on another alternative that many do. They will cook for the Feast Day, yet FAST for the Sabbath. For Passover, they would cook for their big Pesach Feast which would be eaten on the first night of Unleavened Bread, and on Friday they would cook light and easy dishes during the day for their daily meals. Then a bigger meal for the dinner that ends the First day and ushers in the weekly Shabbat. All day Shabbat they will allow children to eat cold meals – such as cereals and sandwiches – and fast all day themselves. Many either cooking a meal after sundown, or not eating again until Sunday morning’s breakfast.

Personally, a large part of my daily job is household responsibilities and food preparation. When a Feast day comes along, even though we may be “allowed” to cook according to what scripture says, I choose NOT to cook so that I, too, may enjoy the rest and relaxation as well as the joy of Feast Days. I do not want to spend my day just busily finishing up making food for others to enjoy when I could be Feasting on His word and The Spirit along with those I love. Such a blessed time for us to shut off the rest of the world while we connect with Him.

This year, on Wednesday I prepared menu ideas and grocery lists so that we could make a quick run for a few last-minute items for the Feast. Then on Thursday, I prepared our large Passover Feast, as well as Friday’s brunch. Then I set to getting most of the meals done for Fridays Shabbat dinner and Saturday’s Shabbat Brunch and dinner. I planned and created meals that would be easily reheated or eaten cold. That way, my entire day of Holy Convocation could be spent as I wished.

As far as the house, all the cleaning was started the Sunday before the Feast Day as well. Starting well in advance meant everything was done by Thursday night at Sundown! The only thing we needed to consider was dishes that would accumulate during the Feast Day. We have no dishwasher, so we tried our best to use as few dishes as possible. Then simply washed what we used right away. Except for the pots and pans. Those I just put water in, set aside with a lid and would wash Saturday night or Sunday morning. Over the years I have heard a lot of sisters mention how much they enjoy a double Shabbat because, when they prepare ahead for the entire two days, they get to delight in their family with such wonderful peace – like a mini-vacation.

The Feast Days should not become a burden for us, nor should they be a point of deep worry. They should not turn into a legalistic day of rules and regulations that must be followed as a witness of compliance. They are to be memorials, holy convocations – done in memory of the events with which Yahweh blessed His people in ancient times. There are reminders in each and every Feast Day, and we ought to be able to set aside precious time to recognize and discover for ourselves and with friends or family exactly what those messages are. It will build our relationship with Yahweh and strengthen our faith in the journey upon which we have each ventured.

When the next double Sabbath comes along, I pray you will remember these suggestions to make your days precious in every way you desire.
 
Blessings and Shalom

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
For more ideas on that topic of clean-up and making Shabbat easier, please see our article titled:
http://www.torahforwomen.com/blog/ideas-to-help-invite-shabbat-shalom
​
A few additional ideas may be found in our article titled:
http://www.torahforwomen.com/blog/are-you-making-shabbat-a-burden
​

​Why is now the time to start thinking of fall? Because you are thinking about spring gardening. Let me show you what I mean. . .
 
Last fall, I got the impression I needed to plan for spring planting. In answer to that prompting, I brought inside two Coleus plants and one nice geranium. I have nursed them all winter long and today I will be gathering cuttings from them to start spring flowers for our flower and prayer gardens. I also am taking cuttings of oregano and lemon balm. I planned to do this mainly to help reduce costs this coming springtime, that we would not need to buy any new plants.
 
And now look at what is happening in our nation – cities, towns, counties, states and individuals are deciding what you can and cannot buy, declaring things forbidden and non-essential. In fact, many places are either removing or roping off flowers, plants, seeds and things you will need to plant in your gardens. When I look back at the impressions I got in prayer, I can’t help to wonder if Yahweh was giving me a little heads-up. I am not quite certain. I AM, however, quite grateful that I listened because it will help us greatly. And I am already planning to do the same thing as summer rolls on and fall approaches.
 
