Beth Immanuel

There is no senior pastor or rabbi. Beth Immanuel's leadership consists of three elders who share pastoral responsibilities. There is also a board of directors that makes financial and administrative decisions. You will also notice we have a cantor who develops and leads prayers and services. Deacons, also called shammashim, direct practical functions of community life such as set-up, cleaning, and seating.

Beth Immanuel does have a suggested dress code. We ask that men and women wear gender appropriate attire. Throughout history, Sabbath keepers have always endeavored to dress their best in honor of God's holy day. In addition, we place a high priority on modest dress. Shorts are discouraged. Dresses and skirts should be long enough to cover the knees when seated. Shirts should have sleeves and cover mid-sections. Necklines should not be low-cut. Everything private should be covered.

In honor of the sanctity of the Sabbath day, a day on which money and financial transactions are set aside, we do not collect an offering during our services. However, Beth Immanuel does rely on the contributions of our congregants and friends. You can donate online or send a check to:

Beth Immanuel Sabbath Fellowship
PO Box 131581
Roseville, MN 55113-0014

All donations are tax deductible, and donors will receive a receipt at the end of the year. Ten percent of all general donations are sent to humanitarian, charitable work outside of the community of Beth Immanuel.

Jesus' Last Supper took place at Passover. What is known today as communion was originally part of a Passover Seder(Hebrew) literally, "order"; an ordered event, especially the meal eaten on Passover. A Passover Seder is a traditional Passover meal containing symbolic elements commanded in the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch", such as matzah (unleavened bread) and bitter herbs, as well as some traditional additions, such as the four cups of wine collectively referred to as the Cup of Salvations. Jesus took the unleavened bread and cup of wine and gave them new meaning, and commanded us to partake of them in remembrance of him. For this reason, we take the bread and the cup once a year, in the context of a Passover Seder.

Scripture tells us to sanctify the name of God and not to take the name of God in vain. In our desire to keep these commandments to the fullest we refrain from using the personal name of God. Rather, we choose to use several other Names and titles. We believe that this was the practice observed by YeshuaThe Hebrew/Aramaic name of Jesus of Nazareth. (lit, "salvation") and the early believers.

In respect for this community ideal we ask that persons attending our fellowship please refrain from speaking the personal Name of God aloud during times of corporate worship. If it is your personal conviction that the Name should be pronounced aloud, but are willing to refrain from doing so within our congregation, then you are certainly welcome to worship, fellowship and learn with us.

For more information about why we don't use God's personal name, please see this PDF document.

There is a commandment in the Bible to assemble on the seventh day of the week, which is the Sabbath. Originally this assembling was done at the Holy Temple. Later this custom developed into assembling in synagogues. This was Jesus' custom as well.

Most people who attend Beth Immanuel are not Jewish. We appreciate and love both our Jewish and Gentile congregants. Beth Immanuel teaches that Gentiles are fellow heirs within the greater commonwealth Israel by means of Messiah. As sons of Abraham by faith in Messiah, we all have access to his Jewish heritage. This does not mean that Gentile believers become Jews, but they should not be discouraged from practicing the Jewish roots of their faith.

Jesus and his disciples practiced Judaism, and followed Jesus as their Rabbi and Messiah. Messianic Judaism refers primarily to Jewish believers in Jesus who continue to practice Judaism. Most people who attend Beth Immanuel are not Jewish, but practice Messianic Judaism in imitation of Jesus. We are part of the larger Messianic Jewish movement.

Jesus was and is Jewish and practiced Judaism while he was on the earth. There are many examples in the New Testament of Jesus and his disciples observing Jewish traditions. At Beth Immanuel we strive to be like Jesus in everything we do, which at times includes observing Jewish traditions.

In its most specific sense, Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch" refers to the first five books of the Bible, Genesis through Deuteronomy. Torah means teaching or instruction, and is often translated as Law. The Torah is God's initial revelation of Himself to mankind, and as such it is the basis upon which all further revelation of God is tested, and the foundation upon which all else is built.

The scroll used in our Scripture reading ceremony contains the entire Hebrew text of the Torah.

