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Having
Light in Our Dwellings Most
of you here are young enough that you cannot think to imagine, much less
remember, living in a home that was not even wired for electricity.
Without our electricity for lighting we would feel like we were truly
isolated and discomforted, since along with the lights, comes our
computers, our radios and televisions and for many our heating and our
cooling. As a child I remember well
having the light from the fireplace or an oil lamp as the only
illumination in our house. Knowing nothing different your eyes would
adjust to the lesser light until you felt you were seeing fine. You came
to the point that you did not bump into things, you could tell where you
were going, somewhat. Only in the morning were
you able to see all the dust you had left when it was your turn to dust
the furniture. You found the little pile of dirt your sister had left
while sweeping the kitchen floor after the supper dishes were washed. A
little dust here and a little dirt there. If light had not come with
daybreak, can you imagine how our house would have looked to those who
came in with light? We may find and remove all
the dust and dirt in our houses but do we allow it to slowly accumulate
in our day to day lives while we adjust to a little darkness entering
our thinking, our actions, until our eyes are able to discern our way,
but not clearly. We can no more know, what
we do not know, than we can see, what we do not see. It is vital to our
very survival to keep the light shining on the way so we can see clearly
and not stumble and find ourselves skipping merrily down the wrong road
complimenting ourselves on our vision. We need windows for the
sun to shine into our houses to give us light during the day. In fact we
need clean windows. We also need to be open to
the light (enlightenment) from the Source of all light and all
understanding. We need to refuse to continue walking in any degree of
darkness concerning the way He has laid out for us in Torah. Can we immediately
understand all, have perfect vision and understanding? I doubt it, short
of a miracle but we can help drive away darkness for ourselves and for
others. When we share the light we have, it does not lessen what we
have, rather we receive more. Tender and open hearts, a
desire to know Him and understand His Torah, are necessary requirements
if we are to receive light from YHWH. How can we have light in
our dwellings? YHWH hardened Paroh’s
(Pharaoh’s) heart. Shemot (Exod) 10:20-23 20
But YHWH hardened Paroh’s (Pharaoh’s) heart, so that he would
not let the children of 21
And YHWH said to Moshe, Stretch out your hand toward the heavens,
that there may be darkness over the 22
And Moshe stretched forth his hand toward the heavens; and there
was a thick darkness in all the 23
They did not see one another, nor did any rise from his place for
three days: but all the children of Israel
had light in their dwellings. Why do you think all the
children of Yisrael had light in their dwellings but Mitzrayim sat in
darkness? May we explore together
some ways to keep the light shining and to dispel the darkness? Vayikra (Lev) 3:17 17
It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout
all your dwellings and meeting places, that you do not eat fat or blood. He speaks of Shabbat in: Vayikra (Lev) 23:3 3
For six days shall your work be done: but the seventh day is the
Shabbat of rest, and a miqra qodesh (a set-apart convocation); you shall
do no work on that day: it is the Shabbat of YHWH in all your dwellings
and meeting places.
14
You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the
very day you bring this offering to your Elohiym. This is to be a
lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. 21
On that same day you are to proclaim a miqra qodesh (a sacred
assembly) and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for
the generations to come, wherever you live. 22
"'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the
very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave
them for the poor and the alien. I am YHWH your Elohiym.'" 26
YHWH said to Moshe, 27
"The tenth day of the seventh month is Yom HaKippuriym, (the
Day of Atonement). Hold a Miqra Qodesh (a sacred assembly) and deny
yourselves (to fast, to humble yourselves), and present an offering made
to YHWH by fire. 28
Do no work on that day, because it is Yom HaKippuriym, when
atonement is made for you before YHWH Eloheykha 29
Anyone who does not deny himself on that day must be cut off from
his people. 30
I will destroy from among his people anyone who does any work on
that day. 31
You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance
for the generations to come, wherever you live. 32
It is a Shabbat Shabbaton (a sabbath of rest) for you, and you
must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month
until the following evening you are to observe your Shabbat." Tehillim (Ps) 55:9-16 9
Confuse the wicked, O YHWH; confound their speech, for I see
violence and strife in the city. 10
Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are
within it. 11
Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies
never leave its streets. 12
If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were
raising him self up against me, I could hide from him. 13
But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, 14
with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the
throng at the house of Elohiym. 15
Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to
the grave, for evil finds lodging among them. 16
But I call to Elohiym, and YHWH saves me. 17
And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of
righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. 18
And My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure
dwellings, and in quiet resting places; 23
This is what YHWH says, “Let not the wise man glory in his
wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich
man glory in his riches: 24
But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and
knows ME, that I am YHWH, Who exercises goodness, kindness and
faithfulness, also just judgment and righteousness in the earth: for I
delight in these things, says YHWH. 18
Do My statutes. Keep My judgments and do them and you shall dwell
in the land in safety. 34
Therefore do not defile the land which you shall inhabit, this
wherein I dwell: for I, YHWH dwell among the children of Yisrael. 3
And Elohiym said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4
And Elohiym saw the light, that it was good: and Elohiym divided
the light from the darkness. 5
And Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness He called
Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. 13
For You have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before Elohiym in the light of life. 15
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in
the light of Your presence, O YHWH. 5
O house of Ya’acov, come and let us walk in the light of YHWH. 1
In that day this song will be sung in the 2
Open the gates that the righteous may enter, the people that
keeps faith. 3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in You. 4
Trust in YHWH forever, for YAH, YHWH, is the Rock eternal. Vayikra (Lev) 3:17, 23:14,
23:21-22, 23:26-32, 25:18 Tehillim (Ps) 55:9-16,
56:13, 89:15 YesheYahu (Isa) 32:17-18,
2:5, 26:1-4 YermeYahu (Jer) 9:23-24 B’MidBar (Num) 35:34 Bereshith (Gen) 1:3-5 Questions for Discussion: 1. When we share the light
we have with others does it diminish us in any way? 2. Why do you think all
the children of Yisrael had light in their dwellings but Mitzrayim sat
in darkness? 3.
How are we to deal with conflicts with brothers or sisters? 4.
What situations or behaviors block our growth in knowledge and
understanding? 5.
What helps us grow in understanding? |