I am preparing by looking at the seeds we have been able to buy, setting aside many for next year’s gardens. I have started seedlings to grow plants in as many places in the yard as I can – vegetables for the gardens, flower seeds friends have given me, and herbs so that we have a dual-purpose garden. We WILL beautify our yard; we WILL build our prayer garden; we WILL enjoy these great blessings; we WILL share our blessings as we can. I will keep hope in my heart that life will be restored as we knew it before, yet I won’t rely on the thought that next year will be different than it is at this moment. I will keep going as prompted in case we are not able to buy what we want when we want. I will plan to do as much as I can NOW for providing for the future flowers and plants.
 
So, what can YOU do?
 
Firstly, I suggest you buy a simple, inexpensive notebook (I like composition notebooks because the pages are sewn in). Label it as your garden notebook – you can keep a handwritten record of seeds, plants, and supplies.
 
I have also sketched a rough drawing of the gardens and marked where I planted specific perennials in the prayer garden. I did this because I have a bad habit of forgetting what is where! Now I know what to watch for in the spring – because I did this in the fall last year, I recognized the cute little lilac bushes we transferred last spring into the prayer gardens. They are putting out tiny leaves and have grown twice the size as they were last fall! I am excited – I know they will not bloom for another year or two, but they are easily found with my garden map, and I won’t accidentally pull them out or damage them.
 
That should be a testimony to you of the importance of keeping records!
Secondly, start planning and thinking with next year in mind. Familiarize yourself with what you can preserve as the seasons roll through. Can you save seeds or cuttings? Devise a system to trade seeds with friends and relatives, or on social media groups you join.
 
Thirdly, Can you split any plants that you already have outside and spread them to other areas of your yard? A favorite of mine are daylilies of any kind – they grow like weeds in many areas and the root ball can be split to spread around the yard.
 
Remember, too, to buy some envelopes for use as seed packets when your seed harvest comes in.
 
Ask yourself, are there any plants I can bring indoors in the fall either by harvesting cuttings or repotting? Make a list in your notebook and mark your calendar so you don’t forget to watch for cooler weather. You won’t want them damaged by an early frost. Some plants don’t come back from that shock. I always need to be careful with which ones I do this, so I don’t bring in spiders or aphids. If this is an issue for you as well, start studying now on how to transfer them indoors for your area and home.
 
Research, research, and more research! Now is the time to discover which plants are easily propagated by cuttings or root-tubers. If you CAN buy plants this spring, plan to buy those which will be easily propagated and “made new” for next year, or those which will easily and reliably reseed.
 
It may seem like a lot to think about, but now is the time, today is the day. That way, no matter what next year brings, you will be ten steps ahead of the game!
 
Garden blessings and much shalom!
 
 

Remember when you were younger and your parents would say, “Because I said so, that’s why!” Remember how much you hated those words? Well, hilariously, I found myself saying those basic words to another adult recently. We were asked why certain meats are “kosher,” and some are not. Suddenly I found myself blurting out loud, “Because God said so.” It felt funny as it rolled off the tongue, but in all honesty, that is the reason.

We can look at science and medicine for reasons why we shouldn't eat certain meats or could eat others, and we can analyze each and every form of meat out there on the market. We can address each one individually and say that pork is bad because there are articles and videos about worms in the meat. We can say Lobster is bad because it is a bottom feeder, feeding on garbage and dead animals in the ocean. Oysters, clams and other such organisms are bad for us because they filter garbage and toxins from the ocean waters. Vultures and crows because they are Yahweh’s cleaners of dead creatures. Our individual rationalization can go on and on.

My question to you would be, though, where did you get that information? From scientific studies done in modern times with modern equipment. Those things were NOT available to Moses when Yahweh gave the commandments to eat CLEAN meat and NOT eat unclean meat. God did not tell Moses, “Because one day science will show that there are worms and contaminants in those meats.” 

