INTPARSHA61 -23: Parashat Vayikra

From: "Yeshivat Har Etzion's Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash"
To: yhe-intparsha@vbm-torah.org
Subject: INTPARSHA61 -23: Parashat Vayikra

YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH (VBM)
**************************************************************

PARASHAT VAYIKRA

The Secrets of the Sacrifices
by Rav Zvi Shimon

In our age of satellite and computer technology, many
find it difficult to relate to the idea of sacrifices. Since
the destruction of the temple we no longer worship God through
the offering of sacrifices but rather through prayer. While
the words of the prayers reveal their meaning and content, the
ideas behind the different sacrifices remain concealed.
Parashat Vayikra lists the different types of sacrifices and
the manner in which they are offered, but never reveals the
meaning behind them. It describes man's desire to offer a
sacrifice: "When any of you presents an offering of cattle to
the Lord" (Leviticus 1:2). The offering of sacrifices is
presented as a given. The Torah assumes that the reader is
familiar with the motivations for offering sacrifices. Since
the Torah only delineates the laws of each type of sacrifice
we must ask, why are there different types of sacrifices and
what ideas do they express?

Parashat Vayikra begins with a verse describing God's
speaking to Moses: "The Lord called to Moses and spoke..."
(1:1). The next appearance of such a verse is in chapter 4:
"The Lord spoke to Moses, saying..." (4:1). It can be deduced
from this that chapters one through three were said together
but chapter four was spoken by God separately. The first three
chapters deal with the burnt offering, meal offering and peace
offering respectively. Chapters four and five deal with the
different sin offerings and guilt offerings. What
distinguishes between these two groups? Why were they said
separately? The major distinction between these two groups are
the circumstances surrounding the offering of the sacrifice.
In the first group (the burnt offering, meal offering and
peace offering), the sacrifice is brought voluntarily: "When
any of you presents an offering of cattle to the Lord"
(Leviticus 1:2). Man initiates the bringing of an offering. By
contrast, the sin and guilt offerings of chapters four and
five are not voluntary but rather obligatory. They must be
brought under certain circumstances that are delineated by the
Torah. The Torah first describes the voluntary sacrifices in
one communication from God and only afterwards treats the
obligatory ones in a separate communication.

As stated, there are three types of sacrifices which may
be brought voluntarily, the burnt offering, meal offering and
peace offering. The Torah lists several possibilities for each
type of sacrifice. For example, a burnt offering may either
come from cattle, sheep, or birds.

The Malbim (Rabbi Meir Loeb ben Yechiel Michael, Eastern
Europe, 1809-1879) points to the difference in the wording
used by the Torah in the introduction of a new category, and
the wording used in delineating the sub-divisions of each
category. A new subject or category is introduced with the
word 'Ki' - (WHEN). The sub-divisions of the general category
or law will always be introduced with the word 'Im' - (IF).
(Examples are numerous, see Exodus chapters 21,22 and
Leviticus 2:4-7). Using this linguistic rule, we can identify
the subject heading of our chapter and its sub-divisions. The
word "when" appears in verse two and introduces the
sacrifices: "WHEN any of you presents an offering of cattle to
the Lord, he shall choose his offering from the herd or from
the flock". Verse 3 then presents the first sub-division of
the category introduced by verse 2: "IF his offering is a
burnt offering...". The remainder of the first chapter
describes the different types of burnt offerings: "IF his
offering for a burnt offering is from the flock..."(1:10) and
"IF his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of
birds..."(1:14). The word "if" in these verses designates the
sub-categories of the burnt offering.

If the burnt offering is a sub-category of verse 2 what
is its counterpart? What is the alternative to the burnt
offering in verse 3. Rabbi Hoffman (Rabbi David Zvi Hoffman,
Germany, 1843-1921), using the linguistic principal formulated
by the Malbim, concludes that the peace offering of chapter 3,
"And IF his offering be a sacrifice of peace offering".(3:1),
is the counterpart of the burnt offering. The word if which
introduces the peace offering in chapter 3 parallels the if
which introduces the burnt offering, "IF his offering is a
burnt offering..."(1:3). To summarize, verse 2 introduces the
category of voluntary sacrifices which divide into two sub-
categories, the burnt offering of chapter 1 and the peace
offering of chapter 3.

