About | Why “The Cord?” | Why Every Shabbat? | The Public Reading of Scripture | The Structure | The Reminder | History of the 3-Year Cycle

Truth, Community, and Life. From Generation to Generation.

The Cord is a community of like-minded believers who guard God’s commandments and hold Yeshua’s witness. Our desire is to service the community in multiple ways including weekly Shabbat meetings, various activities, and outreach.

We meet each Shabbat for an in-depth, public reading of Scripture. On the 2nd and 4th Shabbat, our public reading of Scripture is in-person followed by congregational praise, dance, and a shared-food fellowship. Please bring a Biblically-clean, main dish to share.

Our public reading of Scripture follows the 3-year (triennial) reading cycle which includes a complete reading of the Torah (Genesis – Deuteronomy) in smaller portions over three years and also includes selected readings from the Prophets (Joshua – Malachi) and Apostolic Writings (Matthew – Revelation).

Though not part of the public reading of Scripture, we provide Additional Readings from ancient texts found among the Dead Sea Scrolls such as the Book of Enoch (cf. Jude 1:14-15 to Enoch 1:9), the Book of Jubilees (cf. Genesis 48:22 to Jubilees 24:5-8; Acts 7:15-16 to Jubilees 46:9; Acts 7:23 to Jubilees 47:10-12; Acts 7:53 to Jubilees 1:27; 2 Peter 3:8 to Jubilees 4:30; Galatians 3:17 to Jubilees 15:4 and Jubilees 50:4 = 431 Years), and Sirach, commonly called the Book of Ecclesiasticus (cf. Luke 1:52 to Sirach 10:14; Mark 4:5 and Mark 4:16–17 to Sirach 40:15; Matthew 7:16 and 20 to Sirach 27:6; James 1:19 to Sirach 5:11)

Why “The Cord?”

In Numbers 15:37-41 and Deuteronomy 22:12, the sons of Israel are commanded to put a cord of blue upon the fringe (צִיצִת tsitsit) on the four corners of their garments throughout their generations so when they see it, they will remember all of YHWH’s commandments, to do them, and not follow their own heart and their own eyes. Thus, The Cord reminds us to guard His commandments and pursue righteousness from generation to generation.

In Ecclesiastes 4:12 it says, “If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Thus, The Cord reminds us of community and that we are stronger together.

Finally, in Malachi 4:2 and Luke 8:43-48, we’re reminded of the healing in the wings of Messiah Yeshua when the woman came behind him and touched the fringe of His garment where the cord of blue was. Thus, The Cord reminds us to live in belief and know that He heals and saves.

Why Every Shabbat?

In Leviticus 23:1-3, YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them, ‘The appointed times of YHWH, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my appointed times. Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no kind of work. It is a Sabbath to YHWH in all your dwellings.’”

מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ miqra qodesh (H6944 + H4744) is most often translated as “holy convocation” or “holy meeting.” מִקְרָא miqra comes from the word קְרָא qara (H7121) which means to proclaim, call out, recite, or read. The word מִקְרָא miqra has also been translated to mean “a public reading of Scripture.” This is demonstrated in Nehemiah 8:8; “They read in the book, in the Torah of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood in the reading (miqra)” and in Joshua 8:34-35; “Afterward he read (qara) all the words of the Torah, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the Torah. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua didn’t read (qara) before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the sojourners who were among them.”

The Public Reading of Scripture

The custom of public reading of Scripture continued into the First Century by Yeshua (cf. Luke 4:16-21) and His disciples (cf. Acts 13:14-15; Acts 15:18-21).

  • Luke 4:16-21; “He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the scroll, and found the place where it was written, “The Lord YHWH’s Spirit is on me, because YHWH has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to proclaim the year of YHWH’s favor and the day of vengeance of our Elohim, to comfort all who mourn.” (cf. Isaiah 61:1-2) He closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
  • Acts 13:14-15; …They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. After the reading of the Torah and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”
  • Acts 15:18-21; “…For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who proclaim him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

The Cord's Torah Reading Structure

  • Based on Luke 4:16-21, Acts 13:14-15, Acts 15:18-21 and how the Scriptures were read publicly in the synagogue during the First Century.
  • Blessings are recited before and after each portion reading.
  • Panel Midrash discussion started with a ~15-minute exhortation by the Torah reader.
  • Open Midrash after reading and exhortation.
  • Input during Open Midrash is highly encouraged and prior study of each week’s reading is recommended.

The Reminder

  • The whole Torah and the Prophets depend on these two commandments: You shall love YHWH your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might; And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:31)
  • All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, for setting straight, for instruction in righteousness, that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
  • Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16, 2 John 1:7)
  • Yeshua is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through His Son Yeshua. (John 14:6)
  • God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)
  • The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, who guard God’s commandments and hold Yeshua’s testimony. (Revelation 12:17)
  • We must be like the Bereans, “in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11)
  • We study to learn, not to teach; “Show me your ways, YHWH. Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. I wait for you all day long.” (Psalms 25:4-5)
  • We’re all still students of His Word and continually study to learn and grow together, in love. As we learn and grow, we’re able to sanctify YHWH God in our hearts and will always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks us a reason concerning the hope that is in us, with humility and fear, having a good conscience. (1 Peter 3:15)
  • We must, “hasten to present ourselves approved by God, workmen who don’t need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth.” And we must, “shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness, and those words will consume like gangrene.” (2 Timothy 2:15-17)

History of the 3-Year (Triennial) Torah Reading Cycle

Based on the Triennial Cycle as formulated and researched by scholars Charles Perrot, Cecil Roth, and Jacob Mann. Passages from the Apostolic Scriptures related by general themes or topics have mostly been added by TorahResource to accompany the weekly sections of the Torah and Prophets.

“…For the triennial cycle, however, the primary impetus for choosing a particular haftarah reading was verbal rather than thematic, the opening of the haftarah reading containing some word or words found in the opening of the Torah portion. For example, the [portion] that begins with Genesis 8:1, “But God remembered (zakar) Noaḥ̣” is matched with Habakkuk 3:2, which contains the phrase “in wrath remember (zakar) mercy.” Likewise, the seder which begins at Genesis 8:15, “God said to Noaḥ̣, ‘Go out (yatza’) from the ark…” is matched with Isaiah 42:7, “To bring out (yatza’) the prisoners from the dungeon.” But it was not only similar vocabulary that governed the choice of the haftarah for the triennial cycle. There was also the concerted effort to emphasize the messianic kingdom as a dominant theme…” – Tim Hegg, President / Instructor of TorahResource 

We don’t know the exact reading schedule Yeshua followed in the 1st Century. However, “…what is certain is that the reading of Scripture, the Torah and Prophets, followed by a teaching that explicated its meaning and application, was a central part of the synagogue service in the early 1st Century and provided a key element for defining the Jewish community in the days of our Master (Yeshua). The same must be true of our own assemblies, for it is the centrality of the Scriptures, understood and applied to our daily lives, that will enable us to walk in the footsteps of Yeshua as His true disciples.” -Tim Hegg