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	<title>Digging with Darren &#187; FFOZ</title>
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	<description>Messiah &#124; Torah &#124; Archaeology &#124; Truth</description>
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		<title>Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels Released</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/07/22/delitzsch-released/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/07/22/delitzsch-released/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:02:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Writings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Judaism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vine of David]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yeshua]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bible]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delitzsch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DHE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gospels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hebrew]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jewish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[order]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[release]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[translation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1581</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As many of you know, Vine of David (a division of FFOZ) has been working diligently on an English translation of Franz Delitzsch&#8217;s Hebrew translation of the Gospels for the past few years. It is officially called the Delitzsch Hebrew-English (DHE) translation. As of yesterday, it has been released and is available for pre-ordering. Another [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Delitzsch-site.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1583" title="Delitzsch release" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Delitzsch-site.jpg" alt="Delitzsch release" width="550" height="344" /></a></p>
<p>As many of you know, <a title="Visit their site" href="http://vineofdavid.org/" target="_blank">Vine of David</a> (a division of FFOZ) has been working diligently on an English translation of Franz Delitzsch&#8217;s Hebrew translation of the Gospels for the past few years. It is officially called the Delitzsch Hebrew-English (DHE) translation. As of yesterday, it has been released and is <a title="Go for it!" href="http://vineofdavid.org/resources/dhe/index.html" target="_blank">available for pre-ordering</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dhe-inside5.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1584" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;" title="dhe-inside5" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dhe-inside5-300x189.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="189" /></a></p>
<h3>Another Translation?</h3>
<p>Why is such a work important? Because it attempts to place Jesus and his apostles back into their proper place among Jewish history and spirituality. It is an attempt to reconnect Jesus and his message with his people. It is an attempt to bring the reader into the Jewish world of Jesus. While David Stern&#8217;s <em>The Complete Jewish Bible</em> attempts the same, it only works to bring the non-Jewish reader into the Jewish text. The DHE takes it another step by trying to connect Jewish people with their Messiah. This has been done through presenting the full text of the Gospels in a parallel Hebrew translation, along with traditional blessings for the studying of the Holy Text, all in an elegant presentation as you would expect from publishers such as <a title="Not seen Artscroll??? Pity…" href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/07/06/whats-stopping-you/" target="_blank">Artscroll</a>. This text hopes to help Jewish readers see Jesus and his Jewish message as part of Judaism, rather than an outside voice from a separate religion.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dhe-inside1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1585 alignleft" style="margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;" title="dhe-inside1" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dhe-inside1-300x219.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="219" /></a></p>
<h3>Delitzsch &amp; His Translation</h3>
<p>Franz Delitzsch (1813–March 4, 1890) was a German Lutheran theologian born in Leipzig, Germany who grew into a unique man of God. Widely known and respected as a &#8220;Christian Hebraist,&#8221; he was a pioneer in the area of Jewish studies in the New Testament and in the development of the Hebrew language. Delitzsch was a prolific writer, translator, and biblical commentator. His greatest and most enduring work is his New Testament translation into Hebrew. At his eulogy, Delitzsch was memorialized with the following words: &#8220;Indeed, not only in the Christian, but also in the Jewish world the name of Delitzsch has shone. For he was at home in the literature of the Rabbis as none other among the living, and perhaps as none before him. We may say the truest friend of Israel is dead. A great man has fallen in Israel.&#8221;</p>
<p>Delitzsch&#8217;s work is important, because of his &#8220;extensive knowledge of mishnaic Hebrew and first century Judaism… [which created] a translation and reconstruction of the Greek text back into an original Hebrew voice.&#8221; It is reported that the famed Dr. David Flusser, a devout Orthodox Jew and renowned New Testament scholar of Hebrew University, said that the Delitzsch Hebrew New Testament was the best translation of the New Testament extant in any language.</p>
<h3>Needed Support</h3>
<p>Much support is needed for this project. It is going to take people like yourself to purchase the DHE and share it with others. You can do that on a personal level, or at a larger level. Vine of David is also publishing a Levy Hirsch Memorial Edition, which will is available solely for the purpose of distributing to Jewish people who do not yet know their Messiah. Vine of David will be taking donations to dedicate a specific number of these editions toward distribution among Jewish people.</p>
<p>If you would like to a part of this momentous event, then support Vine of David and order your copy now.</p>
<h3>Website Link</h3>
<p><a title="Visit the DHE page on the Vine of David website" href="http://vineofdavid.org/resources/dhe/index.html" target="_blank">http://vineofdavid.org/resources/dhe/index.html</a><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/10/21/yeshuas-use-of-good-eye/" rel="bookmark" title="October 21, 2010">Yeshua&#8217;s Use of &#8220;Good Eye&#8221;</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/11/new-ffoz-seminar-coming-to-central-arkansas/" rel="bookmark" title="May 11, 2010">New FFOZ Seminar Coming to Central Arkansas</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/10/18/bart-ehrman-vs-craig-evans/" rel="bookmark" title="October 18, 2010">Bart Ehrman vs. Craig Evans</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/03/book-review-meet-the-rabbis/" rel="bookmark" title="June 3, 2009">Book Review: Meet the Rabbis</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/03/17/love-and-the-messianic-age-review/" rel="bookmark" title="March 17, 2010">Love and the Messianic Age Review</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Pagan Influences in Christianity &amp; Judaism</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/31/pagan-influences-in-christianity-judaism/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/31/pagan-influences-in-christianity-judaism/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:11:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Archaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heresy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Judaism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BAR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biblical archaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jewish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pagan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[paganism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[symbols]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toby Janicki]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[worship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[zodiac]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1346</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many people have disparaged Judaism as being filled with paganism, particularly orthodox Judaism&#8217;s rabbinic leadership. Some even claim that it is satanic at the root (G-d forbid). Many people have had similar remarks about Christianity, especially when they discover Messianic Judaism and discover all that Christianity has forgotten over the last two thousand years in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_1347" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 239px"><a title="Read the full article from Biblical Archaeological Review" href="http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/synagogue-zodiacs.asp" target="_blank"><img class="size-full wp-image-1347 " title="synagogue-zodiacs-02-s" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/synagogue-zodiacs-02-s.jpg" alt="Beth Alpha synagogue mosaic" width="229" height="250" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Beth Alpha synagogue mosaic</p></div>
