The Torah Network

3 yrs

Shalom Ladies,
I’m going to broach a subject that needs to be brought out and discussed more and more within Israel, and the victims need to recognize what’s happening to them, take back their lives and return back to HaShem and set about establishing healthy boundaries and finding healing.

The subject is Family Abuse. I bring this up because I was a victim from a previous marriage, and am still fighting to overcome its effects from certain extended family either by their sin of remaining silent in the presence of emotional and verbal violence being committed, or by the acts of verbal, mental and emotional abuse committed themselves. Abuse comes in many ways, and can be suffered within any relationship: parent to child, adult child to parent, older sibling to younger (the abuse continues into adulthood), adult niece or nephew to aunt or uncle, husband to wife, wife to husband, significant others (either gender).
There are tendencies to excuse, overlook, love them through it, feelings of guilt and natural anger as boundaries of respect and honor are continuously crossed by the abuser. Only in coming to terms with the truth of the relationship, of that person and sometimes that realization is revealed by comparing one’s family dynamics with someone else’s, and be willing to make the change within oneself will breakthrough finally take place. You have to also understand that it is NOT your responsibility to bring healing to an abuser. That is the psychological weight that abusers lay upon the victims by making them feel responsible for the abuser’s welfare. This is NOT true and boundaries must be made in many ways to break the cycle for one’s own safety.

From an article:

Birth-Family Abuses of Adult Daughters

"When people show you who they are, believe them"....Maya Angelou

An abusive birth-relative is most often a parent, but can also be a sibling, grandparent, cousin, aunt or uncle. When we refer to abusive, controlling, or abandoning "birth-families", we mean the family who raised you, and who was supposed to love, protect, and cherish you. This includes adoptive, step-, and foster families.
There are a number of behaviors that can be considered abusive, but we often don't think of them in that way simply because we have been raised experiencing these behaviors from a relative that we have known all of our lives, and we think of his behavior as normal, because it is all we have ever known from him.
Because we love this person, we tend to overlook his behavior. We have also been trained since childhood to ignore or make excuses for the abuse by other relatives who are in denial or who protect the abuser (see The Silent Partner). A family member's bad childhood, background, war experiences, alcoholism, personality disorders, psychological problems, etc., may help us to understand him, but should never be used as an excuse to justify his mistreatment or abuse of others. Whether he chooses to get help for his issues or not, he does not have the right to inflict them on anyone else.
We sometimes don't understand that we are really being abused until we compare our family relationships with someone else whose family does not behave in an abusive or controlling manner.
Any behavior which attempts to control you is abuse, simply because adults do not control other adults. When any given behavior causes you stress on a regular basis or begins to undermine your self-esteem, it has crossed the line into abuse.
Here are some examples of abusive behavior. Please e-mail us any others you can think of so we can add them to our list.
Criticism Manipulation Humiliation Betrayal Insults
Undermining self-confidence Guilt-Trips Name-calling
Disrespecting Intruding Unreasonable expectations
Treating you like a child Telling you what to do Unloving
Demeaning Not respecting your privacy Lying Stealing
Judgmentalism Raising voice at you Trying to bribe you
Threatening Disowning Making demands Sabotage
Expecting 'obedience' from you even though you are now an adult
Pressuring Snide comments Abandoning Giving orders
Inappropriate anger Frequent rudeness
Expecting you to take care of them or solve their problems
Expecting you to sacrifice for them while ignoring your needs (one-way relationship)
Instigating trouble between family members Selfishness
Prying Pressuring you to lie, cover up, or keep family secrets
Picking fights Screaming Belittling Sarcasm Using you
Complaining about you to others Denial Taking advantage
Whining or using tears to get own way The Silent Treatment
Making scenes in public or in front of your children
Pressuring you to take sides with them against other relatives
Blaming you for whatever they're unhappy about
Blaming you or others for whatever they do wrong
Insensitivity Inconsideration Hurtfullness Uncaring
Minimizing your feelings Nastiness Belligerence Cruelty
Making you doubt your perceptions Pouting Gossiping
Negative remarks about your weight, appearance, etc.
Transferring their abuse to your spouse when you get married, rejecting your spouse
Competing with your spouse
Trying to make an ally of your spouse, smothering your spouse with love to make you look crazy and turn him against you later on.
——
I’ll continue on this topic tomorrow on the Effects of Abuse and Why They Abuse, Betray, or Abandon You.

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Does the risk outweigh the benefits for children? #prolife #abortion #antivaxxers #covid https://www.lifesitenews.com/n....ews/baby-of-fully-va

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What books does everyone see as scripture? Only the 66 of the Bible? The apocrypha? Others?

