454Yada Yahowah
Miqra’ey
…Invitations
7
Matsah | UnYeasted Bread
Being Perfected…
As we are now aware, the Festival Feast of UnYeasted Bread was first observed as the Children of Yisra’el were being rescued from Mitsraym | the Crucibles of Religious and Political Persecution. Their freedom came during the night, and with their departure imminent, they did not wait for their bread dough to rise. There were precious few hours to spare, and so they focused on preparing their provisions for the journey.
On the opposing side, the Egyptians, having been stricken for their continued rebellion, were not interested in receiving another lesson. In the immediate aftermath of Passover, they wanted to be rid of the Chosen People…
“The religious and political oppressors (wa Mitsraym – the despots and tyrants within the cauldrons of military and economic subjugation, the authority figures in the place of coercive cruelty where slaves were confined and restricted by political persecution, considered foes, besieged, and assaulted as if shut up inside a concentration camp) were intensely resolute (chazaq – were strong-willed and firm, some helpful and others harsh) with the people (‘al ha ‘am – upon the family), hurriedly (mahar – anxiously and quickly, impulsively and impetuously, formally but fearfully) sending them (la shalach hem – dispatching them) out of the region (min ha ‘erets).
For they said (ky ‘amar), ‘We will all die (kol ‘anachnuw muwth – every one of us will be put to death 455prematurely, be executed and separated from the living)!’ (Shemowth / Exodus 12:33)
So (wa) the people (ha ‘am – the family) brought along (nasa’ – carried away) their dough (‘eth batseq huw’ – their grain mixed with water) before it was yeasted and there was a return of the grievous sorrow of cruel oppression (terem chamesh – in advance of the embittered fungus conceiving the culture of ruthless persecution) – having their kneading bowls (mish’ereth hem – their breadboards; from sha’ar – to remain behind) bound up (tsarar – wrapped up and confined reminiscent of being bound in dire straits) in (ba) their garments (simlah hem – their clothing; from semel – resembling idolatrous worship) and upon (‘al) their shoulders (shakem hem – backs; from shakam – to rise and get an early start on the day).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 12:34)
The specter of death can cause even the courageous to panic, which is what occurred in Mitsraym. The people were afraid that they would all be killed by the God who was committed to freeing His children. There was nothing in Heaven or on Earth that would stop Him from obtaining their liberty.
The religious and political oppressors were “chazaq – intensely resolute.” With some becoming helpful and the others remaining harsh, they were all firm in their determination to remove the impetus for the plagues they had endured.
Yahowah has confirmed what we have come to recognize. By using terem chamesh we know that “before the bread was yeasted” was indicative of acting “before there was a return of the grievous sorrow and cruel oppression as a result of the embittered fungus permeating the culture of ruthless religion.” Chamesh drives to the heart of the issue God has been articulating.
Yahowah has nothing against yeast, per se. His issue 456is with what chamesh represents through its other connotations: “ruthless tyranny and subjugation, cruel behavior which embitters, leading to callous repression, merciless conditions, horrific suffering, and sorrow.” Cynical and disillusioned people become defiant and harbor animosity against God which in turn leads to cognitive dissonance and emotional anguish. When covetous people enter the realm of politics and religion, they tend to become tyrants who prosper by lording over others. It is what Mitsraym represents, which is why leaving the land of political persecution and religious corruption became analogous with the purpose of UnYeasted Bread.
Similarly revealing, the same three Hebrew consonants can be vocalized chamash, which means “to devise an unjust plot or plan which leads to the mistreatment of others, plundering them, destroying their land and possessions, while terrorizing and killing them without any hint of morality. Mitsraym, indeed.
The roots of the remaining words also paint the story. Their mish’ereth | breadboards symbolized not wanting to be sha’ar | left behind in the realm simlah | clothed in semel | idolatrous religious worship. Having shakem | shouldered the burden of being enslaved, they would shakam | arise and get an early start on the day. And while they were free and no longer tsarar | confined and besieged, by incorporating this word so cleverly into the text, Yahowah was making an ominous and yet reassuring prediction. As the Time of Ya’aqob’s Tsarar | Israel’s Troubles approaches, rest assured that there will be another Exodus.
While it was inadequate on its own merit following eight decades of enslavement, Yahowah gave the captors the opportunity to make reparations…
“When (wa) the Children (ben – sons and descendants) of Yisra’el (Yisra’el – Individuals who 457Engage and Endure with God) had engaged (‘asah – had acted at that time and actually done, expending the energy and effort to profit (qal perfect)) in a manner consistent with (ka – in accord with) Moseh’s (Mosheh’s – the One who Draws Out) message (dabar – word, statement, communication, conversation, account, speech, and declaration), they asked (wa sha’al – they requested (qal imperfect)) the religious despots and political tyrants (Mitsraym – the oppressors within the cauldrons of military and economic subjugation, those responsible for them having endured coercive cruelty as slaves confined and restricted under political persecution, assaulted as if shut up inside a concentration camp) for (min) implements and cooking vessels (kaly – supplies along with various utensils and useful objects), silver (keseph – things considered valuable and desirable) objects (kaly – articles of various sizes and shapes, possessions, and jewelry) and gold (wa zahab – precious metals and money) in addition to clothing (wa simlah – apparel and cloth).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 12:35)
When we engage in a manner consistent with His Towrah’s | Guidance, Yahowah will free us from the sting and stain of political persecution and religious oppression. Such is the purpose of Chag Matsah. Beyond being liberated from the wiles of man, we are also enriched by God – given everything we need and desire to live a fulfilling life. These objects were but a token of the riches we will receive. The Children of the Covenant will be showered with the most wonderful inheritance in the universe as we are adopted into Yah’s Family.
“Yahowah (YaHoWaH – an accurate presentation of the name of ‘elowah – God as guided by His towrah – instructions regarding His hayah – existence) bestowed and granted (nathan – caused and gave as a gift, producing (qal perfect)) for the family (ha ‘am – the people) a sense of empathy resulting in a favorable and 458compassionate disposition (‘eth chen – some sympathy causing a more merciful and generous reception) in the sight (ba ‘ayn – in the eyes and perceptions) of the religious and political oppressors (Mitsraym – of the crucibles of despots and tyrants within the cauldrons of military and economic subjugation, the place of coercive cruelty and slavery, of restrictions imposed by political persecution as if shut up inside a concentration camp) such that they let them have what they requested (wa sha’al hem – so that they were given permission to take what they had inquired about and wanted).
Therefore (wa), they spared (natsal – they saved, creating an opportunity for deliverance and more favorable circumstances (piel imperfect)) Mitsraym | the Crucibles of Political and Religious Oppression (Mitsraym – the cauldrons of cruel persecution where people were confined and restricted by military and economic institutions; plural of matsowr – to be delineated as a foe and besieged during a time of testing and tribulation, from tsuwr – to be bound and confined by an adversary, besieged, assaulted, shut up, and enclosed in a concentration camp by those showing great hostility).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 12:36)
The Natsal | Opportunity for Deliverance, now known as the “Exodus,” is a nathan | gift granted and bestowed by God. It is born out of His sense of chen | empathy and mercy for His ‘am | family.
Had the Children of Yisra’el acted upon the dabar | message of Moseh by shamar wa shama’ | observing and listening to the Towrah | Teaching of Yahowah, this is the reception they would have enjoyed throughout history. From this moment to the present day, there would have been no wandering around in the wilderness, no inhospitable reception in the Promised Land, no Philistines or Palestinians, no Assyrian or Babylonian captivity, no Greek or Roman invasion and resulting subjugation, no Diaspora or Holocaust, no anti-Semitic Christian 459conspiracies nor Islamic terrorism. Moreover, had the Children of Yisra’el engaged in harmony with the Towrah’s | Guidance, the nations which have suffered for having tormented God’s People would have been spared that fate.
This extrapolation from the text is made possible by something Yahowah told ‘Abraham at the beginning of their relationship. Remember…
“Then (wa) I will continually choose to favor and hold in high regard (‘abarakah) those who hold you in high regard, who see you as a source of blessings, of reconciliation, and of the beneficial relationship (barak ‘atah).
But (wa), he who disdains or despises you, even trivializes you, viewing you as someone to be slighted or belittled (qalal ‘atah), I will actually besmirch as disrespectful and may continuously incarcerate as inferior, I will designate as embittered and may forever constrain and condemn as a consequence and penalty (‘arar).
So (wa) with you (ba ‘atah), shall be commended and blessed, reconciled, and favorably greeted, showered with gifts and prosperity and offered a beneficial relationship (barak), all of (kol) the kindred individuals who are discerning, exercising good judgment regarding the means to resolve disputes (mishpachah) of the earth (‘erets).” (Bare’syth / Genesis 12:3)
The citizens of Mitsraym who had made it possible for their leaders to prosper as a result of the slave labor of the Yisra’elites, were caused to be “chen – sympathetic, showing compassion and favor” toward God’s People. And that is why they were “natsal – spared.” It is a lesson that was lost on the Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Roman Catholics, Muslims, Nazis, and today’s irrational 460liberals and crazy conspiratorialists.
As their journey to the Promised Land began…
“The Children (ben) of Yisra’el (Yisra’el – Individuals who Engage and Endure with God) set out (nasa’ – picked up, removed themselves, departed, left, and traveled, led and guided) from (min) Ramses (Ra’ameses – Ra is the one who bore him, or the son of the sun)…” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 12:37 in part)
The inclusion of “Ra’meses” in this passage, as well as in three others, initially led many historians and theologians to discount the Exodus account, categorizing it as fable rather than history. And that is because the Towrah places the Exodus between 1440 and 1450 BCE, and likely in 1447 BCE according to the Towrah’s internal chronologies. However, Ramesses the Great did not ascend to the throne of the Black Land until 1279 BCE using the Conventional Chronology – a gap of 160 years. (Based upon the New Chronology, Rameses ruled in the early 10th century.)
However, synchronism is immaterial at this juncture, because Rameses was just the name of a place – in this case the location from which the Exodus began. So, while the Towrah lists the names of countless other potentates, it never actually reveals the name of the pharaoh of the oppression because his name is irrelevant. It is only the arrogant and oppressive religious and political culture of Mitsraym, from which we have been saved, that is pertinent.
That is not to say that we should not be curious, or that we should not try to verify the Towrah’s veracity by investigating the history of the Black Land. And that is why in the second chapter of Volume 4 of Yada Yahowah, Shalach ‘Am ‘Any, relying upon the work of archeologists and historians, we determined that, based upon the cartouches carried with them into the Promised Land and 461unearthed upon Mount Ebal, combined with the most universally accepted chronology, Thutmose III was Pharaoh, and it was his firstborn son, Amenemhat, who perished.
We are now aware that overwhelming and irrefutable archeological evidence has been unearthed at the dig at Tell ed-Daba to prove that Yisra’el’s sojourn began in Ra’meses – a place named after Ra, the Egyptian god. The pharaohs who bore this name were claiming dependency from the sun god.
What is particularly significant in this regard is that Yahowah provided us with a phonetically accurate rendering of Ra’meses’ some 3,300 years before the 1799 CE discovery of the Rosetta Stone enabled historians to pronounce the moniker of Egypt’s principal god. It is one of many confirmations that the Towrah can be trusted.
The Lower Kingdom metropolis of “Rameses,” which was once known as Avaris, was occupied from the 12th to the 20th Egyptian Dynasties. At its peak, Avaris / Rameses was one of the largest cities of the ancient world, covering some ten square kilometers. It reached a zenith in the 15th century BCE as a result of the Hebrew slave population. It fell into lean times following the plagues and in the aftermath of the Exodus, only to be rebuilt again by Rameses the Great centuries later.
Returning to Yahowah’s message, we find that the Yisra’elites left the realm of the “son of the sun” to go:
“…to Sukowth (Sukowth – Temporary Dwelling or Encampment; from sukah and sakak – to shelter and protect, to pitch a tent and camp out, and to cover) with approximately (ka – with about) six hundred thousand (shesh me’ah ‘eleph) able individuals (ha geber – capable and strong people [while geber is masculine it is used to describe adult humans who have the strength to prevail and is not limited to males) on foot (ragly) besides (la bad min – 462in addition to) little children (tap – infant boys and girls who take quick little steps).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 12:37)
Sukowth is a variation of Sukah, which serves as the name of Yahowah’s seventh and final Miqra’ – the festival which celebrates mankind camping out with God in the Promised Land. This tells us that the pathway to paradise which begins with Passover and UnYeasted Bread leads to Sukah. Just as ‘Abraham was called out of the political and religious milieu of Babylon before he could walk with God to the Promised Land, the Yisra’elites were led out of an equally corrupt realm in which the sun and stars had been considered gods before they were allowed to camp out with Yahowah.
