Shalom, Mitspacha!
The renewed moon was NOT sighted last night because clouds covered the skies across South Africa. This morning it is still misty in many areas.
Today therefore remains Shishi 30, 6028 AA, an extended Erev Yom Teru'ah and Erev Shabbat.
Tomorrow SHOULD be Shevi'i 1, 6028 AA, but the beginning of the seventh month and Yom Teru'ah will remain CONFIRMED ONLY AFTER the renewed moon has been sighted. We will check again tomorrow morning and update accordingly.
Please check with the local Muslim community and renewedmoon.com for sighting details.
Justice – honoring commitment / Suffering and integrity
Heavenly Father, YHVH, we come before You on Shabbat with grateful hearts. Thank You for Your Torah, Your justice, Your mercy and Your faithfulness.
As we prepare for the appointed time ahead, quiet our hearts and turn our attention toward You. Teach us to honour every righteous commitment we make and to remain faithful even when obedience becomes difficult.
Give us integrity when we suffer, wisdom when we are tested, and courage when circumstances challenge our faith.
Prepare us to enter this Shabbat in peace, remembering that Your ways are righteous and that You remain faithful in every season.
Baruch YHVH. Emet.
We remember Yahusha HaMashiach and the covenant represented through His body and blood.
As we partake, let us examine our hearts and remember that covenant carries responsibility. We are called to faithfulness, obedience, love and integrity—not only when circumstances are favourable, but also when we are tested.
May this remembrance strengthen us to honour our commitments before YHVH and to remain faithful through suffering and uncertainty.
Justice requires more than knowing what is right. It requires us to honour what is right through our actions, commitments and relationships.
A commitment made before YHVH is not something to be treated casually. Faithfulness is demonstrated when keeping our word becomes difficult, inconvenient or costly. Integrity is revealed not merely by what we say when circumstances are favourable, but by what we continue to do when circumstances test us.
The Book of Job gives us a profound picture of integrity under suffering. Job experienced circumstances that he could not understand, yet his suffering did not give him permission to abandon righteousness. His story reminds us that faithfulness cannot be measured only by visible blessing or immediate answers.
There are times when we may not understand why YHVH permits particular trials. We may ask questions, grieve, struggle and seek understanding. Yet questioning our circumstances is not the same as abandoning our integrity.
Justice also requires us to honour commitments toward other people. We should not make promises lightly, nor should we abandon responsibilities simply because circumstances become difficult.
At the same time, righteous commitment does not mean remaining bound to wrongdoing or enabling abuse. Faithfulness to YHVH comes first. Where a commitment conflicts with Torah, truth or the protection of what is righteous, wisdom is required to establish the proper boundary.
The challenge is therefore to distinguish genuine faithfulness from misplaced loyalty. Integrity does not mean protecting appearances at the expense of truth. It means remaining committed to what is righteous even when doing so costs us something.
As we stand at the threshold of Yom Teru'ah, this is an appropriate time to examine our commitments. What have we promised? What responsibilities have we accepted? Where have we remained faithful? Where have we allowed suffering, disappointment or fear to weaken our integrity?
YHVH sees what is hidden. He knows whether our obedience is rooted in genuine devotion or merely in circumstances that happen to favour us.
May we become people whose commitments are trustworthy, whose conduct remains upright under pressure, and whose integrity does not depend upon an easy life.
Heavenly Father, YHVH, thank You for this Shabbat and for the opportunity to rest before You.
Teach us to honour righteous commitments with faithfulness and wisdom. Let our word be trustworthy and our actions consistent with the truth we profess.
When we suffer or face circumstances we do not understand, keep us from abandoning integrity. Give us patience when answers are delayed, courage when we are tested and humility when we cannot see the whole picture.
Help us to recognise the difference between righteous faithfulness and misplaced loyalty. Give us wisdom to establish proper boundaries where necessary, while remaining faithful to Your Torah and Your truth.
Examine our hearts as we approach Yom Teru'ah. Reveal every commitment that needs to be honoured, every responsibility that needs attention, and every place where our integrity has been weakened by fear, disappointment, pressure or self-interest.
Prepare us for the appointed time ahead. If the renewed moon is sighted tomorrow, let us enter Shevi'i 1 with awakened hearts and ready spirits. Until then, teach us patience and careful observation rather than presumption.
Protect our families and communities. Strengthen those who are suffering. Comfort those who are discouraged. Give endurance to those whose faith is being tested.
May our lives testify that righteousness is worth following even when the path is difficult, and that faithfulness to YHVH is not dependent upon favourable circumstances.
Baruch YHVH. Emet.
“Shema, Yisrael: YHVH our Elohim, YHVH is one!
And you shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your might.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
And you shall impress them upon your children, and shall speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
- Devarim (Deuteronomy) 6:4-8
“YHVH bless you and keep you;
YHVH make His face shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
YHVH lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace.”
- Bemidbar (Numbers) 6:24-26
Shalom until tomorrow!