Interestingly, I can show you that this scientific justification will never hold true if you were a hunter. Why? Because right now there are issues with many of what the Bible calls clean meats. For example, in some areas with deer – there is the wasting disease as well as tuberculosis. The same applies to some wild turkeys,  yet both of these are clean meats. Now, due to these infections, scientific studies would declare these normally Biblically clean meats suddenly unclean. That is, IF we just rely on what science says. Please note that I am NOT telling you it is safe to eat meats infected with wasting disease, worms or TB! I am NOT – in fact, those should be avoided at all costs based on being contaminated. 

So how do we know what healthy animals to eat and what ones NOT to eat and WHY?

The why is easy – and most of you will not like that answer. Because God said so. And it is that simple. Some meats are just plain not for human consumption, and Yahweh tells us which ones. Period. You know, we humans find it easy to believe that murder is wrong, because God said so. Adultery is wrong, because God said so. But when it comes to the desire of FOOD – many feel that God doesn’t seem to know what He is talking about.

WE believe however, that He DOES know what He is talking about, and we choose to follow His instructions for our bodies.

So, to answer the other question: where do we find WHICH meats are to be eaten and which ones are not? Well, common sense does play into this when we say never eat diseased meats. That should be obvious to us. And for the rest, it’s as easy as looking in the Bible. Leviticus 11 is very clear and in depth. In it, Yahweh lays out for you what He classifies as food (meat) and what He does not. Let’s take a look.

-- Whatever animals part the hoof (are cloven-footed), and chew the cud (11:3). Do you see how Yahweh gave you TWO qualifiers? These would include cows, buffalo, bison, deer, antelopes, gazelles, goats, and sheep. That is a wide variety of meat to choose from. Some of these may be difficult to buy in any local store or even at a rural butcher shop, but who knows what you can find in the wilderness. It almost makes me wish we had a ranch where we could have a little herd of each!

-- In case there were any questions, Verse 4 goes on to tell us what we should NOT eat. These are animals which may chew the cud, or they may have cloven hooves, yet they do not have BOTH qualifiers. For example, the camel, a coney (or hyrax), and rabbit (or hare) chew the cud but don’t have parted hooves.

For those who love their pulled pork and bacon, verse 7 explains why we do not eat PORK or anything to do with pork. This would include pickled pigs’ feet, bacon, pulled pork and even LARD. The pig has a split hoof, so it is cloven-footed, but it doesn't chew the cud.  

-- What about seafood? Well, God is very specific there as well. In Leviticus 11:9 he starts by saying, 'These you may eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, that you may eat.”  

So any fish or seafood we eat MUST have fins AND scales. Do crab, lobster, shrimp, muscles, clams or oysters have fins and scales? NO, but also in that category of unclean aquatic life would be seals, whales, dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, eel, crocodiles and alligators, as well as octopus and squid. Yes, that means we even had to give up calamari!

There are a lot of types of fish left to eat, if you can find them wild caught, of course, that would be the best kind. Trout, Bass (lake and sea), flounder, salmon, anchovy, blue gill, cod, haddock, halibut, tuna, and the list could go on. Is this a little disappointing? Yes, to many it is because they have gotten so used to eating things like stuffed shrimp, clam chowder, crab legs or crab cakes, and lobster tail.

There is a way to satisfy the desire for delicious foods by taking regular fish and creating meals similar to what you had before. We have made a delicious cod chowder with lumps of cooked cod in it that was very much like a clam chowder, with creamy broth and potatoes, too. Crab cakes can be created using the same recipe you used before but substituting your favorite white fish for the crab.

-- We are then reminded that all those aquatic creatures who don't have fins and scales in the seas, rivers, and other waters are an abomination. They are not considered food to us.

-- What of poultry or fowl? Yahweh covers that as well. Verse 13 starts us off by saying which shall NOT be eaten: the eagle, vulture, black vulture, red kite, black kite, raven, horned owl, screech owl,  gull, any kind of hawk, little owl, cormorant, great owl, white owl, desert owl, osprey, stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.

I have to giggle here because we have ravens or crows here that are bigger than a good-sized chicken! Jim and I always joke about not needing a chicken coup if we could only eat the crows! I saw one the other day I thought was as big as a small wild turkey hen! But, alas, they are unclean – and probably best because we see them in everyone’s garbage and stealing animal corpses from the streets!

