For many people, Hanukkah is the Jewish Christmas. The Western (Christian) world has Christmas, so Jews have something similar, the holiday they call Hanukkah. Simple, right? I know that many of my readers and subscribers know better. In case you missed it, in past years, I published some seminars on...
It' December... To all my subscribers who celebrate Hanukkah, may Hashem continue to do miracles as he did for our ancestors so long ago. And may your light burn ever brighter! To all my subscribers who celebrate Christmas, may the warmth of best traditions shared with family and friends...
Not long ago, archaeologists in Israel might have identified Jezreel winery featured in the Bible. The ancient winery was first discovered in 2013 and then explored in several seasons of excavations in the following years. The ancient production facility consists of several installations carved right into the bedrock. In the...
Most of us like it when someone values us. It feels good to know when we are appreciated. And it is not because we have some exigent need to be recognized. Many gifted and talented people do amazing things and never seek recognition or fame, or attention. But being on...
Shiloh (שִׁלֹה) is a historic town situated in the lot of Ephraim, where Israel assembled under Joshua during the war of conquest (Joshua 18:1). It served as the location for the distribution of territories among the seven tribes that had not yet received their land allotments. A...
You may have heard it said that “God tests but does not tempt.” Such conviction is usually based on a well-known verse: “No one, when tempted, should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13...
If you don't know what shofar is, don't feel bad. It's an obscure item, a ritual instrument, and its name comes from ancient Hebrew. It is a special trumpet used in Jewish holiday observance, connected to the Jewish new year and Day of Atonement...
One of the best-known verses from the Gospels is John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world..." But just before that, Jesus said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so, must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes...
There is a common sentiment among those who embrace Christ – “Jesus paid it all. That is all you need for atonement of sin”. This is very true, but much more needs to be said about sacrifices in this context. There is a common and naïve assumption that all sacrifices are...