Happy Passover פֶּסַח & Holy Week

We are excited to Celebrate Easter this week along with the Passover!

This Wednesday evening will be the official beginning of Passover.  This week will be the same evening that Christ Celebrated Passover with His Disciples, and also which the families of Israel would have eaten their Seder dinners together.  Then, when the High Priest made a Passover sacrifice at the Tabernacle, we celebrate Christ's atoning sacrifice for cleansing all iniquity as Good Friday.  

As you tell the stories of Jesus this upcoming week, maybe you'd like to gather your families also on Thursday evening to have a simple Passover meal?  Maybe you'd like to tell the stories of when Moses lead the House of Israel out of Bondage?  

I'd love to offer you a page from our "Mother & Child" resources first edition Hebraic Principles of Creation Guidebook.  It can be a simple way to Celebrate a Passover offering with suggestions to gather the 7 foods and tell a few stories.

Download and print that here:

FBG-Principle-7-Simulation.pdf

Read more on this post sharing further on these things.

A Story about the High Priest

Watch this Story of the Levite Tribe and how they carried the burden until "the middle of times" when Christ, the High Priest, went into to the "Tabernacle" and cleansed the iniquity of all.  

Why Celebrate Passover today?  What do these events point to? 

All of this becomes special when we can remember that we are the same people as the people Moses led out of Egypt, in todays context, in our various lands of Inheritance.  Even more special is the great Passover Sacrifice of the Great High Priest God sent to cleanse all from the generations of Iniquity, then to take up New Life!  Christ's atoning sacrifice, death and Resurrection bring us so much hope for today as in the days of Israel's bondage in Egypt. 

To remember the sacredness of these events some greet each other with a reminder-- He is Risen!  My husband has been teaching this greeting to our congregation. see the handout he shared below.

While my oldest child was volunteering in Russia, they also greeted each other with this "He is Risen" salutation.   This is what he shared.

There are lots of different recipes for this Russian Easter Cakes like here or here.

A New Gratitude Celebration Resource

My husband created a new "Deyanu" page to recite together during this Holy Feast.  What is this word?  It is a Hebrew word meaning "It will Be Enough."  

This doc shares the words used during that days recitation along with the English.  Think of how you can apply it to our life today and make up your own stanzas.  I'll definitely be adding new ones that apply to us!  

It Would Have Been Enough (Deyanu).pdf

Happy Pesach and Spring Holy Feast Days to you!

Shalom!  (May Peace be with you)!  He is Risen!! 

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For more continual resources, join our FBG-Community App and come discuss this with us!

Happy New Year and New Beginning!

This month and season is a time of New Beginnings!
How do we know this principle is true?
It originates from the Bible in Leviticus 23 when the Lord designates this time of year (on the seventh month, in the first day of the month, 1st of Tishri in the original calendar, v. 24) as the "Head of the Year" (Rosh Ha Shanah) and it's the one time of the year when the High Priest and sons looked at the setting sun on that specific day, so they could go into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle, and offer the sacrifices in behalf of their entire families and tribes. They would blow the horn for all to hear, as if to mourn and cry out to God. (It's called "Feast of Trumpets").

What evidences do we have that this still could matter to us, now that the Great High Priest-- Jesus Christ, made his infinite and eternal sacrifice?

This.

This article shows how a man named Joseph Smith was visited by an Angel named Moroni, a former inhabitant of the American continent, on the day of the "Head of the Year" & Feast of Trumpets-- that day that holy sacrifice would have taken place in the Tabernacle of the House of Israel, if there was a current temple and a high priest to do so. Across the world at that time, those still recognizing those holy feast days were remembering, and would have made efforts to make it a "New Beginning" day. For those who do not know, Joseph Smith was being called to restore the order of the High Priest & Priestess-hood and Kingship authority into every home and family.

Not only were these truths applicable for what God was asking Joseph Smith to do, but they still apply to many events held by the Church of Jesus Christ since, and these scriptures are showing or modeling a pattern and daily living principle for us to apply.

How do we apply this in our lives and make it a time of New Beginnings? To start,
👉it's a great time for new schedules that feel right.
👉it's a great time to clear out unwanted or unneeded clutter.
👉it's a great time to let go of false beliefs or old grudges.
👉it's a great time to release that which is no longer helping us act in alignment with who we really are.

It's a time for New Beginnings. 🌅

To search for other times the Holy Feasts days have applied to our day, you can read this blog post, breaking down the 7 feasts from chapter 23 of Leviticus.