As an interesting aside, since geber can mean “men” in addition to “adept adult individuals,” the passage is often rendered as “six hundred thousand men in addition to women and children.” However, geber is a measure of aptitude, not gender. In this case, it was used to convey that there were approximately 600,000 able individuals with a fighting chance to succeed in this journey.
Moreover, tap means “infants,” not “women and children.” It comes from a root that speaks of quick little steps and of those more likely to trip as a result of being toddlers. Accordingly, it would be mistaken to conclude that there were six hundred thousand men, even more women, and twice that many children.
And while the scars left by hundreds of thousands of refugees walking across the arid landscape of the Sinai Peninsula are still visible from space, there may be more to the number six than simply an assessment of population. “Six” is the number of man, and it represents the unique animal conceived with a conscience on the sixth creative day. And from God’s perspective, these were the most important people on the planet. He would validate His 463formula of six plus one, of man with God, through them.
Until recently, it was considered implausible that there were six hundred thousand Yisra’elite slaves in Egypt, but now the evidence is ubiquitous. Digs in the Upper Nile region, especially the gravesites unearthed in Avaris, demonstrate that hundreds of thousands of Hebrews were enslaved in this region.
Satellite photos of the Sinai not only reveal evidence of an ancient migration, but the footsteps also lead to the beach at Nuweiba on the western shore of the Gulf of Aqaba. It is the only place of sufficient size to accommodate this multitude prior to the crossing. Not only is the mountainous route which leads to this area consistent with the Towrah’s depiction, but there is also a land bridge across the Gulf of Aqaba at this location, replete with remnants of Egyptian chariot wheels encrusted in coral beneath the waves. This gradual grade across the northeastern arm of the Red Sea is suitable for a massive population to cross into Arabia. Moreover, large stone columns (approximately 15 feet tall and 4 feet in diameter based on the pictures) were erected on the Eastern and Western shores by Solomon, thanking Yahowah for the role He played in freeing the Children of Yisra’el.
“They baked (wa ‘aphah) the dough (‘eth ha batseq – grain flour mixed with water) which (‘asher – by way of making a connection and leading to the benefits of the relationship) they had brought out (yatsa’) of (min) the Crucibles of Oppression (Mitsraym – the cauldrons of religious and governmental, military and economic subjugation, the coercions and cruelty experienced in Egypt where the people were confined and restricted by political persecution; plural of matsowr – to be delineated as a foe and besieged during a time of testing and tribulation; from tsuwr – to be bound and confined by an adversary, besieged, assaulted, shut up, and enclosed in a concentration camp by those showing great hostility) as 464flat loaves (‘ugah – quickly prepared flatbread) un-yeasted bread (matsah – without the fungus of yeast, thereby uncontentious, symbolic of removing the fungus of religion; from matsats – to drain out and remove) because (ky) there was no yeast added (lo’ chamets – their loaves were not embittered or oppressed, they were not wrongly treated) as (ky) they had been expelled (garish – driven and cast out, banished with all aspects of the prior association completely severed and dissolved) from (min) Mitsraym | the Crucibles of Political and Religious Oppression (Mitsraym – the cauldrons of cruel persecution where the people were confined and restricted by military and economic institutions), and they would not have prevailed (lo’ yakol – they could not have succeeded or endured, overcome the challenges or accomplished the goal, maintaining their confidence (qal perfect)), if they had delayed (la mahah – had they lingered, waited, or hesitated; from mah – to question and ‘achar – to be left behind as a result of having vacillated and dithered).
Moreover (wa gam), they had not done anything to prepare (lo’ ‘asah – they had not produced) food or provisions (tseydah – supplies) for themselves (la hem).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 12:39)
They had left the yeast in a place where they could be free of it. They would no longer be oppressed.
There are few things better than “garish – having the mitsraym cast out of us and banished, with all prior associations with religion and politics dissolved.” It is only then that we are truly free.
God does not want us to hesitate when it comes to His summons. The longer we wait, the more entrenched we become, and the harder it is for us to walk away. Yahowah wants us to capitalize upon this opportunity to come clean before it is too late – before we become too set in our ways 465or, worse, before we die. Life is short for those who are not properly prepared.
Indeed, we have nothing to gain and everything to lose by delaying. God’s way is better than man’s approach. I cannot list a single thing I have surrendered that was worthwhile and have written thirty books filled with all Yahowah is prepared to offer.
The risks associated with hesitating are enormous, so significant, that Yahowah wanted us to know that had the Yisra’elites lingered, they would have remained slaves in Mitsraym. Even in God’s presence, even with Moseh directing our steps, if we do not act, it is all for naught.
While we are responsible for working to support ourselves and our families, the provisions required to reach the Promised Land are supplied entirely by God. Such is the case with Pesach and Matsah, where Father and Son worked together to provide the gifts of eternal life and the perfection of our souls.
The Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch include the three generations from ‘Abraham to Ya’aqob in the 430-year period depicted in this next verse, Shemowth / Exodus 12:40. The Masoretic Text does not. It differs from the Dead Sea Scrolls by eliminating the phrase “the realm of” which is witnessed in the older manuscript, 4QExod.
“The time interval of (wa mowshab – the period endured of abiding within this place for) the children (ben – sons and descendants) of Yisra’el (Yisra’el – individuals who engage and endure with God) in which (‘asher) they remained (yashab – they dwelled and inhabited) in (ba) the realm (ha ‘erets – the land and country [from 4QExod]) of Mitsraym | the Crucibles of Political and Religious Oppression (Mitsraym – the cauldrons of cruel persecution where they were confined and restricted by military and economic institutions; plural of matsowr – besieged during a time of testing and tribulation, from 466tsuwr – bound and confined by an adversary, assaulted in a concentration camp by those showing great hostility) was thirty years (shalowshym shanah) and four hundred years (wa ‘arba’ me’ah shanah).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 12:40)
Yahowah not only timed the Exodus from Egypt to occur on the Miqra’ of Matsah, on the day following Pesach, but He also provided another confirmation of the pattern He would use throughout the human experience. Forty, from ‘araba’, meaning “squared,” depicts “the interval” which designates “the completion” of “a time of testing.” It matters not if it is forty days, forty years, forty decades, or three iterations of forty Yowbel separating the Covenant’s inception to the final reconciliation of the Family.
As it relates to this specific interval of time, some 30 years plus another 400 years, I am going to venture into the Towrah’s timeline with a degree of trepidation. While the dates I am going to share are easily derived and readily verified, with many even corroborated by things we know to be true, correlating one calendar with another going this far back in time is subject to compounding errors. And in this case, the first 30 years of departure from the Promised Land was in Charan, not Egypt, and it was by one individual, not many.
Nonetheless, taking the chronologies presented within the Towrah as conveyed by the Masoretic Text at face value, Yisra’el’s 430-year sojourn in foreign lands begins in 1878 BCE. Disgusted by her eldest son, ‘Esa’ow | Esau, deciding to marry two Kana’nite | Canaanite women, Rebekah positioned Ya’aqob, who would have been 40 at the time, to steal ‘Esa’ow’s birthright blessing. Then to avoid retaliation, Ya’aqob, who became Yisra’el, the father of the twelve tribes, fled to Charan, beginning the Yisra’elite exile from the Promised Land. At this time, Ya’aqob became an indentured servant to Laban, a highly 467unsavory character, to earn the right to marry his daughter, Rachel. Tricked by the shyster, and given Leah, he would work another seven years for her younger sister.
Thirty years thereafter, and following the birth of his eleventh son, Yowseph, Ya’aqob left Charan for Mitsraym during a prolonged period of drought in 1848 BCE. And while he would return home, his sons sold his son, Yowseph, to a Yshma’‘elite, who parlayed him to Powtiyphar in Mitsraym in 1841 BCE. His ascension to the pharaoh’s service, whereby he instituted agrarian reforms to stave off a predicted famine, transpired circa 1828 BCE. Thereafter, Yowseph’s father, Ya’aqob, his brothers, and their families, some 75 individuals in total, entered Mitsraym around 1788 BCE – again fleeing the adverse effects of climate change. They would remain as immigrants, as prosperous and free as caste systems and despots allowed, for some 260 years.
However, life would become unbearable for the ‘Ibry | Hebrews when they were enslaved under Pharaoh Amenhotep l circa 1529 BCE, largely as a backlash against immigrant populations in the wake of the Hyksos uprising. Moseh, who was born at this time, eventually fled Mitsraym in 1487 BCE at age 40 after trying to spare the life of an ‘Ibry slave. He returned with Yahowah to confront Pharaoh Thutmose III in 1447 BCE.
The problem with all of this is that for the first 30 years, Ya’aqob was in Charan, not Egypt, and he was a single man for a portion of that time. Second, while Ya’aqob appears to have left Charan for Egypt with his wives and sons in 1848 BCE (explains the reference to 400 years), they did not remain. Further, it was one son, not the Children of Yisra’el, who reentered Mitsraym as a slave, initially, in 1841 BCE. And while this date is close, it is six years shy of the specified 400 years. Further, it wasn’t until 1788 BCE, should the Masoretic Text’s chronology be accurate, that a contingent of ‘Ibry would enter Mitsraym 468and remain. But this leaves just 340 years prior to the Exodus. So, there are some anomalies in place or time with 30 plus 400 years presented within the Towrah, although we can get close with some interpretation.
What we know for certain is that forty Yowbel, known as Redemptive Years, separate ‘Adam’s and Chawah’s exodus from the Garden and ‘Abraham’s confirmation of the Covenant with his son, Isaac. Another forty Yowbel, or 2,000 years, separate this event on Mount Mowryah from Dowd’s fulfillment of the first four Miqra’ey on the same site in 33 CE / year 4000 Yah – providing the means to our immortality, perfection, adoption, enrichment, and empowerment. Forty Yowbel thereafter, in 2033 / year 6000 Yah, Father and Son will return to reconcile the Covenant relationship with Yisra’el. This will occur within the lifespan of the generation which witnessed the return of Jews to the Promised Land. These represent the most telling three “forties” in the human experience.
Should there have been a question as to the correlation of 40 and the completion of a time of testing, Yahowah lays it to rest with the following…
“And then (wa) it came to pass (hayah – it came to exist and to be), at (min – from) the completion (qets – the finish, limit, duration, and end) of thirty years (shalowshym shanah) and four hundred years (wa ‘arba’ me’ah shanah), in (ba – during) this one very substantial, essential, and foundational (‘etsem ha yowm ha zeh – that which provides the skeletal framework for the empowering, vastly important, and corporeal) day (yowm), it came to be (hayah) that everyone (kol) who was part of the vast assemblage of individuals following their leader (tsaba’ – belonging to the multitudes who came forth ready to fight as conscripts to help and serve at the direction of), Yahowah ( – a transliteration of YaHoWaH as instructed in His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence), came out (yatsa’) from (min) the 469realm (‘erets – the land and region of) of religious and political persecution and tyranny (Mitsraym – of the despots and dictators within the cauldrons of military and economic subjugation, of the authority figures who were coercive and cruel, where slaves were confined and restricted by political oppression, considered foes, besieged, and assaulted as if shut up inside a concentration camp).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 12:41)
Over the course of thirty and four hundred years, there are 157,058 days, and yet, there was only one which could be considered “‘etsem – essential.” What does this tell us about Yahowah’s sense of punctuality, His reliability, and His adherence to a predetermined schedule? If He fulfilled His plan on this specific and calculated day, shouldn’t we expect that He will do the same upon His return? Therefore, it stands to reason that this will occur on Yowm Kipurym | the Day of Reconciliations in year 6000 Yah (sunset in Yaruwshalaim, 6:22 PM, October 2nd, 2033)?
