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本週為以色列時事禱告：
主要在感謝神的憐憫－本來要從利比亞開到迦薩挑戰以色列海域的救援船，後來停在埃及沒過來。
每週一妥拉 (2010/7/18-7/24)
從古時起，在全世界的猶太會堂會一週一次在安息日讀經，從摩西五經（妥拉）到先知的書（先知書）。本週的內容被給予一個希伯來名，出自於經文內容起頭的字。每週慣例讀經的實例剛好記載在路加福音四章16節，耶穌來到拿撒勒的會堂，讀了一段先知書（以賽亞書61章）。
我們發現每週一次閱讀這些內容，不僅提供我們機會，與世界成千上萬的猶太人來確認神話語的內容，在我們為以色列與猶太人的代禱上，聖靈更時常貼切的啟發具體的內容禱告。
每週一妥拉的禱告更新內容並不是為了提供這些閱讀『註解』，我們在讀經各處挑出一些重點乃是對我們的代禱有助益。
耶利米哀歌書卷：從週一晚上太陽下山到週二─埃波月九日（七月20日），全世界許多猶太人會藉由禁食來自我警醒（第五個月要禁食-撒迦利亞書8:19），閱讀耶路撒冷與聖殿被毀的痛苦描述，神的同在已經離開早從所羅門獻殿以來就象徵神同在的居所（以西結書10）。耶利米哀歌這卷書實際上是由五首『哀歌』結合而成，每一首哀歌都與希伯來文的廿二個字母有關，雕琢著完美的詩歌技巧。一般的閱讀習慣會以重複第21節來作為結束：『耶和華啊，求祢使我們向祢回轉，我們便得回轉。求祢復新我們的日子，像古時一樣。』
請禱告神的聖靈會使人知罪、吸引人心為罪悔改，滿心盼望主的慈愛與憐憫，因為『每早晨，這都是新的；祂的誠實極其廣大』（哀3:22-23）。
從七月十八日到七月廿四日的閱讀被稱為『我懇求』（V’Et’chanans）。
妥 拉: 申命記3:23-7:11
先知書: 以賽亞書40:1-26
妥 拉:
這週的閱讀非常豐富有力，除了『預備跨越』外，還包括『十誡』(5:6-21)；『以色列啊，你要聽！』 (6:4)；認識並背誦神的話之指示，以及摩西對以色列感人、真誠的忠告與勸誡。
* 申命記 3:28. 『你卻要囑咐約書亞，勉勵他，使他膽壯；因為他必在這百姓前面過去，使他們承受你所要觀看之地。』
請禱告：神在以色列地興起屬靈領袖，是一群警醒又順服的長老，會以能力囑咐、勉勵新的一代，使他們膽壯，邁向他們呼召的方向─他們是屬神的新世代，信靠並愛他們的神，打必要的戰役並承受地業。
* 申命記4:29-31. 『但你們在那裡必尋求耶和華─你的神。你盡心盡性尋求祂的時候，就必尋見。日後你遭遇一切患難的時候，你必歸回耶和華（YHVH）─你的神，聽從祂的話。耶和華─你神原是有憐憫的神；祂總不撇下你，不滅絕你，也不忘記祂起誓與你列祖所立的約。
請禱告：這地猶太人的心中有一個強大的渴望覺醒，渴望他們列祖所信靠的神─相信這段話，相信當他們回轉向祂，祂會聽見，並意識到耶和華（YHVH）此聖潔的名字，結合了彌賽亞救恩之名。
* 申命記4:43. 『為流便人分定曠野平原的比悉；為迦得人分定基列的拉末；為瑪拿西人分定巴珊的哥蘭。』
這些都是以色列從亞摩利人手中取得的逃城，沿著約旦河東岸到黑門山。前面兩個逃城目前在約旦所聲稱的土地內，後面的哥蘭高地是以色列在六日戰爭從敘利亞手中取回的。上星期有一個法律另一讀通過，在執行前需要國會多數通過與公投，就是『用土地換和平』，放棄以色列所佔有的地（東耶路撒冷與哥蘭高地，以色列從沒有正式佔有在那場戰爭取得的猶大、撒瑪利亞與迦薩）。撒迦利亞書十章10節預言說有一天猶太人會回到基列和黎巴嫩；目前只有猶太人和小群的德魯茲人（沒有巴勒斯坦人）住在哥蘭高地。
請禱告：以色列在這幾塊土地上會尊榮神的時間表，他們不會輕視當年摩西從巴珊王噩（最後與最大的巨人）手中取得、在末世又歸還給祂百姓的土地。此戰略上的土地不會以假和平的方式與我們的鄰居交換。禱告萬軍之主會在祂的時間，歸還由祂立約百姓所掌管的土地到祂原先所計畫的邊界範圍。
* 申命記6:4-5. 『以色列啊，你要聽！耶和華─我們神是獨一的主。』
在申命記其他地方也出現『以色列啊，你要聽』(4:1, 6:3, 9:1, 20:3, 33:7)─但這一節成為世界猶太人數百年來的中心呼求。它是猶太會堂每週都會唱的歌（包括大部分彌賽亞教會）。需要啟示才能除去百姓的『帕子』，使他們瞭解到耶穌是神的兒子（箴言30:4），而人子也不會違背此宣言，因為那是最深層的真理，就是祂與父原為一！（約翰福音10:30）。撒旦痛恨此真理被說出來，當耶穌宣告此真理時，宗教的猶太人甚至拿石頭要殺祂。
請為此啟示禱告，讓欺騙者的聲音在猶太人的耳朵沈默下來。
* 申命記6:5. 『你要盡心、盡性、盡力愛耶和華─你的神。』
