David Simon's Blog, page 26

Exodus: Solomon Tabatznikoff

     According to family tradition he was a simple country doctor, who lived in a village on the road from St. Petersburg to the Tzar's Crimean resort. At least once when the Tzar's son was in a medical crisis, this family doctor was able to help. Other than that, Solomon lived a quiet life in his community among his people.
     But then things changed. Following the death of Tzar Alexander II anti-Jewish sentiment arose within Russia. The first trouble arose in Kirovograd the end of April 1881. This spread throughout the region to Kiev and to Odessa. Property was destroyed and homes were set on fire.
     Count D. Tolstoy, the new minister of the interior wrote in June 1882 the riots were the result of poor oversight by governors and other officials in the area. But in other quarters officials pushed an anti-semetic agenda. Nikolai Ignatyev  minister of internal affairs pushed through a law which prohibited Jewish settlement in unauthorized areas; it forbid signing deeds and other legal documents with Jews until their legal status could be decided; and Jews were forbidden from doing business on Sundays and other Christian holidays.
     As the persecution continued Solomon worried about his family. Life looked better elsewhere. He talked with the neighbors about moving, and about greener pastures.  All this was a concept until a new progrom hit the village.  Solomon got mad and punched a Kosack in the nose.  He knew he needed to leave his village.     So the Tabatznik family Solomon, his wife, and nine children, boarded a ship, and traveled to France. A distant relative lived in France. Following a long passage across the Black Sea, through the Bosphorus, around the tip of Greece into Italy.  Then the family walked to Paris.  Solomon found the home where his relatives lived, and knocked on the door.     Solomon's uncle opened the door, and it is reported my Great Grandfather said, "I'm here with my wife and nine children.  We're staying."  Solomon told his uncle how life was bad at home, and they needed to move.  They would stay until they could figure something out.     After a few years "Uncle Louie" figured something out.  He received a flier telling about the Jewish Colonization Association funded by philanthropist Baron Maurice de Hirsch.  "Uncle Louie" convinced his nephew to apply.  Funding was obtained, and in April 1893, the Tobatznik family boarded the Maasdam in Boulogne for New York in the United States of America.       The passage was hard.  Many doubted the food was kosher, so they did not eat.  The ship was crowded and sanitation was poor.  One government report spoke of cholera outbreaks which were transported in situations like this.  It is said five children died on board the ship, and Solomon's wife died soon after arrival.      Solomon found housing in a tenement and survived as he could.  He would find a desperate landlord, and move his family into an apartment with the promise of pay, until the money was due.  Then he moved elsewhere.  Solomon came with no money, and no job.  He eventually found work in a Piano factory, where he supported his three children the best he could.     Eventually Simeon, his son was old enough to find work in the garment industry.  At first it was just piece work.  Simeon worked hard, made friends, and became a salesman.  The Exodus was complete. The family had found their Goshen.

To learn more and hear me read this story, visit Chelsea's VoiceThread project from her class at the Jewish Theological Seminary last year. Click images on the left to page through her presentation and hear the stories!

Holy Week

     During this week, the week before Easter we look forward to the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15).  The Resurrection is the central theme of the Christian faith.  In this week, before our Resurrection celebration, we visit the events leading up to the Resurrection.
     First, we see Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  My daughter Sarah posted a great article on Palm Sunday here: http://www.examiner.com/article/palm-....  Please take a look at it.
     During the week, Jesus visited the Temple.  He overturned the moneychangers tables.  They went to the Temple to make money (not to worship).  The wrong motives of these men upset Jesus.  What are your reasons for attending Church.
     Jesus told his disciples and others in the Temple, "these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples, The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” (Isaiah 56:7-8)
     During the week, Jesus prepared for Passover (setting up a place in the upper room, and assigning the Disciples things to bring to the supper)
     As we celebrate this week, let's spend time in prayer so we can fully appreciate what God has done.

Heaven

     Have you ever wondered what Heaven will be like? In real life sometimes we can catch glimpses of Heaven through the words of the dying, who see through the valley of the shadow of death, and tell us the things they have seen. A few people have come back from near death experiences and describe the things they have seen. More profound, Jesus tells us about heaven, and shares his credentials as the one who came down from heaven. (John 3:13; 6:38; 8:58)
     Throughout the Bible details are shared of what Heaven will be like. Some of these are simple, and show the real life going on in Heaven (Zech 8:3-6). Other scenes are more lofty and tell of the beauty of heaven (Revelation 21). The Bible says those who believe will go to heaven, while the ones who choose to fight God will suffer punishment.
     I have heard many who describe heaven as a place where we receive our angel wings and spend the day playing harps. But through this statement, people miss the things the Bible teaches about heaven. When we get to heaven and lie down in green pastures, life does not stop. Our life continues. God will show us things we could not understand on earth. We will enjoy great times of worship before the throne of God in heaven. And we will get to hang out with friends, new and old. Life will go on, but life will be much better than what is experienced here on earth.
     When I studied for and wrote chapter 9 of Spring: Connecting with God (Kindle), I found a unique picture of heaven in Psalm 23. I invite you to order and read this book. And through the book, I hope you will see how much God loves us and calls us to enjoy the life He has offered both here and in heaven.

