October 2010

Notes About Birth

Rabbi Don Lansing

Whether it’s one, two, five, or six years after the wedding, the questions of when? how many? how far apart? get asked—usually by Bobbeh (Grandmother) and Zaydeh (Grandfather), who begin to prod about two months after the wedding! In any event, sooner or later the question cannot be put off—especially from yourselves. It is, after all, the first mitzvah (commandment): “Peru urevu [be fertile and increase].”

Starting a mishpachah (family):

“How long have you been married?”
“A little over two years.”
“How many kids do you have?”
“None… yet.”
“Oh? … Hmmm.” (Don’t even begin to think what’s going on in this head!)

Another typical exchange:

“Let’s see: if it’s a boy, we’ll name him Christopher after my great-aunt’s second husband, Hayim.”
“Yeah, and if it’s a girl, we’ll name her Megan Fern after my father’s father, Moishe, and my mother’s second cousin Fayge.”

The mitzvah about being fruitful and multiplying exists so the earth will be settled. And it is a great mitzvah … because of it, all the others exist (Shulhan Arukh, Even ha-Ezer 1). (The Second Jewish Catalog, page 11, The Jewish Publication Society of America).

We Messianics love to have babies!

Scripture Readings

Saturday, Oct. 2, B’resheet (“In the beginning”)
Genesis 1:1—6:8
Isaiah 42:5—43:10
John 1:1-5

Saturday, Oct. 9, Noach (“Noah”)
Genesis 6:9—11:32
Isaiah 54:1—55:5
1 Peter 3:18-22

Saturday, Oct. 16, Lech Lecha (“Go forth, yourself!”)
Genesis 12:1—17:27
Isaiah 40:27—41:16
Romans 4:1-25

Saturday, Oct. 23, VaYera (“And he appeared”)
Genesis 18:1—22:24
2 Kings 4:1-37
2 Peter 2:4-11

Saturday, Oct. 30, Chayei Sarah (“Life of Sarah”)
Genesis 23:1—25:18
1 Kings 1:1-31
1 Corinthians 15:50-57

Prayer Needs

We pray for all who are sick, homebound, or in financial need. Pray for all those traveling this month. Pray for our President, our nation, all fighters of terrorism, and the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for Israel’s new government and the return of the Jewish people to Israel. Also pray for Congregation Beth Shalom.

Scriptures

Matthew 18:15-27

Yiddish

Afikoymen—piece of matzah eaten at the end of the seder meal.
Aftselakhis—to spite (someone), in spite of.