耶穌也在新約引用這節經文，稱其為第一與最大的誡命（馬太福音22:37-38）。『盡我們一切的『非常』來愛』，『盡你所有的力量』在希伯來文中是很獨特的，不是一般常用的『力量』，而是用ma'od這個希伯來字。ma'od在聖經與現代希伯來文裡是一個副詞，意思是『非常』（very）。韋氏字典對此副詞非常（very）的形容是：『很高的程度；很大的廣度；極其地；極度地；是使用在形容詞或另一個副詞前面作為限定詞。』但這裡的ma'od或very是當作名詞使用！用我們的『非常』來愛神─在每一個方面：『以很高的程度、很大的廣度、極其地與極度地』來愛神。
在希伯來聖經，只有在另一個地方有重複此經文，是談到以色列的一位領袖約西亞王（王下23:25）：『在約西亞以前沒有王像他盡心、盡性、盡力地歸向耶和華，遵行摩西的一切律法；在他以後也沒有興起一個王像他。』『盡我們所有的心』是一顆柔和謙卑的心；很重要地，在22:19顯出神聽到並回應約西亞：『就是聽見我指著這地和其上的居民所說、要使這地變為荒場、民受咒詛的話，你便心裡敬服，在我面前自卑。』
當我們為以色列現任總理禱告他會有像約西亞般柔軟的心，當他聽到神的話就扎了他的心，是不是很真實呢？他有讀神的話嗎？
最近總理納坦雅胡在美國接受賴瑞金節目（Larry King show）專訪中，回答賴瑞金的問題『你曾否真正放鬆過？』總理回答說：
『有，我告訴你何時我會放鬆。每星期六是我們的安息日，我們會休息一天，此制度被帶到世上是非常好的主意。因此，我有一天休息，我會花一個半小時與我的幼子一起讀聖經，然後我就放鬆了。你知道嗎？我從中吸取許多屬靈力量。以前都是我教他，他現在十五歲了，但在過去幾年都是他在教我。所以，沒錯，我從中吸取巨大的力量，我認為所有領袖都需要，特別是以色列的領袖。』
* 申命記6:6-9. 『我今日所吩咐你的話都要記在心上，也要殷勤教訓你的兒女。無論你坐在家裡，行在路上，躺下，起來，都要談論。也要繫在手上為記號，戴在額上為經文；又要寫在你房屋的門框上，並你的城門上。』
閱讀、學習並背誦神的話是非常重要的，顯然這就是此處提到以房子輔助學習的意思了。每一個猶太人的房子門框上都有經文盒（mezuzah），這個小小的盒子上面有希伯來字母Shin（代表著Shaddai全能神），裡面有一小卷羊皮紙或一般紙寫上這一段經文。守律法的猶太人進出房子時都會摸一下經文盒，然後在將手碰觸口，當作是熱愛神話語的象徵。
當然這本身並沒有什麼錯，只不過當此成為傳統時，就常常充滿著迷信與律法主義。不相信神的話或神的人也會摸經文盒，盼望能藉此帶來好運。一個不幸的戲碼因此常常上演，當一個家庭為著房子裡發生的悲劇痛苦時，他們的拉比會告訴他們是因為經文盒安裝的不夠好，或是沒有清潔，或是裡面的經卷沒有適當地『被祝福』。如此不符合聖經、無情的律法主義壓碎了宗教的靈，引來世俗猶太人的憤怒與輕蔑，驅使他們更遠離先祖的神。
請禱告：以色列人能回到神的話，使他們能擁抱神的話，聖靈會在他們裡面喚起話語的生命。禱告抵擋一切對神永活話語的異端與律法主義的蒙蔽。
先知書:
以賽亞書四十章一開始『你們的神說：你們要安慰，安慰我的百姓。要對耶路撒冷說安慰的話…』從現在一直到猶太新年（九月八日），所有先知書的閱讀都會專注在神對祂百姓的愛與安慰。
請禱告以色列的耳朵會被打開，聆聽來自天父好消息的聲音。禱告從錫安報好信息的聲音，會從聖城的高處極力並清楚的被釋放出來！（以賽亞書40:9）
預備『跨越』得地為業
這週的妥拉閱讀，希伯來文字根avar-『跨越』出現十次（這個字根剛好也是『希伯來人』之意），其啟發我們來檢視這些用法─包括在跨越進入我們個人產業的智慧，還有為再生的以色列能進入她的產業禱告：
* 申命記 3:25. 跨越為要看見（不是持有）另一邊的產業。摩西懇求主容他跨越過去，只為了看河那邊的產業，後來神允許他從遠處觀看，卻不能跨越。
* 申命記 3:27b; 4:21; 4:22a. 不容跨越承受產業。以摩西的例子，是因為他身為領袖卻不能在人面前尊神為聖，導致他被禁止跨越（民數記20:12，24）
* 申命記 3:28. 跨越帶領進入產業。傳遞神的指令、力量與鼓勵給委派的領袖是有其責任的，好使對方在帶領百姓進入產業前能先重溫一遍。
* 申命記 4:14; 4:22b; 4:26; 6:1. 跨越為得地為業。這是跨越的目標與命定，希伯來文lareshet這個動詞同時指著『得著』與『承受』，或聖經上所說的『得地為業』，在這裡出現四次。
* 申命記 4:26. 在得為業後的土地上作惡的結果。邪惡與漠視神的話會失去產業，即使這的確發生在我們的祖先身上，卻總有方法回轉到我們主那裡！（申4:29）
下週的妥拉與先知書閱讀（7/25-7/31）稱為『果然』（Ekev），內容包括：妥拉─申命記7:12-11:25；先知書─以賽亞書49:14-51:3。