YeshuaThe Hebrew/Aramaic name of Jesus of Nazareth. (lit, "salvation") is what Jesus' name is in Hebrew. Yeshua means "salvation."

Bows are made at certain times during the liturgy. Bowing is simply a physical way of acknowledging God. If you want to know more about how and why people do this, feel free to ask someone after the service or during the greeting time. When you see people worshiping God in these ways, do not at all feel that you are expected to do the same. The important part is that we worship and praise God for all that He is, offering Him our requests from a pure heart, and growing closer to Him and His will for our lives through the process.

At Beth Immanuel, some people cover their eyes with their hand as they recite the beginning of the Shema: "Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one." This is done to help us concentrate on what we are saying.

Reciting the Shema is known as accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven upon oneself. When we recite the Shema, we are accepting God as our King every day. We cover our eyes to help us concentrate as we acknowledge that the LORD alone is our God. The next section, "Blessed be the Name of His glorious Kingdom for ever and ever," is recited softly with our mouth covered as a reminder that God's Kingdom is not yet fully established on the earth (and as a reminder that those words are not part of the original text from Deuteronomy).

In the fifth century B.C.E., Ezra and the Men of the Great Assembly composed a prayer consisting of eighteen blessings known as the Amidah(Hebrew) literally, "standing"; a central and very ancient prayer in traditional Jewish liturgy, or standing prayer. The Amidah is given this name because it is prayed while standing, and is also known as Shemoneh Esrei (eighteen), or Tefillah (The Prayer). Three times each day, observant Jews pray the Amidah, offering praise to God for who He is, and laying their requests before Him. Jesus and his disciples would have prayed and earlier form of the Amidah when in the Temple and synagogues. On the Sabbath, the eighteen blessings are reduced to seven to avoid making certain types of requests of God on the day of rest.

The shema is a group of passages from the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch" that are recited twice daily. The passages included are Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41. The word shema is the first word of Deuteronomy 6:4, which means, "hear". The statement "Hear O Israel" has the sense of "Obey O Israel" and is thus a reminder to be obedient to our God and King. The Shema is considered Judaism's central declaration of faith. In reading it we acknowledge, among other things, that the LORD is our God, He is one, there is no other god besides Him, we are to love Him with all of our person and everything we have, He is the source of blessing, and He rewards the obedient and punishes the disobedient. Since the Torah says, "you shall speak of them when you lie down and when you rise up," the Shema is said once in the morning and once in the evening.

From here in Wisconsin, east is the direction facing Jerusalem. Facing Jerusalem while praying is based on 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 6. In these passages, King Solomon said that whenever people repented from their sins and prayed toward the city of Jerusalem, God would hear them and forgive them and answer their requests. Scripture says that Daniel also prayed three times daily facing Jerusalem.

Hebrew is considered to be the Holy Tongue, since it is the language that God used to speak the world into existence, and to speak the words of the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch" to Moses on Mount Sinai. However, the majority of people attending Beth Immanuel don't know Hebrew. For this reason we recite the prayers in English, and all Hebrew has an English translation. We encourage people to learn Hebrew to increase their understanding of the Scriptures, and to pass this understanding along to the next generation.

The Cantor repeats of the English "Standing Prayer" (Amidah(Hebrew) literally, "standing"; a central and very ancient prayer in traditional Jewish liturgy) in Hebrew so that those who cannot read or speak Hebrew also have an opportunity to participate in the original Hebrew prayers by responding with the word "Amen" after each blessing.

The core prayers date back to Ezra and the Men of the Great Assembly. (410 BCE to 310 BCE). These prayers have evolved slightly over time, but they are basically the same prayers Jesus and the disciples would have prayed in the Temple.

A Siddur is a prayer book containing prayers and scripture read by the community.

Liturgy has been used in the Temple and in synagogues for thousands of years. The prayers we use are based heavily on Scripture and most were in use in the Temple and synagogues of YeshuaThe Hebrew/Aramaic name of Jesus of Nazareth. (lit, "salvation")'s time. The early apostolic community used liturgy extensively, and it is a hallmark of authentic Messianic Judaism.

