Apr 24, 2007
Posted on Apr 24, 2007 in Miscellaneous, Parashah, Torah | 0 comments
It’s been a while since I’ve really had a chance to write due to keeping up with my business, my family and my studies. So… with that in mind, I thought I would make sure you know of a few (fairly) new study resources available to you that you might not have been aware of previously. Here they are:
Daily Dose of Torah
If you haven’t heard of Artscroll’s newest multi-volume work, you need to head over to Artscroll and check out their Daily Dose of Torah series. It’s a 14-volume set of books for daily Torah study. You can subscribe to receive each volume as it’s released (for the volumes that are yet unreleased) and receive them just ahead of the Torah reading schedule. Each book covers four weeks of study (four parashot) and includes the following each day:
- Torah thought for the Day
- Mishnah of the Day
- Gems from the Gemara
- Mussar Thought for the Day
- Halachah of the Day
- A Closer Look at the Siddur
- Question of the Day
- A Taste of Lomdus (once a week)
If you would like to check out a sample of A Daily Dose of Torah, you can download an entire week’s worth of (parashat Acharei-Mot) from this link. You don’t want to miss getting this particular week’s lesson, due to the correlation between the commentary included in the Torah Thought for the Day and the meaning of the death of our Messiah.
eRosh
FFOZ has just launched a new electronic publication, called eRosh. It will be a monthly email including activities and teachings geared toward bringing the family together in their study and application of Torah. It will include a monthly calendar of the events pertaining to the particular month, along with activities for children of all ages. The description states:
Young children will love to color with Isaiah the prophet and help him find the new moon! Older kids can become a Disciple Detective, while teens can focus on the practical life lessons found in Scripture with the new study, Pirkei Avinu (Sayings of our Father).
More on FFOZ’s eRosh can be found on the FFOZ blog. Be sure to sign up for this free resource on the FFOZ website.
Jan 19, 2007
Posted on Jan 19, 2007 in 5 Minute Torah, Miscellaneous | 0 comments
Va’eira (“And I Appeared”)
Shemot / Exodus 6:1-9:35
G-d spoke to Moshe and said to him, “I am Hashem (יהוה). I appeared (וארא)” to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El Shaddai, but with my Name Hashem (יהוה) I did not make Myself known to them. (Exodus 6:1)
This week’s parasha is the central passage around which the Pesach (Passover) revolves. It contains the Four (or five, depending on how you read it) Expressions of Redemption:
- I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt (Exodus 6:6a)
- I shall rescue you from their service (Exodus 6:6b)
- I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments (Exodus 6:6c)
- I shall take you to Me for a people and I shall be a G-d to you. (Exodus 6:7)
And as a reminder, these four expressions correspond to the four cups of wine of the Passover:
- Cup of Sanctification
- Cup of Judgement
- Cup of Redemption
- Cup of Praise/Cup of The Kingdom
The interesting thing about this week’s parasha, however, is the apparent contradiction of our opening passage with previous passages. Our passage states matter-of-factly, that Hashem has never revealed His Name (יהוה/YHVH) to anyone until this event. Breisheet (Genesis), however, says differently. Not only is His Name used repeatedly, beginning with the second chapter of Breisheet (Genesis 2:4), Abraham specifically calls on Hashem by Name:
…and he (Abraham) built there an altar to Hashem (יהוה) and invoked Hashem (יהוה) by Name. (Exodus 12:8)
The Hebrew is explicit. It states:
וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָֽה
Literally, “And he called on The Name of Hashem (יהוה).” So, how can our text make the claim that “with my Name Hashem (יהוה) I did not make Myself known to them (the Patriarchs)”? How can Hashem say He has not revealed His name to the patriarchs, when the text seems to say otherwise? This is where we have to understand Hebrew thought.
In a nutshell, here is the situation. Scripture tells us that Hashem reveals Himself to those who seek Him. He is a stumbling block to some and a foundation stone to others. His words have to be studied and understood, because His Word(s) separate even the bone from the marrow. In cases such as these, they separate the seeker from the scorner.
Previously Hashem had only revealed Himself to the Patriarchs as El Shaddai. Why? Because He was their provision. El Shaddai, basically means “G-d of Sustenance/Provision.” He had proven His faithful provision to them many times, even to the extreme example of giving Isaac to Abraham on two occasions (remember the Akeidah/binding of Isaac?). However, He had also made covenants and promises to the Patriarchs which were still unfulfilled. Therefore, as Adonai (יהוה), the faithful, covenant-keeping Judge (also in the sense of “Redeemer/Deliverer”) He was finally able to reveal Himself during the time of Moshe. After hundreds of years, the Children of Israel were able to see the revelation of Adonai as the covenant-keeping, faithful Judge they knew Him to be. They were finally able to partake in the promises made to their ancestors hundreds of years prior.
May we never forget that we serve a living G-d, who has revealed Himself to us as both El Shaddai and Adonai (יהוה). We have nothing to lack, and no reason to not know the greatness of our Living and Eternal King.
Jan 5, 2007
Posted on Jan 5, 2007 in Miscellaneous | 0 comments
For those who have been out of the loop for a while, both Brian Tebbitt and Justin Johnson have new blog addresses.
Brian Tebbitt has a new blog entitled Rabbi Yeshua’s Wisdom. The description for his blog is as follows: “This is a place for students of the holy Rebbe, Rabbenu Yeshua of Natzeret (may he live forever) to study and find understanding, wisdom, and direction in his teachings.” A major shift on the new blog is that discussion is very limited in order to avoid the problems that arose with his Gentile for Judaism site.
Justin Johnson’s blog site is Emails from a Skeptic. It’s a repository for his dialogue between himself and a friend regarding the claims of the Torah movement. He covers some great material that you might find helpful in explaining your own faith.
Sep 20, 2006
Posted on Sep 20, 2006 in Miscellaneous, Personal | 0 comments
Sad news today. Justin Johnson has decided to take his blog down due to lack of time to keep it updated. Justin had some great insights and wisdom in a lot of different areas. However, I know he is not just hiding out. He’s stepping up to the plate in many areas, including his commitments as a husband, a father, and community leader for Ateret Yeshua, not to mention being a bandmate of Arba Minim. Be sure to keep him in your prayers.
Hats off to ya, Justin. May Hashem continue to guide your footsteps in all to which you put your hands. Keep us posted.
Sep 19, 2006
Posted on Sep 19, 2006 in Dietary, Miscellaneous | 2 comments
For a while now, my wife and I have been trying to figure out why it was so hard to find kosher certified cheese. There are a lot of food products in normal grocery stores that have been certified kosher by a rabbnic authority. All you have to do is look for the seal of a rabbinc authority on the packaging. Cheese, however, is a different matter.
We had talked to several people to ask why this was the case and received a very wide range of answers, ranging from lard being used as a thickening agent to the rennet coming from swine. I recently came across a website from a rabbinic kosher authority with clear information as to why certain cheeses are not certified kosher, clarifying a lot of the myths behind cheese production. You can find the article on the Star-K website, and information on rennet in general on Wikipedia.