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3 yrs

WORSHIP -- Part 2:

WORSHIP IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The 1,500 years from the days of Abraham to the time of Ezra (about 1900-450 BC) saw many significant changes in the form of worship in ancient Israel. Abraham, the wandering nomad, built altars and offered sacrifices wherever Elohim appeared to him. In Moses’ time the tabernacle served as a portable sanctuary for the Israelite tribes journeying through the wilderness. Solomon built a Temple in Yershalayim that lasted more than three centuries until its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. When the Jews returned from exile, they built a new Temple, which was later renovated and enlarged by Herod the Great. Though all the temple buildings were destroyed by the Romans in AD 70, the foundations remained. Jews still pray by the Western Wall -- called the Wailing Wall -- of the old temple. If the form of worship changed with times and situations, its heart and center did not. Elohim revealed Himself to Abraham, promising that his children would inherit the land of Canaan. Abraham demonstrated his faith through prayer and sacrifice. Throughout the biblical period listening to Elohim’s Word, Prayer and sacrifice constituted the essence of worship. The promises to Abraham were constantly recalled as the basis of Israel’s existence as a nation and its right to the land of Canaan. From time to time every family visited the Temple in Yershalayim. Eight days after a baby boy was born, he was circumcised to mark his membership in Israel. Then, a month or two later, the baby’s mother went to the temple to offer sacrifice (Leviticus 12; cf. Luke 2:22-24). Animals were sacrificed in the lambing and calving season. The first lamb or calf born to every ewe or cow was presented in sacrifice (Exodus 22:30). Similarly, at the beginning of the harvest season, a basket of the firstfruits was offered and at the end, a tenth of all the harvest, the tithe, was given to the priests as YHVH’s representatives (Numbers 18:21-32). Deuteronomy 26:5-15 gives a typical prayer for use on such occasions. Sometimes a person would decide to offer a sacrifice for more personal reasons. In a crisis, vows could be made and sealed with a sacrifice (Genesis 28:18-22; 1 Samuel 1:10-11). Then when the prayer was answered, a second sacrifice was customarily offered (Genesis 35:3, Genesis 35:14; 1 Samuel 1:24-25). Serious sin or serious sickness were also occasions for sacrifice (Leviticus 4:1-5, Leviticus 13:1-15). The worshiper brought the animal into the temple court. Standing before the priest, he placed one hand on its head, thereby identifying himself with the animal and confessed his sin or explained the reason for offering the sacrifice. Then the worshiper killed the animal and cut it up for the priest to burn on the great bronze altar. Some sacrifices -- burnt offerings -- involved the whole animal being burnt on the altar. In others, some of the meat was set aside for the priests, while the rest was shared by the worshiper and his family. But in every case the worshiper killed the animal from his own flock with his own hands. These sacrifices expressed in a vivid and tangible way the cost of sin and the worshiper’s responsibility. As the worshiper killed the animal, he recalled that sin would have caused his own death, had Elohim not provided an escape through animal sacrifice. Three times a year all adult men went to the temple to celebrate the national feasts and festivals (Exodus 23:17; Deuteronomy 16:16): Passover -- held in April --, the Feast of Weeks -- held in May -- and the Feast of Succoth in October. When possible, the whole family accompanied the men. But if they lived a long way from Jerusalem, they would go up for only one of the festivals (1 Samuel 1:3; Luke 2:41). These festivals were tremendous occasions. Hundreds of thousands of people converged on Yerushalayim. They would stay with relatives or camp in tents outside the city. The temple courts would be thronged with worshipers. The temple choirs sang psalms appropriate for the festival, while the priests and Levites offered hundreds -- at Passover, thousands -- of animals in sacrifice. Groups of worshipers carried away with emotion would break forth into dancing. Those of more sober temperament were content to join in the singing or simply pray quietly. The major festivals were joyful occasions, for they celebrated the deliverance of Yisrael from Misrayim - Egypt. At Passover each family ate roasted lamb and bitter herbs to reenact the last meal their forefathers ate before leaving Misrayim (Exodus 12:1). At the Feast of Succoth, they built shelters of branches and lived in them for a week, as a reminder that the Israelites camped in tents during the forty years of wandering in the wilderness (Leviticus 23:39-43). These great festivals served as reminders of how Elohim had delivered them from slavery in Misrayim and had given them the land of Canaan as He had promised to Abraham. Each of these three festivals lasted a week, but there was one day in the year that was totally different, the Day of Atonement, when everyone fasted and mourned for their sins. On this day the high priest confessed the nation’s sins as he pressed his hand on the head of a goat. Then the goat was led away into the wilderness, symbolizing the removal of sin from the people (Leviticus 16:1). Sometime after the destruction of the first Temple, synagogues developed for public worship. The services were more like modern church worship, consisting exclusively of prayer, Scripture reading and preaching. There were no sacrifices made in the synagogues. When the second temple was destroyed in AD 70, synagogues became the only places where Hebrews could worship in public. Then there were no more sacrifices at all. The New Testament pictures this as fitting, for Yeshua was the True Lamb of Elohim (John 1:29); because of His death, there is no need for further animal sacrifice (Hebrews 10:11-12).

