Hebrew Highlights 100 Dalmanutha

Shalom, this is Yuval Shomron, coming to you from Jerusalem.

MAR 8:10-21, “And immediately He entered the boat with His disciples, and came to the district of Dalmanutha. And the Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. And sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, "Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation." And leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side. And they had forgotten to take bread; and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. And He was giving orders to them, saying, "Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." And they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? "Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up? "They said to Him," Twelve. " "And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?" And they said to Him, "Seven." And He was saying to them, "Do you not yet understand?"

Now here’s a scripture passage filled with little goodies. First, but not least interesting is the name of the district in which this story begins, “Dalmanutha”. In Hebrew, it means “Place of the thin portion”.

You may remember the story of the manna, or “man” in Hebrew, in the wilderness. God provided a white flaky substance from heaven 6 days per week for forty years for the wandering children of Israel to eat. They were to gather enough for the family each day. If they tried to keep it overnight, it went bad. Except of course on Friday, when they were to gather enough for the Sabbath, and it miraculously stayed fresh for 2 days. The name manna simply means portion. If in Jerusalem today you order Falafel, and the vendor says, “how many?”, you say “manna echad”, or one portion.

Yeshua came to the district of “the thin portion”, and was immediately accosted by the Pharisees. He spent little time there, and went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. There he began to discuss leaven and bread with the disciples. Amusingly, the disciples had forgotten to take bread with them. It says there was only one loaf in the boat. I wonder “what”, or maybe I should say “who” that bread was made up of.

According to the New Testament writers, Yeshua did not answer the disciples questions about “bread” at this time, but seemed to be saddened about their lack of understanding and unbelief. There is however another passage where an explanation is forthcoming.

JOH 6:31-35, "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.” Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." They said therefore to Him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

Unlike in America, our bread in Israel does not contain preservatives, even in this modern age. Therefore, most families buy a new loaf each day. I should point out that, lacking chemicals, our bread is very tasty on that first day. By the second day, it is very dry, and often is doomed to become toast, or croutons.

On many Sabbath evenings, my teenage daughter prepares a fresh braided loaf of homemade “Challa”, or Shabbat bread. There is nothing more savory than that first warm bite partaken of as we celebrate the “Kiddush” and Lord’s supper together as a family, remembering each week all the Lord has done for us.

All of this makes me wonder what Yeshua actually meant in MAT 6:9-11, when He said, "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 'Give us this day our daily bread.”

There is no mention anywhere in the rest of the prayer about anything material. It all has to do with the Kingdom of God, and our response to it.

I believe Yeshua himself wants to be our daily portion. The one from whom we get our strength, the sustenance upon which our very life depends. The one who we gather each morning. The one who gives us a double portion each Sabbath.

Where do you live? In the district of “Dalmanutha”, the “thin portion”, or in the district of “Bethlehem”, the “House of Bread”?

Shalom, shalom from Jerusalem.