<p>Many people have disparaged Judaism as being filled with paganism, particularly orthodox Judaism&#8217;s rabbinic leadership. Some even claim that it is satanic at the root (G-d forbid). Many people have had similar remarks about Christianity, especially when they discover Messianic Judaism and discover all that Christianity has forgotten over the last two thousand years in relationship to it Jewish origins. Everything is then questioned, and its origins suspect. For instance: What is the origin of the Christmas tree? Was it originally an asheroth pole? What about the Easter bunny, and the name &#8220;Easter&#8221; itself? Are they connected to Ishtar, the pagan goddess of fertility? Was the star of David originally a magical symbol used by the pagans? Questions such as these continue to pound away at both Judaism and Christianity.</p>
<p>Biblical Archaeology Review recently published <a title="Read the full article from Biblical Archaeological Review" href="http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/synagogue-zodiacs.asp" target="_blank">an article</a> examining pagan symbols in Jewish worship, specifically looking at the various synagogues unearthed in Israel which portray zodiac symbolism in their floor mosaics. The most famous is the Beth Alpha synagogue, which sports a very large floor mosaic (28&#215;14 meters, roughly 90&#215;30 feet) whose central panel shows the complete zodiac. It is described as follows:</p>
<blockquote><p>Figures of four women were at the four corners, with inscriptions (in Hebrew) identifying each as a season of the year. Inside the square was a wheel, 3.12 meters in diameter, with a smaller circle (1.2 m) in its center. The wheel was divided into 12 panels, each with a figure and a name identifying it as a sign of the zodiac. And in the center, a man was pictured driving a quadriga (four-horse chariot) through the moon and stars. Rays of the sun were coming out of his head; it was clear that he was Helios, god of the sun.<sup class='footnote'><a href='#fn-1346-1' id='fnref-1346-1'>1</a></sup></p></blockquote>
<p>This article continues to describe in detail several such synagogues found in Israel with this type of imagery. Although there is still some mystery surrounding the use of these symbols (particularly in a house specifically designed for study &amp; worship), I feel the author&#8217;s explanation of them plausible.</p>
<p>This brings a lot of questions to mind (for which I do not have the answers). When and how were pagan symbols introduced into Judaism and Christianity? What do we &#8220;accept&#8221; and what do we &#8220;reject&#8221;? Where do we draw the line? How far is too far? Are there such things as coincidence? What are the &#8220;majors&#8221; and what are the &#8220;minors&#8221; in all of this? If others believers continue to unknowingly incorporate pagan symbolism in their sincere worship, what is our responsibility? These are a lot of difficult questions. Fortunately, someone has done a lot of homework on the subject.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/paganism.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1350 alignleft" style="margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;" title="paganism" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/paganism.jpg" alt="What About Paganism?" width="180" height="300" /></a></p>
<p><a title="Visit their website" href="http://www.ffoz.org" target="_blank">First Fruits of Zion</a> has recently published a 4-disc audio teaching on this very subject. It&#8217;s called &#8220;<em><a title="Check out FFOZ's What About Paganism? audio teaching" href="http://ffoz.com/index.php?target=products&amp;mode=search&amp;subcats=Y&amp;type=extended&amp;avail=Y&amp;pshort=Y&amp;pfull=Y&amp;pname=Y&amp;pkeywords=Y&amp;q=paganism&amp;cid=0&amp;x=12&amp;y=7" target="_blank">What About Paganism?</a></em>&#8221; Toby Janicki tackles this subject and brings in a ton of information relating to both Christian and Jewish practice which may or may not be pagan in origin and gives suggestions as to our response. This is a good starting point to get some honest discussion on the table in regard to this topic, rather than living on our assumptions. It is based on historical evidences and the teachings of Yeshua. When we abide in the teachings of our Master, Yeshua, we will &#8220;know the truth, and the truth will set you free&#8221; (John 8:32).</p>
<div class='footnotes'>
<div class='footnotedivider'></div>
<ol>
<li id='fn-1346-1'>From the <a title="Read the full article from Biblical Archaeological Review" href="http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/synagogue-zodiacs.asp" target="_blank">BAR article</a>. <span class='footnotereverse'><a href='#fnref-1346-1'>&#8617;</a></span></li>
</ol>
</div>
<p><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/08/15/book-review-jewish-worship/" rel="bookmark" title="August 15, 2006">Book Review &#8211; Jewish Worship</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/07/06/jewish-resurrected-messiah-text-causing-buzz/" rel="bookmark" title="July 6, 2008">Jewish Resurrected Messiah Text Causing Buzz</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/07/27/dear-levy/" rel="bookmark" title="July 27, 2006">Dear Levy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/07/16/combatting-jews-for-jesus/" rel="bookmark" title="July 16, 2006">Combatting Jews For Jesus</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/03/book-review-meet-the-rabbis/" rel="bookmark" title="June 3, 2009">Book Review: Meet the Rabbis</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Celebrate Tu Bishvat!</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/06/celebrate-tu-bishvat/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/06/celebrate-tu-bishvat/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:50:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Israel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bloom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Haggadah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tu Bishvat]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1285</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What do wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, honey and/or dates and this month have in common? Two weeks from today is a minor holiday called Tu Bishvat. Tu Bishvat means the 15th (ו + ט) of the Hebrew month of Shevat. A few years ago our family started celebrating Tu Bishvat, and it has been [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone" title="PLANT and BLOOM from FFOZ" src="https://img.skitch.com/20110106-fkibsbe4xhe471txiyt89saah9.jpg" alt="PLANT and BLOOM from FFOZ" width="432" height="361" /></p>
<p>What do wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, honey and/or dates and this month have in common? Two weeks from today is a minor holiday called <em>Tu Bishvat</em>. <em>Tu Bishvat</em> means the 15th (ו + ט) of the Hebrew month of Shevat. A few years ago our family started celebrating Tu Bishvat, and it has been a unique and fun time for the family to remember the provision of Hashem in our lives, as well as to do something for Him in a practical way.</p>
<p>So, you don&#8217;t understand Tu Bishvat and are not sure why you should celebrate it? First Fruits of Zion has just released two new resources to help believers both understand and celebrate this yearly event in a meaningful way, fully centered on Messiah Yeshua.</p>
<p>Since the second Temple, <em>Tu Bishvat</em> is a day that has been designated to demarcate time in regard to how the tithe from the produce of trees was given (I won&#8217;t go into the details now, but it is an interesting study). Since the destruction of the Holy Temple, this date has lost much of its significance. However, during the Middle Ages there was a resurgence which made the celebration of <em>Tu Bishvat</em> once again significant and meaningful. Once again, this date is being restored, but to believers.</p>
<p><strong><a title="Purchase PLANT directly from FFOZ" href="http://ffoz.com/index.php?target=products&amp;product_id=373" target="_blank">PLANT</a></strong>, FFOZ&#8217;s first booklet, is designed to help you learn:</p>
<ul>
<li>that the fifteenth of Shevat (<em>Tu Bishvat</em>) was recognized in Temple times as an important day in Temple worship</li>
<li>that Yeshua was aware of this day, and perhaps even taught about it</li>
<li>the evolving history of its observance post-Temple</li>
<li>activities and ideas about how to celebrate <em>Tu Bishvat</em></li>
<li>stories and encouraging testimonies from believers in the land of Israel about modern observances</li>
</ul>
<p><a title="Purchas BLOOM directly from FFOZ" href="http://ffoz.com/index.php?target=products&amp;product_id=374" target="_blank">BLOOM</a> is a <em>Tu Bishvat</em> Haggadah, similar to a Passover Haggadah, which will walk you through enjoying a <em>Tu Bishvat</em> seder in your home with family and friends. It is the most recent addition to the Vine of David &#8220;branch&#8221; of FFOZ.</p>
