♦ YEAR 1 ♦  Began on Sabbath of April 9, 2016

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           ♦ YEAR 3 ♦                   ♦ YEAR 2 ♦                                                                              .      

Temple Sedarim - Explanation

The first Sabbath of the Month Nisan (the month that begins two weeks before Passover), every third year, is the time to start the triennial Torah reading cycle. This is the reading cycle that was used in the Holy Temple, and apparently the one that Yeshua followed. As the readings progress through the three years, the subjects will be seen to correspond to times of festivals and major events.

Each Sabbath's readings are called a seder (order of service). Each seder includes a portion of the Torah (meaning Instruction), Haftara (meaning Completion of the Torah -- a reading from the Prophets), and a Psalm to be sung. The cycle begins with Bereshit (In the beginning) / Genesis 1, and Psalm 1, and a portion of Isaiah on the same subject. A reading of corresponding topic from the Apostolic Writings (NT) is suggested for each Sabbath. The title of a Torah reading is the first significant word(s), which predates today’s common system of chapters and verses. The Psalms, used in numerical order, agree in subject with the Torah portions throughout the three years.

Blessings are offered before and after the readings. The common topic of the four readings is expounded, and related to the current season (such as festival or major event).

Triennial - Festival Relationship 

A hint of the miraculous relationship of the Festivals with the Temple Torah Cycle: 

(Year #1) Reading #1 (Genesis 1), at the beginning of the Festival Year, is about Beginnings.

At the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we eat the Passover offering on the first night.
(Year 1) Reading #3 for the included Sabbath (Genesis 3) is about the Passover offerings of Cain and Able.
(Year 2) Reading #2 for the previous Sabbath (Exodus 12) is about the Passover in Egypt.
(Year 3) Reading #2 for the previous Sabbath (Numbers 9) is about the Passover at Sinai.

(Year 3) Reading #3 (Numbers 10), for the included Resurrection Shabbat, is about related movement of the Wilderness camp.
(Year 1) Reading #6 (Genesis 8), preceding the week of Yeshua's ascension, is about the water of life being dried off the face of the earth - for Noah. It is also the Sabbath preceding the date of the flood's beginning.
(Year 2) Reading #8 (Exodus 19:3), for the Sabbath previous to Yeshua's ascension, is about Moses going "up to God".

The Day of Firstfruits / Feast of Pentecost is a rehearsal of Israel's betrothal to Messiah.
(Year 1) Reading #9 for the previous Sabbath (Genesis 11) is about the confusion of languages at Babel on Pentecost.
(Year 2) Reading #8 for the previous Sabbath (Exodus 19:7-8) is about the giving of the Torah (betrothal contract) on Pentecost.
(Year 3) Reading #8 for the previous Sabbath (Numbers 15) is about bringing the Firstfruits on Pentecost.

The Day of Trumpets is for a rehearsal of:  hearing the last trump (with the shout of the archangel), the return of Yeshua, and the resurrection of the righteous dead.
(Year 1) Reading #25 for the previous Sabbath (Genesis 27) is about the Son coming for the  blessing, and (Psalm 22) about the crucifixion marks that we will see!
(Year 2) Reading #25 for the previous Sabbath (Leviticus 3) relates to the offerings for this Holy Day.
(Year 3) Reading #26 for the Sabbath (Deuteronomy 4): "Hear" and "remember".

The Day of the Atonements is about purification - Yeshua taking our sins and accounting to us His righteousness.
(Year 1) Reading #26 for the previous Sabbath (Genesis 28:1) is about a pure bride.
(Year 2) Reading #26 for the previous Sabbath (Leviticus 4) is about making atonements.
(Year 3) Reading #27 for the Sabbath (Deuteronomy 5): Giving of Commandments

The Feast of Tabernacles is a week of dwelling (eating and sleeping) in a sukkah, and holding a wedding feast - a great feast (of literal food) to which we invite the poor.
(Year 1) Reading #27 for the previous Sabbath (Genesis 29:22) is about the wedding feast.
(Year 2) Reading #27 for the previous Sabbath (Leviticus 5) relates to the many offerings of this Festival.
(Year 3) Reading #28 for the included Sabbath (Deuteronomy 6-7): A holy people preparing to dwell in the Land.

