Title: Romance of the Hebrew Calendar
Description: Raphael ben Levi’s book “Romance of the Hebrew Calendar” is a treasure trove of wisdom, reflection and spiritual refreshment. He has assembled a rich collection of Jewish wisdom, biblical interpretation, and Messianic Jewish understanding that will enrich the Church and help Jewish people see the jewishness of Yeshua (Jesus) as He fulfils the Hebrew Scriptures.

 Raphael is a student and teacher of the wisdom of the Scriptures. Each exposition of material and the accompanying reflections invite the reader to go deeper in their faith and understanding. The liturgies for sabbath and festivals are clearly explained and user-friendly for those wishing to adopt them. The notes, glossary and explanations are all helpful and easy to understand.

 The Hebrew calendar and its spiritual significance are little known and studied these days, except in certain circles where such teaching is often given esoteric mystical interpretation which adds to or distorts the plain meaning of Scripture. One thing that is refreshing about “Romance of the Hebrew Calendar” is that it avoids falling into this trap, and instead focuses clearly on the Messianic relevance and fulfilment of the multilayered and complex world of the Hebrew calendar. It is a book to be enjoyed and savoured.

 Students of the Hebrew calendar will be well aware of the complexities involved in such a study. The reader needs to be guided through several fields of inquiry to derive the benefits of such material. It is no small task to master the biblical material on the calendar and festivals, as given to the children of Israel at Mount Sinai and in their wilderness wanderings. Careful study of Scripture is needed to understand the instructions that Moses received from the LORD particularly in the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. It is a further challenge to explain how these would be practiced and observed by generations to come over the many centuries and millennia of the Jewish experience.

 The history of Israel, both in the land, and more often in exile over the millennia, resulted in a tradition that included detailed study of the Scriptures in the light of routine daily and annual observance, mystical speculation, mathematical calculation, and prophetic insight into such mysteries. Jewish understandings of the calendar developed through traditional customs, legal discussions, rabbinic comments, and mystical insights. These all contributed to a world that today we are invited to discover, a living commentary on scripture that has been preserved by a three-thousand-year old tradition that finds its true fulfilment in the Messiah Yeshua.

 For the reader such studies deserve careful reflection in prayer, meditation and worship, on their significance. Not all will agree with every interpretation or detail that Raphael ben Levi presents but, ‘where there are two Jews there are three opinions.’ ‘Arguments for the sake of heaven’, as Jewish tradition affirms, have always been to shed light on the meaning of the Scriptures and for the greater glory of the Almighty.

 As a believer in Yeshua the Messiah, ben Levi makes an important contribution to this field of study, by inviting those from both Israel and the nations to understand more of the richness, relevance and renewing power of God’s purposes in our world and in our lives today.

Dr. Richard Harvey, Director of Training at All Nations Christian College, UK. Messianic Jewish leader and the author of, “Mapping Messianic Jewish Theology.”
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‘Romance of the Hebrew Calendar’ describes the relationship between God and His people amidst their ups and downs, successes and failures, victories and defeats. It is full of stops and starts, with One who intervenes to redeem a world from self destruction, because He is a God who covers for us. It has never been comfortable since relationship demands an active response. At times we rejoice, in other circumstances we weep at our own limitations or failings and sometimes we just wring our hands in sheer frustration. There are moments when our anguished soul cries out to Him in deepest sorrow, ‘If only . . . . ,’ and at other times we pour out our longing in utter desperation as we simply thirst for more of Him:

“Whom have I in heaven but You, and earth has nothingI desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

This is when He really sits up and takes note.

The love of God weaves its way around our lives, vividly illustrated through the biblical feasts. It is embroidered upon a Hebraic tapestry by the Jewish people. We cannot make sense or appreciate our rich heritage without understanding this important point. You will discover this as you leaf through the pages of the book, written from a Messianic Jewish perspective, and see clearly revealed how God’s love is perfectly and fully expressed through the person of our Messiah, Yeshua Ha Meshiach.