<p>BLOOM is inspired by the story of the early pioneers of the modern State of Israel. This seder reflects upon the dreams of a Jewish national homeland in the Promised Land throughout the centuries and its culmination with Zionism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Bloom is simple and not deeply mystical. It focuses the modern return of the Jewish people to their land as a part of the broader plan of world redemption.</p>
<p>Contemplate our Master Yeshua’s heart of thankfulness for the land and his lament as he perceived its destruction. Share in the vision of the Messianic Jewish luminaries who longed to see that hope restored in the State of Israel, the “beginning of the sprouting of our redemption.”</p>
<p>Since all of the observances related to Temple worship are not currently in effect, modern <em>Tu Bishvat</em> has observances similar to Arbor Day in which trees are planted in Israel, often in memory of a loved one. This year, we have a special goal. We want to send the funds to Israel to plant a sapling in the name of our unborn child we recently lost. Maybe you have a similar situation and would like to remember a loved one. The <a title="Plant a tree in Israel for a loved one" href="https://secure2.convio.net/jnf/site/Ecommerce?store_id=3181&amp;VIEW_DEFAULT=true&amp;FOLDER=&amp;TYPE=Tree%20Certificates&amp;NAME=&amp;JServSessionIdr004=avb48rz803.app224a" target="_blank">Jewish National Fund</a> is a great place to accomplish this.</p>
<h2>Tu Bishvat for 2011 is Thursday, January 20th</h2>
<p>If you&#8217;ve never experienced Tu Bishvat, this year can be your first. Don&#8217;t delay. <a title="Order from FFOZ" href="http://ffoz.com/index.php" target="_blank">Order these resources today</a> so that you will have them in time for your seder. Experience something unique and special with your family while making a difference in the world.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/04/14/moshiachs-seudah/" rel="bookmark" title="April 14, 2009">Moshiach&#8217;s Seudah</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/05/28/brief-note-on-session-1/" rel="bookmark" title="May 28, 2009">Brief note on Session 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/03/25/j-bom-jps-commentary-on-the-haggadah-pt-1/" rel="bookmark" title="March 25, 2010">J-BOM: JPS Commentary on the Haggadah, Pt. 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/04/18/new-archaeological-finds-in-temple-rubble/" rel="bookmark" title="April 18, 2005">New Archaeological Finds in Temple Rubble</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/05/28/shavuot-09-with-ffoz/" rel="bookmark" title="May 28, 2009">Shavuot &#8217;09 with FFOZ</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Gemara Thoughts by Jeremiah Michael</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/09/01/gemara-thoughts-by-jeremiah-michael/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/09/01/gemara-thoughts-by-jeremiah-michael/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:24:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gemara]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gemara Thoughts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jeremiah Michael]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Talmud]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1245</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I just wanted to officially welcome Jeremiah Michael (FFOZ staff &#38; son of Boaz Michael) to the Messianic blogosphere. He&#8217;s got his own blog now, called Gemara Thoughts. He&#8217;s got some great thoughts going, especially by way of defending traditional Jewish understanding of the Scriptures and comparing that the teachings of Yeshua and the Apostles. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I just wanted to officially welcome Jeremiah Michael (<a title="What? You don't know about FFOZ??? Where have you been?" href="http://www.ffoz.org" target="_blank">FFOZ</a> staff &amp; son of Boaz Michael) to the Messianic blogosphere. He&#8217;s got his own blog now, called <a title="visit Gemara Thoughts now" href="http://www.gemarathoughts.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gemara Thoughts</a>. He&#8217;s got some great thoughts going, especially by way of defending traditional Jewish understanding of the Scriptures and comparing that the teachings of Yeshua and the Apostles. Be sure to stop in and say hi when you can.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/05/15/welcome-boaz-michael/" rel="bookmark" title="May 15, 2006">Welcome Boaz Michael</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/04/13/ffoz/" rel="bookmark" title="April 13, 2005">FFOZ</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/03/book-review-meet-the-rabbis/" rel="bookmark" title="June 3, 2009">Book Review: Meet the Rabbis</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/02/26/messianic-remnants/" rel="bookmark" title="February 26, 2009">Messianic Remnants</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/06/30/ffoz-boaz-michael-speaking-locally/" rel="bookmark" title="June 30, 2005">FFOZ-Boaz Michael Speaking Locally</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Know Jesus Better</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/08/05/know-jesus-better/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/08/05/know-jesus-better/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:21:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[discipleship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jesus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Torah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Torah Club]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=1234</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Similar Posts: Re-discovering Jesus Combatting Jews For Jesus Taking the Jewish Jesus to Church Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 1 Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 2]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="480" height="385" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/piiM9r75z1A&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1?rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/piiM9r75z1A&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1?rel=0" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/04/06/re-discovering-jesus/" rel="bookmark" title="April 6, 2009">Re-discovering Jesus</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/07/16/combatting-jews-for-jesus/" rel="bookmark" title="July 16, 2006">Combatting Jews For Jesus</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/10/04/taking-the-jewish-jesus-to-church/" rel="bookmark" title="October 4, 2010">Taking the Jewish Jesus to Church</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/27/jesus-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls-part-1/" rel="bookmark" title="January 27, 2011">Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/30/jesus-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls-part-2/" rel="bookmark" title="January 30, 2011">Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Part 2</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Love and the Messianic Age Release</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/love-and-the-messianic-age-release/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/love-and-the-messianic-age-release/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:04:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Writings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daniel Lancaster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paul Phillip Levertoff]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=906</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One exciting thing about the conference was the re-release of Paul Philip Levertoff&#8217;s Love and the Messianic Age, a chasidic-orthodox insight into the message of the Gospel in relation to a chasidic frame of reference, drawing from some of the deepest of mystical texts within Judaism. It was released in hardback (a first for FFOZ) under [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/latma_fblock.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-907" style="margin-right: 10px;" title="latma_fblock" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/latma_fblock.jpg" alt="latma_fblock" width="315" height="260" /></a>One exciting thing about the conference was the re-release of Paul Philip Levertoff&#8217;s <em>Love and the Messianic Age</em>, a chasidic-orthodox insight into the message of the Gospel in relation to a chasidic frame of reference, drawing from some of the deepest of mystical texts within Judaism. It was released in hardback (a first for FFOZ) under a new publishing arm of FFOZ called Vine of David (which I will have to discuss at a later date). It is a small book, but packed with a lot of punch. Therefore, they simultaneously released a study guide (which is actually larger than the book) in which Daniel Lancaster and others break down concepts that appear within the text and try to guide the uninitiated reader into a working knowledge of the principles Levertoff uses to explain his discourse. Unless you are extremely familiar with rabbinic works (especially chasidic ones), I suggest you acquire the book and study guide as a set. Lord willing, I hope to publish a full review of the text in the days ahead.