A drop of light from Zion
For believing Christians, lovers of Israel, and supporters of Sabra.
Shabbat Shalom my beloved friends around the world.
Ki Tavo opens with a command whose heart is faith: the Firstfruits (Bikkurim). “That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.” (Deuteronomy 26:2, KJV) “And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God.” (Deuteronomy 26:10, KJV)
At first glance this is an agricultural rite; but its core reaches every part of life. Firstfruits declare that everything is from the LORD—yet through our hands. “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1, KJV) We return to the Creator what is His by right—yet we lift it to Him as the work of our hands, love that touched the soil, labored, prayed, and created.
Therefore firstfruits are not only fruit of the ground. The first of our time, the first of our talents, the first of our resources, the first of our attention—are all called to be offered first and best for the honor of the LORD: “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9–10, KJV) When a believer brings the “first,” he partners with God—and God shares His joy. It is a mutual delight: we rejoice to bring, and He delights in a heart that opens. In this way we also sanctify the rest: when the beginning is given, everything that follows is lifted.
From the parashah we turn to the haftara, Isaiah 60, which proclaims: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isaiah 60:1–3, KJV). And again: “The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.” (Isaiah 60:19, KJV).
This is not the light of the sun or the moon—this is the true Light: the light of His Presence, the light of truth and lovingkindness at work within reality. The Tanakh widens this vision: “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3, KJV) — light before sun and moon. “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.” (Psalm 36:9, KJV) — light as life and awareness. “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light…” (Isaiah 9:2, KJV) — light as salvation for those in shadow. “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” (Proverbs 4:18, KJV) — light as a growing journey. “When I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.” (Micah 7:8, KJV) — light as companionship in the night. “…at evening time it shall be light.” (Zechariah 14:7, KJV) — light that wins even at dusk. “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.” (Psalm 89:15, KJV) — light as the radiance of His face.
When this Light shines, Jerusalem becomes the spiritual center of the world—not for Israel alone, but as the place to which the nations stream: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains… and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:2–3, KJV). Isaiah 60 adds a practical dimension: “And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee…” (Isaiah 60:10, KJV). Believers from among the nations are not spectators; they are partners in building, restoring, and healing. This partnership is not merely technical; it delights the heart of the Creator, for it expresses love for His truth, His people, and His purpose in the world.
What, then, ought believers from the nations do and feel toward Jerusalem? First—feel at home. Jerusalem is a house of prayer for all peoples, a place where the heart finds rest before the LORD. Second—pray faithfully and lovingly: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” (Psalm 122:6, KJV). Third—comfort and carry together: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.” (Isaiah 40:1, KJV) — comfort enacted in deeds: generous hands, visits, educational and social partnership, and a clear moral stand. Fourth—join yourselves to the LORD in practical partnership: “And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people…” (Zechariah 2:11, KJV). Today this takes shape in tangible cooperation with Sabra: helping the needy, supporting Holocaust survivors, strengthening education and community—turning darkness to light through daily acts of mercy.
We cannot ignore the darkness of our day—open and hidden antisemitism. Isaiah called it “gross darkness.” Our response is not retreat, but light: the light of truth—speaking clearly of Israel’s justice; the light of mercy—doing good to all; the light of prayer—believing that the LORD heals wounds by bringing His people back to their land; the light of partnership—Jew and Gentile together, believers in the God of Israel, building and healing. In this way the haftara is fulfilled: “Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.” (Isaiah 60:18, KJV).
And so we return to firstfruits: What is my firstfruits today? For many of you—friends of Israel and partners of Sabra—it is a set time of prayer for Jerusalem; it is professional skill offered for the weak; it is financial resources given with joy; it is a kind word and a letter of encouragement; it is a visit, volunteer service, and the bond of faithful friendship. When you bring the first and best, you are kindling the light of redemption in the windows of your life—and that light spreads: from the home to the community, from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. This togetherness we experience with you day by day—and it gladdens the heart of God.
