All Articles

X

NEW FEATURE

You can bookmark articles to Read Later

Parasha Pinchas (Phinehas): Destiny, Consecration and Knowing God

Torah-scroll-mantle-cover

Pinchas was filled with hatred and fury against the sexual sin that so grossly profaned God’s holy name, and so he acted. The Israelites, perhaps, were unsure of his motivation, and may have been willing to punish him for his fanatic extremism; however, God, who saw his heart, set the matter straight and came to Pinchas' rescue by openly rewarding him.

more
X

NEW FEATURE

You can bookmark articles to Read Later

Fast of Tammuz: Is the Temple Mount Holy?

A model of the Jerusalem Temple

Tzom Tammuz (Fast of Tammuz / 17th of Tammuz) memorializes the breaching of Jerusalem's walls by Nebuchadnezzar after a long siege that brought starvation to those inside Jerusalem’s walls. On this day, the priests in the First Temple stopped offering the Tamid (Perpetual Offering) because the walls were breached, and they had run out of lambs for the offerings. Within weeks, the First Temple was destroyed and all the houses burned. The majority of the Jewish people were taken captive.

more
X

NEW FEATURE

You can bookmark articles to Read Later

Parasha Balak (Destroyer): Curses and Superstition

In this week’s Torah portion, the Moabite king, Balak, resorts to the power of cursing after seeing Israel’s victory over the Amorites. To ensure the downfall of Israel, he offers Balaam, a renowned pagan prophet, fabulous riches in exchange for cursing Israel. Instead of cursing Israel, however, Balaam pronounces a blessing over Israel while speaking under the compulsion of the Spirit of God and asks, “How can I put a curse on people God hasn’t cursed?” (Numbers 23:8)

more
X

NEW FEATURE

You can bookmark articles to Read Later

Parasha Chukat (Statute or Decree): Humble Origins, Grand Destinies, and Rash Vows

Torah-Sefer-Shabbat-yad

In today's Sedra (also called Parasha or weekly Torah portion), Moses is given the law of the Parah Adumah (Red Heifer), the ashes of which purify those who have sinned or become ritually impure (tamei) through contact with a dead body (tumat met). The Israelites also arrive in the wilderness of Zin, after journeying in the desert for 38 or 40 years (depending upon rabbinic interpretation). There, Moses strikes the rock to bring forth water for the thirsty Israelites, instead of speaking to the rock as God had commanded him.

more
X

NEW FEATURE

You can bookmark articles to Read Later

Parasha Korach (Korah): 12 Essential Lessons from Korah’s Rebellion

Hebrew text-Torah portion

In this week's Parasha, we see that the seeds of rebellion which had already been planted were just waiting to break out into a full-blown uprising. Basically, three groups expressed discontentment with the leadership of Moses and Aaron: Korach (a Levite), Dathan and Abiram (from the tribe of Reuven), and 250 Israelite leaders who were appointed members of the council.

more
X

NEW FEATURE

You can bookmark articles to Read Later

End-Time Signs: Earthquakes, Chemtrails, Persecution and Same-Sex Marriage

wedding-ring-bride

In the wake of last week’s devastating Oklahoma tornado, our thoughts and prayers are with the residents of Moore, Oklahoma, many of whom have lost everything. A massive EF4 twister cut a 20-mile path of destruction across this US town of 55,000, packing wind speeds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph). As children hid in closets and clung to walls, two schools were leveled. Many houses were also totally demolished. At least 24 people died and many more were injured. Oklahoma was not the only state to be hit in an outbreak of tornados.

more
X

NEW FEATURE

You can bookmark articles to Read Later

Parasha Behaalotecha (When You Raise): The Meaning of the Menorah

This week, in Parasha Behaalotecha, we read that Aaron set the lights of the Menorah (which was hammered from a single piece of gold according to the pattern that God showed Moses) so that the area in front of the Menorah was lit. Only Aaron and his sons, the Cohanim (priests), were entrusted with the important duty of lighting the menorah. The rabbis say that Moses’ brother Aaron was chosen because of his reliability in performing a menial task day after day.

more
view Related articles

Article Categories