This is the second time Yahowah has used ‘etsem in association with the Miqra’ of Matsah. As we discovered in our review of Shemowth / Exodus 12:17, ‘etsem denotes the “essential nature of a living organism, its skeleton and the foundation of life and limb.” It also conveys the idea of “becoming vast and powerful.” Our ability to stand with God and endure forever with Him is predicated upon our response to what He did for us on this day. ‘Etsem lies at the heart of how we were constructed as well as how God facilitated our ability to stand with and relate to Him.
These passages confirm that even over the course of four centuries, Yahowah’s sense of timing was directed toward a singular moment – the most essential and substantial day in human history. No, not this day, the 15th of ‘Abyb 1447 BCE, but this same day in 33 CE when Chag Matsah was fulfilled by the Zarowa’. The Miqra’ would provide the framework from which the redemption of mankind would be fleshed out.
470Yes, Passover is vitally important. It is where those who rely upon Father and Son to open the door to life become immortal. But that alone is not sufficient. Our rebellious nature needs to be purged, and the penalty we have earned for our crimes against God and our fellow man needs to be paid. That is the purpose of UnYeasted Bread. Our souls, scrubbed and cleansed of Mitsraym are removed from the crucible of She’owl | Hell – from eternal separation from God. We are ransomed on this day because, on it, Dowd’s soul carried our guilt into She’owl, never to be seen again. He became our savior, our kinsman redeemer, by paying our penalty. He removed the religious and cultural fungus so that we would be free to answer his Father’s summons and serve with Him.
What follows is fascinating. Yahowah uses “night” rather than “day” to describe the ordeal that is foreshadowed by the Invitation to be Called Out and Meet of UnYeasted Bread. This is because the Messiah’s suffering on our behalf intensified at sunset, at the dawn of the Shabat of Matsah. It would be the longest of nights – the time Dowd’s soul descended into the lightless realm of the crucible of She’owl in our stead to save us from having to go there ourselves.
God seems to be predicting that He will be vigilant during the evening of His Son’s ordeal on UnYeasted Bread. And because we are the beneficiaries, to capitalize, we need to acknowledge what our Savior has done in the darkness so that we might bask in his Father’s light.
“It is (huw’) a night (layl – a time of darkness and shadow devoid of light; from luwl – to fold back) to be alert while holding an evening vigil (shimrym – for an evening watch to be on guard through the darkness with the expectation of salvation; from shamar – to be observant, closely examining and carefully considering that which protects and saves lives) to approach (la – to draw near) Yahowah (Yahowah – a transliteration of , our 471‘elowah – God as directed in His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence), and for them to come out (la yatsa’ hem – to go out with them, bringing them out (hifil – within the confines of the relationship, God is facilitating their departure and, in the process, making them more like Him, infinitive – intensifies the action as a verbal noun, and construct – making this act possessive of them)) from the land (min ‘erets) of Mitsraym | the Crucibles of Political and Religious Oppression (Mitsraym – the cauldrons of cruel persecution where the people were confined and restricted by military and economic institutions; plural of matsowr – to be delineated as a foe and besieged during a time of testing and tribulation, from tsuwr – to be bound and confined by an adversary, assaulted and shut up in the likes of a concentration camp by those showing great hostility).
It is the night (huw’ la layl ha zeh – this is the period away from the light) to be vigilant, closely examining and carefully considering (shimrym – to be resolutely focused and observant, an evening to watch and be on guard through the darkness with the expectation of salvation; from shamar – to be observant, contemplating that which protects and saves lives) the means to approach (la – drawing near, being concerned about, and regarding moving toward) Yahowah (Yahowah – the proper pronunciation of YaHoWaH, our ‘elowah – God as directed in His ToWRaH – teaching regarding His HaYaH – existence and our ShaLoWM – restoration), for (la – on behalf of) all (kol) the children (ben) of Yisra’el (Yisra’el – Individuals who Engage and Endure with God) throughout their generations (la dowr hem – regarding their offspring, for their households, within their dwelling places, and for all time).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 12:42)
Let it be known: it is on Matsah, not Pesach, that the Children of Yisra’el left the onerous burdens of religion 472and politics behind and ventured toward the Promised Land. And so, it is during Matsah, not Pesach, that we are prepared to approach Yahowah. Therefore, while Pesach is vital, the Miqra’ of Matsah is far more important.
This realization is the opposite of what has transpired in Judaism, where Passover is observed for seven days and UnYeasted Bread is ignored. It is also the antithesis of Christianity, where the torturous death of their god is celebrated on Friday but then nothing occurs until Sunday morning – as if Matsah were irrelevant. Methinks, God disagrees.
We are being encouraged to observe the Miqra’ of Matsah. If we want to approach Yahowah with perfected souls, we should closely examine and carefully consider what the Son of God did for us this night.
There are two essential aspects of Chag Matsah. During the day, we are asked to la yatsa’ hem – withdraw from the derogatory influence of mitsraym – oppressive political and religious oppression. While at night, we recognize that Dowd removed our guilt, depositing it in a black hole, never to be seen again. Once the stigma and stain of the culture of man is gone and our souls are perfected by eliminating the darkness associated with the human approach, we are ready to enter our Father’s presence.
To this end, yatsa’, God’s preferred terminology for the “Exodus,” was written in the infinitive and thus as an intensified and actionable noun. More telling still, it was scribed using the hifil stem, revealing that it is Yahowah who enables our departure through our relationship with Him.
God has no interest in or affinity for Egypt, which means that His repeated references to Mitsraym are reiterated to keep us mindful of the conditions from which He is offering to extract His people. As this name implies, 473Mitsraym was seen as a crucible of religious and political persecution and economic and military subjugation. It was like every other civilization where the only person who was free to do as he pleased was the dictator, whether the tyrant was called pharaoh, king, khan, czar, caesar, general, or lord. The requisite caste systems assured that everyone else would be controlled, manipulated, deceived, and used by the potentate who claimed his god had bequeathed him with such rights. And to assure compliance, unrelenting toil and torture were the lot of subversives. Moreover, the tyrant was afforded the ability to torment insurgents through his affinity with the religious establishment because the priests were psychopaths, ever ready and always willing to afflict the non-compliant.
Mitsraym is the common denominator of every civilization throughout the world. They were characterized by the most ruthless individual rising to power. He would claim god’s authority to rule through the integration of government and religion. Then he would impose a repressive caste system to assure that all would serve one. In this manner, mitsraym became the way of man. It prevailed in Imperial Rome and under Roman Catholicism with the imposition of feudalism. It exists today in India and communist China.
It is God’s desire to free us from mankind’s religious and political, economic and military, conspiratorial and cultural schemes. He did so on the 15th of ‘Abyb in 1447 BCE and again on the 15th day of ‘Abyb in 33 CE. His offer is valid even today – especially as we approach the Time of Ya’aqob’s Troubles and His Yowm Kipurym return. What you and I do with this realization determines the fate of our souls.
The Crucibles of Religious and Political Oppression in Mitsraym serve as a metaphor for the oppressive and confining nature of She’owl – which is also an exceedingly religious and political place. It is akin to a black hole, a 474lightless place of separation. Therein, nothing escapes, even for an unlimited duration of time.
We should all be cognizant of His plan and Dowd’s sacrifice, dazzled by His love, and thrilled by the power of His Word. Let’s keep this vigil on this night in remembrance and appreciation and be sure to share what we have learned and experiences with all who will listen.
The night of UnYeasted Bread has been presented as a called out and special Shabat, the 15th of ‘Abyb each year. During this day and night, Dowd’s soul went to the place of separation and darkness to remove the culture of yeast from our souls so that we could live forever with Him. It was the darkest and yet, brightest time in all creation.
Now that we have been liberated from the consequence of religious and political oppression by what our Savior has done for us on the Miqra’ of Matsah, our Heavenly Father wants us to joyfully commemorate the victory. In Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:3-4, we find Moseh speaking for Yahowah…
“Then (wa) Moseh (Mosheh – One who Draws Out), said (‘amar – declared and affirmed) to (‘el) the family (‘am – the people), ‘Remember (zakar – record, recall, and be mindful of, sure to proclaim the truth about) this unique day (‘eth ha yowm ha zeh) which, to reveal the benefits of the relationship (‘asher – to lead along the correct path to get the most joy out of life), you were brought out (yatsa’ – you were removed) from (min) the realm (‘erets) of the religious and political oppressors (Mitsraym – of the despots and tyrants within the cauldrons of military and economic subjugation, from being under the human authorities in the place of coercive cruelty as slaves and 475were confined and restricted by political persecution, considered foes, besieged, and assaulted as if shut up inside a concentration camp), out of (min) the house (beyth – the household and human family) of slavery (‘ebed – of working for others, of bondage and toil) by way of and with (ky ba) the resolutely and demonstrative, powerful and authoritative (chazaq – firm and unyielding, strong and prevailing, sustaining and encouraging) hand (yad – ability and influence) of Yahowah (Yahowah – written as directed by His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence), who delivered you, removing you (yatsa’ ‘eth ‘atem – who descended to serve you, to lead you out and take you away), from this (min zeh).
And therefore (wa), do not continue to consume (lo’ ‘akal – since we become what we eat do not feed upon (nifal imperfect – our consumption determines our fate with ongoing implications)) yeast (chamets – the fungus within the culture of man which sours, irritates, embitters, grieves, and oppresses). (Shemowth / Exodus 13:3)
This day (ha yowm) in (ba) the month (chodesh – time of renewal) of ‘Abyb (ha ‘Abyb – the first month of spring when the barley gain is green and growing) you came forth and were removed (‘atem yatsa’).’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:4)
It should be noted for those who are verifying these translations by way of the Masoretic Text, the phrase “the realm of” is included in the Dead Seas Scrolls before Mitsraym, but the addition of “and from the house of bondage” is only found in the Masoretic Text.
This was the one and only time Yahowah intervened forcefully, imposing His will upon His people. God wants us to remember that to reveal the way to receive the benefits of the relationship Yisra’el had to be removed from the human family which had enslaved them. He did so “ky ba chazaq yad – with a strong, resolutely firm, and 476unyielding hand.” He would encourage them and sustain them in a most demonstrative manner.
And in this case, rather than remove the culture permitting mitsraym, God withdrew His family from the household of man. The yeast was, thereby, removed from the people as they were taken away from its source.
The least we can do is remember what He has done on this day and refrain from corrupting ourselves further at this time. And that is why ‘akal was scribed in the nifal stem, reminding us that we become what we consume. Garbage in, garbage out.
Yatsa’ | To Be Brought Out is the essence of this story, so much so, the verb was used three times in this one statement. Yahowah was and remains anxious to distance us from the wiles of man.
The Promised Land is symbolic of the Garden of ‘Eden, of camping out with our Heavenly Father here on Earth and then living with God in His Home. Speaking of this desirable destination, Yahowah said…
“‘And it will be (wa hayah) when (ky) Yahowah (YaHoWaH – an accurate presentation of the name of ‘elowah – God as guided by His towrah – instructions regarding His hayah – existence) brings you to the Land (bow’ ‘atah ‘el ‘erets) of the Kana’any (ha Kana’any – the subdued)…which, for the benefit of the relationship (‘asher), He promised (shaba’ – He swore He would provide) your fathers (la ‘ab ‘atah) to give to you (la nathan la ‘atah), a Land flowing with milk and honey (‘erets zuwb chalab wa dabash), then you should expend the considerable energy and intensity to serve (wa ‘abad – and to labor), doing this work (‘eth ha ‘abodah ha zo’th – by contributing to this ministry) in this month (ba ha chodesh ha zeh – during the time of renewal). (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:5)
477Seven (shaba’ – seven; from shaba’ – an oath and promise) days (yowm) you should consistently consume (‘akal – you should continually eat (qal imperfect)) unyeasted bread (matsah – flatbread without the invasive culture of the fungus of yeast).
And on (ba) the seventh day (wa ba ha yowm ha shaby’iy), celebrate a festival feast (chag – attend the party and enjoy the banquet) to approach (la – according to and concerning) Yahowah ( – a transliteration of YaHoWaH as instructed in His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence).’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:6)
By observing the Festival Feast of UnYeasted Bread we are prepared to enter the Promised Land. Once there, we are motivated to work with Yahowah to share His invitation with one and all.
