Beth El of Manhattan, Two-Testament Synagogue

Why are you ... you? What does your combination of strengths and weaknesses, abilities and inabilities all mean? This week's sermon is a "fusion" to two core ideas: from the Parasha "Vayakhel," the extremely specific intention with which God created the artist Bezalel, and placed him in the time and location to fulfill the reasons for his createdness – along with Yeshua the Messiah having assured us, "I will not leave you as orphans: I will come to you," giving us the "Paraclete" – God's spirit "called alongside" to guide us into all truth, help us. This all leads to the assurance we can "know the things freely given to us by God." We can know. We have not been left here on earth to wander aimlessly. We can live "the guided life."

Sound doctrine is built from learning what Rav Saul called "the whole counsel of God." We pick up this week where we left off last week with "whole counsel of God" theme in Haftarat "Tetzaveh." We see this week commands from God to, "Tell Israel the *whole* Temple design, *all* its facets and *all* its laws." This is echoed in Messiah Yeshua's command, "make disciples (by) teaching them *all* I have taught you." This runs counter to creation of "sound-bites" – memorable catch-phrases. "Sound doctrine" cannot be built out of one or a few catchy audio-tidbits.

Rav Saul wrote, "I did not shrink from declaring to you 'the whole counsel of God.'" Why would any spiritual leader "shrink from" declaring to his flock "the whole" of God's prophetic output? This week's parasha commands us to "see to it you build according to the pattern." The whole pattern. How do we get it, and what traps can we avoid that would leave us with only part of it?

In this week's parasha, "Mishpatim" there is an apparent non-sequitur. A leap from broadly applying religious practice laws to very specific cooking advice. Is it really a non-sequitur? Or – is it the God of the Entire Universe "going local" with advice creating certainty as to a particular time, place, practice, or project of His will underway? We explore.

Fear is a natural part of our overall composition as humans. Like any part of our nature, it can be either healthy or unhealthy, proportional and rational, or disproportionate and irrational. What does Scripture say about healthy and unhealthy fear -- especially in relation to God? It turns out ... quite a lot. We explore this content this week, driven by the Torah portion, "YItro."

This sermon comes from the Haftarah text for this week's portion on "Shabbat Shirah." The battle for Israel's survival was on - Devorah, Barak, and the Army of Israel, especially the tribes of Issachar and Zevulun, were all ON the battlefield, and the battle had already begun. But – the tribes of Reuben and Dan were hanging back ... showing themselves (in their own view) to be "spiritual" or "wise" ... with "plausible" excuses to be away from any risk to life, limb, or property. What is this Haftarah teaching us?

In the Exodus narrative we see God visit punishing judgments not only on Pharaoh as Egypt's governing leader - but also onto the entire Egyptian populace, Did God destroy and torment "innocent civilians." The Scriptures open up genuine understanding of this deeply challenging topic" are "civilians" always automatically "innocent?"

As we navigate varying seasons of ease or challenge in our lives or in our era, what is it about "faith" or "faithfulness" that allows us to retain a *healthy* (non-delusional or denial-based) positive inner state and momentum, no matter what circumstances may be swirling around us?

The end of Genesis and beginning of Exodus are valuable reading if it is truth we seek, not "life-hacks" guaranteeing a safe, easy, or profit-laden life. God's own project hits more bumps in the road and impacts with more human frailty and more evil than we could possibly have imagined: and this is God's own project! May He help us to gain understanding from the time when His promised "nation," after 3 generations, was still only 70 people in number, many of whom were highly dysfunctional people – and a famine forced them to leave The Land that God Himself had promised was "yours and your descendants after you, forever."

As we leaving 2023, this sermon given on 16 June 2021 seemed so appropriate a focus, it led us to choose that weekend's service for rebroadcast when we were prevented from meeting in person by a Covid-19 outbreak in our Staff. Thank God all are again testing "Negative (Covid-free)," so will be meeting again this Saturday 6 January in person. We hope if you are local, you will join us in person: and If not - "virtually" via our livestream on YouTube and Facebook channels. Shalom - and Happy New Year 2024!