Observance of Pesach opens our hearts to worship YHWH as our Life Giver and Deliverer.  YHWH has continuously demonstrated that He treasures His people and seeks to deliver us from slavery, oppression and harm.  YHWH has not withheld even His own Son to redeem and deliver us from the torment of the Adversary.  He teaches us how to exercise the power of free choice and instructs us to what freedom is and how to choose freedom.  Mashiyach is our Pesach, He is deliverance from bondage, the Right Hand of YHWH Saves and Delivers His people from the fallen world of sin and destruction.

On the 10th day of Nissan YHWH instructed the Israelites to bring the Pesach Lamb into their houses, this ensured that it would be kept without spot or blemish up until the day it would be sacrificed and eaten.  The value of that Lamb suddenly became equivalent to the life of your firstborn son, can you imagine what was going through a father's mind as he watched his firstborn son play with the beautiful and unblemished lamb.  The father knew that without the blood of that lamb on the doorposts of his house, his son would not survive.  I happen to have a weak spot for a plate of roast lamb, mint sauce, roasted potato in lemon, on a rice pilaf with Greek salad, pita, tzaziki and a bottle of dry red wine.  It's an especially delightful experience when glancing across the table at a righteous and beautiful women and seeing the candles flicker in her eyes.  The love of the Father has one thing on his mind for four of the longest days of his life, my son.  My son whom I have begotten.  Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.  My life would in an instant be traded for his life.  The heartache of loosing my son would never be quenched, it would be far better for me to go to my grave than he.

On the 10th day of Nissan Yeshua HaMashiyach road from Bethany to Jerusalem atop a donkey meant for a king.  Multitudes threw their garments in front of Him, demonstrating their love for the King of Kings.  Multitudes waved their Palm Branches demonstrating the prophecy that the trees of the fields would clap their hands, at the coming of the King.  The Palms represented a people full of delight, their Joy that could not be contained overflowed unrestrained.  The Hope of the common and poor man, the Hope of all Israel was making His way to Tsiyon, His Mountain, even Jerusalem His city.  Life would and could not ever be the same when the Righteous King was crowned.

As the Pesach Lamb of the Exodus was examined for defect so was HaMashiyach interrogated on every level.  By what authority do you do these things?  Where did you learn?  Where did you study?  The questions came at Him fast and furious, but HaMashiyach asked the final question.  While the P'rushim were gathered together, Yeshua asked them, Saying, "What do you think of HaMashiyach?  Whose Son is He?"  They said unto Him, "The Son of David".  Yeshua replied unto them, "How then does David in the Ruach HaKodesh call Him 'my Adon', saying, 'YHWH said unto my Adon, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool?'  If David called Him 'my Adon', how is He his son?"  And no man was able to answer him a word, neither did they dare any from that day forth ask him any more questions.  Mattitiyahu 22:41-46

Everyone knows that Fig trees don't bear fruit during Rosh Chodoshim (at the Biblical New Year), regardless of this detail, one singular Fig tree became an extraordinary universal landmark in geopolitical religious sociology.  Follow the logic, Adam and Eve transgress against YHWH by eating the forbidden fruit, they sew up fig leaves to cover their nakedness.  Abimelech murders 70 kinsman in a horrific bid to be king, 70 representing the counselors or elders of Israel by Ya'akov's 70 offspring and 70 elders that served with Moshe and Aharon. The parable of the olive, fig, vine and bramble was given to clarify Abimelech's vile deed. YHWH gives Yirmeyahu a parable in good and evil figs, obedient and disobedient souls are depicted by figs, figs grow on trees, trees represent people.  The Fig tree has to do with people who are to judge between good and evil, Adam and Even needed to cover their shame, their consciences judged themselves naked.  Figs represented the fruits of obedience and disobedience.  Yeshua showed us that the Sanhedrin represented the fig tree and the figs represented their deeds.  When Yeshua cursed the Fig Tree He judged the works of the Sanhedrin.  But He never left us hanging without a Beit Din because he established His Talmidim as the rightful Beit Din.  Yeshua said that wherever Two or Three are gathered in My Name, He would establish His Authority on this earth as it is in the Heaven.  Ya'akov HaTsaddiq became the Rosh Beit Din, but he was martyred by the P'rushim who didn't approve that Ya'akov verbally spoke out HaMashiyach Yeshua in the Name of YHWH.  Two prophetic notes to keep in mind are what Yeshua said about the fig tree, when his branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves and what John said about "the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind."  We see there are boy and a girl fig trees, which is an extremely important prophetic insight from the "heart" of HaMashiyach.