Today-- September 23rd
This year the exact date of the "seventh month, in the first day of the month," or the 1st of Tishri in the original calendar mentioned in verse 24 of Leviticus 23, will be Sept 23rd. (evening of Sept 22nd- evening of Sept 23rd)

Begin anew with a pause on that day to remember when Adam and Eve returned to the Garden place, cried out to their God and began making the yearly sacrifices. (This is where Leviticus 23 picks up with Moses.) A pause to remember our desire to return through Christ, and the Great- High Priest's sacrifice so that we can return into the presence of God.

This article may help you more deliberately pause on that day.

It's also a time of Harvest!
The Feast of Tabernacles, and a time to gather and celebrate comes after the Head of the Year and Feast of Trumpets.

"Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days."
"Ye shall dwell in booths seven days;" v. 39-42

This year this "celebrating and harvest time", according to Leviticus 23 on that original calendar, begins on October 14th and goes for 7 days. Just before this time, we can "feast" at the "Tabernacle" with hearing the Word of the Lord, at a World-wide General Conference from prophets called with the authority of the High Priesthood, the Kingship and the Law on October 4th & 5th. Come and join us there online!

One way we are celebrating is by putting up a booth-like structure in our front yard to share our harvest with friends who stop by. If you'd like, join us where you live by doing the same, and let's celebrate a New Beginning!

Time for a Fall Celebration

It is time again to Celebrate! 

What are we Celebrating?

We are Celebrating Our Universal Story.  As civilizations rise and fall, the remnants of the cultures they leave behind are in the form of stories & art.  The power of story is real.  Stories preserve community and family culture.  They can also help us renew our connection with our Creator and our identity in this world.  Stories are what keep us connected in our churches, families & communities.  No matter where we come from, we all share a Universal story of Creation & the Creator.

The Pilgrim's Course Tutorial (Online Retreat) class offered on HouseoftheBook.org, shares an introduction to the Hebraic Principles of Creation.  This circle-pattern teaches us our Original Culture and the Universal Story.  This class offers mathematical and symbolic pattern recognition skills in the Old Testament, but as we come to see that circle-pattern in the scriptures, we come to see ourselves in this story like we never have before.  We also come to see our connection to each other and our need for gathering and celebrating! 

We are meeting this Fall at the "Rosh Hashanah" (Head of the Year) 2023 to Celebrate in The Hebrew Way.  That includes the holistic nurturing of singing, dancing, whole foods and our like-minded connection!   

We also desire to continue our Original culture with every effort and resist any efforts to "cancel culture".  We must know why it is so important for us to be doing these simple yet essential things, like singing!   We are Celebrating through Song to help encourage and transfer our story!  Music and singing is a powerful gift from God to carry our story on through the ages. 

We are Celebrating Song.

Did you know that a culture of singing is what freed the entire nation of Estonia? After Stalin took over the Baltic States in 1939/1940, the people lost their freedom to celebrate their cultural singing festivals. After 50 years, they began overcoming their fears and gathering to sing their cultural songs. This gave them more and more courage to stand against their oppressors and grew to a point where they stood, hand-in-hand, in 1991, against the tanks, singing. The world saw this on the news and it was the first time we in the West understood what had been happening those 50 years after WWII. Singing is powerful!!  Through a simple song, we can learn a powerful message.    For this Celebration, we have prepared an original Beatitude song.  Shelley Schneider and Emily Erickson have been working to compose it and I am so excited to sing it with all joining us!

We are Celebrating Joyful Movement.

Did you ever notice that each culture around the world includes dance as a part of their festivals? Have you ever wondered why? Did you know movement is a strong need of the body and even helps us release negative emotions to Christ?  Think about it.  Running is great to do when we have to let-off steam. Walking may help us think. Yoga and breathing helps us to calm the chatter in our minds. There are many studies and research showing the benefits of movement.  Now, did you also know the Jewish culture enjoys a dance at their wedding feasts?  This tradition goes back anciently, and I believe has something to do with the word feast, which means, to gather in a circle and dance!

I invite you to gather in a circle and dance with us!   The specific joyful movement (above) and dancing we will be enjoying is a form of a Hebraic circle-dance which we've inherited from our Ephraimite culture.

We are Celebrating Our Connection.