Finally, Isaiah promises: “The sun shall be no more thy light by day… but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light.” (Isaiah 60:19, KJV). The true Light does not flicker with weather or headlines; it is the face of the LORD shining upon Israel and upon all who cling to His love, His truth, and His mercy. This Light melts hatred, lifts the lowly, and guides our hearts into deeper partnership in the rebuilding of Zion.
Prayer
Sovereign of all, Father of lights,
grant us a firstfruits heart—to give You the first and best of our time, talents, and means.
Shine upon us with Your true Light—the light of Your face, truth, and lovingkindness—
for “with Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light shall we see light.” (Psalm 36:9, KJV)
Bless Jerusalem with peace; comfort Your people Israel; heal old and new wounds;
and fill the earth with the knowledge of the LORD, with love, righteousness, and justice.
Make us—Jews and Gentiles together—joyful partners in the rebuilding of Zion,
that Your glory may be seen in the earth. Amen.
A Personal Blessing for You
Beloved friend, may you meet a new light in the work of your hands today;
may the LORD establish your beginning and bless all your labor;
may you be a vessel of comfort, mercy, and love for Israel and the world—
and may you rejoice inwardly, knowing that together we bring delight to the Creator.
May the blessings of the Most High be upon you, your family, and your community.
From the House of Good Deeds (Sabra House), the Land of Zion, and the City of Jerusalem,
Your brother in Israel,
A drop of light from Zion
Shalom and blessings, beloved friends around the world, lovers of the God of Israel and the people of Israel.
For forty days – from the beginning of the Hebrew month of Elul until the end of the Feast of Tabernacles (Shemini Atzeret) – the Jewish people read Psalm 27 daily:
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1, KJV)
These words guide us through the Days of Awe—a journey of self-examination, repentance, renewal, and hope.
Light in the Face of Fear
David begins with a declaration of trust: “The LORD is my light.” In Scripture, light is not only brightness but also direction, protection, and hope.
“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2, KJV)
Even in times of war, betrayal, or personal hardship, the believer is called to remember: God Himself is our shield and refuge. Fear does not vanish because danger disappears, but because His presence transforms darkness into light.
One Thing I Ask – The Essence of Faith
David reduces all human longings into a single request:
“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4, KJV)
Here lies the heart of true worship: closeness to God is greater than any earthly treasure. As Moses prayed:
“If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” (Exodus 33:15, KJV)
Every believer—Jew or Christian—finds in this verse the essence of discipleship: not what we achieve, but with Whom we dwell.
Forty Days – A Journey of the Soul
The forty days from Elul to Shemini Atzeret are not accidental. In the Bible, forty days mark testing, renewal, and transformation:
“And Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” (Exodus 24:18, KJV)
“And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” (1 Kings 19:8, KJV)
“And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:12, KJV)
“And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.” (Matthew 4:2, KJV)
Thus the reading of Psalm 27 is not just tradition—it is a pathway of the soul: – From fear – “Whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1) – To longing – “One thing I ask…” (Psalm 27:4) – To confidence and hope – “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13, KJV)
A Call to Believers Worldwide
This psalm belongs not only to Israel but to all who call on the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The nations are invited to share in this light:
“And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isaiah 60:3, KJV)
Psalm 27 calls every believer to: – Find divine light in the darkest hours. – Place closeness to God above all else. – Stand with Israel in prayer during these holy days, joining in the call for justice, mercy, and peace.
Wait for the Lord – The Final Word of Hope
The psalm ends with a double exhortation:
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14, KJV)
Waiting is not passive—it is the active courage of faith. The prophet Isaiah affirms this:
“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, KJV)
This is the victory of the believer: not the absence of struggle, but the presence of unshakable hope.
Prayer
Lord God of Israel, You are our light and our salvation. Shine upon us in the darkness of this world and be our stronghold in times of trouble.
Give us the heart of David—to seek only Your presence, to delight in Your beauty, and to wait upon You with courage.
Strengthen Israel and all believers around the world with faith, peace, and the joy of Your salvation.
In Your holy name, Amen.
May the blessings of the Most High rest upon you, your family, and your community.
From the House of Good Deeds (Sabra House), the Land of Zion, and the City of Jerusalem,
Your brother in Israel,
Mordechai ben Yaakov
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