What requires elaboration, according to this
interpretation, is the function of chapter 2. If chapters 1
and 3 are actually connected, why does chapter two, which
deals with the meal offering, appear between them? Rabbi
Hoffman answers that the meal offering is connected to the
burnt offering and the Torah brings it in chapter two as an
appendage to the burnt offering. The meal offering is not one
of the sub-divisions of the category introduced in verse two.
However it appears where it does because of the connection
between it and the burnt offering. The nature of this
connection will be explained later. First we must understand
the meaning and relationship between the burnt and peace
offerings. What makes them the two prototypes of the voluntary
sacrifice?

As stated earlier, the meaning of the sacrifices is not
revealed by the Torah. The offerer, in the times of the
Temple, knew the meaning behind the sacrifices. We, however,
can only deduce from the laws of the different sacrifices,
what each of them expressed. By comparing the laws of the
burnt and peace offerings we will attempt to discover what
they represent. As you read the two following texts note the
differences between the laws of the burnt and peace offerings.

"The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent
of Meeting, saying: Speak to the Israelite people, and
say to them:

When any of you presents an offering of cattle to the
Lord, he shall choose his offering from the herd or from
the flock.

If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he
shall make his offering a male without blemish. He shall
bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, for
acceptance in his behalf before the Lord. He shall lay
his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, that it may
be acceptable in his behalf, in expiation for him. The
bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord; and Aaron's
sons, the priests, shall offer the blood, dashing the
blood against all sides of the altar which is at the
entrance of the Tent of Meeting. The burnt offering
shall be flayed and cut up into sections. The sons of
Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and lay out
wood upon the fire; and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall
lay out the sections, with the head and the suet, on the
wood that is on the fire upon the altar. Its entrails
and legs shall be washed with water, and the priest shall
turn the whole into smoke on the altar as a burnt
offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the
Lord." (Leviticus 1:1-9)

"If his offering is a peace offering -

If he offers of the herd, whether a male or a female, he
shall bring before the Lord one without blemish. He
shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering and
slaughter it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting; and
Aaron's sons, the priests, shall dash the blood against
all sides of the altar. He shall then present from the
peace offering, as an offering by fire to the Lord, the
fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is
about the entrails; the two kidneys and the fat that is
on them, that is at the loins; and the protuberance on
the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys.
Aaron's sons shall turn these into smoke on the altar,
with the burnt offering which is upon the wood that is on
the fire, as an offering by fire, of pleasing odor to the
Lord."(3:1-5)

The following are some of the major differences between the
burnt and peace offerings:

1. The burnt offering is brought only from male animals while
the peace offering may be either male or female.

2. The burnt offering atones while the peace offering does
not.

3. In a burnt offering the whole animal is burned on the
altar. In a peace offering only the fat of the entrails, the
kidneys and their fat, and the protuberance on the liver are
offered. The breast of the animal and its right thigh are
given to the 'kohanim' (7:31,32), and the remaining flesh of
the animal is eaten by the offerer of the sacrifice (7:15).

4. The peace offering is considered a 'Lechem Isheh,' a food
offering ("The priest shall turn these into smoke on the altar
as food..." 3:11) while the burnt offering is not.

I) The Burnt Offering

In attempting to reveal the meaning of the different
sacrifices, the first insight available to us is the name of
the sacrifice. "Burnt offering" is the English translation for
the Hebrew word olah. The English translation of the word olah
is more of an interpretation than a translation. It does not
relate to the original Hebrew meaning of the word, olah, but
rather offers an English name based on the laws of the
sacrifice, namely, its being completely burned on the altar.
The commentators offer several explanations for the name olah.
One possibility is that it stems from the word 'avela,' a
wrongdoing. The burnt offering atones for wrongdoing
perpetrated by the offerer. The Ibn Ezra (Rabbi Avraham ben
Ezra, Spain, 1092-1167) offers a conceptually similar
explanation but based on a different etymology:

"That which is offered to atone for [sinful thoughts] which
ARISE in the mind of the offerer is called an olah - a burnt
offering." (Ibn Ezra 1:4)

The Ibn Ezra's interpretation is based on one of the
explanations offered by our sages for the atonement
accomplished by the burnt offering (see Vayikra Rabba 7:3,
compare Rashi 1:4). In contrast to the sin offering which is
offered for sinful deeds, the burnt offering atones for sinful
thoughts. According to this explanation, sin does not only
pertain to the realm of action but also to the realm of
thought. A "misthought," like a misdeed, requires atonement.
The Ibn Ezra suggests that the name olah stems from the root
'Alah' - to rise (as in the word 'Aliya'). It relates to the
sinful thoughts "arising" in the mind of the offerer.