-- This part grosses me out and I pray we never have to rely on this information, but it is a part of the Biblical diet. Verse 20 reminds us that all flying insects walking on all fours are an abomination. Yet there IS a list of creepy crawlers you may eat: any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, and grasshopper. I suppose if I were starving I wouldn’t balk as much as I do right now, yet I have decided I will just tuck this information aside for another decade or five.

- There are some creeping things which are unclean. And these might remind you of an open-air market in some foreign country where the cuisine is more unique than our own. Things such as weasel, rat, any kind of great lizard, gecko, monitor lizard, the wall lizard, skink, and the chameleon. We will also add salamanders here, although they also might fit into the category for aquatic life.

This is a rather extensive list that Yahweh has prepared for us to provide meat sources for the family. We can either choose to look at the plus side to this, and all the things we CAN eat, or we can look at the list as an invasion into our comfort zone and rebel against God's word. It is always your choice which direction you would go. That is between you and Him. 

- I will note here that it is always a good idea to have two witnesses to scriptural teachings. For that we can attest to the fact that Deuteronomy 14 confirms what Yahweh wants us to consider clean meat (food) and that which He does not. 

Before you get annoyed, know this: We have all been there asking “Are you sure that we are not to eat this meat or that food?” Yes, we are certain, and I get it – pork bacon is crispy and yummy. Crab and lobster are REALLY GOOD tasting. Especially dipped in deeply rich garlic butter. And yes, crabs and spaghetti or muscles are a tradition in many families – especially Mediterranean Families. Yet, you have to ask at some point in life, "am I going to go by my taste buds and traditions or am I going to go by what Yahweh has told me to do?" Many times, we believe we must follow CERTAIN commandments, and we are willing to do so. Like those which we openly recognize and don’t really impose upon our lives or desires. Those are usually the ones contained in the list of Ten Commandments with which we are most familiar.

Yet there are countless more instructions throughout His word that we ought to seek after simply because Yeshua said, “Come, Follow me.” That desire to follow Him should fill our hearts as we try to be like Him. Please remember that He did not tell us to come follow Him when it is comfortable for us to do so. In fact, it is often VERY uncomfortable, sometimes seriously inconvenient, maybe even emotionally painful to follow Him – just look at the rich young man who was told to give up all that he had – and he could not do it. Not even for Christ.

Will you?

Shalom. 
​

Scripture References:

Leviticus 11  The clean meat verses

Deuteronomy 14:1-21  The clean meats verses

Matthew 19:16–30   The Rich Young Man

This question is very easy to answer – no. We do not follow a strict Kosher diet.

You will often see us use the word “Kosher” because it sometimes makes it easier to explain things to our family and friends. We ARE trying to work our way away from using the term because it is clearly rabbinic in nature and does not describe our teachings exactly.

We believe in following the biblical diet as described by Yahweh in scriptures. Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 explain this very well. Rabbinic teachings, however, take things down a different road sometimes and allow certain ingredients that we would not consume ourselves.

Additionally, rabbinic teachings would include being very strict on not allowing foods to be cooked in the same pots as certain other foods. This is very restrictive, and in many homes or cultures, almost impossible to accomplish.

A final requirement of following a strict Kosher diet is that food preparation and other aspects must be approved by and/or blessed by the rabbi. Because we are not participants in, nor are we practicing Judaism, we do not follow this path either.

What we follow is, as I said, a Biblical diet. We believe that the Bible describes what is food and what is not food. This is especially important in the area of meats. Some things which have become extremely common in especially the American diet today, are things Yahweh labelled as “unclean” and also labelled “abominable.” One thought that often comes across my mind is that many Believers in Christ very openly believe certain behaviours to be abominable – such as those under Yahweh’s moral code: adultery, sexual immorality, pornography, etc. They also would believe that abuse of spouse or children would be abominable. But if you press them regarding the topic of certain meats being abominable, they will say Yahweh did away with that restriction or counsel. We can show through scripture that this is not the case.