WORSHIP IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

At the time of Yeshua, the Hebrews had become far too dependent on a physical place, the temple, for their worship. When YEshua arrived on the scene, He proclaimed that He Himself was the Temple of YHVH; in resurrection, He would provide the spiritual dwelling where YHVH Ruach HaKodesh and people in spirit, could have spiritual communion -- see Matthew 12:6; John 2:19-22. In other words, worship would no longer be in a place but in a person -- through Yeshua Moshiach and His Ruach the worshipers could come directly to Elohim (see John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19-20). This shift in worship-from physical to spiritual-is the theme of John 4, a chapter that recounts Yeshua’ visit to the Samaritans. After Yeshua’ encounter with the Samaritan woman, she acknowledged that He must be a Prophet and then she launched into a discussion concerning the religious debate between the Hebrews and the Samaritans over which place of worship was the right one -- Yerushalayim- or Mount Gerizim. The Samaritans had set up a place for worship on Mount Gerizim in accordance with Deuteronomy 11:26-29 and Deuteronomy 27:1-8, while the Hebrews had followed Dah'veed and Shelomoh in making Yerushalayim the center of Hebrew worship. The Scriptures affirmed Yerushalayim as the true center for worship (Deuteronomy 12:5; 2 Chronicles 6:6; 2 Chronicles 7:12; Psalms 78:67-68). But Yeshua told her that a new age had come in which the issue no longer concerned a physical site. Elohim our Father would no longer be worshiped in either place. A new age had come in which the true worshipers (Hebrew, Samaritan or Gentile) must worship our Father in spirit and in truth. -- In spirit -- corresponds to Yershalayim and -- in truth -- corresponds to the Samaritans’ unknowledgeable ideas of worship, Elohim and so forth. Formerly, YHVH was worshiped in Yerushalayim, but now the true Yerushalayim would be in a person’s spirit. Indeed, the church is called -- the habitation of Elohim in Spirit -- (Ephesians 2:22). True worship required a people to contact Elohim the Spirit, in their spirit, as well as a people who knew the truth. New Testament worship must be in spirit and in truth. Since Elohim is Ruach, He must be worshiped in Spirit. Human beings possess a human spirit, the nature of which corresponds to Elohim’s nature, which is Ruach. Therefore, people can have fellowship with Elohim and worship Him in the same sphere that He exists in. In a sense, John 4 anticipates Revelation 21 and Revelation 22, where Elohim provides the Rivers of the Water of Life to all the believers and where the Lamb and YHVH are the temple in the New Yerushalayim. The believers receive life from Elohim and they worship in Elohim. There is a profound, even mystical connection between drinking of the Spirit and worshiping YHVH in the Spirit -- see 1 Corinthians 12:13. This is also described in Ezekiel 47:1, which pictures the river flowing from YHVH’s Temple as a symbol of Elohim’s never-ending supply. In John 4, Yeshua provides the living waters to all who receive the gift of Elohim and He directs people to a new temple, a spiritual one, where YHVH is worshiped in Spirit.

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3 yrs

PRAISE --- Part 1

TO WHOM PRAISE IS OFFERED

The Scriptures affirm that only YHVH. Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacon, is worthy of praise. Frequently, the Old Testament stresses that the praise due Him is not to be offered to other gods or to idols of any kind. There is a place for the commendation of men and women for their qualities of life and their right actions -- Proverbs 31:28-31; 1 Peter 2:14. -- Ultimately however, they should seek the praise and commendation of Elohim -- Romans 2:29 --, not the praise of other people -- Matthew 6:1-6; John 12:43, -- that others may be led to glorify Elohim for whatever good is found in them -- 5:16. -- Frequently the Bible speaks of praising “the Name” -- HaShem -- of Elohim, meaning that He is to be praised for all that He is and has revealed Himself to be. The often repeated word “Hallelujah” is simply the Hebrew equivalent of “Praise Adonai.”

