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		The Dance   A CELEBRATION OF PRAISE UNTO YHWH

"David danced before YHWH with all his might;

and David was girded with a linen ephod. 

So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of YHWH

 with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet."

2 Samuel 6:14-15

     Many only know about the dance of the flesh, the world's version of dance, but there's a radical departure from this that pertains to the "dance in the Kingdom."  King David danced, and he had very good reason.  David was King of Israel who celebrated the bringing up of the Ark of YHWH up to Jerusalem, the City of David.  The ark contains the Covenant that YHWH made with His people which expressed His Love, Justice, Peace, Equality, Prosperity.  The Eser haDibrot (Ten Commandments) indicates how YHWH is intimately involved with each of us.  YHWH knows us better than we know ourselves.  King David celebrated the fact that YHWH chose him as King and that YHWH's Torah is altogether Righteous.  The dance of David is an outward celebration that YHWH created us, He chose us and we belong to Him.  We have great Joy and confidence in His love towards us, knowing that YHWH sent His Mashiyach to establish His Word, and to make Atonement for us and Deliver us.  Our physical bodies express the inner Joy of YHWH inside of us, Who He is, what He he means to each of us.  The Dance of David was unto YHWH and His Mashiyach and dance of unmitigated Joy and Celebration!

     At first glance of the Kadosh (Set Apart) Scriptures, the dance is very straightforward, but it is also a complex and important aspect of truth and covenant, one of the roots words for the "feasts" of YHWH contains the word from which the word dance is derived.

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus says YHWH Elohim of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a CHAGAG (feast) unto me in the wilderness. Exodus 5:1

And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and CHAGAG (dancing), because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 1 Samuel 30:16

     The same Hebrew word chagag is translated feast and dancing, but it is also translated as holy day, solemn feast and in eight places as keep a feast.  The feasts of YHWH are a time to join together in unity, the dance is a visual demonstration of this unity and joy before YHWH.  YHWH requires our souls to express our joy and gratitude for the things that are pleasing unto Him and in everything we also find delight in Him.  Thinking and meditating upon YHWH and remembering the blessings He showers upon us, makes a soul want to dance and rejoice in Him.  The mighty Hand of YHWH provides Justice, Mercy and Peace for our souls and for our families, our communities and your nations, we all have many things to be thankful for.  The body of Mashiyach participates together in love and compassion with others in the Malchut Elohim, we witness YHWH's Righteousness and Mercy with the souls of His people.

     The Dance, along with all forms praise helps keep our focus on YHWH, avoiding distractions of the material world.  As we keep our eyes upon YHWH, our love for one another grows and we become transformed into the Image of Elohim.  Dance as a form of praise is a complex and revelatory experience that unites No two people will describe their thoughts and feelings about the dance in exactly the same way, each person enters into praise and worship from their heart, and each soul is uniquely created and has unique expressions of praise and worship.  Each individual must express ourselves uniquely, the Dance is like a phrase of unique physical action, just like each individual chooses their own words to express themselves.  There is energy, emotion and spiritual connection that is inherent and distinguishable within each individual which together makes for a wonderful expression of praise and thanksgiving unto YHWH.

     The obstacles of the dance are many and varied, self awareness, lack of confidence, and lack of will are among the many hurdles for those who are not accustomed to dance, even the word itself is an obstacle for some, as it denotes lusts of the flesh, sensual pleasures and carnal experiences for many souls.  But the dance is not unto others, or for the benefit of others because it is much like prayer in that the one who prays experiences the benefits.  Certainly the weak flesh can easily take that which is Set Apart unto YHWH and turn it into a show, or a competition, and there all manner of unclean rivalry and matters of pride can enter into what is meant to bring unity.  Some folks desire to be the center of attention, they crave recognition and can never have enough and there are spiritual attacks that come against the body whenever joy and victory and fellowship in YHWH are experienced.

     The choreography can also be a subject of contention and competition if the weak flesh is given recognition, however pride and one-up-man-ship can be minimized when each step of the dance is a meditation.  For instance when teaching the dance, if a person connects each of the movements to a righteous meditation then the focus is not on the movement.  For example a song called Hallelu which repeats some basic movements begins with hands lifted in praise, which of course is directed unto YHWH, then it goes into 3 mayim steps as the dancer waves the right hand, which can be seen as firstfruits wave offering, there is a coupe' then a three point turn which brings the dancer back to the original position.  As I've taught beginners this dance I'm reminded of Y'shua being the wave sheaf offering, and how he was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  Y'shua rose at the end of the weekly Shabbat during Chag haMatzah, the next day was Yom haBikkurim.  It just so happens that the choreography for this dance has many components that remind of the first fruits and praise unto YHWH.  But each dance has the potential of many Scriptural meditations and it is up to the dance leaders to have a consciousness about these things, to impart them to those who are learning, so they can impart a meditation to others.

