Lag BaOmer
- plitle
- 28 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Dear Friend,
This week Israel celebrated Lag BaOmer (33rd day in the counting of the Omer; see Leviticus 23:15-16), a celebration tied to mystic Jewish Kabbalah. Modern secular Israelis mark the day in memory of the Jewish revolt of 132 AD lead by Simon bar Kosiba. This revolt was the last Jewish war until modern times. Their defeat at the hands of the Romans resulted in the death of an estimated 580,000 Jewish people in Judea as well as the enslavement and displacement of many others. Judea was subsequently renamed “Syria Palaestina” by the Romans in an attempt to erase all connection of the land with the Jewish people.
The true tragedy of this holiday lies in both its origin as well as its current celebration. The revolt’s leader, Simon bar Kosiba, was proclaimed to be the messiah by the leading Rabbis of that day. They referred to him as Bar Kokhva, “son of the star”, an allusion to Numbers 23:17. The Jewish followers of Yeshua in Judea and Galilee refused to join the revolt and follow this false messiah. The event marked their utter separation from the Jewish community and the end of any witness to the real Messiah in Jewish society.
The holiday’s current celebration centers on Jewish mystic teaching contained in the Zohar, the authoritative book of Kabbalistic Judaism. The Kabbalah teaches reincarnation and is occultic in nature. This year thousands of ultra-Orthodox ignored restrictions on gatherings to mark the holiday at the grave of Shimon Bar Yochai, who is viewed as the author of the Zohar. They gathered at his grave to pray for miracles, health and general salvation in the belief that their prayers at this site and on this day will be answered.
I devoted our prayer meeting this week to the praise and worship of Yeshua, the true Messiah whom the rabbis and ultra-Orthodox mention only as a curse. (They call him Yeshu, which is an abbreviation for “May his name and memory be erased”.) The ongoing prayer for our people and nation is that the Lord would show mercy and open the eyes of their hearts to look and see Yeshua in His glory. Please continue to stand with us in praying for this enlightenment which can only come through a supernatural work of the Spirit.
I have become convicted of the need for spiritual refreshing of those who are part of our Messianic community. As the wars here drag on, people are weary and burdened. Many are signed up for home groups but don’t attend. Our prayer meetings are a small gathering as people are too tired and busy. A number of young adults have abandoned regular fellowship at our Shabbat worship services.
Heidi and I understand their feelings. The past two months have been difficult as we’ve moved through the anniversaries of Abigail’s and Dasha’s murders while the sound of sirens cause us to run to the bomb shelter, sometimes several times in a night. The anniversary of my father’s death and the death of a close friend in High School added to my personal mourning. Passover was followed by Holocaust Memorial Day, and week later Memorial Day for those killed in the line of duty and terror victims. The constant feeling of ‘loss’ is very draining.
As I mentioned in our last letter, during my morning runs I consistently claim the promise of Isaiah 41:10. This promise forms the foundation upon which my morning prayers are based. He must be the one upon whom I lean is the truth that I need in order to see the day through. Many in our congregation also need to live this same promise of supernatural strength and help. There is a need for refreshing, for a renewed filling of the Holy Spirit and a release from the weariness and burdened life that only Yeshua can give. Among our young adults are those who are afraid to open up their hearts to share their struggles. They fear judgment, but without honestly opening up and sharing they will never be able to experience the power that the apostle Paul urges upon the church at Corinth (see 2 Corinthians 6:11-13ff).
During the past months Shir began to pray aloud before going to bed. Her requests have been very simple, “Thank you that there weren’t any air-raid sirens today (when there weren’t). Please let us have no air-raid sirens tonight.” We’ve had several weeks now of no sirens and are back into a more normal schedule. But the war is still ongoing in Lebanon with many of our young men and women still serving in reserve duty.
As you pray, please join us in asking the Lord to encourage, energize and empower those in our congregation as well as Heidi and me. Please also ask that:
We can continue our routine of life, meeting as a congregation on Shabbat, meeting for prayer on Monday and that our home groups will be free to meet without interruption from the threat of missile attacks by Hezbollah in Lebanon or by Iran.
School will be able to finish the year normally without needing to resort to remote learning for the grandgirls.
Noah’s final exam for the semester go well for him on the 12th, that he will successfully complete his last course this current semester and that the Lord will draw him back into active fellowship.
Elishua will be able to publish the research he is doing and find a long-term position.
Hannah to have a renewed life vision and be drawn back into active fellowship.
Josiah will have his heart’s thoughts and intensions revealed, taking time to relect on life as he lives as a prisoner.
The decision makers in the USCIS would be able to look at grandgirls’ request for US citizenship and move them to grant that request.
We are grateful for your partnership with us in this ministry. Everyone is weary of the conflicts that began on October 7, 2023, but we appreciate the men and women who have stood up to the evil that was unleashed that day. Our hope, however, is not in the IDF or the political leaders who are managing these conflicts, but rather in the Lord. The true need for Israel and the Middle East is the knowledge of the one who can change hearts. Thank you for being a part of helping make that happen.
Yours in the Messiah,
Phil and Heidi