The Jerusalem Prayer List – December 29, 2023
By Joseph Shulam
This Shabbat will be the last Shabbat of 2023, but also the last reading this year from the book of Genesis. The portion is named Vayechi and it is an interesting phenomenon in the Hebrew Bible Torah reading portions. Vayechi means in Hebrew “And He Lives.” In this portion we have Jacob’s death. A few previous Torah portions ago, we had a portion that was called “Chaiay Sarah,” Sarah dies. I think that this is a reminder of the Holy Spirit that when a Saint dies and is buried life continues and the Saint that dies and is buried – in some way still lives.
The Torah reading this Shabbat is from Genesis 47:26 -50:26.
From the Prophets the reading is from 1 Kings 2:1-12,
From the New Testament we will read from Gospel of John 13:1-19.
These last chapters of Genesis have some very important prophetic predictions that have a direct bearing on our faith in the Messiah. I will make a bombastic statement here that some of my Christian brothers might doubt, but there is nothing in what is called “The New Testament” that is not taken right from the Torah, the Law of Moses including some of the very special statements of Jesus like “I will make you fishers of men!” I have never met a Preacher or a Pastor that actually practiced this command and teaching of Yeshua. This statement of Yeshua to his disciples that he will make them fishers of men is taken from our Torah reading this Shabbat: Jacob is speaking to his sons. He is on his deathbed, and these are the words that Jacob says to his sons:
“The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my father's Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” (Genesis 48:16 NKJV)
What is this language in English? “And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” This is the way the NKJV translates this text: Let me bring some examples of other English translations:
“The angel who has been my savior from all evil, send his blessing on these children: and let my name and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, be given to them; and let them become a great nation on the earth.” (Genesis 48:16 BBS).
I could give you other translations in English to show you that the translators learn from each other, and they catch the meaning from the context but they don’t catch the Hebrew idiom because idioms in other languages that are not your mother tongue are difficult to understand and translate. Here is a literal translation of the word that is translated as “let them become a great nation in the earth,” taken from the “H1710 דָּגָה dāg̱āh 15x n.f. [1834]. Fish.” This definition comes from a Biblical Hebrew Bible dictionary, Kohlenberger/Mounce Hebrew Dictionary. In many languages fish is understood as “multitude.” Fish lay thousands of eggs at one time. The root of this word used in the Hebrew bible is FISH, but the context is taken from Genesis 12:5,
“Then Abram took Sarai, his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan.” (Genesis 12:5 NKJV)
What is this phrase telling us: “and the people whom they had acquired in Haran…” Were these men the 318 men between the age of 20 – 50 that Abraham bought with money as his slaves? These 318 men at these ages would normally have wives and children and if we allow them only one child each their number would approach near 1000 men and women who were a part of Abraham’s camp and with him when he chased the five kings of the North to recapture Lot and his family from their captivity. The Hebrew phrase that is translated in the NKJV as “The people whom he had acquired in Haran.” is translated in this way in the American Standard Bible:
“And Abram took Sarai, his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran: and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan: and into the land of Canaan they came.” (Genesis 12:5 ASV).
This phrase “to get souls” or “acquire souls” are the Hebrew idioms for evangelism. When we in Israel are accused of evangelizing and preaching the Good News of Yeshua – this same phrase is used: “They are acquiring souls.” In the state of Israel there is a law that was passed in the early 1970’s forbids giving anything worth value in money to someone to whom you are preaching the Good News.
So, what is Jacob telling his sons on his deathbed? He is telling his sons that Abraham and Isaac were fishers for men, i.e. they were evangelizing in Haran and those who abandoned idolatry and believed in the ONE God who created the Heavens and the Earth, are those who joined Abraham and Sarah in his journey to the land of Canaan that was given to him and to his seed as an eternal inheritance.
One more example of the use of “Old Testament” verse for a major teaching of Yeshua in what is called The Sermon on the mountain are the words of Yeshua to the crowd of thousands of Jews gathered on the side of a mountain just north of the Sea of Galilee overlooking the blue Sea that is shaped like an ancient string instrument.
`You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” (Matthew 5:38-39 NKJV)
This text is often taught in churches by Christian pacifists to teach Christians that they ought not to use guns or respond to violence with violence but return good to those who do you evil. However, Let Yeshua is actually bringing here a quotation from the Old Testament from the book of Lamentation chapter 3:30.
“Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him; let him be filled full of reproach.”