馬汀和娜瑪‧賽維士（Martin & Norma Sarvis）
於耶路撒冷
This week's Torah Portion:
From ancient times there has been a weekly portion (Parasha) from the first five books of Moses (The Torah) and an ending (Haftarah) from the Prophets read on the Sabbath in synagogues around the world. This portion is given a Hebrew name drawn from the opening words of the Torah passage. An illustration of this practice appears to have been recorded in Luke 4:16 where Yeshua (Jesus) arrived in the synagogue in Nazareth and was asked to read the portion (Isaiah 61) from the Prophets. We have found that in perusing these weekly readings, not only are we provided opportunity to identify in the context of God's Word with millions of Jewish people around the world, but very often the Holy Spirit will illumine specific passages pertinent that week in our intercession for the Land and people of Israel. All texts are those of English translations of the Scriptures.
SCROLL OF LAMENTATIONS (MEGILAT EICHA): From sundown Monday evening through Tuesday, the 9th of Av (20 July this year) many Jews around the world will sober themselves by fasting (Fast of the Fifth Month-Zechariah 8:19) and reading this anguished account of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, from which God's manifest presence had departed (Ezekiel 10) after having dwelt there since the dedication of King Solomon. The book is actually made up of five "laments", each related in some way to the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet-and crafted with consummate poetic skill. It is customary to conclude the reading with a repetition of verse 21, "Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old."
PLEASE PRAY that the Holy Spirit of God would convict and draw hearts to repentance for sin, to hope in the Mercies and Compassions of the LORD, which are "new every morning"."Great is His Faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23).
The Parasha reading for 18-24 July 2010 is entitled: "V'Et'chanan/Pleaded".