Yahowah continues His presentation of the Miqra’ of Matsah with these words…
“‘Matsah | UnYeasted Bread (Matsah – flatbread devoid of yeast, to become uncontentious by eliminating conflict and dispute, strife and quarrels, symbolic of removing the fungus of religion; from matsats – to drain out and remove) should be consumed (‘akal – should be eaten (nifal imperfect)) for (‘eth) seven (sheba’ – meaning sworn oath or promise) days (ha yowm).
And there shall not be seen (wa lo’ ra’ah – there should not be observed, witnessed, or visible) any yeast among you (la ‘atah se’or – the residual fungus culture in your proximity) in any part of (ba kol) your territory (gebuwl ‘atah – your boundaries and borders).’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:7)
This is the third time Yahowah has said that He wants the yeast in our possession “lo’ ra’ah – out of sight” and thus hidden. He does not want us to look back upon where 478we have been, nor does He want anyone in our presence to see us acting counter to His instructions.
As parents, our most essential mission is to introduce our children to Yahowah such that they choose to become His children…
“‘Tell (wa nagad – conspicuously and in a straightforward manner inform) your children (la ben ‘atah – your sons) about this day (ba ha yowm ha huw’), saying (la ‘amar), “For the sake of the participants who benefit from this occasion (ba ‘abuwr zeh – because of this), Yahowah ( – the pronunciation of YaHoWaH as guided by His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence) engaged to do this for me (‘asah la ‘any – performed this service for me to approach, working on my behalf), when (ba – and because) I (‘any) came out and was removed (yatsa’ – I was withdrawn) from (min – out of) the Crucibles of Oppression (Mitsraym – the cauldrons of religious and governmental, military and economic subjugation, the coercions and cruelty experienced in Egypt where the people were confined and controlled by political persecution; plural of matsowr – to be delineated as a foe and restricted during a time of testing and tribulation; from tsuwr – to be bound and confined by an adversary, assaulted and enclosed in a concentration camp by those showing great hostility).”’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:8)
Once we understand what mitsraym represents we can make the same claim to our children. Yahowah engaged to do this for me and for you. He has removed the mitsraym from every child of the Covenant. We are all His beneficiaries.
While the possibility of being adopted into the Covenant Family is offered to everyone, it remains personal. Each individual, regardless of status, race, place, age, or time, is afforded the opportunity to answer 479Yahowah’s Invitations and act upon His Covenant’s conditions. We are removed from the crucible and escape judgment.
And yet, very few people capitalize upon this opportunity. Acceptance is predicated upon coming to know Yahowah and understanding what He is offering and expecting in return. Then we must choose to rely exclusively on Him and upon His Way. No changes, corruption, concealments, or counterfeits will qualify.
Speaking of the benefits of Chag Matsah, God revealed…
“‘And it shall exist (wa hayah) on your behalf (la ‘atah) as (la) an awe-inspiring sign (‘owth – a symbol designed to communicate an essential truth) for (‘al – near, before, upon, and concerning) your hand, your influence and actions (yad ‘atah – your ability to make a difference).
And (wa) it represents a memorial reminder and commemoration for retrospection, depicting a record worth recalling (la zikarown – a maxim, proverb, symbol, and inheritance right) for comprehension between (bayn – to aid in understanding in the midst of) your eyes (‘ayn ‘atah – your perspective and ability to be an observant witness).
The purpose is so that (la ma’an – it is for the intent and reason that) the Towrah | Teaching and Guidance (Towrah – Instructions and Directions) of Yahowah (Yahowah – a transliteration of , our ‘elowah – God as directed in His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence) exists (hayah – may be) in your mouth and thus in your speech (ba peh ‘atah).
Indeed, because (ky) the powerful, strong, and resolute (chazaq – the mighty, forceful, capable, and unyielding, the courageous, firm, and encouraging, the sustaining, consistent, persistent, and confirming) hand 480(yad – ability and influence) of Yahowah (Yahowah – the proper pronunciation of YaHoWaH, our ‘elowah – God as directed in His ToWRaH – teaching regarding His HaYaH – existence and our ShaLoWM – restoration) brought you out, removing and delivering you (yatsa’ ‘atah – withdrew you and led you away), from (min) the oppressive nature of religion and politics (Mitsraym – the despots and tyrants within the cauldrons of military and economic subjugation, the authority figures engaged in coercive cruelty where lives are controlled, confined, and restricted by political persecution).’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:9)
This is the day of days. Yahowah has repeatedly conveyed that Matsah | UnYeasted Bread is a Miqra’ | Invitation to be Called Out and Meet and a Mow’ed | Eternal Witness to the Appointed Meeting Times. On two occasions He revealed that it is Qodesh | Set Apart – the highest designation possible. Twice He has called UnYeasted Bread ‘etsem | essential. Similarly, He has designated it a Chag | Festival Feast. And now, for the second time, He is referring to Matsah as a zikarown | something worth remembering. More explicit even than calling Chag Matsah a Shabatown, Yahowah referred to its foremost day as shabat | a celebration of the Shabat, using the actionable form of the word. Thrice, He reaffirmed this association by asking us to celebrate its intent for seven days. And this is one of the countless times that God has described the purpose of the Miqra’ of Matsah, affirming that, through it, He is “yatsa’ min mitsraym – removing us from the cauldrons of religious and political oppression.”
The only thing in the whole of the Towrah which rises to this level of demarcation and celebration is Yahowah’s name. Now that is something worth remembering.
The Miqra’ of Matsah played a pivotal role in the lives of the Chosen People, with Yahowah liberating them from the land of Mitsraym. By doing so, UnYeasted Bread has 481become an awe-inspiring sign for us and is symbolic of God’s willingness to purge the mitsraym from our lives.
In this illustration, our hands, eyes, and mouths are metaphors, with God wanting what He did for us on this day to influence our actions, our perspective, and our dialog with others. Chag Matsah is worth remembering and proclaiming. It is one of the Towrah’s greatest gifts.
When pondering how to spend this day, consider Yahowah’s advice. Let Yahowah’s Towrah guide your hands, sharing what we have experienced with others. Let this perspective on this day lead to understanding. And as you observe the Towrah, let God’s words flow from your mouth.
The enactment and the fulfillment of the Miqra’ of Matsah remain “awe-inspiring” events within the fabric of history. The Invitation to be Called Out and Meet of UnYeasted Bread is symbolic of being perfected, cleansing us of the diabolical influence of religion and politics, all of which is so eloquently described and predicted in the Towrah.
This verse also serves as a great example of religion run amok. Orthodox Jews wear phylacteries, or tefillin, on the back of their hands (actually strapped from finger to bicep as if a black serpent running up their arms) and on their foreheads – each with Towrah snippets contained in them – not understanding that the reference to one’s eyes and hand was similar to the mouth.
Rabbis go so far as to claim that Shemowth / Exodus 13:9 (also Shemowth 13:16 and Dabarym 6:8 and 11:18) demonstrates the need for their Oral Law, and books such as the Babylonian Talmud, because the Towrah does not explain how to build their silly boxes, how they should be worn, or even what verses should be contained in them. Desperate is too kind a word.
482Speaking of a tragic waste of lives, the evening of my previous edit pass through this volume, 45 Orthodox Jews in their mourning clothes and black hats were trampled to death by 100,000 Haredi during their Lag B’Omer religious festival on Mount Meron – some of them children who had ingested the religious poison of their fathers. This, the worst civilian disaster in Israel’s modern history, occurred as the Haredi were commemorating the end of a plague which allegedly killed 24,000 of Rabbi Akiba’s disciples, Rabbi Shimon ba Yochai chief among them. The acclaimed author of the Zohar and father of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) was said to have died on this day, the “33rd in the Counting of the Omer” in the 2nd century. Orthodox Judaism’s reverence for this despicable man inexcusably shortened the lives of his faithful – those who value his words, and those of his mentor, Akiba, over Yahowah’s testimony.
God gave His People every advantage and opportunity to know him, to serve with Him, and to be part of His Family. He revealed His word through them and saved them. And yet, this is how they have squandered and rejected His generosity.
I have devoted the last twenty-two years of my life to awakening Yisra’elites and Yahuwdym, calling them back to Yahowah, to Moseh, and Dowd. And at times like this it is frustrating to see them act so foolishly. I have always known that there is no opportunity to save anyone among the Jews who are Haredi (Ultra-Orthodox). Hope is slim for those who are Reform, Modern Orthodox, and Conservative. Especially among the Chosen People, religion remains mankind’s most deadly vice.
Recognizing this reality, I translate and write for the 40% who are only Jewish by ethnicity and who celebrate their people’s traditions, not their religion. They will more willingly consider renouncing the residue of mitsraym within them.
483Yahowah wants His People to recognize the essential role the Miqra’ of Matsah plays in removing His Children from religion and politics. He is telling us that it serves as an awe-inspiring sign of what His Son has done for us on this day. The Invitation to be Called Out and Meet of UnYeasted Bread is a memorial worth commemorating.
“Therefore (wa), closely examine, carefully consider, and observe (shamar – be aware of and focus upon, cling to and revere, actually contemplating at this time (qal perfect)) this clearly communicated written prescription of what you should do in life to live (‘eth ha chuqah – this inscription chiseled in stone regarding the process of being cut into the relationship, this engraved invitation to be accepted as part of the whole), drawing near during this Eternal Witness to the Appointed Meeting Time (ha zo’th la Mow’ed – approaching as part of this Scheduled Appointment memorializing the everlasting testimony; a compound of mow’ and ‘ed – of whom the eternal testimony is about and to whom the everlasting witness pertains) for (min) days upon days (yowmym yowmym – forever, for an unlimited number of days).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:10)
Yes, the Mow’ed of Matsah is the day of days. And we observe it by “shamar – observing it.” How is that for simple and direct, especially since we are told what to closely examine and carefully observe?
This is now the second time Yahowah has referred to Chag Matsah as “‘eth ha chuqah – a clearly communicated written prescription of what we should do in this life if we want to live in the next.” UnYeasted Bread is “‘eth ha chuqah – an inscription chiseled in stone regarding the process of being cut into the relationship.” It serves as “an engraved invitation to be accepted as part of the whole,” which is to be included in Yahowah’s Family.
This is the day we were liberated and vindicated, 484withdrawn and acquitted. It is the day that we should make as conspicuous as possible so that it is known to all who wish to live with God. This one day is for every day thereafter throughout time.
God does not change His mind; He isn’t capricious. We can rely upon what He has written.
And therein lies the problem of Rabbinic Judaism. Their Talmud, Mishnah, and Zohar supersede the Word of God. Their holidays have become more important than God’s Chag, His Mow’ed, and His Miqra’ey. One hundred thousand will run to a tomb and ignite bonfires to venerate the long-deceased author of the Talmud and Zohar, but will not lift a finger, blink an eye, or say a word on behalf of Yahowah.
It is also the problem of the Christian religion. There is no call from pastors or priests to consider Yahowah’s summons to observe Passover, UnYeasted Bread, or Firstborn Children. There are no sermons predicated upon understanding them. Instead, Christian pastors and priests ask their parishioners to participate in Palm Sunday celebrations, in Maundy Thursday observances, Good Friday services, Communion, the Eucharist, and last, but not least, to attend Easter Sunday worship.
If God is right, if God can be trusted, they are wrong. And if God is wrong, if God cannot be trusted, neither can they be trusted because they all claim to speak for Him. For the Christian Church this is a tragic lose-lose scenario. And the wager has been billions of souls.
“And (wa) it shall come to exist (hayah) that when (ky – indeed) Yahowah (YaHoWaH – an accurate presentation of the name of ‘elowah – God as guided by His towrah – instructions regarding His hayah – existence) brings you to (bow’ ‘atah ‘el) the Land (‘erets – territory) of the Kana’any (ha Kana’any – Canaan, i.e., the Promised Land), it will be according to (ka ‘asher – it will 485be consistent with to show the way to the benefits of the relationship) His sworn oath and promise (saba’ huw’) to you (la ‘atah) and to your fathers (wa la ‘ab ‘atah), giving (wa nathan – bestowing) her to you (hy’ la ‘atah).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:11)
While the Promised Land is real, and indeed, Canaan became Israel as promised, it serves as a metaphor for Heaven. It speaks of our return to the Garden of ‘Eden, of an eternity camping out with God throughout the universe.
