My research is focused on the interpretations of biblical texts in the contexts of ancient culture, languages, and history.
Not long ago I received a curious question from a man who was struggling reading through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. His question had to do with the temple and with the tabernacle arrangement, which was originally described in the book of Exodus. In Exodus the מִ...
What would you say if I introduced you to an insightful, short book with lots of takeaways from a trustworthy source? The book will gently lead you through a 40-day journey looking at Hebrew words and concepts to enrich your faith and worship. This could be an exhilarating 40-day journey...
Did you know that in antiquity, most people believed that gods were tied to specific lands and territories. Consequently, every country and land had its own local deities. Israel stood out sharply among the nations by worshipping a very different God. Thousands of years ago, Hebrews believed that their God...
The story of Pinchas can be hard to take in. Pinchas intervened by taking on God’s jealousy, and that changed everything. And in verse 12, God rewards him, and he says, hineni notein lo et biriti shalom “behold I give to him my covenant of peace.” Peace is not...
For thousands of years, Jews have been praying to God while facing Jerusalem. Muslims have a similar tradition. Only they bow toward the city of Mecca. Such cultural practice may seem a bit unusual for Christians who direct their gaze elsewhere, to the altar in front of them or to...
In this book, Shaye J.D. Cohen explores the formation and transformation of Jewish identity between Hellenistic times and the Roman era. Cohen, a renowned scholar in Jewish history, addresses complex issues related to ethnicity, religion, and cultural identity. He investigates how Jewish identity was defined and perceived both internally...
Thousands of years ago, ancient Hebrews believed that their God was not tied to a specific place. They called his throne Merkavah (chariot). A throne with wheels and floating Keruvim moved to where He needed to be. The Bible depicted this reality in the visions seen by prophets of old,...
Exodus 28:29 says, Venasa Aharon et shemot benei Israel “and Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel” bachoshen hamishpat, al libo - “on the breastplate of decision, over his heart.” Aaron’s vestments had a breastplate with 12 precious stones, and the names of the 12...
Have you ever wondered what bread was like 2000 years ago? We often assume that bread is bread, and it has always been the same. But this is where archaeologists, historians, and food anthropologists will tell you that even the bread we know has gone through stages of development as...