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/03/17/love-and-the-messianic-age-review/" rel="bookmark" title="March 17, 2010">Love and the Messianic Age Review</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/05/06/new-writings/" rel="bookmark" title="May 6, 2005">New Writings</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/04/13/random-thoughts/" rel="bookmark" title="April 13, 2005">Random Thoughts</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/08/16/torah-for-the-masses/" rel="bookmark" title="August 16, 2006">Torah for the Masses</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/final-session-shavuot-09/" rel="bookmark" title="June 2, 2009">Final Session, Shavuot &#8217;09</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Fruit of Humility</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/04/11/fruit-of-humility/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/04/11/fruit-of-humility/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2009 04:12:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Writings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paul]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yeshua]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Humility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mishlei]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proverbs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=882</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  This is a recent video from Toby Janicky of FFOZ. This is teaching #8 in a series called &#8220;Mishlei Musings.&#8221; (&#8220;Mishlei&#8221; is the Hebrew name for the book of Proverbs.) This episode is called &#8220;The Fruit of Humility.&#8221; It would have really helped me if I had watched this before we went into Passover, [...]]]></description>
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<p>This is a recent video from Toby Janicky of FFOZ. This is teaching #8 in a series called &#8220;Mishlei Musings.&#8221; (&#8220;Mishlei&#8221; is the Hebrew name for the book of Proverbs.) This episode is called &#8220;The Fruit of Humility.&#8221; It would have really helped me if I had watched this before we went into Passover, per <a title="Read this article" href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/04/10/chametz-everywhere/" target="_blank">my last post</a>.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/04/13/ffoz/" rel="bookmark" title="April 13, 2005">FFOZ</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2011/01/14/rabbi-joseph-telushkin-the-rebbes-example/" rel="bookmark" title="January 14, 2011">Rabbi Joseph Telushkin: The Rebbe&#8217;s Example</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/11/07/gracious-giver-of-wisdom/" rel="bookmark" title="November 7, 2007">Gracious Giver of Wisdom</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/10/01/is-barak-obama-behind-the-hebrew-of-luke-1018/" rel="bookmark" title="October 1, 2009">Is &#8220;Barak Obama&#8221; behind the Hebrew of Luke 10:18?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/01/02/peters-yarzheit/" rel="bookmark" title="January 2, 2007">Peter&#8217;s Yarzheit</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Yeshua &amp; The Rambam</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/03/02/520/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/03/02/520/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:11:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yeshua]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lichtenstein]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Messiah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rambam]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=520</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Recently, Daniel Lancaster posted a great article on how the rejection of Yeshua/Jesus in large by the Jewish community can be compared in some ways to the same rejection Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, 12th century Spain, known for his monumental codification of Jewish Law, and 13 Foundational Principles of the Jewish Faith) written by Rabbi [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_521" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 259px"><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/rambam_n.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-521" title="rambam_n" src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/rambam_n-249x300.jpg" alt="Rambam/Maimonides" width="249" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Rambam/Maimonides</p></div>
<p>Recently, Daniel Lancaster posted a great article on how the rejection of Yeshua/Jesus in large by the Jewish community can be compared in some ways to the same rejection Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, 12th century Spain, known for his monumental codification of Jewish Law, and 13 Foundational Principles of the Jewish Faith) written by Rabbi Isaac Lichtenstein. It&#8217;s too good not to share. You can read up on it here: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/c6yafm">http://tinyurl.com/c6yafm</a><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/07/20/franz-delitzsch-tisha-bav/" rel="bookmark" title="July 20, 2010">Franz Delitzsch &#038; Tisha B&#8217;Av</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/01/29/messiah-proclaimed-by-rabbi-of-blessed-memory/" rel="bookmark" title="January 29, 2006">Messiah Proclaimed by Rabbi of Blessed Memory</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/08/28/messiah-son-of-joseph-tablet-follow-up/" rel="bookmark" title="August 28, 2008">Messiah son of Joseph Tablet Follow-up</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/03/book-review-meet-the-rabbis/" rel="bookmark" title="June 3, 2009">Book Review: Meet the Rabbis</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/06/17/i-believe%e2%80%a6/" rel="bookmark" title="June 17, 2008">I Believe…</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Messianic Remnants</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/02/26/messianic-remnants/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/02/26/messianic-remnants/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:45:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Writings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Judaism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Midrash]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Talmud]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Torah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ Back Office]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jewish Believers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Levertoff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lichtenstein]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Messianic Writings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paul Phillip Levertoff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Remnant Series]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/?p=461</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you don&#8217;t know about FFOZ&#8217;s project to restore the writings of past Messianic leaders from bygone days, it would be worth your while to check it out. FFOZ is undertaking a monumental task of 1) finding, 2) translating, 3) republishing, and in some cases 4) adding additional commentary to the works of these incredible [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you don&#8217;t know about FFOZ&#8217;s project to restore the writings of past Messianic leaders from bygone days, it would be worth your while to check it out. FFOZ is undertaking a monumental task of 1) finding, 2) translating, 3) republishing, and in some cases 4) adding additional commentary to the works of these incredible heros of our movement. If you want to hear it from the horse&#8217;s mouth (no offense, Boaz), here is part 1 and part 2 of their Back Office video giving all of the details of this endeavor:</p>
<h3>FFOZ Back Office &#8211; Lost Luminaries of Messianic Judaism Part1</h3>
<p> <object width="425" height="344" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/9vVU-vQqtgs&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9vVU-vQqtgs&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object></p>
<h3>FFOZ Back Office &#8211; Lost Luminaries of Messianic Judaism Part2</h3>