BY WHOM PRAISE IS OFFERED

Elohim is praised perfectly by His angels in heaven -- Psalms 103:20; 148:2 --. They caroled their praise when Yeshua was born -- Luke 2:13-14 -- and the book of Revelation -- Revelation 7:11-12 -- speaks about their continual praise in heaven. All creation praises Elohim in the sense that it shows His greatness as Creator -- Psalm 19:1-6. -- Psalm 148 lists sun, moon and stars, fire and hail, snow, rain, wind and weather, mountains and hills, fruit trees and cedars, wild animals, cattle, snakes and birds -- all these -- as praising YHVH together. Heaven and earth are spoken of as involved in the praise of Elohim -- 89:5. -- In the Old Testament we read of the special role of priests and Levites -- Psalm 135:19-20 -- and of the temple singers -- 2 Chronicles 20:21 -- and of those who, like Miriam -- Exodus 15:20 -- and David -- 2 Samuel 6:14, -- led others in YHVH’s praise. But it was the duty of all Elohim’s people to praise Him; their praise was intended, moreover to lead the nations to know and to praise Him -- Psalm 67:2-3. -- The New Testament has this same emphasis -- Romans 15:7-12 -- and it stresses that YHVH’s gifts are given to His people to be used to His praise and glory -- Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14. -- The redeemed people of Elohim are appointed to show forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into His Marvelous Light -- 1 Peter 2:9. -- The last book of the New Testament presents the praise of Elohim in heaven, where the four living creatures -- representing all creation -- and the twenty-four elders -- representing the people of YHVH under the old and new covenants -- unite in worship, adoring the mighty Elohim who created them and the Lamb of YHVH who redeemed them -- Revelation 4-5.

WHEN GOD IS TO BE PRAISED

In the Old Testament there were times of special praise: Shabbat, new moons and festivals. In Psalm 119:164 the psalmist says he will praise Adonai seven times a day. -- Everywhere-from east to west -- praise the name of Adonai -- is the exhortation of 113:3. -- Psalm 145:1 says, I exalt You my Elohim, O Sovereign, and bless Your Name forever and ever. -- A dedication to a life of praise is expressed in -- Psalm 146:2 : While I live I praise YHVH, I sing praises to my Elohim, while I exist. -- I will sing praises to my Elohim even with my dying breath. In the New Testament likewise, there are special times of praise, but the whole of the believers life is intended to be devoted, in word and action, to the praise of Elohim.

WHERE PRAISE IS TO BE OFFERED

In the Old Testament the Temple (and thus “Tsiyon” or “Yerushalayim,” where the Temple was located) had a special place in the purpose of Elohim: His people should praise Him there. Psalm 102:21 pictures people declaring -- To claim the Name of YHVH in Tziyon, and His praise in Yerushalayim. -- People are to praise Elohim publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation (107:32), but they may also do so alone. For the whole of life is to be praise. Thus praise can come from unexpected places. Believing men and women can sing for joy as they lie on their beds (149:5). Paul and Silas can sing praises to Elohim in a Philippian prison (Acts 16:25).

HOW YHVH IS TO BE PRAISED

As there is no limit to time or place, so there is no limit to the ways in which Elohim may be praised. He may be praised with singing (Psalm 47:7), with dancing (149:3), or with instruments of music (144:9). The Psalter provides us with many songs of praise and others are scattered throughout the Old Testament. The New Testament speaks of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16) and examples of Christian songs of praise are probably to be seen in Ephesians 5:14; Philippians 2:6-11; 1 Timothy 1:17 ; and 2 Timothy 2:11-13 .

WHY YHVH IS TO BE PRAISED

Creation provides motivation for the praise of Elohim (Psalm 8:3), as does His preserving Love and Care (21:4) and the fact that He is YHVH YIREH our Provider who answers prayer (116:1). His redeeming work leads His people to worship Him (Exodus 15:1-2). Some of the psalms -- see Psalm 107 -- list many reasons why He should be praised. With the coming of Adonai Yeshua Moshiach, there is a fresh outburst of praise because our Moshiach, has come to His people (Luke 2:11). All that He did by His Life, Death and Resurrection calls for praise. But ultimately praise will be made perfect when Elohim reigns victorious over all. Thus John speaks in the book of Revelation -- Revelation 19:6: And I heard as of a voice of a great crowd, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunders saying: ‘Halleluyah! For YHVH El Shaddai, reigns!

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