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Subject: The Year of Redemption and Salvation
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 17:02:57 -0800
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Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 13:47:09 +0100
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
From: Boaz Michael of First Fruits of Zion
Subject: The Year of Redemption and Salvation
Shalom Friends,
Let the heavens rejoice, the earth be glad: let the sea resound, and all
that is in it. They will sing before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to
judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples
in His truth. Psalm 96:11, 13
For the Year that is coming upon us (5759) all of us at the First Fruits of
Zion family are wishing you all a wonderful year of prosperity and
blessings from God.
May the Lord bless you during this season.
Boaz Michael
First Fruits of Zion
Jerusalem, Israel
Here is a short teaching on the numeric significance of the Jewish year
5759. All of our Torah Commentaries for this year will be following this
theme. For more information about First Fruits of Zion you can visit our
web page at http://www.ffoz.org
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TASHNIT
5759 / 1998-1999
"Geulah veYeshua"
"The Year of Redemption and Salvation"
Every letter of the aleph-bet has a numerical value - as well as its name
and shape. In 'pure' Hebrew, all numbers are written as letters. The Hebrew
year, therefore, is also written in letters. Rosh HaShana this year
(September 21, 1998 or Tishri 1, 5759 ) begins the year tav-shin- nun- tet.
The present year 1998, or 5758 in the Hebrew calendar, spelled TASHNIT
(Tav, Shin, Nun, Yod, Yod, Tet,) The first two letters mean the equivalent
of "in the days or time of..." and the last two letters are nun-chet
which spell the word "noach' meaning 'relaxing rest' or the name Noah!
Interesting connotations for the name of a year! The name that has been
given to this coming year, and placed on the traditional pocket calendar
printed in Jerusalem for the Orthodox Jewish community is, "The Year of
Redemption and Salvation". We can say "Amen" to that!
Salvation is deliverance or rescuing from death and redemption is setting
of captives free from oppression or a slave free by the payment of a ransom.
The Hebrew letter "tet" is the ninth letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet. It
thus has the value of nine. In Rabbinic writings, nine represents the
Divine qualities of truth & eternity. It is symbolized by the arithmetical
phenomenon unique to the number nine, that all multiples of nine, in their
reduced value, remain equal to nine. For example: 2x9 = 18, 1+8=9; 3x9=27,
2+7=9. The reduced value of "emet", truth, is 9 (441 = 9). Also, among many
other words which pertain to the qualities of truth and eternity, there are
those of "brit", covenant (612=9), "ohr", light (207=9),
"Shabbat",Sabbath
(702=9), and "chessed", lovingkindness (72=9). Others are "geulah",
redemption (45=9) and "chai", life (18=9).
A powerful symbol of the longed for redemption of Israel and the salvation
of all the earth, leading to eternal life, is the trumpet, or more
accurately, the shofar.
On the Biblical holiday of Rosh HaShanah, (New Year) otherwise known as
"The Feast of Trumpets", the silent personal prayer of the "Amidah" -
which
is prayed 3 times daily by religiously observant Jews - consists of 9
blessings. It traditionally consists of eighteen blessings (now nineteen)
on a weekday and seven blessings on Shabbat and other holidays. The nine
blessings of Rosh HaShana correspond to the various series of the
shofar-blasts during the Rosh HaShana service, which are arranged in sets
of nine. The "teruah", one of the three sounds of the shofar, consists of
nine short staccato sounds. This repetitive theme of 9 on Rosh HaShana
hints at both the hidden judgment of this awesome day as well as the
blessings awaiting "birth" in the New Year.
We see a similar theme in the book of Revelation, where we also read of 9
trumpets.
In Revelation 1:10 and 4:1 the voice of the Lord is heard as the sound of a
trumpet. ("kol shofar") first proclaiming Who He is - "I am Alpha and Omega
("Aleph veTav") the first and the last", and then beckoning Yochanan
saying, "Come up hither, and I will show you things which will be
hereafter." These are blessings of Divine proclamation and prophetic
revelation. The seven trumpets of the seven angels, in chapters 8-11, are
followed, however, by the judgment of seven plagues.
How true that with Salvation and Redemption - "Geulah veYeshua" - come
great blessings but also judgment. "Behold He comes!" May we be alert and
ready to welcome our Messiah-King!
First Fruits of Zion, PO Box 620099 Littleton, CO 80162
http://www.ffoz.org
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