TORAH: Deuteronomy3:23-7:11
HAFTARAH: Isaiah 40:1-26
TORAH: This is a rich and powerful Reading. In addition to the "preparations for cross-over" examined at the end of this Update, it contains the 'Ten Commandments' (5:6-21); the Shema "Hear O Israel" (6:4); instructions regarding knowing and memorizing God's Word in the Homes.and other often touchingly earnest counsels and admonitions of Moses to Israel.
* Deuteronomy 3:28. "And charge Yehoshua (Joshua), and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see."
PLEASE PRAY: for God to raise up spiritual leaders in the Land-that these be noticed by alert and obedient elders who will charge, encourage and strengthen them in the power and direction of their calling-that a new godly generation will love and trust their God, fight the battles necessary and inherit the land.
* Deuteronomy 4:29-31. "But from there [i.e. scattered throughout the world] you will seek YHVH your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the last days, when you turn to YHVH your God and obey his voice, (For YHVH your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them."
PLEASE PRAY: For awakening of a powerful longing in the hearts of Jews in the nations, a longing after the God of their Fathers-a faith in this word that He will hear when they turn to Him, and a realization that this holy name is combined with Salvation in the name of their Messiah.
* Deuteronomy 4:43. "Betzer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites." These are Cities of Refuge in land taken by Israel from the Amorites, running along the eastern side of the Jordan River to Mount Hermon. The first two now lie within land claimed by the present-day Kingdom of Jordan, the last in the Golan Heights taken by Israel from Syria in the 1967 War. This past week a law passed another reading which when implemented would make require a large Knesset majority and a national referendum before ceding "land for peace" which Israel has annexed (East Jerusalem and to a slightly less definitive extent, the Golan Heights. Israel has never officially annexed Judea, Samaria or Gaza all also taken in that war). Zechariah 10:10 prophesies that some day Jews will return to Gilead and even portions of Lebanon. At present, only Jews and a small number of Druze (no Palestinians) live in the Golan Heights.
PLEASE PRAY: That the Israeli government will honour God's timetable regarding these lands. That they will not despise the land once taken by Moses from Og (the last and greatest of the giants), and returned to His people in these last days. That this strategic land will not be bartered for a false peace with our neighbors. Pray that in His time the LORD of Hosts return the land governed by his Covenant people to the borders He has purposed.
* Deuteronomy 6:4-5. "HEAR! [Hebrew: Shma!] ISRAEL; YHVH OUR GOD, YHVH ONE!" There are other "Hear, O Israel's" in Deuteronomy (4:1, 6:3, 9:1, 20:3, 33:7)-but this one has become the central cry of Jews throughout the world for centuries. It is sung each week in Synagogues (including most Messianic ones). It takes revelation, removal of the 'veil' for this people to realize that Yeshua (Jesus) being the Son of God (Proverbs 30:4) as well as Son of Man does not violate this proclamation-because it is the deepest truth that He and His Father are ONE! (John 10:30). Satan hates this truth being voiced-when Yeshua proclaimed it, the religious Jews present took up stones to kill him.
PLEASE PRAY for this revelation, and that the voice of the Deceiver be silenced in the ears of the Jewish people.
* Deuteronomy 6:5. "You shall love YHVH your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." Yeshua quoted this verse in the New Covenant, calling it the First and Greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38). "Loving with all of our "Very". "All your strength" is unique in the Hebrew. Rather than the usual expressions for "strength", the word ma'od is used. Elsewhere in both Biblical and Modern Hebrew this word is an adverb meaning "very." Webster's describes the adverb "very" this way: "In a high degree; to a great extent; extremely; exceedingly; used as a qualifier before an adjective or another adverb." Yet here ma'od or "very" is used as a Noun! To love our God with all of our very "veriness"-in every way "in a high degree"; "to a great extent"; "extremely"; "exceedingly".
Only one other place in the Hebrew Bible is this passage repeated, and that in reference to one of Israel's leaders, King Josiah (II Kings 23:25), "Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Torah of Moses, nor after him did any arise like him." "With all our heart" involves a tender and humble heart. Significantly, 22:19 reveals that God heard and responded to Josiah "because his heart was tender, and he humbled himself before the LORD when he heard what he had spoken." .