     A dance leader acts as a spiritual Levite, he or she is bringing the body of Mashiyach into worship therefore depending upon how mature the leader is, will depend upon the potential of the dance.  Those who are looking for a "good time" and an opportunity to show off their bodies also have an obvious agenda in the flesh, and it's not easy for congregations to all rise above this unless there is effective and truthful ministry within the body, rather than a social club mentality.

     Zechariah 14:16, 18, 19 speaks of the requirement for all nations to keep the feast of tabernacles, this is referring to the Day, when all the nations will come up to Jerusalem to celebrate in haMashiyach.  This is a day when Mashiyach will rule and reign from Tsiyon, the Holy Mountain of YHWH.  The Government of Mashiyach will encompass the universe and those to refuse to go up, will dry up and die out.  The feast is a Chag, a time for joyous celebration, you wouldn't want to miss it.  So now is a good time to rehearse the dance, and express Joy before the King of Kings.  We can enter in to Mashiyach each day, but we are also preparing for the biggest celebration of the Universe as we learn the Song of the Lamb and the Song of Moshe, the servant of YHWH.  According to D'varim/Deut. 16:13-14 YHWH commands Joy for the Feast of Tabernacles, this is expressly mentioned for this Feast but this applies to all other Feasts of YHWH as well.  A person enters into the Feast of Tabernacles by realizing that this Feast is extremely symbolic of Mashiyach ben David's return.  The offerings given during the Feast represent Universal order and peace unto all the nations of the earth together within the One Righteous Government of YHWH and His Mashiyach.  This feast looks toward the return of Mashiyach, when there will be equality, justice and peace for all humanity.  The tyranny of greed and fallen man will be no longer, false governments, materialistic corporations who make mega profits by extortion, fraud and misrepresentation will be no more, the false prophets, the false leaders and the false system of Babylon will be defeated and no longer be remembered.  Mashiyach will rule over the world in righteousness, the poor will receive respect and fairness.  If this isn't cause for great celebration and dance then what is?

     Y'shua was very likely circumcised on the Shemini Atzeret (the assembly of the eighth day), and this represents the Olam haBa, therefore the dance is for our spirits to be strengthened today, but also it points toward the future.  Imagine the days when King David and Eliyahu, Yirmeyahu, Z'kharyah, Hoshea and all the true Prophets of YHWH join with the Shilchim and all Mishpocha with the Heavenly Messengers as a Kedoshim unto YHWH.  If this isn't great cause for dance then what is?  If our spirits dance, then our body wants to join in, so this really is the focus when it comes to the dance, when our neshama is full and overflowing then like David we unashamedly and outwardly express our delight in YHWH and His Mashiyach.  So if in doubt, get up off the chair, or the couch and dance.  If you feel that you are not "good enough", then consider what it would be like if you had a knock on your door one erev Shabbat and a "stranger" asked to be invited in.  Let's suppose that you knew that you were having a  "visitation" from haMashiyach, and you knew it.  So are you "good enough", is your home "good enough", your food, your table, your wine, your furniture, NO the fact of the matter is that nothing you have is "good enough", but it's the best you have and therefore it is acceptable unto Mashiyach.  We all know that Mashiyach favored the poorest of the poor, because he valued the souls of everyone higher than all who came before him.  We must never be self-aware, but YHWH aware in all circumstances, nobody said it was easy, but it's impossible if we don't try.

     Everyone should encourage others to dance, the new visitors, the strangers and the elderly and those who are shy or self aware then the congregation must serve them, just like Avraham treated the sojourners as even more worthy than himself.  This is what it means to be in Mashiyach and have the Spirit of Mashiyach within us.  The dance is not only the movements, choreography and the songs, but the atmosphere of Mashiyach, where Grace, Mercy and Love is nurtured and kindness is demonstrated, it's a time to exercise all the spiritual gifts that operate within the congregation and make sure that pride, sensuality, selfishness or anything of the flesh isn't given opportunity to grow and cause division.  The dance that is acceptable to YHWH is the one that is offered up to Him, which means it is "in" Him and therefore there is no place for flesh to rise up.  May all your dances be a sweet savour unto YHWH and His Mashiyach, now and forever.

Amen ve Amen!

Shalom U'Vrachot,

Baruch Ben Daniel