<p><object width="425" height="350" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/6jQaIV7Za-o" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6jQaIV7Za-o" /></object><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/04/13/ffoz/" rel="bookmark" title="April 13, 2005">FFOZ</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/17/daniels-messianic-midrash-on-numbers-421-23/" rel="bookmark" title="May 17, 2010">Daniel&#8217;s Messianic Midrash on Numbers 4:21-23</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/09/03/probar-winner/" rel="bookmark" title="September 3, 2006">PROBAR Winner</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/06/30/ffoz-boaz-michael-speaking-locally/" rel="bookmark" title="June 30, 2005">FFOZ-Boaz Michael Speaking Locally</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2009/06/02/love-and-the-messianic-age-release/" rel="bookmark" title="June 2, 2009">Love and the Messianic Age Release</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Parashah Resource</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/10/30/parashah-resource/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/10/30/parashah-resource/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:26:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parashah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Torah]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diggingwithdarren.com/blog/?p=289</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[FFOZ&#8217;s new online resource&#8212;TorahPortions.org&#8212;is now live. It is going to be a really great resource for weekly Bible study. At a glance, you can see the weekly reading from the Torah, the Prophets and the Gospels, as well as: A topical outline for the current readings A summary of the weekly Torah reading Messianic commentary [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>FFOZ&#8217;s new online resource&#8212;<a href="http://www.TorahPortions.org" target="_blank" title="TorahPortions.org">TorahPortions.org</a>&#8212;is now live. It is going to be a really great resource for weekly Bible study.</p>
<p>At a glance, you can see the weekly reading from the Torah, the Prophets and the Gospels, as well as:</p>
<ul>
<li>A topical outline for the current readings</li>
<li>A summary of the weekly Torah reading</li>
<li>Messianic commentary with insights on the weekly reading</li>
<li>A preview of next week&#8217;s reading</li>
<li>Any specific weekly reading throughout the year</li>
<li>Downloadables &amp; resources with more to come</li>
</ul>
<p>Be sure to check it out and pass it along to anyone who you think would appreciate it. We really want to get the word out on this valuable online tool.</p>
<p><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/04/24/study-resources/" rel="bookmark" title="April 24, 2007">Study Resources</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/01/20/shemot/" rel="bookmark" title="January 20, 2006">Shemot</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/04/28/pirkei-avot-text-2/" rel="bookmark" title="April 28, 2008">Pirkei Avot Text</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/17/daniels-messianic-midrash-on-numbers-421-23/" rel="bookmark" title="May 17, 2010">Daniel&#8217;s Messianic Midrash on Numbers 4:21-23</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/03/17/love-and-the-messianic-age-review/" rel="bookmark" title="March 17, 2010">Love and the Messianic Age Review</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Shabbat Shalom Conference &#8217;08</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/06/11/shabbat-shalom-conference-08/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/06/11/shabbat-shalom-conference-08/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:41:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prayer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shavuot]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diggingwithdarren.com/blog/?p=272</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yesterday brought to an end First Fruits of Zion&#8217;s Shabbat Shalom Shavuot Conference in Hudson, Wisconsin. Today, we are driving back towards Arkansas pondering the events, teachings and new relationships with which we are bringing back with us. Thinking back over the events of the conference, probably the most significant factor of the conference for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Yesterday brought to an end First Fruits of Zion&#8217;s Shabbat Shalom Shavuot Conference in Hudson, Wisconsin. Today, we are driving back towards Arkansas pondering the events, teachings and new relationships with which we are bringing back with us. Thinking back over the events of the conference, probably the most significant factor of the conference for our family was being a part of the Beth Immanuel community. Shabbat was exceptionally nice, with the ability to have several homes a park and a playground within walking distance from the shul. During the conference we were able to spend time at the homes of Justin Johnson and his family, as well as Brian Tebbitt and his family. It was hard to leave these good friends. In regard to other aspects of the Beth Immanuel community, it was both very encouraging and very depressing to see how advanced their community has become. It was encouraging to see what Hashem is doing, but yet disheartening at the same time to realize the wide chasm between where we are as a community in relationship to Beth Immanuel and the long journey that was still ahead of us.</p>
<p>The theme of conference this year was &#8220;Shabbat Shalom.&#8221; And although there were lectures on the topic of Shabbat, from my point of view it could have just as easily been called the &#8220;Pray In The Spirit Extended Remix&#8221; conference. It seemed the primary focus of the conference was prayer and the introduction of the highly anticipated siddur project. And for all those who are anxiously awaiting the new siddur, here&#8217;s the scoop: </p>
<p>We were hoping to bring back the Shabbat siddur, but it is still incomplete. In defense of First Fruits, the main reason this has not been completed is because of their deep understanding of their responsibility of creating a resource such as this with excellence. (They compared it to trying to edit Shakespeare without it being obvious &#8211; a great analogy. I will explain more about this later.) We were, however, able to experience the first fruits of their labor in draft form in our day to day services during the conference. I plan on sharing more on this later, but need to cover my bases as to what is &#8220;shareable&#8221; or not. Keep your eyes peeled for more info on this in the next few days&#8230;<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/16/shavuot-conference-at-beth-immanuel/" rel="bookmark" title="May 16, 2010">Shavuot Conference at Beth Immanuel</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/21/goodbye-hudson/" rel="bookmark" title="May 21, 2010">Goodbye Hudson</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/05/16/evangelism-from-a-torah-perspective/" rel="bookmark" title="May 16, 2010">Evangelism from a Torah Perspective</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/08/14/ffoz-seminar-the-commandment-to-bless/" rel="bookmark" title="August 14, 2008">FFOZ Seminar &#8211; The Commandment to Bless</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/04/30/pirkei-avot-text-updates/" rel="bookmark" title="April 30, 2007">Pirkei Avot text updates</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>To Whom Shall We Go?</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/07/22/to-whom-shall-we-go/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/07/22/to-whom-shall-we-go/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:12:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Midrash]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apostolic Writings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heresy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Judaism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paul]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yeshua]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diggingwithdarren.com/blog/?p=218</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Better late than never&#8230; Here are my notes from the &#8220;To Whom Shall We Go?&#8221; seminar last month. I hope they come in handy for someone. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about trying to decipher them. Right-click (pc) or Control-click (mac!) to download: To Whom Shall We Go? notes Similar [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Better late than never&#8230; Here are my notes from the &#8220;To Whom Shall We Go?&#8221; seminar last month. I hope they come in handy for someone. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about trying to decipher them.</p>
<p><small>Right-click (pc) or Control-click (mac!) to download:</small></p>
<div class="downloads"><a id="p217" href="http://diggingwithdarren.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/twswg_notes.pdf">To Whom Shall We Go? notes</a></div>