However, the Ibn Ezra, himself, apparently found this
explanation to be unsatisfactory, since he later offers a
different explanation of the word olah. It indeed stems from
the Hebrew root which means to rise. However it doesn't relate
to that for which the burnt offering atones, namely sinful
thoughts, but rather describes the process by which the
sacrifice is offered. As stated, the olah is the only
sacrifice which is completely burned on the altar. Neither the
'kohanim' nor the offerer receive any part of it. As such it
is called an olah, literally, a sacrifice which rises.

II)The Peace Offering

The Hebrew name for this sacrifice is 'zevach SHELAMIM.'
The commentators offer different explanations of the etymology
of this name. According to the Rashbam (Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir,
France, 1080-1160) the source of the name is the word 'Le-
shalem,' to pay. The shelamim is brought in fulfillment of
vows, and as such is a 'tashlumin,' a payment of a debt. Some
modern scholars suggest, in a similar vein, that the shelamim
is an offering of thanks, a "repayment" for the good bestowed
upon the offerer by God. However this interpretation is
difficult since there are numerous examples of this offering
being brought in times of affliction, as a request for
salvation (see Judges 20:26; 21:4;...). The Ibn Ezra (see
short commentary to Exodus 29:28) raises a different
possibility. He suggests that the name shelamim stems from the
word 'shalem' - perfect, complete. Thus, the name of the
sacrifice describes the spiritual state of the offerer. In
contrast to the sin offering which is brought due to a
misdeed, the shelamim is brought by a perfect soul unperturbed
by sin. Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzchak, France, 1040-1105)
,citing our sages, offers a third interpretation:

" shelamim - They are so called because they bring peace
into the world. Another explanation is: they are called
shelamim because through them there is peace (harmony and
lack of envy) to the altar, to the priests and to the
owners (since all these receive a portion)"(3:1).

We stated that the peace offering has the unique quality
of being divided between the altar - God, the kohen and the
offerer of the sacrifice. This sharing represents harmony and
peace between the parties involved. This interpretation is the
source for the translation of shelamim as peace offering. This
translation is a fine example of a translation which by
necessity must be an interpretation.

In summary, the commentators offer three possible
etymologies of the word shelamim, either from the verb 'le-
shalem' - to pay, or from the word 'shalem' - complete, or
from the word 'shalom' - peace.

While we might now be able to understand the meaning of
the names of the sacrifices, we are yet to grasp their inner
significance. How are they the two prototypes of the voluntary
sacrifices? What does the offerer of these sacrifices wish to
express?

The major difference between the olah and the shelamim is
the fact that the olah is offered totally to God while the
shelamim is shared by all the parties involved. This
difference is the key to understanding the significance of
these sacrifices. The olah stresses the gap between God and
man. The olah is burned on the altar and RISES to the heavens.
Man has no part in it; he can not partake of it. It belongs to
the divine. We noted that one of the differences between the
sacrifices is that the olah atones for man's imperfections.
Man's faults and shortcomings distance him from the almighty.
He senses his many faults and weaknesses and realizes his
minuteness when standing before God. He approaches God in
total submission, with a sense of awe and fear. The olah
represents the worship of God 'Be-Yir'a' - with awe and fear.

The shelamim, by contrast, represent closeness between
man and God. It is a banquet, a shared meal in which God, the
kohen and the offerer of the sacrifice each partake of part of
the animal. Man, the finite, sits with the infinite and eats,
as it were, at the same table. The Torah gives expression to
this aspect of the sacrifice by calling it a 'Lechem Isheh,' a
food offering (see 3:11). The shelamim can be viewed as the
food of God since man also partakes of it in a special feast.
Man can achieve this sense of closeness with God only when he
is in an elevated spiritual state. When man is 'shalem' -
complete and perfect, he is worthy of sitting at God's table.
Moreover, it is through man's cleaving to God that he achieves
this state of perfection. The shelamim represents the worship
of God 'Be-Ahava' - with love.

