With this reading, only the two final few chapters in Deuteronomy remain, before the cycle begins anew with “Bereshiet” – the first part of Genesis. And the Fall Feasts are at hand, so Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship again decided to “fill in the gaps” with both the major part of the final reading in the entire Torah, from Deuteronomy chapter 33, followed by more discussion that fits with several cycles – then and now – coming to a conclusion, beginning anew, and perhaps even coming to a climax.

There is at least a bit more that will be controversial in here, too, because, well, you can’t actually read Scripture for comprehension with realizing just how much that is at odds with what we have largely been taught.

The Erev Shabbat reading is from the final prophecy to the the House of Israel and the 12 tribes before the end of the Torah, and the beginning of the journey across the River Jordan:

The Sabbath Day Midrash is where it’s time to fill in some gaps, and explore where the cycles converge, diverge, and rhyme.

There is an admonition to the tribe of Levi in verse 10 of the chapter that refers to BOTH ‘Jacob’ and to ‘Israel’ – and yet is not at all redundant. And it outlines the very challenge that still applies to all of us today.

There are things in His Torah that clearly still apply, and are at the very heart of SO much of what is wrong with the whole world today, that it often seems incomprehensible to thus of us who have “seen it,” that they could even BE ‘controversial.’ And yet, these topics that people will dismiss are also things they seem willing to practically come to blows over when they inevitably come up in honest study of His Word.

Isn’t it ironic – OK, not really! – that they come up “at such a time as this.”


“V’zot HaBerakah: Challenges – Then and Now”

or, perhaps it could even be, “TWO Houses – and Bridging the Gap”


Service information:

Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship worship services and teachings are broadcast live every Sabbath, via Paltalk. (www.paltalk.com has both the link, and the app.) The “room name” is “Walking Torah with Shabbat Shalom Mesa,” and can be found via the paltalk search, then bookmarked.

Erev Shabbat services begin at 7:00 PM Mountain Time Friday evenings (9 PM Eastern, 8 PM Central)

Live Sabbath teachings begin shortly after 11 AM Mountain time on Sabbath day (Saturday).

email: mark@markniwot.com

The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash: