Key Concepts - Program
The following articles have been organized to provide insight into some key areas of Jewish thought and Philosophy that are present in the New Testament. Often, when reframing them from within their Jewish context, we discover new insights and make better sense of troubling passages.
As new articles are posted for this topic, this list will be updated, so check back occasionally.
Part 1 - Foundation
PaRDeS - Jewish Hermeneutics
If you have been around the world of Jewish thought for a while, you might likely already be familiar with the concept represented by the acronym, PaRDeS.
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Pharisees
As a child growing up in the church, admittedly, I had acquired a negative view of the Pharisees. The dark villains of many Sunday school stories and their combative portrayal in the Gospel readings, it seemed the word ‘Pharisee’ was an acceptable form of a curse word. However, I recall
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Mitzvot and Misconceptions: Understanding the Biblical Commandments
When it comes to understanding the Biblical commandments, it seems the overwhelming majority of Bible readers have developed their perspective solely through the [often polemic] lens of Christian thought. In this work, we’ll take a look at what the Jewish tradition has to say about Mitzvot.
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The Misunderstood Torah
The consequence of the sin of the golden calf is that the Torah appears, to most, as simply stories, genealogies, and laws. Subsequently, many perceive the Torah from the opposite angle, fixing their gaze upon the garments.
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Is the Oral Torah “Biblical”? pt. 1
One of the biggest hurdles for western Christians to overcome, if they begin studying the Jewishness of the New Testament, is the idea of the Oral Torah.
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Is the Oral Torah “Biblical”? pt. 2
In part 2 we will look at these elements from a simpler, more logical perspective. We will point to some obvious and perhaps not-so-obvious examples of why an oral tradition is necessary.
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The Divine Council
Does G_D rule the world through a Divine Council of supernal angels? For many, this may be a new idea, however, deep within the Rabbinic tradition, this is quite ancient.
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How We Get Faith Wrong
When we try to define “faith” we find it is somewhat prone to misapprehension. You know we’re off to a bad start when a popular English dictionary gives you eight different meanings¹. How can such a critical concept be so obscured?
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Bitachon: The Cornerstone of Inner Peace and Resilience
Cultivating Bitachon (Trust) and embedding it more deeply into our psyche is a lot easier said than done. Often progress comes through hard times and significant life trials, similar to those we see in Abrahram’s life.
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What Does It Mean to be Made in the Image and Likeness of the Creator?
Rendered commonly as “image”, Tzelem can also mean “form”, or “shadow”. Often, Tzelem represents the spiritual components of humankind, representing the fact that humans are composed of “soil” (adamah), “blood” (dom), and supernal qualities.
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The (4) Categories of Sin
The Hebrew Bible uses (4) different words to describe the categories of what we have broadly called, “sin”. G_D takes into account what we knew and what we did with that knowledge. Therefore, an accidental sin may be less severe as opposed to a sin done with full awareness
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Atonement
In Hebrew, the word Kaphar (כפר) is the word translated as “atonement” in most english translations. Kaphar can imply the ‘forgiveness of sins’, but this word has other meanings as well that should give us insight into its essence. It is from this word that we get Yom Kippur (כִּפּוּרִ),
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Holy, Common, Impure, and Pure
One of the more difficult concepts in the Bible are the categories of; Pure and Impure, Holy and Common, and Profane. What adds to the confusion is the inconsistency and imprecision in which some of these words are rendered in various English translations.
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Idol Worship
the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible laws and connections, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable. Veneration for this force beyond anything that we can comprehend is my religion. To that extent I am, in fact, religious.” - Albert Einstein
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Part 3 - Deeper Insights
Eternal Punishment
As pervasive as the idea of eternal punishment is, there is one primary passage from which this idea is found. However, reframing this idea can be difficult as many passages have been subsequently translated to support this doctrine.
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Is the Creation Narrative to Be Taken Literally?
Take a closer look at the Hebrew text above. What does come first in the Hebrew, immediately after that “bracket” (the letter bet), where we are granted permission to consider such matters?
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And His Name Will Be One
One of life’s greatest paradoxes is that the universe has been created in such a way that it could appear [to some] that there is no Creator at all. What looks like empirical evidence of a Creator to one person appears to be nothing more than randomness to another.
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What Does the Bible Say About the Afterlife?
The concept of the afterlife, particularly heaven, and hell, has been the subject of fascination and contemplation across various religious and cultural traditions. But, what does the Bible say about these topics?
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Rethinking Money
The wisdom of the Bible calls us to view our lives through a different logic than we may be accustomed to. Instead of viewing actions and experiences as isolated or disconnected singularities, we are challenged to hold a more holistic view. This is especially true when it comes to money.
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One Day, One-Thousand Years
We should understand that time is not random, and there is a fractal pattern before us. We should recognize that as each day has a unique energy, so too does each millennium. As each day carries with it a distinct vantage point in how we live, so too does our current age.
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All The Life In The World To Come
Among the many brilliant statements in the work known as The Ethics of the Fathers, a beautiful and profound statement brings us very close to understanding the ‘meaning of life’.
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The Blood and the Life-Force
what strikes me as perhaps more interesting is the agreement between the rationalists and the kabbalists. Similarly, there is also a strong affinity to be found among the writings of the New Testament on this topic as well.
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