Regarding the timing of Pesach it is also important to note that Netzari Yehudim do not not always celebrate the Chag at the same time as the Prushim, nor do Netzarim celebrate Pesach and Chag HaMatzah as one feast per se.  These are two separate feasts which combined are eight days not seven days.  Netzarim do of course celebrate the Torah based Pesach Seder much like traditional Jews, however Netzarim are eager to remember Yeshua haMashiyach as our Pesach and make him the focus.  You may see a boiled egg on a Netzarim Seder plate, but this is for the purpose of illustrating how "Jewish Tradition" can easily bunny hop into Ishtar eggs.  Which brings us back to "authority" and the Sanhedrin.  Beware of peer pressure to conform to traditions which make void the Torah or the halacha of Yeshua.  All reductions of Torah commandments and principles must be viewed as anti-Mashiyach.  As we stand for Yeshua and Torah we invariably become marginalized by religious Jews and Christians who uphold tradition rather than truth.  Here is a quick example, I just replied to an email that stated that one should not pray while on their knees because "it's not Jewish".  But Ezra said, "And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto YHWH my Elohim."  Also, "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his Elohim, as he did aforetime. Paul said, For this cause I bow my  knees unto the Father of our Adon Yeshua Mashiyach.  YHWH said,  Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am Elohim, and there is none else.  I have sworn by Myself, the Word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."

If billions people from thousands of different sects, religions and ethnicities have decided to kneel when they pray, so then we as Jews shouldn't do this?  It's now become the practice of the pagans?  Being a Jew doesn't mean one must do the ostrich to the rest of the world.  What would you give to bow your knees next to the prophet Daniel and pray with him?  or next to Ezra when he made that wonderfully blessed and Holy prayer unto YHWH?  When YHWH says that unto ME every knee shall bow, do you need an engraved invitation? do you need to ask your Rabbi if it's ok?  NO, we must be free of bondage of religion and pursue a personal relationship with YHWH and His Mashiyach!  By accepting the authority of man against YHWH the result will always be corruption, turmoil and war.

The events that transpired during those days leading up to the Pesach and then the torture and death of Mashiyach thoroughly undresses the religious traditions of men.  All forms of corrupt religious ideas that marginalized the Word and Authority of YHWH were judged by Mashiyach.  Thousands upon thousands of souls had come up to Yerushalayim to observe the Chag, many remembered Yeshua from attending other Moedim and they quickly became convinced He was haMashiyach.  As we prepare for Pesach we must also each distinguish between what pleases YHWH and what does not.  We must look for the leaven in our own lives.  Yeshua said beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees that we don't buy into false religion.  Leaven puffs up, it represents pride, pride is an abomination unto YHWH, pride is one of haSatans biggest weapons to enslave the spiritual man.

As we observe Pesach let us be prepared to meet with YHWH in the Name of His Mashiyach and ask Him to help us purge out the old leaven, even the old, old leaven that has lingered over the years but we never troubled ourselves about it.  For those new to experiencing the Pesach Seder click on the Haggadah and Leaders Guide that covers the needed basics to get started.  The goal is to have the most participation during the Seder by the children and young adults.  YHWH commands in Torah that we teach our children and teens, they are well capable of doing the entire service if provided the right tools. Our children and young adults are our future.  Yes, it's a bit more work to tutor the younger generation in the responsibility of the Seder but the fruits are self evident.  The materials provided are an outline, add your own graphics, sketches etc, put your own name on it or the name of your congregation if you wish, edit it as you desire, these two materials contain no copyrights.

Click here for Haggadah preview in html  Click for open and editable Haggadah.DOC download file

Click here for Leaders Guide preview in html  Click for open and editable leaders.DOC download file

Chag Sameach!

Shalom U'Vrachot,

Baruch Ben Daniel

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