Spring – The Last Supper

     Question: How many Passovers (Kindle) did Jesus celebrate? Answer: He celebrated Passover (Kindle) with family or friends every year! Because Jesus was Jewish, we know the Passover was a significant event for him, his family and his friends.
     The New Testament contains details from four Passovers which Jesus celebrated. Each year the celebration was unique and important in his life and ministry. I have detailed these in more depth in my book Spring: Connecting with God. (Kindle)
     The first recorded Passover celebrated by Jesus occurred when he was twelve. His family went to Jerusalem for this important Harvest Festival. During the time of the preparation for the feast, Jesus’ family left him alone, and he went to the Temple. While in the Temple he began to dialogue with the Sadducees, Pharisees, Sanhedrin members and Priests. The Bible records how his parents left him behind in the city when they went home; from the culture we can understand more details.
     The first Passover of Jesus’ ministry years was celebrated in Jerusalem. The Gospel of John contains eye-witness details of this Passover, including a visit to Nicodemus, teacher of the people of Israel. In this Passover Jesus shared with his disciples how to come out of bondage to sin into the light of God’s love.
     The year before Jesus died, he did something very unusual: He celebrated Passover at home. Every other year (except for the years spent in Egypt) Jesus, his family and his friends traveled to Jerusalem. John 6 contains details of how Jesus celebrated this Passover at the Sea of Galilee. As Jesus raised the Motzah on this Passover, he called himself the bread of life.
     Jesus’ last Passover is called the Last Supper. All four gospels tell about this Passover Seder. Matthew, Mark and Luke briefly skim over this dinner. (Luke’s Gospel contains some unique details). John’s gospel goes into detail as he describes the actions and teachings which occurred in the upper room.
     When we understand the Passover we understand more about Jesus, his culture and the teachings he was trying to share. In the Christian world today, it is sad that we too often rush through the cup and bread without understanding the great lessons of Passover; and in these great lessons the things Jesus was really telling us.

Discerning the things that Matter

     Yesterday we looked at how our lives can waver, running from hot to cold spiritually. This can happen because distractions consume life and siphon our focus from where it belongs.
     One of the distractions cast before us at Passover and other times is legalism. We are told “you must” and forced into a performance mode in order, as we are told to please God.
     Jewish people spend a great deal of time cleaning their homes for the Passover in order to obey the command, “For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses.” (Ex 12:15) They have two sets of plates, and really take to heart a reading from the Mishnah which says, “the hametz must be searched for by the light of a lamp.”
     In chapter five of Spring: Connecting with God (Kindle), we look at how cleaning the house takes precedence over spiritual preparation. The real reason God tells us to clean the leavening is because God desires for us to clean our own lives. This is captured in Proverbs: “As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable. Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith; remove the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness. Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence, and do not claim a place among great men; it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.” (Pr 25:3-7)
     People love to “do something” rather than “look inside ourselves;” for this reason we can become consumed by effort. In the New Testament Jesus chides Mary for becoming consumed by work, rather than allowing herself to look inward spiritually. (Luke 10:38-42)
     The reason God tells us not to eat leavening is so we will identify with the slaves who left Egypt and did not have time to let the bread rise. But what we often do not tell clearly is how Moses prepared the people spiritually, telling them through the process to see the hand of God in the events of the Exodus. The Jewish people are told to take a lamb in their home for 3 days, to put the blood on the doorpost, and to see how God protects those spiritually prepared.
     Removal of leavening is symbolic of clearing the evil out of our lives. God wants us to focus on Him, not the cleaning of a house. Two weeks ago we looked at Spiritual Preparation for Passover in this blog. We need to clean our homes and remove the leavening with prayers and preparation, immersing ourselves into the real reasons why God wants us to do things rather than just going through actions.

