SHUVOO NEWSLETTER

Issue No. 29 – February 22, 2007

In the weeks and months ahead, God-permitting, Shuvoo articles will

frequently feature personal accounts and stories.  Some of these stories will

be my own; some accounts will be those other individuals.

It is the desire of Shuvoo to awaken within all people the importance of mankind turning to the Torah at this time in history.  For Jews, there is a specific responsibility to Torah, but also for Gentiles.  The nations of the world are accountable to the Universal Laws of Torah.  In recent years, many 100’s of thousands of God-fearing and Torah-loving Gentiles have been struggling with their spiritual identities and seeking to find answers in the midst of much religious confusion.  These groups have created, been given, and co-opted various names of identification.  Shuvoo wishes to simply speak to the God-fearers of the nations, and to speak especially to our own people, the Jewish nation, of our unique responsibility in sharing the Light of Torah at a time when confusion and darkness increase with each passing day.

Their branches barren, their leaves still dormant, the almond trees in Israel burst into bloom at the time of Tu b’Shvat, in the height of winter, to teach us a lesson of spiritual potential in the midst of trying times. (©Ashirah Yosefah Photo 2007)

TO BE A JEW –

PART III

The Hidden Potential of Winter

By Ashirah Yosefah

Excerpt from To Be a Jew – Part II:

… The Exodus is the spiritual dynamic for Redemption and Redemption is an ongoing process unfolding over time to its ultimate climax, may it be in our days.  Just as the Children of Israel soon found themselves surrounded by the stark reality of the desert, the same journey is often paralleled in our lives.  As the winter months drew near, I wandered into the “desert” and was caught unawares that the “topography” had changed.  I had become very comfy with my Jerusalemite existence so close to Har haBeit.  It was obviously time for a test of emunah (faith) and bitachon (trust), and it was the right time of the year for it. …

Let us begin …

The constricted, yet infinite, Essence of HaKadosh Baruch Hu is so unified within every fiber, every molecule of the world in which we live that nothing is without its spiritual lessons.  One of the first differences I noticed about life as a Jew was the manner in which the chagim (the Jewish holidays) now impacted me.  I had been trying to keep these holidays for close to a decade in one form or another, but never, never, had I experienced them like I do now.  It took a bit of time to realize what was happening.  Last year the weeks between Purim and Pesach were positively grueling.  I felt like I had been run over by a truck, repeatedly.  I limped along through the Sefirat haOmer until Shavuot, when I realized what was going on.  I was living the spiritual realities of these “appointed times” of HaKadosh Baruch Hu.  These are not only times of celebration; they are lessons to be learned.  Each chag has its own unique spiritual energy available to instruct, correct and strengthen Israel.

For the rest of this essay, go to http://www.shuvoo.com/articles/AY-to-be-a-jew-III.php

Ashirah Yosefah

Ad Matai / Shuvoo

Rehov Cremieux 6A/1

Jerusalem 93108

Israel Registration #580545870