Woman of Valor and Shabbat
Posted on 29 November 2012 by Elze Erwteman
The Jewish Shabbat
The Shabbat or God’s day of rest from creation on the seventh day, is celebrated from Friday-night till sundown Saturday-night. This day is given specific to the people of Israel as the sign of the Covenant between Israel and Elohiem Adonai, the God of Israel.
So if we celebrate this Holy day, dedicated to the God of Israel, Who alone is God, we join the people of Israel as Ruth did if we are not from Jewish decent. If we celebrate this day without love for the people of Israel we make a big mistake. Ruth said: “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God (Ruth 1:16. NAS). First she joined the people of Israel and the traditions of the people of Israel, but Ruth also trusted the God of Israel as her Lord. Ruth left the gods of Moab. When we join Israel with its beautiful biblical traditions we will change and feel the heart of the people of Israel and get to know our Creator in a most pure way.
The Shabbat or God’s day of rest from creation on the seventh day, is celebrated from Friday-night till sundown Saturday-night. This day is given specific to the people of Israel as the sign of the Covenant between Israel and Elohiem Adonai, the God of Israel.
So if we celebrate this Holy day, dedicated to the God of Israel, Who alone is God, we join the people of Israel as Ruth did if we are not from Jewish decent. If we celebrate this day without love for the people of Israel we make a big mistake. Ruth said: “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God (Ruth 1:16. NAS). First she joined the people of Israel and the traditions of the people of Israel, but Ruth also trusted the God of Israel as her Lord. Ruth left the gods of Moab. When we join Israel with its beautiful biblical traditions we will change and feel the heart of the people of Israel and get to know our Creator in a most pure way.
Celebrating shabbat
When we celebrate Shabbat there is a deep level of being refreshed each week and really spiritually receive restoration. It takes commitment from us, but it is worthwhile to try. We call Friday-night: erev Shabbat.
On that night we light candles as a symbol to set this day apart as an incredible holy day from our workdays of that week. We cover the table with a white tablecloth as the symbol of our willingness to sanctify this day. Through this our lives will change and become more holy or sanctified. We have the custom to have a special dinner and my husband sings for me Proverbs 31:10-31. The woman in this song is called in Hebrew: eshet chayil and in English: woman of valor. Let us look at this song en see how we can learn from this song and improve in our womanhood.Called to be a woman of valor
All women who follow the God of Israel are called to be a woman of valor. Proverbs 31 is addressing a woman that is married. But we see in the book of Ruth, the only other place in the Bible where is being spoken of: a woman of valor, that Ruth is also called a woman of valor. In this case she is a widow and not married.
So a woman of valor is a woman that has an attitude that we have to discover and to learn from.The woman of Proverbs 31
In Prov. 31:10 the song starts with-” “A excellent wife, who can find; For her worth is far beyond jewels.””
When we celebrate Shabbat there is a deep level of being refreshed each week and really spiritually receive restoration. It takes commitment from us, but it is worthwhile to try. We call Friday-night: erev Shabbat.
On that night we light candles as a symbol to set this day apart as an incredible holy day from our workdays of that week. We cover the table with a white tablecloth as the symbol of our willingness to sanctify this day. Through this our lives will change and become more holy or sanctified. We have the custom to have a special dinner and my husband sings for me Proverbs 31:10-31. The woman in this song is called in Hebrew: eshet chayil and in English: woman of valor. Let us look at this song en see how we can learn from this song and improve in our womanhood.Called to be a woman of valor
All women who follow the God of Israel are called to be a woman of valor. Proverbs 31 is addressing a woman that is married. But we see in the book of Ruth, the only other place in the Bible where is being spoken of: a woman of valor, that Ruth is also called a woman of valor. In this case she is a widow and not married.
So a woman of valor is a woman that has an attitude that we have to discover and to learn from.The woman of Proverbs 31
In Prov. 31:10 the song starts with-” “A excellent wife, who can find; For her worth is far beyond jewels.””
In these verses we see how hard it is to find a woman that is a woman of valor. In fact it is a state of being that we as women have to reach for. We have to work very hard towards the goal of improving ourselves and becoming a woman of valor. When we are aware that we are in need of an relationship with our Creator and that we are in a state of need of being rescued by Him, saved from eternal death, than this is the beginning of becoming a woman of valor. In fact we all are in grave danger and this is the situation of every soul. We turn to God and accept Him into our lives as the One Who pays the price for our transgressions. We learn this in the Torah.I found my loving Creator
I myself returned to my Creator at the age of 30. Deep in my soul there was such a longing for the loving God. I experienced deep in my soul an incredible distance between Him and myself. This made me search in every religion. Only when I read the Bible I found the answer. I did not like the answer at first. It was too simple I thought. I was too haughty to accept it. But I knew this was the Way, the Truth and the Life: Messiah and the Torah. At that time of my life this was the best news that I ever discovered. For I knew more and more my transgressions and I knew they were serious sins in the eyes of my Creator. Especially after I had read the Torah and the standard of God.
I wanted to be loved by God and I believed He loved me. That feeling I experienced as a child. In fact that early experience of being loved by my Creator made me search till I found Him at the age of 30. Peace, shalom came into my soul.Becoming fruitful
By now I have raised my three children and am a grandmother of a lovely granddaughter and I have never regretted this step out of free will in my life. I keep on searching the Bible: the greatest book of all and gift to the world through the people of Israel. Every person who accepts the grace of God has a different story. It is a very personal thing to do, for every person is unique and special.
I myself returned to my Creator at the age of 30. Deep in my soul there was such a longing for the loving God. I experienced deep in my soul an incredible distance between Him and myself. This made me search in every religion. Only when I read the Bible I found the answer. I did not like the answer at first. It was too simple I thought. I was too haughty to accept it. But I knew this was the Way, the Truth and the Life: Messiah and the Torah. At that time of my life this was the best news that I ever discovered. For I knew more and more my transgressions and I knew they were serious sins in the eyes of my Creator. Especially after I had read the Torah and the standard of God.
I wanted to be loved by God and I believed He loved me. That feeling I experienced as a child. In fact that early experience of being loved by my Creator made me search till I found Him at the age of 30. Peace, shalom came into my soul.Becoming fruitful
By now I have raised my three children and am a grandmother of a lovely granddaughter and I have never regretted this step out of free will in my life. I keep on searching the Bible: the greatest book of all and gift to the world through the people of Israel. Every person who accepts the grace of God has a different story. It is a very personal thing to do, for every person is unique and special.
So in order to become a woman of valor we have to understand that we need a relationship with God. In order to have Him change our hearts we have to be incredible honest with ourselves. And that hurts quite a bit. This kind of soul-searching is necessary to become a woman of valor. That is why there is written: A excellent wife, who can find her.