Therefore, we choose to follow the descriptions of food as Yahweh designed them to be.

I hope this helps to clarify for you.
 
Blessings and Shalom.

For more information, please see our article titled "Why Aren't Rabbits Kosher?"

​This message is designed to be a simple, practical application of the scriptures for the first two Biblical Feasts, which are also part of what are commonly called the Spring Feasts. We are going to show what is done and commanded in scriptures, and how we apply those in our lives and home.  We hope this will help you to simplify your feasts and enjoy them in pure shalom that will fill you to over-flowing. This blog will speak on Passover and Unleavened Bread.

First, let me say, Passover and the Feast of Unleavened bread are TWO DIFFERENT EVENTS. We need to say that right off the bat because many people believe the entire upcoming Feast time is considered “Passover.” It is not. This is a tradition of Judaism. It also seems to make it easier for public calendaring, which you can see on the standard printed Gregorian calendars.  In fact, there are THREE events coming up in this spring feast season and a fourth event coming up closer to the start of summer season here in the United States:

1) Passover
2) Feast of Unleavened Bread
3) First Fruits
4) Shavuot or Pentecost

We will be only covering the first two for now.

When we celebrate Passover and Unleavened Bread
​
We follow the Hillel 2 calendar for positioning our time of celebration. We believe that we are to be one body, and that is the biggest reason for following the current, standard Hebrew calendar. Is it because we believe in following the Jews and their traditions? No. It is simpler than that - the majority of people who celebrate Pesach follow this calendar. For information as to more explanation why we do, you can read our free e-book on our parent ministry website at this link:
http://www.shofarproductions.com/who-made-you-lord-of-the-calendar.html

That being said, we then use what is written in Exodus 12. The calendar we use can be downloaded at www.hebcal.com and it will be marked with which Gregorian date of the year the 1st of Nisan occurs. From there we can follow the days mentioned in scripture.

For example, Exodus 12:6 says that the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew year (The Month of Nisan) would be the day that the lamb was killed during the years of sacrifice. It was killed at twilight, before sundown. Prepared, and roasted (verse 8). Then, after sundown on the 15th day of the month, the lamb was eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread, leaving no leftovers.

Verse 11 in Exodus 12 says they ate with their loins girded (dressed to travel), shoes on, staff in hand. They ate quickly, didn’t dally or linger for too long. Thus, they would be ready to leave the moment Yahweh said they needed to load up and go, in haste.

Then they would be eating unleavened bread every day for six additional days – a total of seven days.

This means the timing is from sundown, the 15th of Nisan to sundown on the 21st of Nisan. The first and seventh days both are holy days where no work is done except that which needs done for meals.

Pretty simple instructions which we can each use as a model for honoring this time of year. Verse 14 says we are to celebrate these feasts for a memorial. In addition to this, we are told three times to do it forever, verses 14, 17, and 24.
 
Décor

Exodus 12:7 describes what Yahweh’s people were to do after slaughtering the lamb: using hyssop as a paintbrush, brush blood on the lintels and doorposts of each home. This would mark their homes so that the angel of death would pass them by.  

As a reminder to ourselves of the blood on the door posts from ancient times, we have a deep red fabric which we take and hang over the top (lintel) of the door frame of our front door. The sides of that fabric drape down the door posts on each side. I would love to hang this on the outside of our home, but we do this on the INSIDE because our home is white, and we don’t have a covered porch. I have had such difficulty with fabrics bleeding in the last 10-plus years even after being washed. I don’t want it dripping down the siding of the house! One day, I hope we can hang it on the inside for ourselves AND on the outside as a demonstration for others.

I have spoken with families over the years who do this, too. On their main entrance, and some do it on each bedroom door for the children, too. It gives the children a visual of how Yahweh’s people were protected and covered during that time of the Exodus when the angel of death came. This can be shared as an illustration of how Yahweh continues to protect YOUR children NOW – giving personal experiences when He has done so for them during the year. As they grow up, they will have a witness of how Yahweh is there for them. He isn’t some vague provider in the shadows. This makes it real for our children and grandchildren. Have there been times when the family had accidents that should have been worse? Or in which someone should have been seriously hurt? Have there been miracle healings in their lives? Was their conception or birth a miracle? Did Abba stop them from making a dangerous decision or mistake?