<p><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/04/11/basic-haggadah-for-pesach/" rel="bookmark" title="April 11, 2008">Basic Haggadah for Pesach</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/12/25/discipleship-part-3/" rel="bookmark" title="December 25, 2007">Discipleship, Part 3</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/05/04/letter-vs-spirit/" rel="bookmark" title="May 4, 2008">Letter vs. Spirit</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/11/16/discipleship-part-2/" rel="bookmark" title="November 16, 2007">Discipleship, Part 2</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2008/02/13/choshen-for-the-kids/" rel="bookmark" title="February 13, 2008">Choshen for the Kids</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>Strengthening the Prodigal</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/07/04/strengthening-the-prodigal/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2007/07/04/strengthening-the-prodigal/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jul 2007 12:34:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yeshua]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diggingwithdarren.com/blog/?p=205</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. (Proverbs 9:8) This week my family returned from Texas, where we attended FFOZ&#8217;s timely &#8220;To Whom Shall We Go?&#8221; conference in the Dallas area. I don&#8217;t have time to go into any details regarding the conference, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p>Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. (Proverbs 9:8)</p></blockquote>
<p>This week my family returned from Texas, where we attended FFOZ&#8217;s timely <em>&#8220;To Whom Shall We Go?&#8221;</em> conference in the Dallas area. I don&#8217;t have time to go into any details regarding the conference, but let&#8217;s just say that this conference should be mandatory for everyone in the Torah movement. It would keep the vast majority of &#8220;walkers&#8221; from &#8220;jumping ship&#8221; in regard to Messiah. </p>
<p>Prior to the conference, my personal assessment of those who have left Messiah to pursue mainline Judaism was that they were leaving out of either one of two reasons (or both). It was due to ignorance and/or arrogance. This conference confirmed my thoughts on this subject. <span id="more-205"></span></p>
<p>Please don&#8217;t misunderstand me. I&#8217;m not saying these people were unintelligent. In fact a good number of these people are highly intelligent. However, there is a great difference in being informed, uninformed (being &#8220;ignorant&#8221; does not equate to being &#8220;dumb&#8221;), or misinformed on a subject. In regard to Messiah in relationship to greater Judaism, most people who come into the Torah movement go straight from being uninformed (in the church) to being misinformed (via their limited contact with Judaism, especially from the non-orthodox varieties). We totally bypass the informed stage, which will preserve our faith in our Righteous Mashiach, Yeshua HaNotzri, HaTzeddik.</p>
<p>FFOZ did a great job at presenting the facts surrounding the primary polemics of the genuinely troubling Messiah issues, squeezing in as much information as possible their limited time.</p>
<p>The one thing I&#8217;m reminded of is that we cannot change people&#8217;s minds. Only they and the <em>ruach</em> can do that. However, we can lovingly present the facts and allow them to decide what they would do with it. Arguing will never change the course of anyone, and most of the time it even strengthens it, as Scripture tells us:<br />
<blockquote> וַאֲנִי אֲחַזֵּ אֶת לִבּוֹ, <br /><em>v&#8217;ani achazek et livo</em><br />&#8220;And I will strengthen his heart&#8221; (Exodus 4:21, et al.).</p></blockquote>
<p>Hashem says of Pharaoh, &#8220;I will strengthen his heart.&#8221; This is much different than the classical interpretation of Christendom, which claims that Hashem &#8220;hardened&#8221; Pharaoh&#8217;s heart. The Hebrew behind this phrase tells the whole story. The word for &#8220;strengthened&#8221; is a form of the same words we shout upon the conclusion of reading a book of the Torah, &#8220;Chazak! Chazak! V&#8217;neitchazeik!&#8221; &#8220;Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!&#8221; It&#8217;s not that Hashem turned the heart of Pharaoh from its natural path. He only strengthened Pharaoh&#8217;s choices, as the Gemara teaches us, <em>&#8220;In the path that one chooses to take, he is led&#8221;</em> (Makkos 10b).</p>
<p>It&#8217;s human nature to want to blame shift. Either &#8220;G-d made me do it,&#8221; or &#8220;the devil made me do it.&#8221; However, this is not what Scripture teaches us. Therefore, let us return our gaze upon our Righteous Messiah, as the author of Hebrews admonishes us:<br />
<blockquote>&#8220;Let us fix our eyes on Yeshua, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of G-d. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.&#8221; <br />(Hebrews 12:2-3)</p></blockquote>
<p>L-rd willing, I will continue on this subject in the near future.</p>
<p>May the merits of the Righteous King be for us our shield and salvation.<br />
Chazak! Chazak! V&#8217;neitchazeik!</p>
<p><small>ps. I have very sketchy notes (with several holes) from the conference I hope to post soon for anyone interested (10+ pages typed). Please pray I am able to flesh these out a bit soon.</small><strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
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<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/07/27/dear-levy/" rel="bookmark" title="July 27, 2006">Dear Levy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2005/05/08/jerusalem-conference-05/" rel="bookmark" title="May 8, 2005">Jerusalem Conference 05</a></li>
</ul>
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		<title>PROBAR Winner</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/09/03/probar-winner/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/09/03/probar-winner/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 03 Sep 2006 15:49:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diggingwithdarren.com/blog/?p=120</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I just found out that Boaz Michael was the recipient of the July PROBAR Road Trip Contest with his testimonial of the PROBAR being instrumental in his incredible weight loss over the last year. Upon seeing this photo, my oldest son—age 5—who has met Boaz on multiple occasions, asked &#8220;Who is that man with Mr. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/boazhagadolandhakatan.png" alt="Boaz Michael-Before and After" /><br />
I just found out that Boaz Michael was the recipient of the July <a title="The PROBAR Road Trip website" href="http://www.probar-roadtrip.com/" target="_blank">PROBAR Road Trip</a> Contest with his testimonial of the PROBAR being instrumental in his incredible weight loss over the last year.</p>
<p>Upon seeing this photo, my oldest son—age 5—who has met Boaz on multiple occasions, asked &#8220;Who is that man with Mr. Boaz?&#8221; My wife and I nearly fell over. When we quit laughing he said, &#8220;I want some of that!&#8221; Congratulations, Boaz!<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
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<li><a href="http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2010/09/01/gemara-thoughts-by-jeremiah-michael/" rel="bookmark" title="September 1, 2010">Gemara Thoughts by Jeremiah Michael</a></li>
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		<title>Prayer: Praise &#124; Pruning &#124; Power</title>
		<link>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/05/30/prayer-praise-pruning-power/</link>
		<comments>http://www.diggingwithdarren.com/blog/2006/05/30/prayer-praise-pruning-power/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 May 2006 16:47:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Darren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[FFOZ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prayer]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diggingwithdarren.com/blog/?p=72</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” —Mark 1:35, NIV— “If you want to see change, it starts with prayer. It’s the most powerful tool we have.” 1 —Boaz Michael— Many have spoken and taught on the subject. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p>“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” —Mark 1:35, NIV—</p>
<p>“If you want to see change, it starts with prayer. It’s the most powerful tool we have.” <sup>1</sup> —Boaz Michael—</p></blockquote>
<p>Many have spoken and taught on the subject. Few truly understand or practice it. We must not only be People of The Book, but we must be People of Prayer. But how do we become this? This is a brief attempt to explore the topic of prayer, and encourage one another to become a People of Prayer.</p>
<h3>Why Pray?</h3>
<div>“Birth is G-d saying you matter.” —The Rebbe<sup>2</sup></div>
<p>You have been designed to pray. You were created with the capacity to pray. Only you can bring forth the praises of Adonai. Only you can commune with the Creator of Heaven &#038; Earth. Although nature has the capacity to praise the Creator perfectly, the perfect praise of nature does not compare to the imperfect praise of man. Here are some very basic reasons to pray regularly:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Obligation</strong>—We were created to praise the Almighty. Prayer should be 95% praise, 5% petition.</p>
<li><strong>Discipline</strong>—Prayer is a discipline that will bear forth much fruit over time.