Verse two, ("When any of you presents an offering of
cattle to the Lord") introduces the emotions in man's worship
of God. God with awe and fear as well as with yearning and
love. The Torah informs us that one who desires to bring a
sacrifice has two basic possibilities available, a sacrifice
expressing fear and submission or a sacrifice expressing love
and attachment.

We can now return to the obvious question arising from
this analysis. What is the explanation for the placement of
the meal offering in chapter two. If chapters one and three
are connected and represent the two types of emotion in the
worship of God, why does the meal offering of chapter two,
appear between them?

The Malbim (beginning of chapter two) points out that
chapter two begins with the word 'Ki' - (when), signaling the
beginning of a new topic:

"And when an individual presents a meal offering to God..."
(2:1).

The difference between the 'mincha' - the meal offering
and the olah and shelamim is clear. The mincha is not an
animal sacrifice but rather brought from flour. However the
Malbim also points out that the chapter begins with the letter
'vav' - "And". As evidenced by the word Ki - (when), the meal
offering is a new topic, and yet the letter 'vav' - (And),
establishes a connection between the meal offering and the
burnt offering of chapter one. This connection is not unique
to our parasha. There are several instances in the Bible where
the burnt and meal offerings appear connected (see Leviticus
9:17; 23:37; Joshua 22:23; Judges 13:23). How are these
sacrifices related? The olah expresses God's ownership of our
lives and man's complete submission to His will. The whole
animal, symbolizing the totality of life, is offered onto the
altar. The mincha, similarly expresses God's ownership of all
man's material belongings. The flour, the major component of
the mincha, is the basic food ingredient on which man
subsists. It symbolizes the material world. By offering a
mincha man gives expression to his awareness that the wealth
which he has acquired is given to him by God. Therefore,
although the mincha is not an animal sacrifice, the Torah
mentions it in connection with the olah due to the
similarities in the ideas which they express.

The first three chapters of Leviticus deal with the
voluntary sacrifices, the olah, mincha and zevach shelamim.
The following chapters deal with obligatory sacrifices, the
sin and guilt offerings. The precedence of the voluntary
sacrifices, according to our sages, shows that they are more
desirable than the obligatory sacrifices. What about the order
within the voluntary sacrifices themselves? Why does the olah
precede the shelamim?

The Torah first describes the olah to teach us that the
fear and awe of God are primary in man's relationship with
God. An appreciation of the greatness and omnipotence of God
is the first step in knowing God. One who loves God without
fearing Him becomes attached to God without a proper regard
for his greatness. One of the differences between the olah and
the shelamim is that the olah may be brought only from male
animals while the shelamim may be either male or female. This
difference perhaps testifies to the primacy of the olah
offering. From a financial perspective the male is viewed as
more valuable (see Leviticus chapter 27). The requirement of a
male animal in the olah indicates its importance and supremacy
over other sacrifices. We must obviously, both fear and love
God. However, the fear and awe of God generated by the olah
are the foundation for the love of God expressed by the
shelamim.

**************************************************************

YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH
ALON SHEVUT, GUSH ETZION 90433

*************************************************************

The Meal-Offering

By Rav Yonatan Grossman

Parashat Vayikra describes three types of voluntary
sacrifices, i.e., sacrifices which a person decides of
his own free will to bring to the mishkan. (Following
these, the parasha goes on to describe the obligatory
sacrifices: the sin offering [chatat] and the guilt
offering [asham], which a person is required to bring
under certain circumstances.)

The various options open to a person wishing to
bring a voluntary sacrifice are the burnt offering (olah
- chapter 1), the mincha (chapter 2) or the shelamim
(chapter 3). While the olah and shelamim are animal
sacrifices, the mincha is not: "his offering shall be of
fine flour (solet)" (2:1).

... Thus, there are two categories of possibilities from
which the person wishing to offer an animal sacrifice may
choose: either an "olah" (burnt offering) or a "shelamim"
(peace offering).

However, the order of the different sacrifices is
not as we would have expected. After the laws pertaining
to the olah in chapter 1, the text - surprisingly enough
- goes on to discuss the mincha (chapter 2). This
sacrifice cannot represent an additional instance that
falls under the general introduction with which the
parasha of the sacrifices began, because the introduction
specifically mentions an animal sacrifice, while the
mincha is a vegetable sacrifice!