Also, never lose sight of the fact that Chag Matsah is transitional. It is out of the way of man and into God’s Home.
Moreover, the redemptive nature of UnYeasted Bread comes replete with Yahowah’s stamp of approval. We have His promise on it.
Still speaking explicitly about the Miqra’ of Matsah, and its benefit, which is God’s willingness to lead us away from religious and political oppression and into His Home and Family, our Creator requested…
“So therefore (wa), you should cross over and extend (‘abar – you should continue along this linear path to gain possession while being led along the way through passing over) everything (kol) which is firstborn (peter – which opens the womb, addressing the next generation) of the womb (rechem – from the mother; from racham – to be compassionate and loving, merciful and affectionate) to approach (la) Yahowah ( – the pronunciation of YaHoWaH as guided by His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence).
This includes (wa) every firstborn (kol peter – everything which opens the womb of) offspring (sheger – progeny which comes out) of your domestic animals (bahemah – livestock and herds) which exists as your way of remembering (‘asher hayah la ‘atah ha zakar) to 486approach (la) Yahowah (Yahowah – God’s name transliterated as guided by His towrah – instructions on His hayah – existence and His role in our shalowm – reconciliation as ‘elowah – Almighty God). (Shemowth 13:12)
Every firstborn (wa kol peter) donkey (chamowr – domestic male ass useful for carrying burdens; from chamowts – to be oppressive, troublesome, and difficult and chamar – to boil in turmoil and ferment that which is foul) you should redeem and save (padah – you should ransom and release, deliver and restore (qal imperfect)) along with (ba) a lamb (seh – an individual male sheep).
But if you will not redeem and release it (wa ‘im lo’ padah – if you are not willing to actually save and restore it, and consistently ransom and deliver it (qal imperfect)), then you might as well drop it (wa ‘araph – let go of it or break its neck because there is no hope of it living (qal perfect)).
Every firstborn child (wa kol bakowr – every eldest son) among the sons (ba ben) of man (‘adam – of the first man conceived in Yahowah’s image with a neshamah | conscience) you should redeem, deliver, and restore (‘atah padah – you should ransom and release, actually liberate and save, and continually offer and return (qal imperfect)).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:13)
Yahowah is encouraging us to continue along the path He has delineated. He wants us to appreciate that it leads to living with Him in His Home as His Children. Therefore, as we “‘abar – pass over and into” the Promised Land, the beneficiaries of Pesach | Passover and Matsah | UnYeasted Bread become Yahowah’s Bikuwrym | Firstborn Children.
God wants us to remember to raise our children to be His children. Symbolically, then, we can offer to “padah – redeem” the orneriest (the ass) and the lovable (the lamb) of our animals, just as Dowd, Yahowah’s Firstborn, has 487“padah – redeemed and released” the greatest and least of us from the best and worst of man’s mitsraym.
In this regard, padah is wonderful. It speaks of what we, ourselves, seek from God: to be rescued and redeemed, ransomed and delivered, liberated and saved, to be released from harm’s way and restored within the relationship.
Sparing a lamb from the slaughter or releasing a donkey from carrying our burdens seems like an appropriate way to honor what Father and Son have done for us on Pesach, Matsah, and Bikuwrym. But if someone should think that letting go of something we covet is too high a price to have our relationship with God reconciled such that we become His bakowr | firstborn, then we can “‘araph – drop” the whole idea of the Miqra’ey.
And should the root meaning of ‘araph, which is “to drop in the sense of letting go” of something, be unjustified, then I suppose “breaking its neck,” in compliance with the religious translations, is another option. Release it or lose it.
As for Yahowah, He would like every firstborn child among the sons of man to be “padah – redeemed and restored, ransomed and released, liberated and saved.” Such is the purpose of Matsah.
To this end, and recognizing that we learn through repetition, Yahowah said…
“So (wa) when it occurs (hayah ky – it happens and comes to exist) that your child (ben ‘atah) asks (sha’al – inquires about and questions (qal imperfect)) in the future (mahar), saying (la ‘amar), ‘What is (mah) this about (zo’th)?’
Say (wa ‘amar – answer) to him or her (‘el huw’), ‘By (ba – in) the powerful and strong hand (chozeq yad – the demonstrable and forceful, capable and firm influence, and with the intensely restorative, repairing, and 488renewing ability; from chazaq – strong and prevailing, resolute steadfastness) of Yahowah ( – a transliteration of YaHoWaH as instructed in His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence) He brought us out, withdrew, removed, and delivered us (yatsa’ ‘anachnuw – descended to serve by leading us) away from (min) religious and political oppression (mitsraym – the despots and tyrants within the cauldrons of military and economic subjugation, the authority figures in the places of coercive and cruelty where slaves are confined, restricted, and persecuted) and out of (min) the house (beyth – the household) of slavery (‘ebed – bondage and forced servitude).’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:14)
One of the best reasons to study Yahowah’s Towrah is so that when our children ask us to explain something as vital as Chag Matsah, we are equipped to do so. We can tell them that the purpose of UnYeasted Bread is to free us from “mitsraym – religious and political oppression” as well as “‘ebed – bondage in works-based survival schemes.”
Mitsraym was both the name of this horrible place and a word that described what transpired therein. It depicts the Crucibles of Religious and Political Oppression and describes the “mitsraym – the tyrants and despots behind governmental, military, and economic subjugation.” The plural of matsowr, it speaks of those besieged during a time of testing and tribulation. From tsuwr, its oppressive nature is revealed, describing a place where many are bound and confined by an adversary, assaulted and afflicted, with conditions akin to being enclosed in a concentration camp. And it is from tsuwr that we see the connection between these conditions in this place and time and what is about to befall Jews during the Time of Ya’aqob’s Tsuwr | Israel’s Troubles.
It is also instructive to note that mitsraph is a crucible, a word which embraces three related conditions. The first 489is the most obvious: “a vessel subject to fire used for refining metals, separating that which is desirable from the dross.” This speaks of judgment, which is to separate fact from fiction, good from bad, that which is worthy from that which is not.
Second, a crucible describes “a severe test.” It is our response – the choices we make under trying circumstances – which determines our fate. Under public pressure, do we acquiesce to the ways of man, or choose the ways of God? Do we flow with the tide of humanity or swim against it?
Third, a crucible is “a place or situation in which forces interact to cause or influence change in attitude, ability, or personal growth.” When we are challenged in tough situations, we either capitulate and surrender with a “woe is me” attitude, or we aspire to triumph over our plight. God is offering us a way out of the mess we have created for ourselves, but to capitalize, we must first make the responsible decision to properly assess our situation, and the cause of it, and then properly consider God’s offer.
Also telling, “crucible” is from the Latin, crucibulum, which shares a common root with crucifigere – to “crucify.” While there is no crux, or cross, mentioned in Yahowah’s Word, there was a crucifixion on Passover. The death of Dowd’s body, as the Lamb of God on Passover, serves all who avail themselves of his sacrifice. Just as Yahowah led His family out of the crucibles of Egypt, Dowd’s sacrifice led us away from judgment by enduring the ultimate test and trial.
“And (wa) when (ky) Pharaoh (Phar’oah – the Flea; from phar’os – annoying insect and parasitic worm, an irritating and insignificant creature) was (hayah) fiercely stubborn and cruel, harshly refusing (qashah – unyielding and oppressive, especially burdensome and obstinate, resisting and unwilling) to release us (la shalach ‘anachnuw – set us free), Yahowah (Yahowah – a 490transliteration of , our ‘elowah – God as directed in His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence) took the lives of (harag – put to death) all (kol) the firstborn males (bakowr) in (ba) the land (‘erets – realm) of the religious and political oppressors (Mitsraym – of the despots and tyrants within the cauldrons of military and economic subjugation, of the authority figures in the place of coercive cruelty where slaves are confined and restricted by political persecution, considered foes, besieged, and assaulted as if inside a concentration camp), from (min) the firstborn (bakowr) of man (‘adam – of mankind) to (wa ‘ad – and including) firstborn livestock (bakowr bahemah).
Likewise (‘al ken – as a result), I (‘any) will offer a sacrifice (zabach – I will prepare an animal for consumption) on behalf of (la – to) Yahowah (Yahowah – the proper pronunciation of YaHoWaH, our ‘elowah – God as directed in His ToWRaH – teaching regarding His HaYaH – existence and our ShaLoWM – restoration) including all (kol) firstborn (peter – which opens to the next generation) of the womb (rechem – from the mother; from racham – to be compassionate and loving, merciful and affectionate) to remember (ha zakar – to recall).
Therefore (wa), all of my firstborn sons (kol bakowr ben ‘any), I will redeem (padah – I will ransom and restore, deliver and save, continually offer and return (qal imperfect)).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:15)
I should have noticed it earlier because it is the very next word after Phar’oah. From God’s perspective, the man who claimed to be divine was a “phar’os – flea, an annoying insect and parasitic worm, nothing but an irritating and insignificant creature.” Now, that’s funny.
As the description indicated, fleas can be annoying. This worm was fiercely stubborn and cruel. Having been obstinate and oppressive, Yahowah found a way to get his 491attention. Even fleas value their young. But in all seriousness, the lesson here is that, while Pharaoh had no right to enslave, abuse, and murder God’s people, Yahowah had every right to shorten the lives of those He had conceived.
Let me explain by way of example. If you built a guest house and furnished it, and then upon finding a drug addict on the street corner, you offered him the opportunity to live in it rent-free. Then he rapes your daughter and beats your son, abuses your spouse, and mocks you before your friends, all within the first six months. Would you be right or wrong to shorten his stay and boot him out? Would you have been generous and merciful or stingy and uncompassionate?
It is also prudent to recognize that, to the degree we grieve our Maker’s children, He will respond in kind. In all of my books and radio programs I have been consistent and forthright. I eschew violence, preferring words to weapons. But I make an exception when it comes to stopping someone from attacking and abusing loved ones. This approach seems consistent with Yahowah’s response to the Flea.
The only reason for repeating this is that God wants us to learn this lesson and capitalize upon His offer. And that is hard to do when so many are looking the other way.
“And this will exist (wa hayah) as a sign (la ‘owth – as a symbol, an example and illustration, even as a metaphor and account to consider) before (‘al – concerning) your hand (yad ‘atah – your ability to achieve something worth holding onto, and your influence) and as a symbolic way of remembering (la towta’photh – as a sign or mark to permeate as a memorial to remind and remember) to advance understanding between (bayn – for comprehension in the midst of) your eyes (‘ayn ‘atah – your sight and perspective).
492Indeed (ky), by way of (ba – within) an influential and firm hand (chozeq yad – a forceful and capable, intensely resolute and restorative, repairing and renewing; from chazaq – strong and prevailing, dependable and steadfastness) hand (yad – source of authority, ability, and influence), Yahowah (Yahowah – written as directed by His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah – existence) brought us out (yatsa’ ‘anachnuw – removed and withdrew, liberated by descending to serve, extending Himself to bring us away) from (min) Mitsraym | the Crucibles of Political and Religious Oppression (Mitsraym – the cauldrons of cruel persecution where the people were confined and restricted by military and economic institutions; plural of matsowr – to be delineated as a foe and besieged during a time of testing and tribulation, from tsuwr – to be bound and confined by an adversary, assaulted and shut up in the likes of a concentration camp by those showing great hostility).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:16)
Matsah, like so many things Yah, is both actual and allegorical. We should view it literally and symbolically. This historic iteration of the Miqra’ was also prophetic of its fulfillment. And as is the case with so many things in the Towrah, the more we know, the better we understand, the longer, richer, and brighter our lives.
Let us never forget that the first letter in Yahowah’s name – – is a hand. God is dependably and steadfastly reaching down and out to us with a capable and influential hand.
Speaking of God and His claims, according to the Qumran Scroll 4QExod, some of what He revealed following what we label “Exodus 13:16” was removed by Masorete rabbis. The omitted sentence reads: “Then Moseh and the children of Yisra’el sang this song to Yahowah, and spoke, saying, ‘I will sing to Yahowah for He has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his 493rider, He has cast into the sea.’”
