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[ Back in year 2014, after much study and discussion of the seven “My feasts” commanded in Leviticus 23, Sinaites arrived at an understanding of which of the feasts apply to non-Israelites, that is, Gentiles like ourselves. While all of the seven are in Israel’s national experience and historical roots, three of them are in the individual and community experience of non-Israelites/Gentiles. These are:
(1) the weekly Sabbath modeled by the Creator Himself in Genesis 2;
(2) Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement which every Jew or Gentile should observe since everyone is prone to violate YHWH’s Torah and should sincerely repent; and
(3) Shavuot which commemorates the giving of the Torah on Sinai, an anniversary that all humankind should celebrate.
This liturgy expresses our joyful celebration of the giving of YHWH’s LAW, an act of grace and mercy from YHWH,
- the God of Israel,
- the God Who spoke on Sinai,
- our (Sinaite’s) God
- and the God of all gentiles who choose Him and who choose to live in conformity with His revealed will.
We believe that all humankind are under grace AND law, for by YHWH’s grace, He shared with humanity what He expects of each individual! How else would humanity live together had not the Law-Giver commanded what is just for all, through righteous living, for the good of the other, in community with one another, where the ends of justice is served equally. The Torah is doable, not impossible to obey; the Law-Giver is a benevolent King Who best understands that those Who would choose to live under His Kingship are capable of doing all that He commands. He specially designed humanity with freedom of choice, endowed with free will to obey Him or not.
We maintain that faith is based on divinely given truth: YHWH’s Sinai revelation and no other. Deuteronomy warns, do not add or subtract!
Indeed there is cause for celebrating for Jew and Gentile. Shavuot is one of YHWH’s “MY” feasts, and so we Gentiles today, relate to the Gentiles in the “mixed multitude” who stood with Israelites on Sinai—
- to embrace the God who appeared on Sinai as our GOD,
- to acknowledge His sovereign rule over us as our chosen KING,
- and to accept His Law because He is our declared LORD!
—Admin1]
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Kindle the Sabbath Lights
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Blessed be the Name of the Creator,
Master Designer of the universe,
Redeemer of Israel,
Revelator on Sinai,
our great and awesome God.
Blessed be Your Name,
O YHWH, the Eternal,
Who was, is, and will be,
Who chooses to be what You choose to be.
You manifested as a burning bush,
as Shekinah,
an Invisible Presence amidst thunder and lightning
at the giving of Your Torah,
though Your voice was heard by all.
Tonight as we kindle the sabbath lights,
we join Your firstborn son Israel, Your chosen people,
in commemorating the giving of Your Torah,
as part of Your covenant with Your chosen nation,
a nation You formed through their patriarchs,
Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.
We claim our place with the Gentiles
among the mixed multitude gathered at Sinai,
likewise delivered from bondage to Egypt
seven weeks earlier, on the night of Passover.
We submit to You, YHWH as our LORD and our GOD;
We embrace Your TORAH as our Way of Life,
for it is Your gift not only to Israel but to the nations, to all peoples;
we celebrate with Israel this ‘feast of weeks’.
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The Ten Commandments
EXODUS 20
And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt,
out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4-6 “You shall not make for yourself an image
in the form of anything in heaven above
or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them;
for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,
punishing the children for the sin of the parents
to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
but showing love to a thousand generations of those
who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God,
for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 -11 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God.
On it you shall not do any work,
neither you, nor your son or daughter,
nor your male or female servant,
nor your animals,
nor any foreigner residing in your towns.
For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
but he rested on the seventh day.
Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother,
so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey,
or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
18-19 When the people saw the thunder and lightning
and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke,
they trembled with fear.
They stayed at a distance and said to Moses,
“Speak to us yourself and we will listen.
But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”
20 Moses said to the people,
“Do not be afraid. God has come to test you,
so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
21 The people remained at a distance,
while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Idols and Altars
22-23 Then the Lord said to Moses,
“Tell the Israelites this:
‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:
Do not make any gods to be alongside me;
do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.
24 “‘Make an altar of earth for me
and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings,
your sheep and goats and your cattle.
Wherever I cause my name to be honored,
I will come to you and bless you.
25 If you make an altar of stones for me,
do not build it with dressed stones,
for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.
26 And do not go up to my altar on steps,
or your private parts may be exposed.’
BLESSINGS
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There is no greater blessing than the knowledge of You, O YHWH,
and yet You bless us further with Your Torah, Your Tree of Life, our chosen Way of Life.
Further You bless us with one another—a small community of like-minded believers in Your Sinai revelation,
who hold steadfastly to Your declarations.
And more . . .You have blessed us with family —
beloved parents, spouses,
children, and extended relationships,
all loved ones—-
We thank You for each one of them,
and seek Your blessing upon them—
for protection, for provision, for Your saving grace,
that they might seek You with all their heart
and all their mind and all their soul,
and find You just as we have found You
where You spoke Your words of life —
Your Sinai Revelation—
may they find You in their lifetime.
We celebrate the life You have granted each generation of our family,
may each of our beloved ones choose Your Life,
Your Torah Tree of Life, just as we have done.
Amen.
L’chaim, to LIFE!
SHAVUOT MEAL/TORAH STUDY
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HAVDALAH
O YHWH, Revelator- God on Sinai,
Thank You for giving us
a glimpse of YOU
through Your revelation on Sinai.
Thank You for giving us Your Law, Your Torah,
and teaching us Your Way;
Without Your Revelation
on how humankind should live
with one another, in community,
We tend to resort to our own chosen way,
ignorant of what is right in Your Eyes,
following our own self-centered instincts.
Thank You for being a GOD who speaks,
A LORD Who communicates Your Will
to the only creature You chose to bear Your Image.
May we be enabled, as we enable ourselves,
to bear Your Image
in a way that others will see You
in how we live our life, from day to day,
moment by moment,
and be worthy to have our names written
in Your Book of Life.
Amen.
A joyful Shavuot celebration
to all who choose to obey YHWH’s Torah . . .
it is for all humanity,
Jew and Gentile.
SHABBAT SHALOM,
in behalf our Sinai 6000 Core Community,
meet you at YHWH’s Spiritual Sinai — His TORAH!
NSB@S6K
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