... Chapter 2, then, starts with its own independent
introduction, since the Torah is now going to discuss a
meal offering, while the original introduction prepared
us for animal sacrifices. Why, then, does the text
interrupt its discussion of animal sacrifices and start a
new discussion concerning the flour offering, and only
thereafter continue with another animal sacrifice - the
"zevach shelamim," which complements the olah? This is
the Abarbanel's ninth question on our parasha:

"Why does the Torah discuss the laws of the mincha in
all its varieties prior to the shelamim? After all,
since the shelamim is taken from the cattle or from
the herds, we would have thought that it should be
commanded prior to the mincha."

I follow the lead of R. David Zvi Hoffmann with
regard to this question. The Malbim explains that
apparently the mincha is mentioned in close proximity
with the olah because of the internal connection between
them. In other words, the mincha is a sort of "comment in
parentheses" that is mentioned here in connection with
the olah. R. Hoffmann shows that in essence the mincha
too, like the olah, is offered in its entirety to God,
but God decides to give of it to His servants, the
kohanim. This we learn from the law of a special mincha
of which the kohanim are forbidden to partake - the
"minchat chinukh shel kohen" (initiatory meal offering of
the kohen):

"It is a statute forever to God; it shall be entirely
burnt. And every meal offering of the kohen shall be
entirely burnt; it shall not be eaten." (6:-15-16)

... Indeed, the mincha is very often juxtaposed with the
olah. Sometimes the shelamim is presented in contrast.
Thus, for example, in the story of the altar built by the
children of Reuven, Gad and the half-tribe of Menasheh:
".or to offer a burnt offering or a meal offering upon
it, or to offer peace offerings upon it" (Yehoshua 22:23)
- the olah and mincha on one hand, the shelamim on the
other.

Because of this connection between the olah and
mincha, the text juxtaposes these two sacrifices even
though the mincha is not one of the categories that falls
under the first heading, which deals specifically with
animal sacrifices.

... The essential connection between these two
sacrifices (expressed in the halakhic connection between
them) turns on the intention of the person who offers
them: each involves an attitude of complete sacrifice
before the Master of the Universe, a psychological sense
of unworthiness to stand before God - an attitude of
honor and awe.

[The olah contains a note of atonement even though
it is a free-will offering - ".it shall be accepted for
him to atone for him" (1:4). This is the impression we
gain from the olah sacrifices offered by Iyov for his
children: ".for Iyov said, Perhaps my children have
sinned, an have cursed God in their hearts" (Iyov 1:5).
See also the Ramban's commentary on 1:4.]

But at the same time there would appear to be a
fundamental difference between the olah and the mincha
(in contrast with the Abarbanel's proposition that they
are to be considered identical). The hint at the
difference between them is to be found in the two
introductions. In the case of the olah, the Torah begins
with the words, "adam ki yakriv" (literally, "a person,
when he offers."), while the mincha opens with the words,
"ve-nefesh ki yakriv" (literally, "a soul, when he
offers."). Chazal note this discrepancy:

"For what reason is the [introduction to the] mincha
changed, to say 'nefesh?' The Holy One said, Who is
it who usually brings a mincha? A poor person. I will
[therefore] consider it as though he sacrifices his
soul (nefesh) before Me." (Menachot 104b)

The discrepancy in the introduction may also hint at
something else. In the context of sacrifices, the term
"nefesh" has a clear association:

"For the life (nefesh) of the flesh is in the blood,
and I have given it to you upon the altar to atone
for your souls (nafshotekhem), for it is the blood
that makes atonement for the soul (nefesh)." (Vayikra
17:11)

"Nefesh" expresses the life itself, embodied in the
blood - including the blood of the olah that is offered
upon the altar. We may therefore propose that in the case
of those sacrifices whose blood is offered, we cannot
speak of a "nefesh" offering the sacrifice, since the
nefesh (or at least that which symbolizes it) is
sacrificed on the altar. However, in the case of the
mincha, where there is no blood - i.e., the nefesh is not
offered upon the altar - we may say that it is the nefesh
which offers the sacrifice.