Is it realistic to pray for the current Prime Minister of Israel that he will have a softened heart like Josiah which might be pierced when he reads God's word? Does he read God's Word? Recently, during an interview on the Larry King show in the U.S. Prime Minister Netanyahu, in an interview with Larry King in the U.S., responded to the question, "Are you ever able to really relax? with these words,
"You know, yes. And I'll tell you when. Every Saturday, our Sabbath, we have a day off. It's a very good idea that this institution was brought into the world. So I have a day off. And every Saturday, I take an hour and a half, and I read from the Bible with my younger boy.I relax then. I draw a lot of spiritual strength. You know, I used to teach him. He is now 15. But in the last couple of years, he teaches me. So, yes, I draw enormous reservoirs of strength and I think that is needed for all leaders, but especially for the leaders of Israel."
* Deuteronomy 6:6-9. "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them (literally, "teach them by memory") diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts (Hebrew: mazuzot) of your house and on your gates."
It is so important to read, learn and memorize God's word. That is obviously the sense here for placing portions of them about the house as an aid in learning. Every Jewish house has a mezuzah on its doorpost. This is a little box with the letter Shin on it (Standing for Shaddai-Almighty) and within it is a tiny scroll of parchment or paper with these words from this passage of Scripture. Observant Jews touch the mezuzah as they enter or leave the dwelling and then touch their fingers to their lips as a sign of love for the Word. There is certainly nothing wrong with this in and of itself. However, as so often happens with such traditions, it has become often laden with superstition and legalism. People with no belief in the Word or its God whatsoever will touch a mezuzah with the hopes of it bringing luck. And there is a distressingly frequent scenario where a family in anguish over a tragedy taking place within their apartment is told by their rabbi that it is because of this or that small imperfection in the way the mezuzah had been mounted; or it hadn't been cleaned; or the scroll within it hadn't been 'blessed' properly. Such unscriptural, unfeeling legalism crushes the spirit of the religious and brings down the fury and contempt of secular Jews, driving them even further away from the God of their Fathers.
PLEASE PRAY: For Israelis to return to the Word of God; that they will embrace it, and that the Holy Spirit will awaken its life within them. Pray against occult and legalistic deception regarding the Living Word.
HAFTARAH: Isaiah 40 begins, " 'Comfort, yes, comfort My people!' says your God. 'Speak comfort to Jerusalem . . .'" From the Sabbath following the 9th of Av until Rosh Hashanah (8 September this year) the readings from the Prophets will, almost like a balm, focus upon the Comfort and Love that God has for His people.
PLEASE PRAY that Israel's ears will be opened to the Voice of Good News coming from her Father. Pray that the voice of the bearer of Good News to Zion (Meveseret Tzion) will be released strong and clear from high places around the Holy City! (Isaiah 40:9 NIV).
PREPARING TO "CROSS OVER" TO POSSESS INHERITANCE.
Ten Times in this week's Torah reading the Hebrew root avar-"cross-over/across" appears (This root also happens to be that of the name "Hebrew"). It is enlightening to examine these usages-both for wisdom in crossing-over into our own personal inheritance, and in praying for reborn Israel to inter in to hers:
* Deut. 3:25. Cross-over TO SEE [but not possess] Inheritance on the other side. Moses pleads to be allowed cross-over, so as to see the inheritance across the river. But he is allowed by God to view it only from afar.not physically to cross over.
* Deut. 3:27b; 4:21; 4:22a. FORBIDDEN to cross-over to inheritance. In Moses' case, it was failure as a leader to honour the holiness of God's Word before the people which resulted in his being prohibited from crossing over (Numbers 20:12, 24).
* Deut. 3:28. Cross-Over to LEAD into Inheritance. There is a responsibility for passing on God's command, strength and encouragement to the leader(s) appointed to go over before and lead the people into their inheritance.
* Deut. 4:14; 4:22b; 4:26; 6:1. Cross-Over to TAKE POSSESSION of INHERITANCE. This is the goal and destiny of cross-over. The Hebrew verb lareshet means both "to take possession of" and "to inherit", or Biblically: "to take possession of an inheritance". It occurs here four times.
* Deut. 4:26. CONSEQUENCES of doing evil in the place of inheritance after having taken possession. Evil and ignoring of God's Word can cause inheritance to be lost. Yet even when it is found that this has happened to our ancestors or in our bloodline, there is a Way back to the LORD our God! (4:29).
[The readings for next week July 25-31 "Ekev" will be: TORAH: Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25; HAFTARAH: Isaiah 49:14-51:3]
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