Tsiyon News

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"Out of Tsiyon, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth" Psalm 50:2

Tsiyon News

Have a Joyous Last Great Day!

The Last Great Day begins at sundown of October 20, the 22nd day of the 7th Biblical month. This is the most joyous of all Biblical feasts! More about this below.

Listener Q + A

Listener Comment - I Am or Will Be?
Today, I came across a teaching on Shemot/Exodus 3:14. Summarized, the teaching says that the more accurate Anglo-Saxon rendering of the 'I AM' is 'will be.'

Tsiyon Answer - I Am or Will Be?
The Name is far more meaningful than can be captured in any short English phrase. The Hebrew word "Ehyeh" is grammatically imperfect. This means the subject has not yet been completed, might already be completed, or might be completed in the future. There is an element of action involved, meaning that YHWH acts, not just that YHWH exists. "I will be who I will be" thus conveys that active aspect involved in the Name.

I take the phrase "I will be who I will be" as a promise of unfolding revelation. Through His actions in time, in relation to His people, YHWH reveals Himself. Indeed, YHWH will never be fully known, in the sense that He will forever be revealing more of who He is through the things He does and will do - and there will be no end to that.

The phrase in Revelation 4:8 applied to YHWH - “who was and who is and who is to come!” - captures something of this sense.

Listener Comment - 'beracha' in Torah?
Excerpt from the Orthodox Brit Chadasha, Matthew 26:27 - 29

THE FINAL KIDDUSH IN ZIKARON (REMEMBRANCE) OF REBBE, MELECH HAMOSHIACH WHOSE TZAVA'AH (LAST WILL) IS THE BRIT CHADASHA KAPPARAH FOR OUR SELICHA (FORGIVENESS) AND DEVEKUS (COMMUNION WITH G-D) 27 And having taken the Kiddush Cup (Kos) and having made the beracha, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my [Moshiach's] Dahm HaBrit HaChadasha, which is being shed LARABBIM (`for Many` YESHAYAH 53:11-12) for the selicha (forgiveness) of chatta'im (sins). 29 And I say to you, I will by no means drink from now on of this p'ri hagefen (fruit of the vine) until that Day when I drink it with you chadash (new) in the Malchut Avi (Kingdom of my Father)."

My question ; where do I find the 'beracha' mentioned in Torah & what is it ?

Tsiyon Answer - 'beracha' in Torah

The simple meaning of the word is "blessing." In the Greek text of Matthew the word is "eulogeo."

G2127 - ευλογέω - eulogeō
Thayer Definition:
1) to praise, celebrate with praises
2) to invoke blessings
3) to consecrate a thing with solemn prayers
3a) to ask God’s blessing on a thing
3b) pray God to bless it to one’s use
3c) pronounce a consecratory blessing on

The corresponding Hebrew word is "berachah" derived from bârak "bless." Strong's defines the word "berachah" as follows:

H1293 - בּרכה - berâkâh - ber-aw-kaw'

From H1288; benediction; by implication prosperity: - blessing..

The first verse in Scripture to use the word is here:

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing[H1293] Gen 12:2

In the traditional Pharisaic Jewish religion berachot are specific prayers for specific rituals. This is not the meaning in the Torah, where any blessing is indicated by the word.

In short, in Torah berachah means a blessing, with a secondary meaning of a prayer.

So was Y'shua repeating a traditional Jewish prayer for Passover or was he simply offering an impromptu heart-felt blessing? He Himself said; "In praying, don’t use vain repetitions.." (Matt 6:7). This statement makes it unlikely that He adhered to the repetitious prayers of the Pharisees. The sense is that He offered a simple prayer over the bread, as we also should do in thanks for what YHWH provides.

Listener Comment - What about Lilith & Kabala?
I recently heard about the story of Lilith and, after researching the internet found information that stated this story was one housed inside of the Kabballah. The site stated the Kabala was based on mysticism and mythology but was also supposed to help in understanding the Jewish religion. Can you tell me if this is true and, if not, what the Kabala actually is? Thanks.

Tsiyon Answer - What about Lilith & Kabala?

Kabbalah/Kabala defies description, but this Wikipedia description is a good start:

"Kabbalah/Kabala (Hebrew: קַבָּלָה‎ lit. "receiving"; often contemporary transliteration with a 'K' distinguishes from other, derivative traditions outside Judaism) is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence (Southern France) and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine. It was popularized in the form of Hassidic Judaism in the 18th century."

Kabbalah/Kabala, among other things, involves using the name of YHWH as a magical incantation - something entirely contrary to the Commandments. It also involves many stories and ideas which are not Scriptural.

As for the story of Lilith, it is a Jewish fable that should in no way be seen as part of the historical record presented in Genesis.

Tsiyon Paradigm Shift #261