by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 21, 2022 | Jeremiah, Repentance, Revelation and Prophecy, Temple
What do you like to hear first, the good news or the bad news? Jeremiah is known as the prophet of destruction and rebuke. Indeed, he was given the unenviable task of warning the Jews of the impending destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. But were all of his...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 12, 2022 | God, Holiness, Micah, Revelation and Prophecy
“See that big guy over there? Aren’t you glad I saved you from him?” “What are you talking about? He never touched me.” “Yeah, but what he wanted to do to you was really awful.” “You mean he wanted to beat me up?” “No. What he wanted to do was much worse than even...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 8, 2022 | Antisemitism, Israel, Judges, Leadership
Social media has taken all our human foibles and faults, amplifying them to show how silly people can be. Even when faced with facts and the undeniable truth, some people will double down and insist that they are in the right. There is no more hotly debated subject...
by Eliyahu Berkowitz | f 23, 2022 | God, Isaiah, Israel, Messiah, Redemption, Temple
Many people believe that Judaism is not ‘Messianic’, and that observant Jews are only concerned about performing commandments. But one of the commandments, as enumerated by Maimonides, is to anticipate that the Messiah will arrive at any moment. Dr. Pinchas Polonsky,...
by Eliyahu Berkowitz | f 9, 2022 | Hebrew Language, Israel, Judges, Messiah, Naso, Redemption, Revelation and Prophecy
It is not common for someone to take a Nazirite vow in modern times. The most notable exception was Rabbi David Cohen who, like Samson, became a Nazirite for life. And both of these Nazirites have a role in redemption. Every week, the reading of the Torah portion in...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 3, 2022 | Amos, Holiness, Naso, Purity, Temple
The Book of Numbers describes the vow of the Nazir (Nazirite). The Nazir is not allowed to drink wine, cut his hair, or come into close contact with the dead. The meaning of the Hebrew word nazir is a bit ambiguous. It literally means ‘to separate’. Rashi explains...