It was time for a celebration and to show one’s appreciation. But the rabbis, in their crusade to make saying Yahowah’s name a crime punishable by death, could not bear the thought that those who actually knew God, those who had been saved by Him, shouted it out in song.
In that we have been regaled with a narrative we should treasure, one which establishes the importance of Matsah and describes its connection with Bikuwrym, let’s ponder this summary of events. With these words I think that God is telling us that Bikuwrym naturally follows Matsah. He does not want us to hesitate, concerned that any vacillation will cause us to be left behind.
While the Hebrews were in Mitsraym, Yahowah announced that He had invited them to a meeting, including a meal, which would transpire over the course of three days…
“They will listen (wa shama’) to the sound of your voice (la qowl ‘atah). Then you and the elders (wa ‘atah wa zaken) of the Children of Yisra’el (Beny Yisra’el) will go (bow’) to the king (‘el melek) of the Crucibles of Oppression (Mitsraym) and say to him (wa ‘amar ‘el huw’), ‘Yahowah (Yahowah), God (‘elohym) of the Hebrews (‘Ibryym), has scheduled a meeting and invited us to it (qarah ‘al ‘anachnuw).
So now, therefore (wa ‘atah), we implore you to please (na’) allow us to walk away (halak) on a three-day path (derek shalowsh yowmym) into (ba) the wilderness to ponder the word (ha midabar). We will prepare a meal (wa zebach) to approach (la) Yahowah (Yahowah), our God (‘elohym ‘anachnuw).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 3:18)
This reference to a “three-day path” we are being 494invited “to walk” to “approach Yahowah” is repeated with “a heightened sense of urgency” in Shemowth / Exodus 5:3…
“Then they replied (wa ‘amar), ‘The God (ha ‘elohym) of the Hebrews (ha ‘Ibry) has invited us to meet and has called us out (qara’ ‘al ‘anachnuw).
Now with a heightened sense of urgency (na’), we want to walk (halak) on a three-day path (derek shalosh yowm) into pondering the word (ba ha midbar).
Then we will prepare an animal for a feast as part of a sacrificial offering (wa zabach) to approach (la) Yahowah (Yahowah), our God (‘elohym ‘anachnuw).
If not (pen), He will intercede for us and there will be a catastrophe (paga’ ‘anachnuw), a plague of widespread death (ha deber) with a sharp divide and ensuing conflict leading to Choreb (‘ow ba ha chereb).’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 5:3)
These references to having been invited to walk along a three-day path, inclusive of a sacrificial offering, to approach Yahowah, are revealing. Since we know that the ‘Ibry were called out of Mitsraym by way of Pesach and Matsah, what is the shalosh yowm along the derek if not Bikuwrym?
The verbal root of mahah used within God’s next statement warns us not to wait lest we be left behind…
“They baked (wa ‘aphah) the dough (‘eth ha batseq) which (‘asher) they had brought out and withdrawn (yatsa’) from (min) the Crucibles of Religious and Governmental Oppression (Mitsraym) as flat loaves which had been hastily prepared (‘ugah).
The bread was uncontentious matsah (matsah) because (ky) there was no yeast added (lo’ chamets) as (ky) they had been expelled, literally driven out (garish), from (min) Mitsraym | the Cauldrons of Cruel 495Persecution (Mitsraym), and they would not have prevailed, lacking the confidence to overcome the challenges to endure (lo’ yakol), if they had delayed, lingered, waited, or hesitated as vacillating and dithering would have caused them to be left behind (la mahah).
Moreover (wa gam), they had not done anything to prepare (lo’ ‘asah) food or provisions (tseydah) for themselves (la hem).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 12:39)
Just as the Shabat is the most important day of the week, Matsah has been presented as the most important day on God’s annual calendar – well beyond one of 52 Shabat. It is introduced as ‘etsem | very substantial, essential, and foundational. (Shemowth 12:41) For all eternity, it is a time to be shimrym | especially alert, holding an evening vigil to be withdrawn from religion and approach Yahowah. (Shemowth 12:42) Wouldn’t the Children of Yisra’el emerging into the light of the next day serve as notice that they have become God’s Firstborn?
Affirming that Matsah is the most glorious Shabat, Yahowah’s ‘am | family is encouraged to…
“Remember to proclaim the truth about (zakar) this unique day (‘eth ha yowm ha zeh) which, to reveal the benefits of the relationship, and to lead along the correct path to get the most joy out of life (‘asher), you were withdrawn and brought out, having been removed (yatsa’) from (min) the realm (‘erets) of the religious and political oppressors (mitsraym), out of (min) the house (beyth) of slavery (‘ebed) by way of and along with (ky ba) the resolutely powerful and unyielding (chazaq) hand (yad) of Yahowah (Yahowah), who delivered you, removing you (yatsa’ ‘eth ‘atem), from this (min zeh).” (Shemowth / Exodus / Names 13:3)
Those who do so are brought home based upon Yahowah’s shaba’ | promise. One thing leads to the other 496as one verse to the next…
“And it will be (wa hayah) when (ky) Yahowah (YaHoWaH) brings you to the Land (bow’ ‘atah ‘el ‘erets) of the Kana’any (ha Kana’any)…which, for the benefit of the relationship (‘asher), He promised (shaba’) your fathers (la ‘ab ‘atah) to give to you (la nathan la ‘atah), a Land flowing with milk and honey (‘erets zuwb chalab wa dabash), then you should expend the considerable energy and intensity to serve (wa ‘abad), doing this work (‘eth ha ‘abodah ha zo’th) in this time of renewal (ba ha chodesh ha zeh).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:5)
What is more Bikuwrym than being brought into the Promised Land? And what is more Shabat than the shaba’ | promise which lies at its heart?
But should that be insufficient to convince us that Matsah is the ultimate expression of the Shabat, Yahowah adds fuel to the fire…
“Seven (shaba’) days (yowm) you should consistently consume (‘akal) unyeasted bread (matsah). And on (ba) the seventh day (wa ba ha yowm ha shaby’iy), celebrate a festival feast (chag) to approach (la) Yahowah ().” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:6)
Matsah is an amalgamation of everything the Shabat represents. It is a chag | celebration of the shaba’ | promise of shaba’ | seven.
So, let’s do as Yahowah requested…
“Tell conspicuously and in a straightforward manner (wa nagad) your children (la ben ‘atah) about this specific and unique day (ba ha yowm ha huw’), saying (la ‘amar), ‘For the sake of the participants who benefit from this occasion (ba ‘abuwr zeh), Yahowah () engaged to do this for me (‘asah la ‘any), when 497(ba) I (‘any) came out and was removed (yatsa’) from (min) the Crucibles of Religious and Political Oppression (Mitsraym).’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:8)
Matsah is, therefore, the day we are encouraged to reflect upon the work God is doing on our behalf. Further establishing Matsah as the ultimate expression of the Shabat…
“And it shall exist (wa hayah) on your behalf (la ‘atah) as (la) an awe-inspiring sign to communicate an essential truth (‘owth) for (‘al) your influence and actions, your ability to make a difference (yad ‘atah).
And (wa) it represents a memorial reminder and commemoration for retrospection, depicting a record worth recalling (la zikarown – a maxim, proverb, symbol, and inheritance right) for comprehension between (bayn) your eyes, providing an observant witness with a sense of perspective (‘ayn ‘atah).
The purpose is so that (la ma’an) the Towrah | Teaching and Guidance (Towrah) of Yahowah (Yahowah) may exist (hayah) in your mouth and thus in your speech (ba peh ‘atah).
Indeed, because (ky) the powerful, strong, and resolute (chazaq) hand (yad) of Yahowah (Yahowah) brought you out, removing and delivering you (yatsa’ ‘atah), from (min) the oppressive nature of religion and politics (mitsraym).” (Shemowth / Exodus 13:9)
We are to celebrate Matsah as we should observe the Shabat…
“Therefore (wa), closely examine, carefully consider, and observe (shamar) this clearly communicated written prescription of what you should do in life to live (‘eth ha chuqah), drawing near during this Eternal Witness to the Appointed Meeting Time (ha 498zo’th la Mow’ed) for (min) days upon days and forevermore (yowmym yowmym).” (Shemowth / Exodus 13:10)
It is the day which brings us Home and thus to Bikuwrym. Without interruption, we read…
“And (wa) it shall come to exist (hayah) that when (ky) Yahowah (YaHoWaH) brings you to (bow’ ‘atah ‘el) the Land (‘erets) of the Kana’any (ha Kana’any), it will be according to (ka ‘asher) His sworn oath and promise (shaba’ huw’) to you (la ‘atah) and to your fathers (wa la ‘ab ‘atah), giving (wa nathan) her to you (hy’ la ‘atah).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:11)
Then affirming that UnYeasted Bread leads directly to Firstborn Children, Yahowah reveals…
“So therefore (wa), you should continue along this linear path to gain possession while being led along the way regarding (‘abar) everything (kol) which is firstborn (peter) of the womb of the mother, and which is compassionate, loving, and merciful (rechem) to approach (la) Yahowah ().
This includes (wa) every firstborn (kol peter) offspring (sheger) of your domestic animals (bahemah) which exists as your way of remembering (‘asher hayah la ‘atah ha zakar) to approach (la) Yahowah (Yahowah).
Every firstborn (wa kol peter) donkey, representing the most stubborn, troubled, and burdensome individuals (chamowr), you should redeem and save (padah) along with (ba) a lamb, the most well-natured (seh)…every firstborn child (wa kol bakowr) among the sons (ba ben) of man (‘adam) you should redeem, deliver, and restore (‘atah padah).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:12-13)
Since Yahowah took the time to explain this, anticipating that we would understand the purpose and 499timing of these three days, let’s continue to review His explanations as they have been presented to us…
“So (wa) when it occurs (hayah ky) that your child (ben ‘atah) asks (sha’al) in the future (mahar), saying (la ‘amar), ‘What is (mah) this about (zo’th)?’ Say (wa ‘amar) to him or her (‘el huw’), ‘By (ba) the capable, restorative, and renewing hand (chozeq yad) of Yahowah () we were brought out, as He withdrew, removed, and delivered us (yatsa’ ‘anachnuw) away from (min) religious and political oppression (mitsraym) and out of (min) the house (beyth) of slavery where we were forced to work for others (‘ebed).’” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:14)
Reinforcing the life and death consequence of our choices regarding listening to Yahowah and celebrating Pesach and Matsah leading to Bikuwrym, God reveals…
“And (wa) when (ky) the Flea that was Pharaoh (Phar’oah) was (hayah) fiercely stubborn and cruel, harshly refusing (qashah) to release us and set us free (la shalach ‘anachnuw), Yahowah (Yahowah) took the lives of (harag) all (kol) the firstborn males (bakowr) in (ba) the land (‘erets) of the religious and political oppressors (Mitsraym), from (min) the firstborn (bakowr) of man (‘adam) to (wa ‘ad) firstborn livestock (bakowr bahemah).
Therefore (‘al ken), I (‘any) will offer a sacrifice (zabach) on behalf of (la) Yahowah (Yahowah) including all (kol) firstborn (peter) of the womb, remembering and commemorating such loving compassion and mercy (rechem ha zakar). Accordingly (wa), all of my firstborn sons (kol bakowr ben ‘any), I will redeem (padah).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 13:15)
The vital nature of Matsah | UnYeasted Bread in drawing us away from religion and politics such that we 500can be born into Yahowah’s Family is truly amazing.
Before we investigate more of what Yahowah had to say about His second of seven Miqra’ey, let’s linger a moment longer and continue to review our Creator’s preview of His upcoming festivals during the Yatsa’ | Bringing Out. The subject of UnYeasted Bread arose once again ten chapters later in Shemowth / Exodus 23. This time, to emphasize just how essential a period of reflection is in relation to the redemptive purpose underlying the Miqra’ey, Yahowah inspired Moseh to set their celebration within the context of a Sabbatical year.
