My research is focused on the interpretations of biblical texts in the contexts of ancient culture, languages, and history.
Shaye J. D. Cohen is a Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He is a well-known historian who also holds rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. This book (link here) is one of my favorites. If you...
Have you ever wished you did not hear or see something? What we see and hear is hard to put back into a box of non-existence. Once we experience something we simply cannot put it out of our minds. Basically, we can’t unknow what we know. This is true...
It's not a secret that even surface familiarity with biblical languages opens a doorway to a better understanding of ancient texts. Recently, I ran across some videos by The Greek Academy that teach how to read Greek! I peeked inside, and almost right away, I fell in love...
Peek into the life of a prophet caught between exiles, navigating through divine visions and relaying a timeless message of hope and restoration amidst judgment. In this lecture, originally delivered to a class at a Christian college, I explore how Ezekiel's unique position defies traditional prophet categorizations and...
Listen as an Orthodox Jewish teacher introduces the content of all 24 books of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). This is a quick and to-the-point walkthrough across pages and pages of Jewish sacred texts that focus only on the key highlights. It's an excellent introduction for someone who does...
Jewish holy texts suggest the practice of meditation on the sacred words. This is a different type of meditation from transcendental techniques practiced in Buddhism. The goal is not to empty the self but to fill the self and to hear the voice. Not the inner voice of self, but...
Psalm 27 offers us an enteral truth: God is our light and our salvation. External resources cannot harm us unless the Almighty allows them. Our response to adversity should not be fear but moving ever closer to the Lord. That is the message of this song inspired by Psalm 27....
People have diverse ideas about atonement because the topic is so multi-faceted. In this particular lesson, I highlight some foundational truths that center around the imagery of "cleansing" and "purification." However, the questions I get most often about Atonement are tied to Jesus and the role...
In Exodus 35 and 36, we read the stories about craftsmen Betzalel ben Uri and Ben Hur and how Hashem endowed them with his spirit, Ruach Elohim, the “breath of God,” as Torah says in Exodus 35:31. Torah says that God filled the craftsmen who created all the items...