Some Birthday Reflections

This is it Folks. On this day, 62 years ago, a soul was sent kicking and screaming to this life. I was one of the lucky ones. I had loving involved parents, brother and sister, wonderful grandparents, a small assortment of aunts and uncles equally loving. I feel grateful that my parents taught me real values, most of which I learned by observing how they treated others, themselves and each other.

One year ago, I exited the hospice where I worked as a Chaplain/Bereavement Coordinator and Counselor for 7 years. I did not know what the year would bring, but I have created my own niche, including a program called Pre-Emptive Crisis Management which teaches management about the signs of employees who are unraveling. But most importantly, I helped develop and launch the TOV Center with Jim Myers. 

My 3 children, whom I tell every year that they are my greatest gifts, are progressing towards their own lives and eventual independence. I have re-entered life again and most astoundingly, I am "Happier." Last year I created my “Choosing To Be Happier Program” and decided to live it. I learned to be happier because I adopted an “Attitude of Gratitude.” Every day, I make time to be Grateful, Thankful and Appreciative throughout the day. It makes me very aware of my blessings.

Something that has really come to light during the past year is that I realize how many people care about me, how good it feels to re-connect with people, and the joy of meeting new people.

Thank you all for your birthday greetings, wishes, prayers and calls.

Blessings  

Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor

What was the "Last Supper?"

Many people are under the impression that Jesus and his Jewish Disciples had a "Passover Seder" as the Last Supper. The problem is that the Passover Seder as we know it has been in development over thousands of years. It has a basic form which will be explained in a future article. The point I want to make is that the form known today did not exist during Jesus' lifetime.

Even though synagogues were part of the historical landscape before the common era (BCE) and afterwards (CE-AD), while the Temple stood, it was the Religious Center of the Jewish People. Judaea was a Roman province run by the Priesthood. Synagogues were places of assembly and study. After the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple during the Great Revolt 66-73, synagogues became religious worship centers as well.

So, what was going on in the upper room? Jewish Teachers and Masters were not called "Rabbis" until a later time, but it already was a tradition that when your teacher or master finished studying a section of Scriptures, Rabbinic Teachings(Mishnah) and later Talmud, the Rabbi would make what's called a Siyyum (a public reading and explanation of a concluding passage which has been completed). In this case, it would make sense that, Jesus the Jewish Teacher and his Jewish students completed teachings about Passover which was going to begin that evening. A Siyyum is a se'udat mitzvah, a Festive Meal. It is also the last time for the duration of the holiday that one is allowed to eat "Chamets", leaven. I don't have the exact menu, but there are descriptions of meals from that time and they probably ate olives, bread, salt and drank wine. Jesus, like any other Jew from that period drank wine, no Welch's Grape-Juice!! In those days, everyone mixed wine, which was 80 proof with water, otherwise after two cups, you'd be face down in your chicken soup.

If you truly want to understand the Real Y'shua, you must look at his culture, his language, his customs, and read his Bible, (Torah and Prophets). These things put him in his Jewish historical context in which he lived -- and they help clarify his messages and teachings. Acquiring this knowledge enables us to recognize our bond through the Values we share. Watch for my next blog in this series about the Seder and Spiritual Lessons of TOV at Passover.

Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor

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