In other words, by the act of sacrificing an animal
the worshipper declares that his life, his very
existence, belongs to his Maker, and therefore he offers
a life upon the altar. By offering a mincha he is
declaring something not about his life but rather about
his food and his other vital needs. A person brings his
meal to the mishkan, adds oil (a symbol of wealth [1])
and levona (a symbol of contentment, according to some of
the commentaries - see Rav S.R. Hirsch) and declares that
all of this does not belong to him and he is not worthy
of it, and therefore he brings it to its true Owner - the
Master of the Universe.

... This idea also finds expression in the quantity of
fine flour that is always required for a mincha offering:
a tenth of an "efa." This quantity apparently represents
a person's food for one day. This we learn from the
parasha of the manna, where Bnei Yisrael are required to
take an "omer" per person each day (Shemot 16:16). At the
end of the parasha we read, "And the omer is a tenth of
an ef"" (Shemot 16:36) - teaching us that a person's food
for one day is a tenth of an efa. Rashi immediately
comments on the connection with the mincha: "A tenth of
an efa. and that is the set quantity for challa and for
mincha offerings" (Shemot 16:36). There seems to be a
profound connection between the descent of the manna -
God providing food for man - and the mincha offering,
where man "gives" food upon the altar, but a discussion
of this idea lies outside the scope of this shiur. In any
event, by bringing a mincha a person offers his daily
bread to its true owner - God.

In summary, the mincha offering appears immediately
after the laws of the olah because of the close
connection between them - a connection related to the
religious declaration that accompanies each of these, in
which the person expresses his sense of unworthiness of
all the good that God is showering upon him.[2] The
religious feeling that is expressed in the olah pertains
to the person's very existence: he feels that his life is
not his own, and he sacrifices a "life" - a "soul" - upon
the altar. In contrast - or perhaps as a continuation -
the sentiment that finds expression in the mincha
pertains to a person's needs - his food and physical
welfare. These, as it were, he brings to the altar as a
declaration that he is unworthy of them, and that God is
their true owner.

(Translated by Kaeren Fish)

FOOTNOTES

[1] We see that oil (shemen) is a symbol of wealth in
Yaakov's blessing to Asher: "From Asher his bread will be
fat (shemena)" (Bereishit 49:20), and in the instructions
Moshe gives to the spies who are sent to Canaan: "Whether
[the land] is fat (shemena) or thin" (Bemidbar 13:20).

[2] This is in contrast to the shelamim, which expresses
a completely different religious sentiment - a

Status: U
Return-Path: <hebroots@hebroots.org>
Received: from sol.wwwnexus.com ([209.150.128.86])
by osgood.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with ESMTP id tdqkc4.4kf.37kbi1v
Wed, 18 Apr 2001 04:34:11 -0400 (EDT)
Received: from y82tu (phil-max1-cs-33.dial.bright.net [205.212.152.103])
by sol.wwwnexus.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id DAA09172;
Wed, 18 Apr 2001 03:02:03 -0500
Message-Id: <200104180802.DAA09172@sol.wwwnexus.com>
Comments: Authenticated sender is <hebroots@hebroots.org>
From: Hebraic.Heritage.Newsgroup@sol.wwwnexus.com
To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org>,
"Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup 2"<heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org>,
"Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup 3"<heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org>,
"Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup 4"<heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org>
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2001 00:43:26 +0000
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Subject: Lost Sheep Looking For Fellowship
Reply-to: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Priority: normal
X-mailer: Pegasus Mail for Win32 (v2.42a)

From: Eddie Chumney
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Lost Sheep Looking for Fellowship

FNAME= Crystal
LNAME= Wilcox
CITY= Ava
STATE= MO
EMAIL= cwilcox@getgoin.net

I would love to find out about a local study group. I live about an hour
away from a town in SW Missouri of 250,000.

I don't know if there is a study group there, but that would be the most
likely place to check first. The name of the town is Springfield,
Missouri.

Thanks,

In Him,

Crystal Wilcox

********************************************************************

FNAME= Nola
LNAME= Tendrock
CITY= Carlisle
STATE= IA
EMAIL= nolaten1@juno.com

I am interested in finding a fellowship group in the Des Moines
area, perhaps one which celebrates the feasts according to the corrected
calendar. Thank you.