“Six years (wa shesh shanah) you should sow (zera’ – you should productively seed) your land (‘eth ‘erets ‘atah) and gather in (wa ‘asaph – harvest, collect, remove, and receive) the produce (‘eth tabuw’ah – the harvested grain, produce and yield, revenue and income) thereof (hy’). (Shemowth / Exodus 23:10)
But on the seventh (wa ha shaby’iy), you should allow it to fall and lie fallow (shamat hy’ – release it and let it turn to stubble), scattering and dispersing it for the purpose of future renewal (wa natash hy – spreading it out and leaving it) so those in need who are willing to capitalize upon the opportunity and take responsibility (‘ebyown – those who require it and will acquire the yield, eager for the freedom and independence it provides; from ‘abah – those willing to accept responsibility and consent to the opportunity) among your people (wa ‘am ‘atah – of your family members and your relatives) may eat and be nourished (wa ‘akal – may consume and be fed (qal perfect)).
Moreover (wa), leave the remainder (yether – allow 501the rest, that which is left over from the abundance to remain behind) so that other living creatures (chayah – the animals) of the open fields and countryside (sadeh – of the region, territory, and open environs) may feed on it (‘akal hem – can eat it).
Do the same (‘asah ken – engage and act in this same manner to produce similar results) with your vineyards and olive groves (la kerem ‘atah la zayth ‘atah).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 23:11)
With these words, God is reinforcing an essential truth. His six-plus-one plan, as it is presented throughout the Mow’ed Miqra’ey, nourishes those who are willing to capitalize upon the opportunity to restore and renew our lives. Further, harvesting grain is to be seen as symbolic of gleaning souls on Bikuwrym, just as vineyards and olive groves, which produce wine and oil, are symbolic of anointing those who are spared by Pesach and Matsah.
As is the case with so much of Yahowah’s advice, allowing the land to go fallow every seven years is responsible guidance. It allows the soil to recover and remain productive while reducing the number of pests who prey on the crop. This form of sustainable land management was not widely practiced nor understood until quite recently. It encourages natural nutrients like potassium and phosphorus to rise to the surface while increasing levels of carbon, nitrogen, and other organic matter while also improving the moisture-holding capacity of the soil. The result is much higher crop yields.
‘Ebyown is a marvelous word, addressing those with the “inclination and will to exhibit personal responsibility and capitalize upon productive opportunities.” The ‘Ebyown are accountable for their actions and will acquire what is needed provided the circumstances allow. They crave independence and freedom. Rather than becoming dependent upon welfare, the ‘Ebyown will go into fields 502open to them, will harvest the food they require, and will then prepare it for their families. Their attitude and approach are something Yahowah appreciates.
The ‘Ebownym would come to play an important role for us as well. Without them, Dowd’s Instruction on the Mount would be unknown, and likely, the Olivet Discourse as well. While the book of “Matthew” is largely fraudulent, the only reason that it now includes these two speeches is that the ‘Ebyownym were present, and they recorded them in Hebrew. They were responsible for preserving the Messiah’s most compelling testimony so that, 50 years thereafter, the imposter named Matthew could incorporate them into the book bearing his name. His motivation for including such anti-Christian material is obvious in that, without both, “Matthew” is nothing more than the result of plagiarizing Mark and Luke.
The Son of God even recognized them, and spoke favorably of them, revealing at the beginning of his Instruction on the Mount that the ‘Ebyownym (errantly translated as “meek”) would inherit the Earth.” That said, the rabbis of the day hated these fellow Jews and sought to confiscate their texts according to the Talmud. Truth has always been counter to religion.
From start to finish, Yahowah’s redemptive plan is based upon this formula…
“Six days (shesh yowm) you should engage and do (‘asah – you should act, investing the energy to accomplish and produce) your work (ma’aseh ‘atah – your pursuits, undertakings, businesses, customary practices, and deeds, accomplishing whatever you prefer), and on the seventh day (wa ba ha yowm ha shaby’iy – but on the day of promise), you should celebrate the Shabat (shabath – actively engage in the promise of the seventh day written using the verbal form of the noun) so that (la ma’an – intending for) those tasked with carrying your burdens 503and your means of production (suwr ‘atah wa chamowr ‘atah – your beasts of burden, those who carry and bear cargo from one place to another for you, and your domesticated animals) may have a break, becoming refreshed and restored (nuwach – enjoy the favorable circumstances associated with this spiritual alliance; from ruwach – spirit), and the son of your servant (ben ‘amah ‘atah – a child of your maid, mother, female servant, or caregiver, even provider) and visitors (wa ha ger – foreigners from different cultures and ethnicities without the inherited rights of citizenship who come from different places and races) may take a breather and be refreshed (napash – be able to breathe, returning to life, recovering and retaining consciousness).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 23:12)
The verb shabath and the noun Shabat are indistinguishable in the Hebrew text. As such, shabath is the actionable approach to the Shabat, making it the antithesis of a day of doing nothing. The most accurate definition would be: “Celebrate the Shabat, acting upon the promise of the seventh day.” It is distinguished from the previous six days in that our focus changes from engaging in our work and accomplishing whatever it is that we desire, to celebrating Yahowah’s work, grateful for what He has promised to provide.
Just as God is encouraging us to allow our fields to lie fallow for our benefit, and for the benefit of the ‘ebyown and chayah, He is asking us to give our beasts of burden and means of production a restorative break as well. This is not only good for them but also is good for us because it allows us to focus on the things of God at the same time. And in this regard, nuwach speaks of becoming refreshed and restored spiritually. In fact, nuwach is ruwach with the Rosh replaced with a Nun and thus a spiritual child conceived by a Mother.
The reference to setting a good example on the Shabat 504by giving visitors from different cultures and ethnicities a breather to refresh their souls is sound advice. But what are we to make of “ben ‘amah ‘atah – a child of your maid, the offspring of your mother, a son of a female servant or your caregiver, even your provider?” Why is ben masculine and ‘amah feminine? Is God referencing our siblings or our servants, those who care for us and provide for us? Typically, the correct answer is inclusive, suggesting that we care and provide for ourselves on the Shabat so that those who may cook for us or clean up after us can follow our example and serve a greater cause on this day.
There is also the likelihood, especially following nuwach, that the ‘amah is our Spiritual Mother, the Ruwach Qodesh | Set-Apart Spirit, who nurtures us every Shabat. She is our caregiver and provider. Her son may well be the Son of God, none other than Dowd, whose Mizmowr we should sing this day to celebrate our relationship with Yah.
If so, this is an affront to Rabbinic Judaism, especially Kabballah, where wives are bathed and dressed as the Queen of Shabat so that they can offer blessings for the family. There is a litany of rituals devoted to the religious rite of likening wives to the Queen of Heaven and Mother of God. Just for giggles, I googled the practices and their justifications this morning, a Shabat, and was flabbergasted by how lame rabbis have become in their analysis. They even misrepresent ha Mala’kah | the Maternal Messenger of God as the equivalent of ‘Asherah (the Queen of Heaven and Mother of God), calling Her ha Mala’kah Shabat to infer that the goddess is the Queen of the Shabat.
Yahowah wants us to know that observing the Miqra’ of Matsah provides the benefits of the intended relationship...
“And in all things (wa ba kol – in the totality of) that benefit the relationship which (‘asher – that show the 505way to receive the greatest joy in life which) I have shared (‘amar – I have communicated, spoken, promised, answered, intended, and avowed) with you (‘el ‘atem), be observant (shamar – closely examine and carefully consider them, remaining focused upon them).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 23:13 in part)
Everything Yahowah conveyed through Moseh in His Towrah is food for the soul. Closely examine and carefully consider every nourishing bite. It has been served up for our edification, providing the benefits of the relationship on a Divine platter.
And while that is what we should do on the Shabat, this is what we should avoid…
“And do not bring to mind by proclaiming in a memorable way (wa lo’ zakar – do not memorialize, recalling information or events attributing honor to, nor humanize and proclaim in a way that inspires remembering and makes famous (hifil imperfect)) the name (shem – the designation or reputation) of other (‘acher – of another or different) gods (‘elohym); neither let it be heard (lo’ shama’ – consistently proclaimed for the purpose of perception (nifal imperfect)) on your mouth (‘al peh ‘atah – as part of your communication and speech).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 23:13)
There is nothing more offensive to Yahowah than the memorialization of false gods. Honoring them is an insult. Their names are an irritant.
In typical religious fashion, religious Jews have taken this to mean that we cannot say or write God, and must pen G-d instead, ignorant of the realization that God is a title, not a name, and that Yahowah routinely uses the title ‘elohym | gods to identify the fakes. Further, Yahowah speaks of false gods like Ba’al | the Lord and of the previously mentioned, ‘Asherah. Even the name Babel | Babylon means “With the Lord Bel.”
506If Yahowah wanted to tell us never to say the name of a false god, He would have had Moseh write lo’ ‘amar | do not say rather than lo’ zakar | do not memorialize. The instruction is to “lo’ zakar – avoid proclaiming the name of another god in a memorable way and thereby honoring them, making them famous.” If a person does what Yahowah has done, and condemns false gods by name, they are doing something beneficial and productive. To excoriate the notion that Jesus Christ, the Lord, or Allah is God is Godly.
The Sabbatical year is consistent with the seven days of Creation, with the Seven Instructions written on the Second of Two Tablets, and with the seven Miqra’ey. It is all related. As Albert Einstein so accurately stated: “God does not roll dice.” He has established a formula and He is following it. So should we.
So, the question may be asked – since Yahowah’s plan is obvious, why does His path Home lie in direct opposition to religious teaching, and why are there so few people willing to address the discord between God and religion? Again, let’s turn to Albert Einstein, who said: “Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity [balance and composure] opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.” Religions permeate almost every aspect of society and culture, making them difficult to remove from the minds and hearts of their hosts.
This speaks to the First of the Three Statements written on the First of Two Tablets. God tells us that He is unique, that He has but one name – Yahowah – and that a god by any other name is false. Lord, or Ba’al, therefore, is not God. Allah is not God. “Jesus Christ” cannot be God, either, as that is a different name.
In this context, our Heavenly Father introduced the three spring, one summer, and three fall Miqra’ey | 507Invitations to be Called Out and Meet…
“Three (shalowsh) times you should be on your feet (regal) during a Festival Feast (chagag – to party, celebrating and reveling) to approach Me (la ‘any) during the year (ba ha shanah – as a time for renewal). (Shemowth / Exodus 23:14)
The Chag | Celebration (chag – the party, feast, festival, and opportunity to gather together to eat, sing, and dance) of Matsah | UnYeasted Bread (ha Matsah – uncultured flatbread, to become uncontentious by eliminating conflict and dispute, strife and quarrels, symbolic of removing the fungus of religion; from matsats – to drain out and remove) you should observe (shamar – you should be aware of, focus upon, and attend to, closely examining and carefully considering).
Seven days (sheba’ yowm – during the time of promise associated with seven) you should actually and consistently eat bread without the contentiousness of yeast (matsah – flatbread with the embittering culture of conflict removed by draining out the fungus of yeast (qal imperfect)) in a manner consistent with the way (ka ‘asher – according to the way to receive the benefits of the relationship and get the most joy out of life) I instructed you (tsawah ‘atah – I guided and directed you) to approach during the Eternal Witness to the Appointed Meetings (la Mow’ed – regarding the everlasting testimony during the scheduled appointments; a compound of mow’ and ‘ed – of whom the eternal testimony is about and to whom the everlasting witness pertains) in the month (chodesh – this time of a renewal of light on the moon’s surface; from chadash – to renew, restore, repair, and reaffirm) of ‘Abyb (ha ‘Abyb – the first month of the year during the beginning of Spring when barley is still green and growing).
Indeed (ky – for because) in it (ba huw’) you were 508removed and came forth (yatsa’ – you were withdrawn and delivered) from (min) Mitsraym | the Crucibles of Political and Religious Oppression (Mitsraym – the cauldrons of cruel persecution where the people were confined and restricted by military and economic institutions; plural of matsowr – to be delineated as a foe and besieged during a time of testing and tribulation, from tsuwr – to be bound and confined by an adversary, assaulted and shut up in the likes of a concentration camp by those showing great hostility).
And so no one should appear before Me (wa lo’ ra’ah paneh ‘any – shall be seen in My presence and behold My face, none shall be considered or regarded by Me) empty or void, without a reason or cause (reyqam – without what is expected based upon what has been fulfilled, without a marker or sign showing the reason for their presence; from reyq – without effect, void and vain, with an unfilled space, worthless, useless, futile, even conceited; without a marker demonstrating the relationship and ruwq – empty and hungry).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 23:15)
There is nothing random, or optional, about this.