Spring – Hot and Cold

Spring is a season with many variables.  Temperatures run from cold to hot, precipitation goes from dry to wet (from snow to sleet to rain), and wind velocity can make March end as a lion or a lamb.  We love the warm days, and complain when the weather turns too cold.  But that is the nature of the season.     For the gardener, Spring is a great time.  I always enjoy the time I can till the garden and plant seeds. With great care I look at the weather; not just what it is today, but I watch what will happen tomorrow.  I don’t get to select the day I will prepare the ground, conditions must be dry for several days. If the ground is too wet I get clay lumps rather than fine soil when I till the ground.     I carefully select what to plant in my garden and its location.  I select seed which will produce what we will eat or share.  There is no room for much else.  Some plants need to be in the shade, while others need full sun. I carefully plan for space so vines will not overrun smaller plants.      After planting comes the waiting time.  I watch daily to see what seedlings have poked their heads out of the ground.  There is great joy when I see the rows of plants springing up; the new seedlings represent new life and the hope of a harvest.     But Spring can be unpredictable.  There are times when the weather is warm, and in hope I plant my garden, But then the late Spring freeze comes.  If I plant too early, I will lose my crop, and have to plant ahead.  Generally I get it right, but there are times I see the plants sprout and leaf only to wake up one morning only and mourn my loss.     Our spiritual life can be like this, running from hot to cold.  You know the routine.  For a period of time you go to your Bible daily to read the Word, and have regular prayer time.  Then something comes up, and you miss one morning, then two; and your daily reading stops.  You must start again.     There are times in my life when I can focus on my reading and daily routine; then comes the busy season, when my time is stolen.  In a time of crisis, the time I desire can be frozen out, unless I purposely force a time to spend with God.     Over time, a cold spell can change a nation, such was the case at points in Israel’s history.  You can read more about this in chapter four of Spring: Connecting with God.

The Real Topic "Connecting with God" (A Great Study!)

     Many years ago, while I was still in Seminary, I was asked to help put together a Passover Hagaddah for the Messianic Jewish Community in Louisville, KY. Across the years I have enjoyed sharing the Passover, and recently I have put this Seder into print: A Christian Passover in the Jewish Tradition. And in the process of producing this Hagaddah, God did something wonderful.
     As I tried to put the Hagaddah into presentable form, God spoke to me. This occurred while I was on a trip to see my father. As I drove, the Lord brought ideas and chapters to my mind which I had studied in the past. These realizations came from the time I assembled the first Passover Hagaddah for our group in Louisville.
     In my book Spring: Connecting with God I follow the development of the Seder, from the Garden of Eden (when Adam used to walk with God in the cool of the day); to the Communion of Abram and Melchezedek (Genesis 14:18); to the instructions of the first Passover in Exodus 12 (and its observance in Exodus 13); all the way to it’s history during time of the Kings of Judea. I teach on how the Passover has ties to the Peace offering of Leviticus 3-4 (and 7). I also examine four Passover Seders observed by Jesus in the New Testament (at 12 years of age, and each year of his ministry). I show how the agape feast of the early church is tied to the Passover, and how we will enjoy fellowship meals in heaven.
     I thought I wrote a good book, until God showed me something else. I was asked to share an outline of Spring: Connecting with God in a local Senior Adult group, and put the outline into presentation format. As I shared, I realized the book is more about our relationship with God than it is about the Passover.
     Spring: Connecting with God shows how our love for God goes from passionate to cool; and from churchy to forgotten. The book is a call for us to fan to flame the love which is in our hearts for God, and shows us how to avoid the things which cool us off. I would encourage people to take the book, and use it as a 10 week study (but then as the author I am biased). But I know study groups could be enriched through this study.

Whispers

A Whisper
Coming softly to my ears
Murmuring something
That I cannot understand
Unless I listen
With my whole being

What is it saying?
I wonder
Is it telling me
Something important
That will change
My entire life ...

(Poem © Chelsea Simon) ...
It’s completion & more poems can be found in the book.

The First Day of Spring!

     Spring is the time of year when new growth abounds. I was inspired to write in my book Spring: Connecting with God: I am constantly amazed whenever I drive through town or walk down the street and see new life, witnessing first-hand the beautiful creation God has given us to enjoy.”
     Spring is my favorite time of year, so it’s not surprising that I have a garden. I turned my garden, but still need to turn over the soil at my mother-in-law’s home. I already have kale and spinach planted. I will also plant lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, beets, cucumbers, okra, watermelons, pumpkin, and squash.
     I plant flowers in my yard. Some of my favorites such as daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, apricot and forsythia are already out. Redbuds are appearing; tulips, Daisies, roses, crape myrtles and black-eyed susans will come later. I enjoy the brilliant yellow early in the spring. Later spring brings shades of blue, purple and lavender. Late spring produces white daises and several colors of roses. I love the variety of colors I observe in this season.
     As I drive down the roads I have always enjoyed the fresh green leaves of spring as they appear on the trees. Recently I have observed and enjoy the different colors in the buds which make trees look like they are flowering, or showing off autumn leaf colors.
     I could allow the distractions of life to deflect the beauty of creation (many do, as they are obsessed with their busyness); I could take all this for granted (yep, every year the same … it is programmed in like clockwork); I could attribute it to a simple function of biology (or botany); or I could, as they say, take time to smell the roses. It is the last that I choose to do.
     And as I take time to smell the roses, and see the colors, and stand in amazement of life springing forth before me, I also take time to thank The Creator: for all this did not happen by evolution or by accident, but by intention.
     Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps. (Psalm 85:11-13)
     He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-- bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart. The trees of the LORD are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the pine trees. (Psalm 104:13-17)
     I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself. (Psalm 89:1-2)