Many at Beth Immanuel have found that the traditional liturgy expresses our thoughts in a way that is poetic and deeply meaningful. Its broad scope enables us to widen our perspective and directs our attention to those issues that are most important. Liturgical prayer also grants us unity and focus as a congregation.

For those who prefer not to pray liturgically, we offer a contemporary service later on Saturday morning.

People stand for the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch" as another way of showing respect for God's Word.

Lifting the scroll in the air allows the community to see God's Word for themselves as we together acknowledge that God gave the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch" to Moses on Mount Sinai, and that these words are true and reliable.

To the newcomer, the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch" processional may seem strange, even idolatrous, because of the ancient tradition of touching or kissing the Torah scroll. Some people touch the Torah with another object, such as a siddur, Bible, or tzitzit (a fringe from a prayer shawl), and then kiss that object. It is not, however, an act of worship or idolatry. This is simply an ancient, traditional physical expression of how God's Word is very dear and precious to us.

In the days before the invention of the printing press, people generally didn't own Bibles. The community owned a scroll of the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch" and a scroll of the Prophets. These scrolls were the community's copy of God's Word. Parading the scroll around the synagogue allowed the people to see and touch their copy of scripture. At Beth Immanuel we continue this tradition out of reverence for God's Word. You will also notice that we face the Torah as it is carried around the congregation. This is a way of putting action to the idea that we do not want to turn our backs on the Word of God.

The Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch", Genesis through Deuteronomy, is split up into sections that are read each week. Each one of these sections is called a parashah. In the course of a year, the Torah is read in its entirety, and we start over again with the first parashah. The Torah didn't originally have chapters and verses, so sections were given names so people knew where to turn to. The names were taken from the first one or more significant Hebrew words of the text. So, for example, if you wanted someone to read starting in Genesis 1:1, you would say, "Read where it says 'In the beginning...'" 'In the beginning' in Hebrew is "Bereshit." During holy days, such as Passover or Shavuot, we may read a special parashah that contains text relevant to the day. On some weeks, more than one parashah will be read to ensure that we complete all of the parashiyot (plural of parashah) in the course of the year.

In Judaism, children are often given two names at birth; their normal name that they use every day, and a Hebrew name. In other cases their normal name is already in Hebrew, so they don't need another one. Some of the prayers and blessings in Judaism require the use of a Hebrew name. One example is when someone is called up to read from the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch". The apostle Paul had a Greek name and a Hebrew name: Paul and Saul respectively. His Greek name was used when he was among Greeks, and his Hebrew name when he was back in the land of Israel among those who spoke Hebrew. Some Gentiles who do not already have Hebrew names choose Hebrew names for themselves. Others do not. The practice depends on the individual's preference.

People who want to read from the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch", the Prophets, or the Gospels, can sign up online or talk to the cantor. You will be informed in advance if you will be called up to read, and the cantor will help you prepare.

The Tanach(Hebrew) an acronym for "Law (Torah), Prophets (Nevi'im), Writings (Ketuvim)". A common Hebrew term for the Hebrew Scriptures, also known as the Old Testament., what is typically called the Old Testament, is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language. We read the Scriptures in their original language, along with a translation, partially out of respect for the text in its original form, and partially out of a desire that the next generation be able to read and understand the bible in its original language. Similarly, we sometimes read the New Testament portions in Greek.

In the days before the invention of the printing press, people generally didn't own bibles. The community owned a scroll of the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch" and a scroll of the Prophets. These scrolls were the community's copy of God's word. Parading the scroll around the synagogue allowed the people to see and touch their copy of Scripture. At Beth Immanuel we continue this tradition out of reverence for God's Word.

In its most specific sense, Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch" refers to the first five books of the Bible, Genesis through Deuteronomy. Torah means teaching or instruction, and is often translated as Law. The Torah is God's initial revelation of Himself to mankind, and as such it is the basis upon which all further revelation of God is tested, and the foundation upon which all else is built.

The scroll used in our Scripture reading ceremony contains the entire Hebrew text of the Torah.