<li><strong>Transformation</strong>—Through prayer we are transformed by renewing our minds.
<li><strong>Community</strong>—Through common prayer we join our hearts and our voices with others, including those who have gone before us: the prophets, The Master, the disciples, etc.
<li><strong>Prayer makes a difference</strong>—It may be the only difference you make in another person’s life, especially those who will not hear the message of Torah from you.</ul>
<h4>THE PURPOSE OF MAN: To change the world.</h4>
<div>And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all of one mind together. (Acts 2:1)<sup>3</sup></div>
<p>The talmidim were gathered together on Shavuot and of the same mind. They were together for a common purpose, and most likely common prayer &#038; praise. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were praying the Amidah or the Shema or one of the Psalms when the Ruach began to be poured upon each one of them. They were not renegades, but part of a body of believers that not only had common creeds, but common deeds. In this particular passage, we see the believing community gathered together for common prayer &#038; celebration. It was during this time, the Almighty chose to meet them in a powerful way.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;We are called to single-handedly change the world—<br />
and the only way we can do it is with other people.&#8221;<br />
—Me</p></blockquote>
<p>In the days of the judges, chaos reigned supreme. The most popular phrase I see in the book of Judges is that “each man did what was right in his own eyes.” What does this mean? It means that the Torah of Adonai had been forgotten already since the days of Joshua. Scripture says “After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers [the generation that had come out of the wilderness], another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for Israel.”<sup>4</sup> They had forgotten their Deliverer and His ways. There was not a standard by which life was governed. But not only that, there was division in how service to the Almighty was directed. They each were determining how to live life according to their own understanding. There was no communal unity other than in times of war. </p>
<p>Often prayer is thought to be a private thing, but this is only one aspect of prayer. Since ancient times, prayer has been communal, as well as private. It has been something to share as a community—a means by which a corporate voice could be lifted to the Almighty. In fact, in the Jewish understanding of prayer it is said that a prayer “not offered in the plural” is no prayer at all. This way of thinking has been crucial to the survival of the Jewish communities throughout the ages, especially during times of persecution. It has given the Jewish community a sense of solidarity in the most troubling times. It reminds one that he is not alone in life, that the cup of his lot is to be shared—the joys are multiplied, and the sorrows are divided. </p>
<p>In order to change the world, we must be in joined together for the purposes of Adonai. Communal prayer is a major key in this. When we have a true sense of community, rather than isolation—especially in our communication with the Almighty—we have a type of synergy unlike any other. In the times of the judges, the people had no common voice in addressing the Almighty. In the days of the disciples, they did.</p>
<h3>How to Pray</h3>
<div>Rabbi Shimon would say: Be meticulous with the reading of the Shema and with prayer. When you pray, do not make your prayers routine, but [an entreatment of] mercy and a supplication before the Almighty, as is stated &#8220;For He is benevolent and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, and relenting of the evil decree.&#8221; —Pirkei Avot 2:13</div>
<p>Two most important things to remember about prayer: </p>
<ol>
<li>START<br />
“It may be tempting to change your life all at once, but slow, steady progress is always more effective than a ‘crash course’… Remember, even the longest journey can only be completed one step at a time.” <sup>5</sup></p>
<li>STOP<br />
“Should circumstances make it necessary for a person to choose between saying more prayers without kavanah and saying fewer prayers with kavanah, the fewer are clearly preferred…Says the Talmud: ‘The Holy One, blessed be He, desires the heart’ (Sanhedrin 106b).”<sup>6</sup></ol>
<h3>Knowing vs. Doing</h3>
<p>Contrary to popular belief, the core difference between Christianity and Judaism is not Messiah. It is knowing verses doing. Christianity places the emphasis on the gnosis of messianic fulfillment, while Judaism places the emphasis on the application of messianic fulfillment.</p>
<p>Something Boaz Michael emphasized several times during his teaching on prayer is that majority of those within the Torah movement are a prayerless people. We do not have a consistent and active prayer life. We are more concerned with the trivia of the mitzvot than the performance of them. We would rather read a book on prayer, rather than pray.</p>
<p>We are a people of much knowledge, but little wisdom. What do I mean by this? How do we make a distinction difference between knowledge and wisdom? We can get into a huge discussion of the differences, going back to the original Hebrew, etc. but this is not my point. My point is practical and observable. To me, the core difference between knowledge and wisdom is application. Let me briefly elaborate. Was not Solomon the wisest man in all the earth? But was his decision to marry pagan women wise? The answer is obvious. This leads us to a profound question. Why did the wisest man on earth make such an unwise decision? Answer: Wisdom is the application of knowledge. Foolishness is the refusal to apply knowledge. And this is where the unspoken words of Boaz this weekend were deafening. Though he had a message of a disciplined prayer life, seeing his application of his knowledge of a disciplined prayer life this weekend spoke much louder than his words. It was incredibly inspiring, and challenged me to get on the boat in regard to not only prayer, but many others of structuring my life. Just seeing his siddur literally fall apart in his hands told me a story without any words at all from Boaz. </p>
<p>Inspiration can go a long way if we cultivate it. We can inspire one another to excel along the path of our spiritual marathon.</p>
<h3>Know Before Whom You Stand</h3>
<div>“Inasmuch as we also relate to God as the King of Kings, the Sovereign of the universe, no less courtesy should be shown to Him than to mortal kings.”<sup>7</sup></div>
<p>Too many times we are far too casual in our prayers to the Almighty. We speak to him flippantly and arrogantly, rather than remembering that we are speaking to the King of Kings and the Creator of the Universe. We should come before the Almighty in an attitude of reverence, no less that that of a mortal king, as our quote suggests.</p>
<h3>Pesukei D’zimrah</h3>
