Death, Life, and the Power of the Tongue: 6 Verses on Speech When Balaam set out to curse the Israelites, he had no idea what was in store. Not only did he encounter a talking donkey (say what?)–He came up against the incredible faithfulness of God to the Jews. How did all this happen? And […]
Have you ever felt like you’re too far gone, that you’ve reached a point that lies beyond God’s grace and mercy? Your brothers and sisters in Israel felt the same way when they were encamped in the desert after being freed from Egypt. In this week’s Torah Portion, God’s people experience God’s goodness afresh when […]
How many Levites did it take to carry God’s Presence? 8,580, according to the census in Numbers 4:21-7:89. When the Israelites journeyed through the Sinai desert on their way to the Promised Land, God housed His Presence in a temporary Sanctuary called the Tabernacle, allotting Levite men between the ages of 30-50 to transport it. […]
“If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.” – Leviticus 26:3-4 What does it mean to be a whole and […]
Are You Ready for Your Blessing? “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive […]
The Symbolism of Sacrifice Think of the best book you’ve ever read. Why did you enjoy it so much? Likely because the authors used tools to draw you in with a strong plot so you could learn a significant lesson from the story. In the world of literature, many writers use a tool called foreshadowing […]
ave you ever watched a sports event where the player with the ball refused to pass to his or her teammates? Some might call those players “ball hogs,” but more than that, they’re just poor leaders. In their refusal to share the spotlight with their team, they compromise the game’s success. We see a similar […]
It had been nearly a month since the Israelites were set free from their slavery in Egypt. Now they were wandering in the wilderness, and they were growing disillusioned. When they ran out of water, they started to panic. God allowed this to happen in order to test the Israelites, and to teach them more […]
Our sages disagree on the number of commandments that our ancestors heard at Sinai. Maimonides, for example, says that Israel only heard God directly speak the first two commandments. Others believe that the Jewish people heard all Ten Commandments as they were spoken by God. Which is correct? According to the famous medieval Rabbi and Torah Scholar Rashi, […]
(4.5 min video) – Yom Kippur is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. God’s people come together to collectively and individually seek pardon and forgiveness from Him. This season is also about giving and receiving forgiveness from our brothers and sisters. We can’t ask God to forgive us and withhold forgiveness from others. Realize […]