You can even have them write these down in their journal – adding new experiences of protection and provision each year. If you have been helping them over the year to already write these down as they happen, you can use this time to sit and have them re-read these experiences out loud. This makes a great time for you to discuss with the kids all about the Exodus, too, as commanded in Exodus 12:26-27.

We have a walking stick we also place in the corner of our home by the front door. Again, as a reminder of the haste the people made in the Exodus. It also reminds us to always be ready for when Yahweh calls us to move. We have had this experience where He has instructed us to leave a state we were living in and settle somewhere new - our own mini-exodus!

Another item of décor we would like to have one day is a big stuffed lamb. A cute image of how the family had to care for that lamb, love it, feed it, and such before using it for the sacrifice.
 
Cleaning out the Leaven

Many people start months before Passover cleaning out the leaven. They will begin cleaning out every nook and cranny of any place which might be hiding crumbs of leavened product. Some will even wash walls, ceilings and what not before Passover begins because they believe they must literally get out ALL the microscopic leaven, or yeast, from their homes.

Here’s the catch. It is impossible to get out all the yeast from ANY home, ever. It exists in our air, 24/7, 365. It’s just there. Is it a nice idea to do your spring cleaning this time of year? SURE! Why not? It’s spring! And with the nicer weather coming, it would be nice to start this lovely time with a sparkling clean home. I often start in January organizing, reorganizing, and even purging things from our home. It helps me stay busy in winter while I would rather be outside working in the gardens! It also gives us a chance to get rid of piles of accumulated junk and paper that we just knew we would "need" some day! To me it is a great time to even give your home a new look, if you want, by rearranging furniture, washing curtains, or even adding a new piece or two!

However, there isn’t a need to stress yourself over every tiny particle. There is no commandment to sterilize your home of leaven.

https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/sourdough2.htm

What we do:

I have a fairly frugal mind-set. I have for a long time. I do not like to waste. So, I do not like to throw out food that contains yeast, if I can prevent it. So, any products which contain yeast as an ingredient, which is very few for us, we will use up throughout the week or two before the Holy Days begin. As an example of this, I had a bag of homemade breadcrumbs in the freezer which needed to get used right away. Last week we ate meatloaf and hamburgers. Each used a little of those breadcrumbs to hold them together. But we still had half a bag left! This week, two nights in a row we made meals with ground chicken – hamburgers again and Italian Wedding Soup which has little meatballs in it. Breadcrumbs are now gone.

Another thing we pay attention to in our home is homemade bread products which contain added yeast or homemade sourdough starter. Sourdough, the old fashioned or ancient form of yeast, is what is truly meant as leaven in scripture on this topic. If we have any on hand, we use it up. Before the last week prior to Passover, we use the sourdough starter to make crackers, bagels, soft pretzels, pitas, or any number of other delicious treats. If i wait to long to get started on using it up, it may feel like we are eating a LOT more bread product than the rest of the year!

Will we dust and vacuum and clean the house? Of course, we will. Wouldn’t we do that before any holiday or celebration? Yet it isn’t a stressful event for me because I take into consideration simply what Yahweh told His ancient people.

Now is a great time to mention those easy matzah crackers you can purchase in the grocery stores or online. They are wonderful, make life easy so that you don’t need to bake unleavened bread from scratch every single day. We buy some when we can find them and enjoy them with peanut butter, dips, spreads, etc. The question always arises about the label that says “Not Kosher For Passover.” Many believe you MUST ONLY buy those marked "Kosher for Passover."

