Lamed Messianic Jewish Studies

The Tanakh is the whole of what is known as the Old Testament, though there is nothing old about it, as it is a living and viable word. The Torah is the first 5 books of the Holy Bible (Set-Apart Book) comprising 304,805 letters.

The Parasha is a schedule of reading the Torah in a three year period. Many synagogues do so on a one year cycle, but the practice in the time of Yeshua was a 3 year cycle, to which LMJS has returned. This is not expressly commanded, but is a custom, and one that Yeshua also yielded to, and demonstrated was even prophetic. Since the schedule is the same each year, the portion being read at any given time of year will always be the same year to year. There is a text “portion”, [which is what Parasha means] of Torah read on each Shabbath, a portion of the Prophets, called “haphtarah (haftarah),” which means 'parting,' and for Messianic Jews, a portion of the Brit Chadashah [Covenant Renewal, The Historical Accounts and Letters of Testimony] is also read. Each portion has its own name, such as “B’reishith,” the first portion, getting its name from the first word in the portion, “In the beginning.”

In Messiah’s time, it becomes clear that the custom of Torah and Haftarah reading was in place, though we cannot know precisely what their Haftarah divisions were to the verse. But, we see the practice as He approached the Bimah (Bee-mah) to read and the Yesha-Yahu [Isaiah] scroll was handed to him, suggesting that it was time to read from the Isaiah scroll! We believe it was, as Yeshua read a prophecy about Himself when He read! [ Luke 4:16 ]. This was, in all likelihood, the anniversary of His birth, as the custom is that one reads from the Bimah on the anniversary of his birth. Ezra and N'cḥemyah and the other prophets of their day established a reading schedule, which ensures that if a person attends the Synagogue regularly, he will hear the whole Torah over a period of time, repeatedly for the rest of his life. Ya’aqov [James] also alludes to this in Ma'Asei HaShlikhim (Acts [of] The Sent Ones [Apostles]) 15:21, “For Moshe is read each Shabbath in the Synagogues.” This is what the goal was: to make sure everyone heard/read the Torah completely!

At LMJS, we do not read the full portion in the Online Synagogue, but task our members to do so during the week, as we all now have Torah scrolls in our homes! [Bibles]. In the time of Messiah, they did not, so this was the only way to hear/study the Word.

The important part of the Parasha custom is that it is done together. Rebellious people tend to think they do not need the guidance of community, and reject a schedule, as well as other customs which are meant to unify us and give us identity. But, Israel is seen as one man!

Exodus 4:22 “Israel [ the nation ] is my firstborn Son”.

Psalm 133 “Behold, How good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in perfect oneness.” This is the same concept mentioned in the Shabbath command, of keeping the Sabbath in “all your dwellings [settlements].” What better place to dwell together than in His Word!

Ezra 3:1 And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

A similar event occurs in the Brit Chadashah:

Acts 2:1 “And when the day of Shavu'ot was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”

There are hundreds of scriptures that speak about unity/unison, crying out in one voice, et cetera, in both “Old and New” testaments. Unity in prayer and in reading, therefore, is not about losing self-identity and autonomy, but recognizing that we are not our own, that we are bought at a price from slavery just as Israel, and that we are part of something greater than the individual. The parasha gets us focused on the Torah together, but leaves us room as individuals to “glean” from the Ru'ach what HaAv [ The Father ] would speak. It is indeed a beautiful picture, since we are indeed individuals who are part of one body.

And Messiah honored the custom while He was in Israel.

The Haftarah sections are readings from the Prophets. Ma'Asei HaShlikhim (Acts [of] The Sent Ones [Apostles]) 13:27 show us that these were also read each Shabbath:

“For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets, which are read every Yom Shabbath…. ”

These readings may differ somewhat according to differing traditions.

The Brit Chadashah readings were established according to subject content and added at a later date, and may differ from teacher to teacher.

The lunar calendar determines the months for Yisra'Eil, which establishes the annual reading cycle as well. The month of the Abib/Aviv (Abhibh)(first month) determines when the year begins, which means the seasons must be kept in their proper time. For the barley must be ripe for the wave sheaf offering, after the first day of unleavened bread. The extra month of Adar (to expand) is added in the leap year which can be about every third or fourth year. This is determined by the concurrent Aviv and New Moon. If the Aviv and New Moon do not occur together after the 12th moon, second Adar is added, hence a thirteenth moon. By following this calendar we maintain the seasons in their Mo'edim [appointed times.] This method adds 4 to 5 Shabbathot in the “leap year,” and you may see notes in some of the parashat indicating their individual or combined readings.

LMJS follows the triennial cycle, so the parashat listed below are further broken up into thirds. Currently, we are in the first Kriyah (rending), the first year of the cycle. [We are in our first cycle of 3 years]

Torah parasha Blessing before reading:

Blessed are You, O hvhy [ Eternal Existent One ] our Elohim ( Mightiest [ One ] ), King of the universe, Who has chosen us from all peoples and has given us Your Torah. Blessed are You, hvhy [ Eternal Existent One ], Giver of the Torah.

After the readings:

Blessed are You, O hvhy [ Eternal Existent One ] our Elohim ( Mightiest [ One ] ), King of the universe, Who has given us Instructions of truth and faithful prophets, and planted eternal life in our midst, Blessed are You hvhy ( The Eternal Existent One ) , Giver of the Torah. It is a Tree of Life to those who take hold of it, and blessed are those who support its ways. All its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace. hvhy ( The Eternal Existent One ) was pleased, for the sake of His Righteousness, to render the Torah GREAT and GLORIOUS.

Click Here for High Holy Days Parasha Schedule