The Eighth Day Assembly is about Yeshua dwelling eternally with us.
(Year 1) Reading #28 for the previous Sabbath (Genesis 30:20) is about the Groom dwelling with the Bride.
(Year 2) Reading #28 for the previous Sabbath (Leviticus 6) is about the restoration of that which was lost.
(Year 3) Reading #29 for the Sabbath (Deuteronomy 8): Instructions for dwelling in the Land.

Hanukkah is the Feast of Dedication of the Holy Temple.
(Year 2) Reading #37 for the previous Sabbath (Leviticus 16) is about the consecration of the Holy of Holies.

Other relationships:

Rabbinic literature ascribes certain events to certain dates:
    Moses died on Adar 7,
    The world was created on Nisan 1  (Bavli Rosh Hashanna 10b),
    The Israelites left Egypt on Thursday, Nisan 15  (Seder Olam chap. X),
    Cain offered his sacrifice on Passover  (PdRE, sect 21),
    Rachel, Sarah, and Hannah were remembered on Yom Teruah  (Rosh Hashannah 10b),
    The giving of the Ten Commandments was on Sivan 6,
    Moses descended with the first set of stone tablets on Tammuz 17,
    Moses descended with the second set of stone tablets on Av 29,
    The Israelites encamped at Rameses on a Shabbat, Nisan 17,
    The Red Sea crossed on Wednesday Nisan 21.
On the Triennial Cycle, readings of each of these events occur on the Sabbath nearest the corresponding date.

Commentary Aspects

Sabbath #19 Temple Seder: Genesis 22, Isaiah 33:7-22, Psalm 17, add Mark 11 & John 19:16-17

The three interpretations of this Seder:

1.     Literal – the historic narrative surrounding of the binding of Yitzchak (Isaac): Yitzchak rode a donkey three days to a mountain of Moriah, then walked with his father, carrying the wood for himself to be sacrificed upon.

2.     Prophetic – the representation of the crucifixion of Yeshua: Yeshua rode a donkey, going for three days to a mountain of Moriah, being presented as King, Priest, and Prophet; then walked with His Father, carrying the cross for Himself to be sacrificed upon.

3.     Spiritual – aspects of walking with God in the Spirit: Is He your Prophet (from whose word you learn), your Priest (to whom you confess daily), and your King (to whom you subject your life)? Are you a living sacrifice to God

Source References

References
  Jerusalem Encyclopaedia Judaica - Triennial Cycle
  The Jewish Encyclopedia - Triennial Cycle
  Rabbinic Bible (Venice) - Sedarim
  Leningrad Manuscript of the Bible - Sedarim
  Piyyute Yannai (Berlin, 1938)
  Geniza Fragments
  Bible of 1260 at National Library, Jerusalem - Sedarim

Hebrew Bible

The Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible, used in synagogues around the world, has the Torah divided into 154 sedarim, for the minimum number of Sabbaths in the Triennial Cycle.

Talmud: Megilah 29b

‘If it [the New Moon of Adar] falls on the portion next to it [the portion of Shekalim], whether before or after, they read it and repeat it’. Now this creates no difficulty for one who holds that ‘When thou takest’ is read because [the regular portion containing this passage] falls about that time.²⁵ But according to the one who says that ‘My food which is presented to ‘me’ is read — does [the portion containing that passage] fall about that time?²⁶ — Yes, for the people of Palestine, who complete the reading of the Pentateuch in three years.²⁷

It has been taught in agreement with Samuel: ‘When the New Moon of Adar falls on Sabbath, the portion ‘When thou takest’ is read, and the haftarah is about ‘Jehoiada the Priest’ 

(25) The portion Ki Thisa in which this passage occurs usually falls on a Sabbath about the beginning of Adar.
(26) This passage is in the portion Pinhas, which usually falls about the middle of Tammuz.
(27) This is known as the Triennial Cycle.

© 2003  Beikvot HaMashiach
(Followers of the Messiah