One of my purposes in gathering is to help "relieve society."  This vision leads all I endeavor to do through the Foundation Builder Guide organization.  Our Vision of Celebrations comes from Original families who gathered each year to Celebrate by telling our Universal story of Creation and how Adam & Eve came to be.  Over the years this tradition can be seen as families gathered in large-scale Celebrations working and learning together.  In each they are telling their community stories and the most powerful story:  Their Creation Stories.   This includes their dances and singing and the words that give them strength and power.  They utilize beautiful colors, material like fabrics, paper and paints and they also use the tools of the technology they had.    We know it is time to restore this way of lifting the wounded, poor and hungry among us.  As we join together with this vision in mind, we can unify our purpose and connection as women and families!  

At this Fall time of year, we are Celebrating the "Head of the Year" in preparation for the most Holy Days ahead.

Where ever you are, consider celebrating in simple ways with your family or community.  Prepare to release and receive the Great High Priest.  Read more on a blog post here.

If you are in Utah, we are gathering: 

When:  September 15th 2023

Where:  American Fork, Utah 

Time:  6:00 pm - 9:00 pm MST

Register: You can register ahead of time on HouseoftheBook.org HERE.  

Read More:  

• Fall Holy Day:  The Symbolism of the Cry of the Shofar
• Fall Holy Days:  Cry of the Shofar, A Cry to Heaven
• Example Videos of us dancing America's Cultural Dance:  Heel-Toe Polka Part 1 & Part 2, Lucky Seven Part 1 & Part 2
• Example Videos of us dancing: a fun Basket dance Part 1 & Part 2
• Example Video of us dancing a simple version of the Jewish Dance Hava Nagila 
• Learn more about the movement we started of Family Celebrations, on HouseoftheBook.org

The "Hebrew Way" of Reading in-Depth

If you missed our free article offered on our Foundation Builder Guide organization site's House Newsletter, Nurturing Our Skills of Discovery, you may be missing a lot.  Though simple in it's presentation and application, it is actually an in-depth concept.   

Just like reading in English has a variety of levels, reading in Hebrew does too.  This level of "reading" may come easy for some and is often passed over by others, but it is real.   

Those who fully complete our Introductory Hebraic Principles of Creation class, begin to experience the realness of these "Skills" and get a glimpse into what our organization is offering.  We are not exactly studying a Foreign Language.  We are nourishing Women & Families from within, in preparation for impacting and building the Foundation of our Next Society.   Are you called to that as well?

Find the article in your inbox or in our Intro Class - The Pilgrim's Course Tutorial to begin "reading" more in-depth and learning in The Hebrew Way.   

The cover will look like this:

#skillsofdiscovery #theHebrewway

We are beginning our 3rd Round of Study rotation in October so now is the best time to join with us in this Hebraic Study program and "University."

The Supporting Roles of Aunts & Uncles, Brothers & Sisters

Since ancient days in biblical lands shepherds protected their flocks at night by using circular sheepfolds constructed of thorns and briars. If stones were abundant, they would pile thorn bushes on top of the circular stacked stone enclosures. This allowed them to protect their flock at night from invading prey as well as keeping the flock from straying. The thorns acted as a protective wall and barrier for the precious flock so relied upon for the family’s sustenance.This same protection can be seen in the description of ancient Israel, acting as a type of Thorn camped in orderly formation surrounding the Tabernacle in the wilderness. The Tabernacle walls extended out into a vast sea of individual tents to the East, to the South, to the West and to the North, each of them under their individual standard or banner of their tribal family/Father’s House; three Tribes to the East – Judah, Issachar, Zebulon, three Tribes to the South – Reuben, Simeon, Gad, three Tribes to the West – Ephraim, Manessah, Benjamin, three Tribes to the North – Dan, Asher, Naphtali. Aaron and his sons, the Levite tribe, who were designated to fulfill specific responsibilities within the Tabernacle in its function in the protected inner area, also resided in one of the four sides of the Tabernacle walls among the twelve tribes. (Numbers 2:2-34)

If non-Israelitish neighbors with malicious intent attempted to penetrate into the center threatening their most sacred space, can you imagine the fierce resistance they would have encountered from the steadfast guards surrounding the Tabernacle? These Twelve Tribal Families not only stood physically as a protective shield against those who did not share their allegiance to the True and Living God, but also as a protection of God’s Laws as they spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally camped facing the most central place from which these sacred teachings rippled out. Imagine God’s truths from that inner most sacred and holy space penetrating the hearts and souls of Aaron and his sons, and all the rest of the twelve tribal families surrounding it. As those Holy truths were honored, respected and upheld through the actions of all those faithful husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, sons, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren their lives began to deeply reflect them so clearly that the outside world held the Israelites in great fear and respect. As their personal choices, actions and character reflected who they were born to be and do, they ultimately created and supported an encircling reach around the entire House of Jacob as well as providing a witness of God and hope to the outside world.