<p>The Pesukei D’zimrah (Verses of Song) is the section of praises in the siddur that immediately precedes the Shema and Amidah in the morning prayers.</p>
<p>Pesukei D’zimrah (פְּסוּקֵי דְזִמְרָה) literally means “Verses of Song”. However, the Αrtscroll  siddur points out that many have related the word דְזִמְרָה to תִזְמֹר, which means “prune.” This section of the morning prayers, therefore, is viewed as “Verses of Pruning” whereby we “cut away” all of the distractions that would not allow us to enter into prayer with the proper kavannah. It strips us of ourself by magnifying the Holy One, and prepares us to take on the kingship of the Almighty in the subsequent prayers.</p>
<p>Why did Adonai lead B’nei Israel around the the midbar for forty years, when He had already removed them from Egypt? He had to remove Egypt from them.</p>
<blockquote><p>“One who is so pressed for time that he finds it necessary to rush through the Pesukei d’Zimra should weigh the following advice from the Talmud: ‘A man’s words before the Holy One, blessed be He, should always be few’ (Berakhot 61a). It is better to say less and to say it wholeheartedly.”<sup>8</sup></p></blockquote>
<p>The praise of the Almighty is serious business, and it puts us in the proper perspective, it prunes us, and it will eventually bear much fruit in our lives.</p>
<p>Bridges for Peace has a great downloadable article (PDF format) on pruning that I recommend reading here: <a href="http://www.bridgesforpeace.com/pics/TLUS0406color.pdf" title="Download the PDF article now">Bearing Fruit in God&#8217;s Kingdom</a>.</p>
<p>Prayer is the key to self-discipline and communication with the Almighty. It’s not about me. It’s about Him. It’s about reducing me, and increasing Him. John made this statement about Yeshua: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). This was the essence of his prayer, and should be the essence of ours.</p>
<h3>When To Pray</h3>
<div>Hillel said, “Do not say ‘When I free myself of my concerns, I will study,’ for perhaps you will never free yourself.” —Pirkei Avot 2:4.</div>
<p>We have all found this principle to be true in our studies, and have grown frustrated with those who will not take the time to study. Now we must turn our attentions to the area of prayer. We cannot afford to use the excuse of lack of time. We are all allotted the same twenty-four hours in a day as anyone else, and must choose to use this time to our advantage.</p>
<p>Each moment is like a dollar in our hands—we choose how to spend each and every one. We can spend it wisely or foolishly. We can invest each of our moments, or spend them selfishly.<br />
“The world says time is money, I say that time is life.” —The Rebbe<sup>9</sup></p>
<h3>The Time of Prayer</h3>
<p>We have examples from Scripture that there are certain “favorable” times through which the Almighty chose to interact with man.</p>
<p><strong>In the morning:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Psalm 5:3 (Praise early in the morning)</p>
<li>Acts 2:1-4, 15 (praying at the 3rd hour)
<li>Mark 1:35 (Yeshua praying early)
<li>Mark 15:25-37 (Yeshua on the cross)</ul>
<p><strong>In the afternoon:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Acts 3:1 (Peter &#038; John)</p>
<li>Acts 10:1-3 (Cornelius)
<li>Acts 10:9 (Peter)</ul>
<p>These may not be “specific” times, but we know that the day is divided into morning &#038; afternoon. Why not praise the Almighty at each division of our day?</p>
<h3>How Do I Start?</h3>
<p>If you don’t know where to start, or how to start, and you don’t have much time to begin with, Psalm 145<sup>10</sup> is a great place to begin.</p>
<p>א  1 I will extol You, my God, O King;  And I will bless Your name forever and ever.<br />
ב  2 Every day I will bless You,  And I will praise Your name forever and ever.<br />
ג  3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;  And His greatness is unsearchable.<br />
ד  4 One generation shall praise Your works to another,  And shall declare Your mighty acts.<br />
ה  5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,  And on Your wondrous works.<br />
ו  6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,  And I will declare Your greatness.<br />
ז  7 They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,  And shall sing of Your righteousness.<br />
ח  8 The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,  Slow to anger and great in mercy.<br />
ט  9 The LORD is good to all,  And His tender mercies are over all His works.<br />
י  10 All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,  And Your saints shall bless You.<br />
כ  11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,  And talk of Your power,<br />
ל  12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,  And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.<br />
מ  13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,  And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.<br />
ס  14 The LORD upholds all who fall,  And raises up all who are bowed down.<br />
ע  15 The eyes of all look expectantly to You,  And You give them their food in due season.<br />
פ  16 You open Your hand  And satisfy the desire of every living thing.<br />
צ  17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways,  Gracious in all His works.<br />
ק  18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,  To all who call upon Him in truth.<br />
ר  19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;  He also will hear their cry and save them.<br />
ש  20 The LORD preserves all who love Him,  But all the wicked He will destroy.<br />
ת  21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,  And all flesh shall bless His holy name  Forever and ever.</p>
<p>This one Psalm brings out multiple aspects of praise that require our attention. Following is a partial list:</p>
<ul>
<li>God’s Kingship</p>
<li>Our praise is joined with creation itself
<li>Our praised is joined with those of other generations
<li>A reminder to speak of the glory of the Almighty
<li>God’s attributes of mercy
<li>God’s ability to restore &#038; revive
<li>The closeness of the Almighty
<li>The protection of the Almighty</ul>
<hr align="left" width="150" size="1" noshade>
<h5>Footnotes</h5>
<p>1 Verbal quote from Boaz Michael at the “Knocking on Heaven’s Gates” seminar, May 21, 2006.<br />
2 Jacobson, Simon. <em>Toward A Meaningful Life</em>: The Wisdom of the Rebbe (a collection of teachings by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson), Copyright ©1995, p14.<br />
3 This is a near literal reading of the Majority Text Greek, which uses the word <em>ομοθυμαδου</em> (of one mind) rather than <em>ομου</em> (together) of the NU.<br />
4 Judges 2:10, NIV<br />
5 Jacobson, p149.<br />
6 Donin, Hayim. <em>To Pray As A Jew</em>, ©1980, p20.<br />
7 Donim, p71.<br />
8 Donin, p169.<br />
9 Jacobson, p143.<br />
10 In this listing of the Aleph-bet, the letter נ (nun) is curiously missing.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong>
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