This text from Lamentation is the basis for Yeshua’s teaching in the context of Roman occupation of the Land of Israel in His day. The Romans had a law called “Angaria.” This Roman military law gave the Romans the right to take any local Non-Roman citizen and force him to do anything that the Roman asked of him. In this context Yeshua is instructing his disciples to act like the book of Lamentation commands and Yeshua gives the reason for this action, the reason has two different motives: If someone is slapping you in your face this is because he wants to embarass and demean you.. Instead, show to your oppressors that you are strong and able to bear their offense. Then when your enemy hits you (all connected to this occuring in public and not privately in some dark alley) show that you are strong enough to take the hit and put your offender in a position of weakness in the public eye. This is what the book of Lamentation is teaching. Lamentation was written according to tradition by Jeremiah or Baruch son of Neriah, Jeremiah’s scribe. It was written after Jerusalem was conquered and the elite of Jerusalem were taken to exile to Babylon.
The text of Proverbs chapter 25:21, is a supporting text and it makes it clear that the context is “your enemy”. You disarm your enemy by showing him grace and do not feed his hate but find instead what decency your enemy might have. These two texts from Lamentations 3:30 and Proverbs 25:21 that states clearly how to deal with your enemy in a way that disarms him.
“your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;” (Proverbs 25:21 NKJV).
Yeshua puts these two texts together in His decree that if the enemy wants to show that he is superior and stronger than you , give him your second cheek. Show your enemy that you can take his abuse and not be intimidated, scared and threatened by him. You give him your other cheek and show him that you are stronger and able to take his slap on your face and not be fazed. It shows your strength and his weakness. It shows your integrity and ability to withstand his attack and not waver. Secondly, these two verses, show you are magnanimous and gracious and this exposes your strength and the fact that you are not afraid of your enemy and that you are stronger and able to even show your enemy his weakness by feeding him and giving him drink.
We can all learn from Yeshua and his teaching and understand that His teaching is not theoretical but practical. Practice Yeshua’s teaching based upon Lamentation and Proverbs, texts that according to tradition were written by King Solomon who has the reputation in the Bible that he has Received the gift of wisdom from God!
I wish you all a happy new year and welcome the year 2024 with hope that it will be a better year from every point of view for all of us, and for the whole world. Please pray for Israel and the war with Hamas in Gaza and with Hezbollah from Lebanon. It is possible sometimes that out of the darkness and hate and from cruel and inhumane behavior in this war – the shock and the horror – can bring something sober and sane to make peace even with the worst of our enemies.
For updates or request please email us at Prayer@netivyahinternational.org Pray for faithful brothers and sisters in Israel.
Joseph Shulam completed two series of test since last week and Praise God the PET Scans do not show any abnormalities expect the two lymph-nodes. He still is experiencing difficulties breathing and is schedules for a scoping and a biopsy of the lymph nodes to confirm they are not a concern for cancer. The messages, well wishing really helps us cope with the day to day. We have started posting the JPL at the following address. If you want to post an encouraging message there are multiple public platforms you can do it on. This will provide you a way to connect with the family of faith on this list who can access Facebook, Internet Website and Instagram. Netivyah International Socials Web: https://www.netivyahinternational.org/news/categories/jerusalem-prayer-list Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/netivyahusa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/netivyah_international/ Joseph Shulams Socials Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josephbshulam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josephshulam/ (thanks, Barry Shulam) Your prayers for brothers and sisters whom you don’t know personally is a pure love and pure building of the Body of the Messiah. It is really Agape Love since you are doing this without any selfish interests and casting a vote in heaven for someone who is your brother but you don’t know him or her, and God looks at these prayers that are unselfish and true expression of love and care for another link in the long chain of love and faith that binds us together even though we might not know each other in this world. When we all get to heaven what a joy it will be to meet people that we prayed for and sometime even cried for brothers and sisters who are physically strangers, but spiritually a part of the same body of Christ that one day we will have the privilege to seat together and share: “I remember praying for you to be healed!” “I remember praying for you to be safe when you were fighting in Gaza to free the hostages from the cruel hands of the terrorists of the Hamas in Gaza Serious prayers for our war with Hamas to end soon and all the hostages to be returned safe and in one piece home to their loved ones! Pray