Today, it is these same extended family members who are needed to support, lift, encircle and protect God’s laws and His Culture, our Original Culture & Story. Acting as symbolic thorn bushes for parents and grandparents, Brothers, Sisters, Aunts and Uncles, can stand as living embodied law-keepers offering life-giving truths through the quality of their character and actions to loved ones and neighbors. They are still needed to act as a shield and protection for that most sacred central space, and naturally extending out from that, as embodied shining lights for others outside of that society. This is what we call a virtuous community; created from a strength and power within each individual supporting a united vision, purpose and mission. Can you visualize the kind of society where individuals with the beauty of all their divine potential and gifts, stand united together in upholding and protecting of God’s Laws and truths? Let us hold that vision in our mind and heart and work towards creating that environment wherever we live.

How can all God-fearing people with differing opinions because of our different life trainings, support each other without judgment? Often today, in our modern culture, we come to understand life through many different experiences and perspectives which affect our paradigms, choices and differing parenting styles. It is easy to fall into traps of not living our value system, by misjudging or incorrectly labeling others who don’t align with our lifestyle; especially with many false ideologies and anti-family policies promoted by national governments. These self-deceptive thoughts threaten individuals and families and often cause an undermining ripple within our community of families. In reality those divisive thoughts are not from our own selves, but come from adversarial wolves who seek to enter the flock and destroy the most sacred central message and space within us and our community. Families are under attack more than ever and in many cases these protective “thorns” of extended family are being torn down, leaving families vulnerable.  Those who recognize and strive to honor and uphold the Divine Law of our Creator and King, regardless of what religion they belong to, can join forces with others who hold that same vision and work in unity to combat these destructive ideologies and refuse to fall prey to these divisive thoughts, standing as one in truth to support order in families and society.

Imagine tribes of families standing united in their common devotion to Christ, encamped around that same symbolic central place, supporting each other in their diverse family cultures acting as one. Now imagine these families each raising children and youth with the same purpose and intent so that the message was lovingly clear and crisp without any confusion as the adults in the community understood their role to stand and support each other's families in upholding the sacred and protecting it from erosion. Could a community like this continue in its ideal state without supportive roles of extended family, those brothers and sisters of the parents? Those Aunts and Uncles?

This essential, protective role of all those encamped around the sacred center is especially seen as the aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters of the parent, support the parent’s role to teach, lead and pass on this right-doing original family culture.

As we unite with other like-minded families “encamped around the Tabernacle,” we support those teachings and each other. We stand as lionesses at the entrance protecting our young from corrupting ideologies and shield our tribe from harm. We cannot enjoy the fruits of this God-centered Tribal Family and Community without the crucial and essential support of all those family members connected to us. As these aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters act in protective support, they will receive reciprocal blessings from the support of other parents as they, in turn, engage in the same purpose to honor God and preserve this sacred center and purpose to “continue the house.”

Are you one of these Aunts and Uncles, Brothers and Sisters, acting in your role and stewardship to support those encamped around that most sacred space? Our communities of these tribal families are depending on you.  It is our original role to cultivate this environment for Our Story to continue.

~ Excerpt from The Hebrew Model: Restoring Our Original Culture & Story.  To get on the list to receive notice of this upcoming book, add your email HERE.  Learn more on HouseoftheBook.org  

The Hebrew Model:  Restoring Our Original Culture & Story 
by Katie Hansen

Learn more in our The Early Semitic Pictographic Alphabet book.

Passing Original Culture Parent to Child

There is a story in the Bible which illustrates another unique aspect of our Original Culture & Story. We find this story in the 18th chapter of Genesis where Abraham prays in behalf of the few righteous people who lived in the city of Sodom and Gomorrah and asks God that it not be destroyed just yet:

…but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.
And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.
And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

After the angels saved Lot from being pulled into a crowd of angry men, the Lord waited for him, the one last right-living man in the city, to leave before destroying it. This story can show us that when there is one who honors God and looks to Him to be saved, God will preserve that life. After generations of families looked to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to preserve them, they passed on Abraham’s legacy of exactness in duty, honor, loyalty, and right-doing and living. This righteousness is shown in the Levitical lineage performing priestly rites at the Tabernacle. In an Ancient time, when a Levite Father held the responsibility to serve at the Tabernacle, that privilege was bound with a covenant and promise that was so sacred, rather than break that promise, he would die like the animals slain on the altars in the temple.   It was a literal life and death commitment. Those covenantal responsibilities were passed down from Father to Son. 