When these are labelled “Kosher for Passover” it simply means that a rabbi certified that batch was made and baked before the 18 minute cutoff rabbinics has declared is the time it takes natural yeast to leaven the dough. We do not follow this rabbinic tradition. Yeast begins to multiply at different rates dependent upon conditions such as temperature, moisture levels, natural sugars in the flour, and such. This is merely a rabbinic rule or law, and is not scriptural. You can buy whichever box you choose to. They DO make things a bit easier.
 
Foods we serve for our feast:

- Lamb, when we can find it and afford it, otherwise we have some other delicious feast meat
- Charoset made from chopped apples and walnuts. Some also add wine and allow it to marinate over night. Other additions can be raisins or coconut.
- Unleavened bread, Matzah, lefse bread, na’an, tortillas, or other unleavened flatbread.
- Hummus with horseradish (which is a bitter herb), roasted peppers, garlic, and olive oil; goes GREAT with matzah or other unleavened breads.
- Bitter herbs – often these are any form of early greens which can be picked or purchased. We currently have some delicious wild mustard greens growing in our garden. Some other suggestions would include:
            Dandelion                 Collards              Turnip greens
            Escarole                     Green onion     Beet greens
            Horseradish             Kale
            Chicory                       Celery
            Mustard                     Parsley

We do not kill our own lamb, and we also do not eat a whole lamb because there are only two of us. We buy lamb cuts when we can find them, otherwise we have been known to cook Cornish hens, a whole chicken, even a turkey. Something special we might not cook very often through the year.
 
Activities we enjoy during the Feast of Unleavened Bread:

The Bible states there are two days of Holy Convocation. We take those days to rest from our jobs, and I choose not to do any yard work or heavy household work as well. The 1st and 7th days are the  only two we take off completely. UNLESS there is a Shabbat in there as well. Of course, we ALWAYS rest on Shabbat. Other than the FIRST and SEVENTH days, we continue working our jobs. Yet we take a few minutes at dinner to remember the Exodus, the sacrifices they made, and the harsh travels wandering around the wilderness until they entered the promised land. It is during this time we honor them by partaking of our daily unleavened bread.

A few things we also enjoy doing together:

- Watching the old movie, The Ten Commandments. This is an annual tradition for us – although it contains some artistic license, it is still a fun thing we enjoy with some yummy snacks or treats.
- Watching “The Passion of the Christ.” This one always makes me cry at how much Yeshua was willing to give for ME.
- Reading of the Exodus as commanded in scripture. For this we often take the time to send text message reminders to our children about certain messages contained in the story. We cater these to their level of spirituality – our grown kids range from partial attendance in church to agnostics to world traveling missionaries. As our grandchildren grow, we treasure the times we will be able to share with them as well in this same fashion. When schedules permit, because none of our family celebrate the Feast days, we also call and talk with them of this time of year. We try to not be over-bearing or over-whelming in our conversations, simply try our best to share what we are doing.

A simple way to accomplish this would be to pray first, then call and somewhere in the conversation mention that you are having a feast that evening. We often get a reply something to the effect of, “Why? It isn’t Thanksgiving!”  Just roll with it by replying, “No, it’s Passover and the Feast of Unleavened bread so we are having a dinner like Moses did with HIS family when he left Egypt.” Sometimes this opens a door to talk more and remind them of our blessed time of year. . . other times it slams doors. Try to go with the flow and be loving and gentle.
 
Should we follow all the Jewish traditions for the Passover Seder?

Should you? This is a question that implies it is a command to do the Haggadah and the Seder plate with all its accoutrements. It is NOT. This is Jewish tradition. Might it be nice to do as a cultural experience? That is up to you as a family or individual to decide. We had done it before and shared it with some of our family members. We choose not to any longer as it is not scriptural. Additionally, much of it is related to Kabbalah. We do not follow nor recommend Kabbalah as it is mysticism.   

There are MANY traditions for Passover that are merely that, traditions. This is why we have taken this message simply back to scripture and shared our own personal activities we do to keep us focused on the events of the ancient times.
 
​Shalom
 
Scriptures for additional reading:
Exodus Chapter 12
Leviticus 23
Numbers 28
Deuteronomy 16​