Passover Preparation - Day 7 - Final Touches

Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover of the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib he brought you out of Egypt by night. Sacrifice as the Passover to the LORD your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the LORD will choose as a dwelling for his Name. Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste--so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt. (Deut 16:1-3)     It is now time to approach the Pesach Table, hopefully not with a heart which calls this a ritual, or even worse: a relic of the past; but we are to approach the evening of our Seder with an attitude of expectancy.
     As you read the previous six blogs I hope you clearly see the love and provisions of God which give us cause to seek the Lord, to celebrate His merciful acts and to honor His Name. Know that God desires us to attend this celebration so we can hear of His mighty acts of love and care.
     The scripture above shows it is God who invites us individually to come to His meal and to be His people. Our God is a living God. The scripture says God is the same yesterday, today and forever; who is still able to do the mighty acts which were shown to us in the past. I hope the Passover experience breeds expectancy and the desire to discover how God will bring us into a land flowing with milk and honey.
     The Hagaddah teaches we have a choice in our spiritual approach to the evening. Within the Seder we meet four sons: the wise son, the wicked son, the simple son and they young son. How will you approach the evening: with a desire to learn, as a participant, with eager ears and a desire to understand, or to be enveloped for the first time in this production.
     The order of the meal is designed to change us. Many come to the table ill prepared. They go through the motions, mouth the prayers, read responsively, listen respectfully - and hopefully God does something during the course of the evening: He breaks through and changes us from dutiful participants to desirous people who experience intimately our departure from the land of Egypt.
      The discussions of the Seder are designed to give us a desire to share its actions and truths through the year. We have already observed the call to charity as we are to make sure that all can attend and participate in this service and its teachings. We are also called to share a spirit of understanding; for through the lesson we experience how we were once aliens and slaves who were forced to serve others and to live according to their whims. With this understanding we celebrate our freedom by caring for others who are not yet free.
     We share because Passover is a story of hope. God with mighty acts of judgment saved an enslaved people. If God can bring that generation out of slavery, God can and will free any person from enslavement when they cry out and seek Him.
     We share because the next generation needs to hear (and there is always a next generation and beyond). The act of sharing has kept the Jewish nation vibrant and alive for over 3,500 years: even though we were scattered across the globe and had no land to call our own for most of their history (Not only was our father a wandering Aramean, but through the years most of the Jewish people were forced to survived in lands not their own).
     The story and its truths are worthy, and because of this they have endured. Let’s keep sharing their truths and living their actions.

Passover Preparation - Day 6 - Charity to others

“When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this. (Dt 24:19-22)
   One of the hardest things to accomplish in life is to see all sides of a situation at the same time. In order to prepare our hearts for Passover, we must do just this! On one hand, we will enter into a celebration which teaches us to be thankful because “we went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous.” (Dt 26:5) On the other hand, we are to remember we were slaves in the land of Egypt - and we must have compassion on those who are slaves today.
   We enjoy being a prosperous and great people. We enjoy the trappings of our affluence, and look with disdain on others who are not so fortunate. “Get a job,” we say. We call the poor in our nation “lazy” without ever trying to develop relationships with them. We dismiss those who are different and have trouble learning our culture or language with, “Why don’t you go back home?" or "You must become exactly like us.”
   We forget that most of our ancestors came from humble backgrounds - the majority as immigrants from other places. America is a land of refugees. One reason people leave their homeland and travel is to escape problems; problems such as poverty, persecution, and enslavement. We are to empathize with less fortunate people and be the hand that helps them, as others helped us or our ancestors.
   We pride ourselves and grow our riches by squeezing the last penny out of every dollar. But that is not what God tells us to do. Notice, when we have finished the harvest, we are not to go back into the field checking for what we missed, or harvesting the late fruit. We are to enjoy our harvest, and leave the rest for the poor. [Leviticus 19:10] Likewise, if we have done well in life, we are to go out and look for the poor, the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow and help improve their life.
    One purpose of Passover is to teach us to be holy, separate, different from the world just as God is different from any other gods. The Bible calls us to be “a wise and understanding people” (Dt 6:6) so others will notice. “What other nation is so great as as to have such righteous decrees and laws” as those set before us by our God? (Dt 6:8)
   The Jewish people placed an alms box in the Temple for the purpose of helping the poor to enjoy Passover as a rich man. How has the lesson on slavery taught you to reach out to the less fortunate - especially in your community? Each of us needs a ministry to help us follow the command to remember we were once slaves.