Matsah, the name of the Invitation to be Called Out and Meet of UnYeasted Bread, means more than “bread without yeast.” Matsah speaks of the rebellion that must be removed from our nature for us to live in the presence of God. Matsah addresses “draining out the strife and quarrel of verbal contentiousness.”
These are all relational concepts that communicate the importance of “matsah – removing the embittered dissension, belligerent discord, hostile arguments, and wearisome debate” that separate God from His wayward children. Religious and political men have created a self-serving competitive rivalry with God. Matsah is designed to eliminate this contention and conflict so that we can live 509as part of God’s Family.
This statement opens with God laying His redemptive plan out before us. Three times each year we are to stand before Yahowah: first during Pesach, Matsah, and Bikuwrym in the early Spring, then on Shabuw’ah seven weeks thereafter, and third, during the early Fall when we attend Taruw’ah, Kipurym, and Sukah on the 1st, 10th, and 15th days of the seventh month. The first and last feature is a reaping of saved souls.
God wants us regal | on our feet and thus not bowing down or cowered. He wants us chag | to be in a celebratory mood, happy to be in His presence. And He wants us shamar | to be observant and thus not oblivious.
For seven days we are to consistently consume matsah | bread devoid of the embittering and contentious culture which is as invasive in religion as a fungus is in that which is rotting. And if we do so, consuming the matsah in a manner consistent with Yahowah’s instructions during the Mow’ed, we will be considered withdrawn from mitsraym. And as a result, we will not appear before God as an empty void or hungry.
What follows is most always mistranslated and thus misunderstood. Reyqam is usually translated as “empty-handed,” yet there is no reference to yad, meaning “hand,” in the word. God is not looking for us to bring Him anything. Reyqam was first used in Bare’syth / Genesis 37:24. That passage reads: “They threw him into a pit, but the pit was empty (reyqam); there was no water in it.” Replace pit with soul and water with Spirit and you will understand Yahowah’s warning. Without His Spirit, no one can exist in His presence.
Yasha’yah / Isaiah 29:8 makes this connection for us. Speaking of those who fight against Tsyown | the Signs Posted Along the Way, Yahowah says: “The disheartened and broken (ka’ah – those deceived by false doctrines), 510and the hungry (ra’eb – those who lack proper nourishment), dream of being restored to health (chalam), however, behold, he who awakens and eats too late for the harvest (‘akal qayts – eating in the hot season of summer), his soul (nepesh) is empty (reyq – with a space which is unoccupied).”
Yahowah created man with a void, one perfectly suited to accept His Spirit. Those who are not born from above by way of our Spiritual Mother will not enjoy the company of our Heavenly Father. Empty vessels are vain – as in failed and arrogantly self-reliant.
But beyond the allegorical, the reality remains: Chag Matsah is Yahowah’s one and only means to remove mitsraym – religion and politics from our souls. We avail ourselves of His provision, or we appear before God ill-equipped and unprepared to remain in His presence.
Next, we find this word picture painted to help us understand Yahowah’s desire to harvest souls. The path Home is accessed by closely examining and carefully considering each word that paves the way. Pesach and Matsah yield Bikuwrym…
“You should observe (shamar – closely examine and carefully consider) the Festival Feast (chag – celebration and party) of the harvest (ha qatsyr – of the time of reaping that which was sown, of gathering in the crop), of Bikuwrym | Firstborn Children (Bikuwrym – FirstFruits, the initial gathering of the harvest; from bakar – to be firstborn) with your labors (ma’aseh ‘atah – in conjunction with your work, undertakings, and pursuits, and of your attempts to accomplish something worthwhile) which (‘asher – by way of making a connection and to show the way to the benefits of the relationship) you sow (zera’ – you plant the seeds expecting them to grow) throughout the region (ba ha sadeh – in the country where there is a sense of openness and in fields which were 511cultivated) along with (wa) the Festival Feast (chag – the celebration) of the Ingathering (‘asyph – gathering in the harvest; from ‘asaph – to be removed, received, and rewarded, to be gathered and withdrawn), at the time of year to be withdrawn (ba yatsa’ ha shanah – to be removed and renewed at the proper time), when you gather in (ba ‘asaph ‘atah – when you receive and accept) that which is associated with your labors (‘eth ma’aseh ‘atah – that which pertains to your pursuits, undertakings, and accomplishments) out of the country where there is a sense of openness (min ha sadeh – from the fields in the region which were cultivated). (Shemowth / Exodus 23:16)
Three times (shalosh) in the conduct of one’s life (pa’am – demonstrating a pattern of behavior in the proper sequence) during the year (ba ha shanah) all (kol – everyone) of you should remember to (zakar ‘atah) be seen (ra’ah – appear, be inspected, and be witnessed) before (‘el paneh – in the presence of) Yahowah (YaHoWaH – an accurate presentation of the name of ‘elowah – God as guided by His towrah – instructions regarding His hayah – existence).” (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 23:17)
This is the first time we have seen the name of the third of seven Miqra’ey: Bikuwrym | Firstborn Children. Bikuwrym, the plural of bakowr is from bakar, meaning “the first children who are born.” In that it is the first of two harvests, Yahowah is speaking about reaping souls who have been born anew into His Family.
And while Bikuwrym is the first of two ingatherings foretold in the Miqra’ey, the second is Taruw’ah. The Chag Bikuwrym was fulfilled concurrently with the reunification of Dowd’s nepesh | soul with the Ruwach Qodesh | Set-Apart Spirit in the aftermath of Pesach and Matsah. The harvest associated with the Yowm Taruw’ah, better known as “Trumpets,” is still on our horizon. It will transpire on Taruw’ah, the first day of the seventh month, 512sometime between 2026 and 2029.
As a warning to those who rely exclusively upon the popular Strong’s Lexicon and Concordance to verify these translations, their definition of bikkuwr errantly associates this Feast with “the ritual of Pentecost.” Bikuwrym precedes Shabuw’ah by Seven Sevens of days.
You are welcome to disagree, but as I consider these words, I think that Yahowah wants us to reap what we sow. He would prefer that our efforts work in parallel with His. That is to say that we should sow His seeds among those who are open and receptive. In this way, we can enlarge the harvest and show the way to the benefits of the relationship.
While we all share the same inheritance, this is one case where the more souls we share it with, the more enriching the experience. The universe we are inheriting as Children of the Covenant is ginormous, and even bigger when we appreciate that it spreads out in six dimensions and is always expanding. The more individuals with shared interests we get to explore it with, the more we will enjoy the experience.
Taruw’ah | Trumpets, the fifth of seven Invitations to be Called Out and Meet, is the Chag | Festival Feast of the ‘Asyph | Ingathering. On this day, the Children of the Covenant will be “‘asyph – gathered together and harvested” by God. After having shared His message to the best of our ability, which is the purpose of Taruw’ah, the beneficiaries of Pesach, Matsah, Bikuwrym, and Shabuw’ah will be “‘asaph – removed, received, and rewarded” by our Heavenly Father. He is committed to “ba yatsa’ ha shanah – withdrawing us at this time of year.” It is yet another yatsa’ from a God who glories in them.
Taruw’ah is defined by “‘eth ma’aseh ‘atah – our pursuits, undertakings, and accomplishments” on behalf of the Miqra’ey, the Beryth, the Towrah, Yisra’el, and Yahowah. Our mission is to plant seeds among those open 513to them so as to enlarge the harvest.
We have learned that all seven Miqra’ey | Invitations to be Called Out and Meet with God work in concert to achieve a common goal. Passover and UnYeasted Bread lead to Firstborn Children – to our souls being gathered in by God.
In the spirit of understanding, please reconsider what we have just learned about the Miqra’ of Matsah serving as the living embodiment of the Shabat. Yahowah, in the midst of His discussion regarding the transition from Matsah to Bikuwrym, revealed…
“Six years (wa shesh shanah) you should sow (zera’) your land (‘eth ‘erets ‘atah) and gather in (wa ‘asaph) the produce (‘eth tabuw’ah) thereof (hy’). (Shemowth 23:10)
But on the seventh (wa ha shaby’iy), you should allow it to fall and lie fallow, freeing it (shamat hy’), scattering and dispersing it for the purpose of future renewal (wa natash hy) so those in need who are willing to capitalize upon the opportunity and take responsibility (‘ebyown) among your people (wa ‘am ‘atah) may eat and be nourished (wa ‘akal).
Moreover (wa), leave the remainder (yether) so that other living creatures (chayah) of the open fields and countryside (sadeh) may feed on it (‘akal hem). Do the same (‘asah ken) with your vineyards and olive groves (la kerem ‘atah la zayth ‘atah). (Shemowth 23:11)
Six days (shesh yowm) you should engage and do (‘asah) your work, accomplishing whatever you prefer (ma’aseh ‘atah), and on the seventh, the day of promise (wa ba ha yowm ha shaby’iy), you should celebrate the Shabat, actively engaging in the promise of seven (shabath) so that (la ma’an) those tasked with carrying your burdens and your means of production (suwr ‘atah 514wa chamowr ‘atah) may have a break, becoming spiritually refreshed and restored (nuwach), and the son of your servant (ben ‘amah ‘atah) and visitors from different cultures and ethnicities without the inherited rights (wa ha ger) may take a breather and be refreshed (napash). (Shemowth 23:12)
And in all things (wa ba kol) that benefit the relationship which (‘asher) I have shared (‘amar) with you (‘el ‘atem), be observant (shamar). Therefore, do not proclaim in a memorable way (wa lo’ zakar) the names (shem) of other (‘acher) gods (‘elohym); neither let them be heard (lo’ shama’) on your mouth (‘al peh ‘atah). (Shemowth 23:13)
Three (shalowsh) times you should be on your feet (regal) during a Festival Feast (chagag) to approach Me (la ‘any) during the year (ba ha shanah). (Shemowth 23:14)
The Chag | Celebration (chag) of Matsah | UnYeasted Bread (ha Matsah) you should observe, closely examining and carefully considering (shamar).
Seven days (sheba’ yowm) you should actually and consistently eat bread without the contentiousness of yeast (matsah) in a manner consistent with the way to receive the benefits of the relationship (ka ‘asher) as I instructed you (tsawah ‘atah) to approach during the Eternal Witness of the Appointed Meetings (la Mow’ed) in the month (chodesh) of ‘Abyb, the first month of the year during the beginning of Spring when barley is still green and growing (ha ‘Abyb).
Indeed (ky) in it (ba huw’) you were removed and came forth, delivered and withdrawn (yatsa’), from (min) Mitsraym | the Crucibles of Political and Religious Oppression (Mitsraym).
And so, no one should appear before Me (wa lo’ 515ra’ah paneh ‘any) empty or void, without a reason or cause (reyqam).” (Shemowth / Exodus 23:15)
Tying all of this together for us, and in His very next statement, Yahowah instructs…
“You should observe (shamar) the Festival Feast (chag) of the harvest, of reaping what was sown and is ready to be gathered in (ha qatsyr), of Bikuwrym | Firstborn Children (Bikuwrym), of your undertakings and pursuits (ma’aseh ‘atah) which, by way of making a connection and to show the way to the benefits of the relationship (‘asher), you sow, expecting these seeds to take root and grow (zera’) throughout the region (ba ha sadeh), along with (wa) the Festival Feast (chag – the celebration) of the Ingathering, of being received and rewarded (‘asyph), at the time of year to be withdrawn, restored and renewed (ba yatsa’ ha shanah), when you gather in, receive and accept (ba ‘asaph ‘atah) that which is associated with your actions and what you choose to pursue (‘eth ma’aseh ‘atah) in conjunction with the realm where there is a sense of openness (min ha sadeh). (Shemowth 23:16)
Three times (shalosh), in the conduct of one’s life, demonstrating a pattern of behavior in the proper sequence (pa’am), during the year (ba ha shanah) all (kol) of you should remember to (zakar ‘atah) be seen (ra’ah) before (‘el paneh) Yahowah (YaHoWaH).” (Shemowth / Exodus 23:17)
We come to know by being observant. We come to understand by making connections. And we remember through repetition. Consider this review of Matsah leading to Bikuwrym a prime example.