***************************************************************

FNAME= Chantal
LNAME= O'Leary
CITY= Crystal Lake
STATE= IL
EMAIL= chantal@mail.imaxx.net

I find myself in love with the chosen of God and my Jewish
roots. I long to find others like me, who wish to learn. I am now
studing the Feasts and starting to observe them and bring the
fullness of my faith to my children. I want to thank you for your
ministry it has blessed me greatly. Iam also looking for a Messianic
Synagogue that my children and I could attend. If you could help I
would be greatful. Thank you, Chantal O'Leary

*************************************************************

FNAME= Susan
LNAME= Bradley
CITY= Greensburg
STATE= PA
EMAIL= smbrad1229@aol.com

Shalom,

Are you aware of any Messianic study or worship groups in
the Pittsburgh area? Thank you for your wonderful site and your generous
time. SM Bradley

******************************************************************

FNAME= Donna
LNAME= McCorkle
CITY= Hamden
STATE= Oh
EMAIL= garner@zoomnet.net

Dear Fellow Believer,

I live in SE Ohio with no resuoces in studying the Jewish way of
life as I know of no Jews in our area. I seem to be alone in my church as
having a strong desire to learn of the Jewish feasts, etc. as it
relates to the Bible and my Christian faith. I am very interested
and would be extatic to study but I don't know how to go about it. I
would love to get into a study group. Thank you for your ministry.
In the love of Christ Jesus "Yesuah"!!! Donna McCorkle

**********************************************************

FNAME= Catherine
LNAME= Day
CITY= Klamath Falls
STATE= OR
EMAIL= softaday@altavista.com

I am totally alone in this. My own children accept my
beliefs but choose to not participate. I live alone. It is really difficult
to fully enjoy the feasts as a "loner." These feasts were intended
for an entire nation to keep, and without so much as one other person
to share this with, I feel like I am missing much of the meaning and
impact.

************************************************************

FNAME= Boe
LNAME= Kanarek
CITY= Marina del Rey
STATE= CA
EMAIL= bkanarek@earthlink.net

I'm hopeful there's a study group in Los Angeles somewhere. Please
let me know if there is.

Wonderful website. Thanks!

*************************************************************

FNAME= Jason
LNAME= Parks
CITY= Downey
STATE= CA
EMAIL= Two17promo@juno.com

I would like information about messianic synagogues.

Shalom~jason

***************************************************************

FNAME= Donald
LNAME= Lorenz
CITY= DeFuniak Springs
STATE= FL
EMAIL= donaldlorenz@scti.net

My wife and I are new to the Hebraic roots of Christianity
and are wanting to learn more. We would like to find others that are
observing the Sabbath.

******************************************************************

FNAME= Billy
LNAME= Hoffmann
CITY= Montrose
STATE= WV
EMAIL= YEHOSHUA@citynet.net

Shalom aleikhem mishpacah, b'Shem Yahshua!

We dwell in the Elkins, West Virginia area.

Most interested in studying the Fall Feasts as they point to
Messiah's second coming. Interested in rabbinical teachings that illustrate
the feasts, that our understanding of the Word, and our faith will
grow in Yahshua; ultimately to glorify Him. If there be any
brethren who would like to join us for fellowship/bible studies, we
meet in the Elkins area on each Sabbath (POC: Billy #304.823.2292),
and in Summersville, WV on the first day of the week (POC: pastor
Butch Paugh #304.846.4448 - Call To Decision ministry). If led to,
feel free to call for more information.

***************************************************************

FNAME= Marsha
LNAME= Jones
CITY= Fayetteville
STATE= AR
EMAIL= martyjens@aol.com

I work in Dallas 7 days on/ 7 off. I plan to move
soon to Broken Bow, OK so would also like to know of any study groups near
there.

*******************************************************************

From: "Mary Jane Parker" <hixconover@conninc.com>
To: <heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org>

Hello:

I am moving to McAllen, TX next month. That is at the very tip of
Texas. Can you tell me if anyone knows of a messianic group that meets
there? Thanks for your help.