for our soldiers and especially for the soldiers that we know and appreciate: Yuda, Emanuel the son of Victor and Ayala, Amiel and Solomon and Ezekiel Intrater, Reuven and Clil Kovner, and any other children of Believers and of course for all of the men and women serving this country. I hate that our boys, the men of our congregation, still serve in the Army and most of them in reserves have to fight and use weapons and do war to protect the civilian population of Israel from terrorism driven by hate and blindness. Please pray for the Middle East and for the world to see and understand what the reality is here in this part of the world. The lands that provided King David, the prophets, and Yeshua the Messiah – want peace with our neighbors.But they don’t want the hand that is stretched out in peace. They want to kill all the Jews and take their land, which is flourishing and a blessing for all the world, and make it a dump like their own place in Gaza and in the Arab countries. In Jerusalem pray for the following brothers and sisters who need divine grace and the gentle touch of the hand of God for healing and strength. Ilana Ahijervie, is a dear sister who is 98 years old and suffering from memory problems. Please pray for our dear sister Lea Kurkey. Sarit, a sister born in Jerusalem, over 88 years old, lives alone. Has no close family, and suffers from several old-age illnesses. Please keep praying for Marcia Shulam my wife. Pray that Marcia’s memory will stop weakening, that her arthritis will be healed and stop being active, and her strength to return to where she can take more care of herself. Also, ask prayer for me and my family and for all the sick and needing healing and grace from our Heavenly Father! Your prayers for Alexander, Sarah, and Andrew, who were raised as believers and have left their faith behind, have been answered, the Divine Shepherd guided these members of the same family gently back to the fold, please keep praying for their general and spiritual welfare! Pray for Adam’s father and mother, Barry and Dalia. They too have some health problems and challenges. Pray for Miriam and for Hannah her daughter. Miriam is a dear sister and has lost her husband recently. Pray for Daniel S. and his children. Our dear leader in the Ro’eh Israel congregation, Gary, and his health, and for his wife Melanie and their family. Pray for Um Mahmud Abu-Eid and Jimmy Abu-Eid and all of the family. This is a dear family of old friends that needs healing and wisdom for the children and for their work. Please pray for the Romero family who live deep in the Negev desert. It is hot there and they are far from our congregation and we miss them. Please pray for Shannon’s father, Michael McGoff, Michael had heart surgery and we need to pray for his full recovery. Pray for brothers and sisters in the U.K. We bless our dear sister Celestine with health and blessings from Heaven for her life and her family. We pray for the Lord to be her comfort and provide sister Celestine with all her physical spiritual and social needs with His grace. Pray for Deborah Isaiah. I pray for the Lord to find Deborah Isaiah and lead her to a blessed life and family and a solution to her problems. Pray for our dear brother Dennis D’Costa and his family, as they find their way and have a clear vision of what and where God wants them to live and serve and grow their family. Lord open the right doors for Dennis D’Costa and his family. Pray for brothers and sisters in Australia A dear friend from Hong Kong, Bonnie, asked that we pray for her brother who lives in Australia. Bonnie’s brother’s name is Ray Chen. Please mention the name Ray Chen and ask God to show this man the grace of God and God’s powerful healing of body and soul and restoration of faith and life of holiness and sanctity. In Finland, we have some precious and dear brothers and sisters who need our prayers:
Pray Mauno Lemponen, he has been diagnosed with cancer in advanced stages. We are asking for Gods Will to be done giving him healthy days with family. Prayers for Hilka, Miika and Ester who are supporting each other.
Pray for Keijo and Salme, our dear partners and fellow workers in God’s flock. Both Keijo and Salme have some challenging heart issues. Sipra, our dear sister in Nokia is a widow with some health issues. Satu-Maria, Sinni Tuuli, Anne Mirjami, our dear sisters, and all our other brothers and sisters in Finland who need our prayers: Eva H., Patty, Andrea, Julia and Victor, Aaron Tani, and Hillel. Please don’t forget to pray for the health of Kari Antilles in Finland. He is a dear brother and supporter in prayer for Netivyah for many years. In Brazil Pray for the congregations related to Netivyah in Brazil, to have the strength and stamina to face the challenges in front of them with courage and strength of faithfulness to the Lord, and to the vision of the restoration of the church and Israel. Pray for the millions of victims of the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisition who have been forced to convert to the Catholic church, and now want to return home to the land of Israel and to the faith of our fathers. Pray for the state of Israel to open the doors for these lost Jews to be able to return and fulfill God’s promises to the prophet Ovadyah: “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau, For the Lord has spoken. The South shall possess the mountains of Esau, And the Lowland shall possess Philistia. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim And the fields of Samaria. Benjamin shall possess Gilead. And the captives of this host of the children of Israel Shall possess the land of the Canaanites As far as Zarephath. The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Shall possess the cities of the South. Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion To judge the mountains of Esau, And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” — Obadiah 1:17-21 [NKJV] Pray for a dear young man, Paulo, from Curitiba, Brazil, who seriously needs our prayers for sanity and mental health. Pray for Rita Sassai, from Vitória, ES. Please pray for a dear sister with the name: Claudia Rita Souze Arau. She has cancer and needs God’s healing hands to touch her with healing. Fatima Maria Docarmo Guimararaes - pray for her health and her granddaughters' twin babies. Pray for Livia Schnell Nothen, she has some issues with her physical health and a growth in her adrenal gland. And other health issues. Guilherme Antonio Nothen Becker is suffering from back problems. Aratuza de Oliveira his wife. Pray for this 3-year-old child that has serious problems with his eyes and ask the Lord to give healing to his eyes. This child’s name is Caique de Oliveira Becker. Please pray for Bruno Henrique Cardoso Jr. for his studies and his health. A 70-year-old Pastor Paulo C. Pereira Braga Dias, is the father of a dear sister in Brazil and suffers from diabetes. Pray for Roberto Morias, a dear brother who is going through heart surgery and an angiogram. In Asia, we have several brothers and sisters who need our prayers. Please pray for a dear 71-year-old sister called Bee Kim. She lost consciousness on February 26, 2023. She has not regained her consciousness after a massive stroke. Pray for pastor T.J. in Taiwan. Brothers and sisters in China Pray for Deborah Ruth a dear sister from China Pray for sister Reiko Ishiida and Elder Takeo and his wife Tomoko from Tokyo, Dr. Yuizawa, Pastor Yushida, and his family. Pray for Sister Yoko Nagumo in Japan. In India, Pastor Isaac, from Chennai, needs our prayers. Pastor Isaac is suffering from kidney problems and has to have dialysis several times per week. Tony Tam and his wife Luisa and son Marco need special prayer for their situation. We continue to pray for Zhou Wenrian, the Abe family, Toru San, Yumi Ohara, and her family. Deborah Ruth, Ayla, and Daniel and their daughter. Dr. Song, and his wife Sister Harriet Kim. Please pray for Ruby K. from Hong Kong. Ruby has gone through a very complicated surgery for multiple cancers in her body. The surgery was very long, and Ruby is back home now recovering. Please lift Ruby K. and ask the Lord to heal and deliver Ruby from Hong Kong. Pray for family and friends and dear brothers and sisters in the United States of America. update: Bill Culwell bleeding has stopped. Please continue to pray for the daughter of Bill Culwell, who is very sick with cancer she is receiving a second round of treatment. Please pray for success and healing. update: Jonathan Bernis is in recovery from a liver transplant. We thank God for this match. Please pray for this new liver to function and provide much needed function. Please pray for Elisangela and the girls and also for the doctors and nurses that are attending our dear brother Jonathan Bernis. Andrew Huffines, he has complications from long term covid. Please pray for my family in the United States: Barry my son and his wife Beth, and for Joey my grandson. Pray for their divine protection and health. Pray for Danah my daughter's health issues. I pray for the Lord to give Danah wisdom peace and calm in life and in her work. Pray for Noaam my granddaughter. She is working two jobs now and needs good health and wisdom to make the right choices and plans for life, education, immigration to Israel, and just general protection from all harm. Pray for David Young the preacher in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, who is back to preaching after recovering from medical issues. Please keep David in your prayers. Aaron Hook, Nancy Hook’s oldest son, needs our prayers for wisdom and healing from past issues of life. Lift for blessing and healing Jonathan B. and his wife Aviva and their new baby, his mother, and his brother Daniel. Pray for these very important men of God: Rabbi Salt, his family, and Rabbi Hasselblad. They are both older and need protection and blessings. Also, pray for Ilana Avramov who is married to my cousin Nissim and lives in New York City. Ilana has fallen and in now in rehab learning how to walk again. We pray for her full recovery. She and Nissim both need our prayers. Steve Mock - His cognitive condition has declined, and we ask for the grace of God and His Healing and strength. Steve and Josie’s son Joseph- named after Joseph Shulam – has received a wonderful and glorious report. After the last bone marrow transplant the report is that the doctors didn’t find any leukemia in his body! Praise the Lord! Pray for three women of God in Canada who need healing, Lynda, Sandy, and Joanne. I am asking a special prayer for a dear brother and friend who is now doing greatly important work in a very dangerous and precarious part of the world. Just mention DadyLion in your prayers, and ask for divine protection and angelic accompaniment for this man of God. For updates or request please email us at
Prayer@netivyahinternational.org
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