The 40 Days of Preparation
The 40 Days of Preparation begins Thursday August 20th, 2020. These are the 40 days before Yom Kippur in which we prepare our hearts and lives for Judgement. Who knows if the Great Judgement Day is coming soon, or if this year is just a rehearsal. Either way, we take this time to clean our lives and take an inventory of our rights and wrongs, repent and ask forgiveness.
Why is this year different from every other year? Because we have broke loose at the seams as a nation, a society and a people. This year is clearly different.

What an interesting setting in time to practice torah. What If works were to exceed the knowledge of torah these days? And it can be recognized in those who don’t even know torah because it communicates heart to heart. According to the talmud getting the knowledge and
teaching it is not as important as to learn it and practice it. That’s what God is looking for from us, even more if we do it from the heart.

In this time of Teshuva we are to repent but also to practice torah. Yeshua gave a new commandment, that is to practice his example; that you love other people as he has loved us. That would mean to do all the instructions of God, because he was a torah teacher, with the love that he had for us. I don’t know if that is humanly possible. It’s why we need atonement
personally and nationally, like on Yom Kippur.

Let’s look into some words of Yeshua (BOLD LETTERS). What did he say? And can we try to do it also? Would it help during these days of repentance?

The Beatitudes. Yeshua’s torah teaching about what has value to God and how we should make it our lifestyle.

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Matt 5:3 O the blessedness of the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Poverty of spirit leads to God’s truth so that the world’s view and self view are set aside for the higher value of the King of Heaven. Let’s learn and practice this.

Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction, that your word gives me life.
Matt 5:4 O the blessedness of those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
The Greek word for mourning means to “call along side”; to encourage as you are alongside one who grieves. When someone you know is in mourning come along side them. If it is you that is grieving, the things of the world seem less important than to call on the the Comforter
who binds up the brokenhearted. Let’s learn and practice this.

Psalm 37:11 But the humble shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
Matt 5:5 O the blessed of the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
When you realize the reality of your own place in God’s universe and surrender yourself to God’s care, you can live in His trust. The strength of meekness will seek restoration, not ego. The lowly will not exalt themself, but rather God’s love. They will not demand their rights but take Godly responsibility knowing God will work all things for good. Let’s learn and practice this.

Psalm 107:9 For he satisfies the thirsting soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Matt 5:6 O the blessedness of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied. One who hungers and thirsts for righteousness, for God’s right path and right standing, in the same way a parched and starving person has a strong life and death need for sustenance, will find God. And he will satisfy their soul and spirit with good things. Let’s learn and practice this.

Psalm 37:21 The righteous shows mercy and gives.
Matt 5:7 O the blessedness of the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Instead of blaming those who are afflicted and thinking they deserve misery, show concern and sympathy. For those who think you must accept suffering because you are bad or it’s your lot in life, show compassion and loving kindness. Let’s learn and practice this.

Psalm 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not listen up his soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully.
Matt 5:8 O the blessedness of the pure in heart for they shall see God.
When your whole person longs for devotion for God and desires to follow his word with purity and no falsehood he will see God and at times face to face. Let’s learn and practice this.

Proverbs 12:20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.
Matt 5:9 O the blessedness of peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God. The internal quality of peace, shalom, is complete healing and wholeness of a person when they are at peace with God. Peace is a fruit of righteousness and those who make peace are called the sons of God. The world may honor a war maker, but God honors a peacemaker. Use the
fruit of the Spirit of Righteousness to make peace; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. Let’s learn and practice this.

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for your rod and your staff comfort me.
Matt 5:12 O the blessedness of those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets before you.

We are not to persecute and when we are persecuted let it be for the righteousness of the kingdom of God, doing Torah from the heart. Don’t be shocked in tumultious times. Keep doing good deeds, mitzvah, for the Lord. Let’s learn and practice this.

During these 40 days, let’s repent for ourselves and our nation and follow the Torah Teacher Yeshua from the heart.