Ahava B'shem Yeshua,

Mary Jane Parker
rl3mjp@twave.net

**********************************************************

From: "John" <johnd@isgroup.net>
To: "Hebrew Roots" <heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org>
Subject: Lost Sheep

We are Isaiah Ministries in Fort White FL. We are located on US 27
just south of the Town Of Fort White. We are a Messianic Congregation
consisting of mostly Gentiles in love with the Messiah and the
Torah. We invite anyone who is in the Alachua, Columbia, and
Suwannee County areas to come and worship with us. We have Shabbot
services starting Friday evening with Saturday worship and meal.

Thank you....

Pastor James Morrison
Isaiah 58:6,7 Ministries
P.O. Box 643
Fort White, Fla 32038

386-497-1800

***************************************************************

From: "Kevin Coyle" <kcoyle@zekes.com>
To: <heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org>
Subject: Lost Sheep, Please list

Men's Shabbat Torah study.
Safford Az.

Contact, Kevin at kcoyle@zekes.com

Shalom,
kc

*************************************************************

FNAME= Mitch
LNAME= Pearson
CITY= Glendale
STATE= AZ
EMAIL= mitchtothemax@juno.com

We are a relatively new congregation in Phoenix, Arizona.
We meet on Shabbat @ 10:00 a.m. in a widely populated Jewish area of
town. That being near the Central Corridor. Adonai is starting a
revival in Phoenix, a new awakening for believers (Jew and
Gentile)that is astounding. WE are still small in number, but Adonai
has called us to be faithful to what He wants; and He will add those
wandering and lost sheep to His fold. Adonai is doing a "new thing" in
the valley of the sun.

***************************************************************

FNAME= Dylan
LNAME= Main
CITY= Galesburg
STATE= IL
EMAIL= jewish61401@yahoo.com

I am on my way to starting a congregation.I am starting
up the town's first Messianic congregation.I will be the Rabbi.Services will
be on Friday nights and Saturday afternoon.I am planning to do
this.If your organization wants to support you can. Shalom.

**********************************************************************

From: "Ken Jeffries" <ken161144@hotmail.com>
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Re: Kesher Courses in UK

Shalom Eddie,

If any of your Hebroots contacts are in the UK, they might like to
attend the following Kesher courses run by CFI UK.

Ilford, Essex. Jackie 020 8551 2692
Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Clifford Simpson 01283 567698
Wrexham, North Wales. Sharn Butler 01978 357063

They can contact the above numbers for further details.

Have a great Passover

B'shem Y'shua

Ken

*****************************************************************

From: "Lloyd McDougall, Jr." <mcdougall@idirect.com>
To: <heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org>
Subject: Apartment in West Jerusalem - Short Term Rental

Eddie,

As a regular on your e-mail list, I thought you might possibly
be interested in including the attached in your e-mail
distributions. The authors of the notice are our Messianic Jewish
brethren, Simantov and Linda Allalouf. They are prime leaseholders
on the apartment and the subleasing is not a commercial venture,
just a cost recovery. The way I figure it, there could be a number
of people on your list who would be very interested in renting a
three bed apartment for June, July, and = August. If you can help them
out great, if not, I'll understand.

Baruch (Lloyd)

****************************************************************

From: RenewInGod@aol.com
Subject: Lost Sheep Looking for Fellowship
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org

Dear Eddie:

If You know of any Lost sheep looking for fellowship, Here are some
new fellowships that are being started

The Tabernacle International/Anderson messianic ministries:

We have an excising fellowship in Belleview on Agnew Rd. and One in
Marion Oaks

Will be starting new fellowships in: Marion oaks, Ocala, Fla.
Dunnellon,Fla
Gainesville,
Fla.

Both torah and Sabbath services
Feast of Pentecost May 26th at Marion oaks community center
contact Rabbi Darlene Anderson
352-307-3537

**********************************************************************

From: vicki vicky <victory_31@yahoo.com>
Subject: Messianic Fellowship
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org

I have been studying the Jewish roots of Christianity
and it has gotten me so excited in all that I am
learning. I would like to find a Messianic Fellowship
Study group. I live in Harrah Oklahoma I could travel
to Oklahoma City, Midwest City, Del City, or Shawnee.
All of these places are only a 30 min drive from my
home. I look forward to hearing from you.

In His Grip
Vicki

**********************************************************

feeling of
joy and neighborliness. This idea was addressed in the
VBM shiur on parashat Tzav two years ago.

***********************************************************

YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH
ALON SHEVUT, GUSH ETZION 90433

**********************************************************