AZShabbat

Rosh Hashanah

Rabbi Jack — Fri, 07 May 2010 16:30:19 +0000

info about 3,000 of them.

Acts 2? Sure. But also Exodus at Mount Sinai:

Here at Beth Simcha, we understand that the roots of Christianity are Jewish. And…that the harvesting of wheat in the Holy Land on this all important festival in ancient times, was a picture of the harvesting of souls for the Kingdom! We celebrate God’s harvest!

PASSOVER

Rabbi Jack — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:52:53 +0000

The Book of Exodus tells the story of Israelites who were placed in bondage in Egypt, by a Pharoah worried that they might wield too much political control. When the evil ruler called for the slaying of every first born male child, a mother who had recently given birth to such a child placed him in a basket and let it float down the river. That child, Moses, would be raised in the Egyptian palace, discover his true heritage, and ask Pharoah to let the Israelite slaves be set free.

Each time Pharoah said, “no”, God would bring another plague down upon Egypt: everything from water turning to blood, to frogs hopping through the streets! But Pharoah would not let them go.

Then one day, God told Moses to have the head of every household go and slay a lamb, and take the blood from the lamb and smear it on the doorposts and lintels of their homes. God’s death angel would then follow, and “pass over” the homes of the now safeguarded Israelites, and strike down every first born male Egyptian child. It was then that Pharoah set the slaves free.

We understand that Yeshua is the fulfillment of that lamb, as he shed His blood for us so that we who were previously in bondage to satan, could also be set free!

Hanukkah

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:34:53 +0000

Hanukkah is the next Biblical Holiday on the calendar. Also known as the Feast of Dedication, and celebrated by Yeshua, it is the holiday that marks the miracle in the Temple after the Maccabean Revolt. The Temple had been desecrated with the sacrifice of a pig on the altar of God and taken over by pagan worship. Judah Maccabee and his family rose up against their oppressors and took back the Temple. When they went to light the Menorah in the Temple they found only enough oil to burn for one night, while it would take a week to make new oil. They lit the oil in faith and were amazed that it burned for 8 nights instead of 1 and they had time to consecrate the new oil.

Every year this miracle is celebrated at Hanukkah (a special Menorah with a shamash candle that is higher or set apart from the others and 8 regular candle holders) with the lighting of a Hannukiah adding a candle each night for 8 nights–moving from right to left, the same direction you read Hebrew. The shamash, or helper candle is lit each night and used to light the appropriate number of candles in the Hanukkiah.

For the Messianic believer it’s an exciting time of the year. Not only did Yeshua celebrate Hanukkah, but many Messianic scholars believe that Yeshua was conceived at Hanukkah–that the light of the world came into the world at Hanukkah–the festival of lights. What a wonderful time to celebrate so many miracles in our lives!

additional information including the blessings can be found at:
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Winter_Holidays/Chanukah/chanukah.html

Yom Kippur

admin — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:39:32 +0000

Yom Kippur begins at sundown on September 27th and we will have services starting at 6:30pm at the congregation–doors open for seating at 6pm. this is the day of atonement, the Great Throne Judgment prophesied – We will be learning about this during the message on the 26th of September. You may also visit http://www.biblicalholidays.com/yom_kippur.htm to learn more!

Rosh Hashanah

admin — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:32:18 +0000

Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 18th and we will have services starting at 6:30pm at the congregation location–doors open for seating at 6pm. This is the festival of trumpets, the Jewish New Year – please visit http://www.biblicalholidays.com/rosh_hashana.htm to learn more.

Welcome to Congregation Beth Simcha!

admin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:39:48 +0000

Rosh Hashanah September 8th at sundown about 6:30pm. More info? Call 602-955-6413.

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Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 8th and we will have services starting at 6:30pm at the congregation location–doors open for seating at 6pm. This is the festival of trumpets, the Jewish New Year – please visit biblicalholidays.com/rosh_hashana.htm to learn more.

Join us for Shabbat Services every Saturday at 11:00 AM.
Advanced Adult classes begin at 9:30 AM in the Fellowship Hall. Children’s Shabbat School is held during the message.
On site licensed nursery care is available. Please join us for our Oneg (Delight) meal after the service.

CLICK HERE for Directions!

Phone 602-955-6413
Beth Simchat Hamashiach
3313 N 40th St
Phoenix, AZ
85016

Mailing Address:
Beth Simchat Hamashiach
PO Box 15920
Phoenix, AZ 85060

Jack Zimmerman, Senior Rabbi
Al Caen, Family Life Rabbi

Welcome!

admin — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:28:12 +0000

Welcome to Beth Simchat!

Please check this space often for updates from Rabbi Jack!

Bridal Mikvah

admin — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:19:42 +0000

We’re preparing for a wedding at Beth Simchat and we’re so excited. Especially because the way it’s going to be conducted is that the wedding will be woven through a sermon about how the ancient Jewish wedding is a picture of the wedding between Yeshua the bridegroom and the Church, His Bride. In the week before the wedding we will be having a bridal mikvah. While traditionally this would be done in “living water”, or natural flowing water, we live in a desert so we’re going to meet in a swimming pool.

10 years ago in the week before my own wedding, which was a Jewish/Christian wedding, we did a mikvah. My matron of honor arranged for us to have very fancy desert at one of the Valley’s top restaurants and the use of one of their outdoor hot tubs that are spread out around the mountain. It was wonderful! So when our bride was talking to me about preparing for her wedding I asked if she would be doing a mikvah. She loved the idea.

One thing I wish I’d known for my own mikvah were the blessings for bridal mikvah. I’m always amazed at how easy it is to pray without ceasing when you understand that there are blessings for everything! Especially things that are important to God–bread, wine, Sabbath, and even immersion. No surprise there, though. So in preparation for this mikvah I went in search of the blessings for bridal mikvah and this is what I found:

“Barukh ata Adonai Eloheynu Melekh Ha-olam asher kid’shanu, be-mitzvotav vitsivanu al ha’tevilah.

“Praised are you, Adonai, God of all creation, who sanctifies us with your commandments and commanded us concerning immersion.”

Well, that is the general immersion blessing.

Sheheheyanu, the blessing commemorating significant first events, is often added for brides (and grooms) who are undergoing immersion.

“Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheynu Melekh Ha-olam sheheheyanu vikiamanu vihigianu lazman hazeh.

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, .who kept us alive and preserved us and enabled us to reach this season.”

Two or three immersions are traditional and I love anything done in threes that can symbolize the Trinity as being the source of and a party to a ritual. In my wedding I circled my husband 3 times. And the word “mikveh” appears in Torah 3 times.

One thing I realized when planning for my wedding was that modern weddings have traditions and rituals as part of them, but the rituals of preparing for weddings have been honed down to a bachelors and bachelorette party which are, in many cases, nothing more than Hellenistic pagan debauchery run rampant. How can one prepare for the sanctity of marriage by mocking it in a pre-wedding romp through worldliness? And we are surprised at how many marriages fail. But a ritual emphasizing holiness, and purity, and preparation for becoming a bride and being a wife is a beautiful beginning to the wedding rituals.

Based on Sephardic tradition of turning a mikveh into a party we are going to have women who love the bride gather to celebrate her upcoming wedding with her and to encourage her in her desire to be pure at the altar with her groom.

If you would love to share about your bridal mikveh please send your story to crystal@aolff.org and I will add to this with ideas so that women who desire to put together a special bridal mikveh can be inspired here.