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| Our new friend Chaim listening to Steve Rees on Harp |
For
a while I actually thought and felt that I was doing a pretty fair
job of reading the Word and acting on it. It has been a challenge
for me for several years but as each day goes by I feel closer and
closer to my Maker. Then I spent the month of October in The Land!
Oh I could go on forever about the greatness and majesty of it all.
But there is such an awesomeness not seen with human eyes about my
last adventure. I am not going to take you along the "Chamber
of Commerce Tour". I only want to release the pressure that has
built up within me as I witnessed so many people that walk Torah
without comment. People that just naturally and without hesitation
epitomize Torah and all that it is meant to be.
There
was the "thirty something" lady who was eating at a
sidewalk cafe when a merchant attempted to bring his merchandise
across the busy street on a hand truck. He lost control and the
merchandise fell to the street. Ms 30something didn't bat an eye -
as I sat stunned, she quietly got up from her meal, went over and
started lifting boxes of goods back on the hand truck with the
traffic never attempting to slow; then she came back to continue her
meal. My Father was showing me Torah in action. As we continued to
eat, (she was at a nearby table), a disheveled man came by, looked in
the trash can, apparently for food, and this same lady packaged part
of her lunch in a bag, quietly stood up, approached the man and
offered it to him. Again, without fanfare or verbal exchanges. This
is Torah. I must tell you; this lady was part of our 'group'...she
is from Iowa and very much at ease in The Land.
Then
there was the Orthodox Jew who met a member of our group earlier and
befriended him. This man, the 'Jew" knew that we would be
traveling in the north, the Golan and other areas. This same day the
Chief Rabbi passed away and this 'Jew' called our friend to inform
him that the roads back to our apartment would be closed for hours
due to the million or some people converging before the funeral was
completed. He invited us to his home to spend time and eat while
waiting for the roads to open so we could return. He accepted a
dozen people, unknown and not Jewish, to come and dine with him.
Reminded me of the hospitality of Abraham. We sat, ate, talked,
explored and learned so much from this one man. His daughter was
present and obviously happy...genuine smile and forever ensuring our
comfort. We met his wife as we arrived and she welcomed us as though
she had known us for years...then off to work she went. That visit
was more than three hours...and very difficult to leave. But it was
midnight, and we had to get up "in a few hours" to do it
all over again.
We
met so many people with so much to offer...and they all had their
hands out; not to take from us but to give to us! They each
expressed a desire to learn about the people who strive to be Torah
compliant while accepting Y'shua haMashiach as our Savior and our way
back to Torah and YHVH .
We
were invited to Shiloh where Joshua built the first permanent
tabernacle that stood for 369 years. This was long before Jerusalem
and the remnants of the Tabernacle remain to this day and in my mind
are magnificent. There we met, among many people, the man who heads
a rehabilitation center for children who are victims of terror. He
started this endeavor several years ago, after becoming a survivor of
an ambush attack, along with his three year old son. The son was
shot in the neck at the base of the brain, one millimeter from the
brain stem. He is now a healthy, happy pre-teen and is determined to
overcome and move on to brighter days. They say it is the Torah
thing to do!
Yes,
the list goes on. The blessings were and are truly amazing. Word
got out that our congregation did a weekly feeding of the homeless in
our town. Next, we were invited to take part in feeding the elderly
immigrants. Of course we agreed. So, we asked; where and when? The
reply: you can come up here, to the heartland of Israel and purchase
the food in a local grocery and you will be able to use the kitchen
of our facility to prepare it and we will be forever grateful. So,
my loving wife said, "I love to cook!" That was all it
took. Everyone in our group participated. Keep in mind, we were not
your usual tour group - most were members of our congregation; then
there were a few we met along the way. All joined in and all seemed
to enjoy demonstrating a Torah frame of mind. Our unofficial tour
guide was extremely knowledgeable and flexible. For that, we are all
grateful!
The
experiences can go on and on. I think you get the point of the
message. Just when I thought I was doing a fair job of being Torah
compliant, I met Torah face to face. Let me wrap this up with Chaim.
A fantastic man. Chaim is reaching out to be an instrument of peace
in a land that has a three thousand or more year old war. Name the
enemy, Israel has met them! Chaim is orthodox and teaches Torah at
the Christian church. Yeah ... isn't it a hoot! This man is so
gentle. He attends the Christian church and when the service is
completed, he is asked to explain the "Old Testament"
portion through the eyes of a Jew. Chaim and I were brought together
by Divine appointment. That appointment would take me hours and
hours to explain. Suffice it to say, he, Chaim, is guiding me and
assisting me to better understand the wall that comes between "us"
and "them". He is reaching out to all nations and
nationalities to end the strife so the young people can have peace.
Children are not born with a mindset to kill or disrupt. They are
taught. He and I agree on this wholeheartedly. So, I asked for help
in understanding and he wants help in overcoming. What a bargain!
You all will be hearing more about this. For the moment, I will tell
you, with a simple handshake, Chaim and I made a covenant
relationship between Israel and North America. The Father above will
guide us both.
Father
in Heaven, You have the script. You can see the outcome. You and
only You have the power to bring together two people of very
different backgrounds. Two people with a heart's desire to see the
children play in the streets again; to see the elderly sitting on the
porch; to hear the laughter of infants pleasing their parents.
Father, You know that I am not just referencing Israel, I speak of
the United States of America and all other counties. This world has
become so very callous and distrusting. When I was a child I could
play outside alone ... now I can't even walk down the street where I
used to live for fear of being accosted. When I was in Israel I
heard the same stories ... but Father, they showed me the evidence
that it is far worse. That tells me it will only get worse in my own
country unless we reach out and embrace and come to terms. To do
this, we must tear down the walls. Thank you Eternal One for
choosing me to join hands with Israel, via my friend Chaim. Bless
You Father and bless Chaim and those like him who strive for peace.
In Y'shua's mighty and awesome name, Amein!
Shalom,
Pinchas
AKA
Frankly Speaking All the Time
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