SimpleJoyArt.com

Today, passing down the responsibilities of Priesthood duties is still a privilege and honor. It may not always be passed from Father to Son or be practiced in the same way, but when a Father and Mother make covenants with their God, it holds a similar weight. Husbands and wives pass on the heritage of faith by teaching their children truth they have received from previous Patriarchs and Matriarchs to "love the Lord their God with all thine heart, with all thine soul, and with all thine might, and talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Duet. 6:7).  These “commandments…statutes…and judgements” are held so sacred that faithful, right-doing parents choose to dedicate their lives to nurturing their children and grandchildren in the words "which the Lord your God commanded” "thou shalt teach...diligently unto thy children." (Deut. 6:1, 7)  Their covenant obligation to their God and their offspring is held in such exactness and honor that they would die as the animals on the altars in the tabernacle rather than violate these sacred promises because they understood the devastating effect it would have on their offspring.

The Early Semitic Pictographic Alphabet

Nature reveals this same pattern for those who have eyes to see. Built into each living plant is the potential to produce another like it. When the seed of an oak tree produces fruit of its own kind from its innate ability and potential, we see this continuation of the seed of the next generation. The acorn, by Divine design, produces more oak trees in the same manner it was created. Since we are much more than acorns, as sons and daughters of God, we can find Divine purpose and mission in continuing our House through our right-doing choices, commitments, teaching and living. To not “continue our house” through this God-centered family culture would be to pervert our natural, innate ability and potential.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3)

We can see this principle illustrated in this simple Jewish parable.

If there are 20 right-doing men in the world, my son and I will be among them.
If there are 10 right-doing men in the world, my son and I will be among them.
If there are 5 right-doing men in the world, my son and I will be among them.
If there are 2 right-doing men in the world, they will be my son and I.
If there is one right-doing man in the world, I will be that man.

Like this parable, we were born to be and do. We can become that man or woman who carries on the right use of truth by showing and nurturing our children in this way as we mentor them in following their right-doing heart's desires. We can trust that God not only has planted in our hearts the Divine seed of potential He sent us here to become and blossom forth to the world, but that He will also provide all we need for that endeavor.  We can also be encouraged by remembering “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26) and that it is never too late to start these efforts if for any reason there has been a breach in our family house. We can start planting new and different seeds today that will eventually yield the harvest we desire; the harvest God has planned for us.

Oliver and Rachel DeMille have so wonderfully illustrated this principle in their book "The Phases of Learning" where they shared,

"a wonderful story of a farmer in the Great Depression who is busily working on his farm in the summer heat.  His friends gather at the local coffee shop and discuss why he would be planting when everyone knows prices are too low for him and if he plants a crop he can't get government subsidies.  It's hot, it's humid, his planting will actually lose him money--has he gone crazy?

One of the farmers agrees to go ask him these questions.  It turns out that this hard-working farmer is aware of all the many reasons that may justify others not to plant, but he keeps planting, "Oak trees," he says.

You can imagine what his friend must think:  "What? Oak trees?  You've gone 'round the bend!  Your work will have no value until at least fifty years have passed!"  The farmer replies that the oak trees aren't for him.  They are for his grandchildren.

Our purpose in life is to plant, nurture and become oak trees, and to help others do the same.  That is grandparenting:  planting oak trees!  We are growing the oak trees of the future today.  All of us should realize our true purpose and mission--to make the world better for our grandchildren and their children."

How are you continuing our Original Culture & Story? What are the stories you are telling to your children and grandchildren to help them develop such commitment and righteousness? Will you be among those right-doing women and men?

~ Excerpt from The Hebrew Model: Restoring Our Original Culture & Story.  To get on the list to receive notice of this upcoming book, add your email HERE.  Learn more on HouseoftheBook.org  

The Hebrew Model:  Restoring Our Original Culture & Story 
by Katie Hansen

Learn more in our The Early Semitic Pictographic Alphabet book.