Holidays and Festivals

A collection of 41 posts

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Torah

The Hardening of Pharoah's Heart and the Egyptian Heart-Weighing Ceremony

Ancient Egyptians believed the soul was judged by the weight of the heart, and the Torah uses similar language for Pharaoh. Coincidence? Did God harden Pharaoh's heart, or, as Rabbi Jonathan Sacks suggests, is there another story in the text that modern readers have missed?

Holidays and Festivals

The Living Megillah: A Purim Miracle for Our Time

As Israel and the United States dismantle the IRGC during the season of Purim, the parallels to the Book of Esther are astounding. A regime that vowed to destroy Israel has been undone. And this story may have deeper connections to the wicked Haman.

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Holidays and Festivals

Angels Behind the Scenes: Hidden Miracles in Esther

The story of Esther is about the hidden hand of Hashem. But hidden doesn't mean absent. Drawing on Esther Rabbah and other Midrashim, we explore how Divine providence operates through angels, accidents, and unseen nudges.

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Torah

Esther, and the Art of Concealment

The book of Esther is truly fascinating, though its brilliance can easily elude us. Perhaps this is why the thematic thread running throughout the book can be summed up in the word "concealment".

Holidays and Festivals

The Good Shepherd and the Chanukkah Connection

Did Jesus celebrate Chanukkah? When we look closely at the elements in John, chapter 10, familiar themes from the prophets emerge, giving us a clue to the messianic tradition behind this winter holiday.

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New Testament Insights Featured

The Crucifixion of Isaac

Years ago, I heard a lecture by an Orthodox Rabbi who shared some deeper insights about the event known in the Torah as the "Akeidah", the "Binding" of Isaac. I found incredible parallels in this story that match the Gospel narrative of Jesus's crucifixion and teachings.

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Holidays and Festivals

Hoshana Rabbah and the Living Water: Jesus's Teaching During Sukkot

What did Jesus mean when he mentioned the "living water" during the festival of Sukkot? What is Hoshana Rabbah? Discover how this final day of Sukkot connects ancient Jewish rituals, the pouring of living water, and Jesus’s words in John 7.

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Mysticism and Spirituality Featured

Nephilim, Azazel, and the Backstory of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Behind Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur lies a hidden tradition of the Nephilim, the angels who fell, the giants who corrupted the earth, and the restoration of creation that shapes the meaning of the High Holy Days.

New Testament Insights

Rosh Hashanah & the Kingdom: Uncovering the Context of the Gospel Message

When most readers of the New Testament think about biblical holidays, Passover and Shavuot usually come to mind first. In this article, we'll see how Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur may be the most important for understanding the Gospel message.

Holidays and Festivals

Resources for a Meaningful Rosh Hashanah

As the content on the site grows, new subscribers may not be aware of the articles of recurring value as we enter into a new holiday. So, to help with this, below is a list of some resources for Rosh Hashanah and the days of preparation.

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New Testament Insights

Reconsidering the Last Supper: Gospel Calendar Conflictsand the Passover Seder

Was the Last Supper a Passover Seder? Was Jesus executed on a Friday, or is there something else between the lines that we've missed?

Mysticism and Spirituality

From Dormancy to Renewal, the Mystical Themes of Tu B'Shvat

The minor holiday, Tu B'shvat, known as the New Year for Trees, reveals a hidden spiritual tradition that is focused on rectification and renewal.

Holidays and Festivals

Proofs of Oral Torah: The Four Fast Days in Zechariah

In this article, we're highlighting a powerful Biblical example that illustrates the interconnectedness between Scripture and the Jewish Oral Torah through the words of the Prophet Zechariah.

Mysticism and Spirituality

The Hidden Light - The Ohr haGanuz

Light/Ohr (אור) is seen as a vital balance to Darkness/Choshek (חשך). Common in Hebrew, the words for Light and Dark can also be understood in a multitude of ways. In this case, revelation and obscurity, respectively.

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Mysticism and Spirituality

For the Sake of the Unification

The underlying assumption throughout the Bible - and subsequently in Jewish thought - is that this world is in a state of spiritual disconnect. In this article, we will explore a few metaphors present in the Kabbalistic tradition.

Mysticism and Spirituality

Rosh Hashanah: Giving Into the Divine Flow

In this article, we explore the power of giving with purpose, ways to optimize tzedakah, and the eternal and atoning power of charity.

Mysticism and Spirituality

Rosh Hashanah - The Power of Intention

In this article, we explore the most powerful spiritual principle and how we can channel this ability to co-create a new reality.

Holidays and Festivals

Rosh Hashanah: The Sacred Art of Ending Well

In this series, we will explore a few short ideas to make spiritual preparation for Rosh Hashanah. From wisdom on ending the year well, to insights on how we can use our intention to shape the next year. Subscribe today so you don't miss the next part.

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Videos

Video Replay Online Study - The Destruction of the Second Temple

This is the video replay from our recent Online Group Study. Thanks for those who were able to attend, and keep a look out for more in the future.

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Paid-Full Access

Discovering the Mazal: Energies and Insights of the Hebrew Calendar

From periods of triumph and celebration to periods of reflection and trials, the Hebrew calendar weaves a complex story rooted in spirituality, each month with its own unique mazal.

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New Testament Insights

Proofs of Oral Torah: Haggai's Quiz

Though some may not be convinced of the validity of the Oral Torah, one way to illustrate the its vitality is through the exploration examples in the Biblical texts themselves that affirm its importance.

Holidays and Festivals

Spotlight: Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and the Radiance of Lag B'Omer

The life of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, though set against the backdrop of the Roman occupation and the aftermath of the destruction of the Second Temple, left an indelible mark on the Jewish tradition that is celebrated on the holiday known as Lag b'Omer.

Torah

Numbering Our Days. The Counting of the Omer.

As we start the second night of the Passover Seder, we enter into a sacred and auspicious period in the Jewish calendar, counting the Omer. How did an agricultural practice become so spiritual?

Holidays and Festivals

The Death of the Firstborn

The Death of the Firstborn is one plague that some struggle to come to terms with. Many have asked, "For what purpose did G_D kill so many innocent people?" While this might be rationalized as payback for the death of the Hebrew infants in Exodus 1, closer inspection indicates a deeper message.

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New Testament Insights

The Healing of the Woman and the Young Girl

One of the Gospel's most famous and well-known healing stories is of the healing of the woman and the young girl. What if this story was written as more of a Midrash, would there be a deeper message for us to glean?