When Messianic Jews Were Murdered

How the secret world of Jewish Christians under the Spanish Inquisition still influences our world today. MESSIANIC JUDAISM JUN 9, 2020 Synagogue of El Tránsito, founded by Samuel ha-Levi Abulafia, Treasurer to Peter of Castile, in about 1356. The synagogue was converted to a church after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. (Image: Wikimedia…

SPYING OUT THE LAND

The theme of vision is paramount in SHELACH LECHA. The parshah begins with G-d telling Moses to send men who “will SPY OUT the Land of Canaan which I am giving to the Children of Israel”. The parshah ends with the passage recited by every Israelite in the SHEMA morning and evening: “They will make…

Anshei Yisroel

Acts3 12 And when Kefa saw this, he answered the people, preaching, “Anshei Yisroel, why are you bewildered at this or at us? Why are you gazing as if it were by our own ko’ach or chassidus that this man has become able to walk? 13 “Hashem, Elohei Avraham V’Elohei Yitzchak V’Elohei Ya’akov, the G-d of Avoteinu,…

The Sanctity of the Synagogue- the Coronavirus Pandemic (Revised)

During the past few weeks when, thank G-d, many of us have slowly begun some sort of return to prayer in synagogues and houses of study, we must focus our energies on preserving the sanctity of these houses of worship and to draw the appropriate conclusions between the current pandemic and degradation of the sanctity…

The Twelfth Blessing of the Amida

“Shover Oyevim U’Machnia Zedim” (The Twelfth Blessing of the Amida) Question: In the Blessing regarding the heretics in the daily Amida prayer, how should one end the twelfth blessing: “Shover Oyevim U’Machnia Zedim” (He who smashes enemies and humbles the wicked) or “Shover Oyevim U’Machnia Minim” (He who smashes enemies and humbles heretics)? The reason…

The Sanctity of the Synagogue- the Coronavirus Pandemic

During the past few weeks when, thank G-d, many of us have slowly begun some sort of return to prayer in synagogues and houses of study, we must focus our energies on preserving the sanctity of these houses of worship and to draw the appropriate conclusions between the current pandemic and degradation of the sanctity…

The Sound of Silence

The Sound of Silence – Pirkei Avos ch.1 and Parshas Behalotcha by Yaakov Saavedra Repairing Ourselves and Our World From the Damage of Fragmentation משנה אבות א׳:י״ז (יז) שִׁמְעוֹן בְּנוֹ אוֹמֵר, כָּל יָמַי גָּדַלְתִּי בֵין הַחֲכָמִים, וְלֹא מָצָאתִי לַגּוּף טוֹב {אֶלָּא} (מ)שְׁתִיקָה. וְלֹא הַמִּדְרָשׁ הוּא הָעִקָּר, אֶלָּא הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. וְכָל הַמַּרְבֶּה דְבָרִים, מֵבִיא חֵטְא:Pirkei Avot 1:17…

Yeshua taught oral Torah…

Introduction It is said that the company a person keeps says much about his character. Yeshua’s opponents loved to point out that he spent time with tax collectors, harlots, and other sinners. He did so to draw them near to the Torah and the love of G‑d. So we might find it surprising that, of…

Parshat Naso: Nezirut

An Ideal? Source for Nezirut Numbers 6:1-7(1) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: (2) Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When either man or woman shall clearly utter a vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to consecrate himself unto the LORD, (3) he shall abstain from wine and strong drink:…

The Holiday of Shavuot- Coronavirus

Coronavirus
This year (5780), unfortunately, as a result of the global Coronavirus pandemic, holding prayer and Torah study services in synagogues may prove difficult in many regions around the world.

Going to the House of Hashem

Parshas Bamidbar Shavuos This coming Motza’ei Shabbat, we begin observing the holiday of Shavuot. R’ Yitzchak Arama z”l (Spain; died 1494) asks what he calls a “strong question”: Why does the Torah never mention that Shavuot is the anniversary of the Giving of the Torah? He offers several answers: First, the Torah cannot logically command us to observe the day of…

Parashat Bamidbar / פרשת במדבר

Sefer Bamidbar-Lessons of Desolation א. .1 Numbers 1:1-2 ב. במדבר א׳:א׳-ב׳ .2 (א) ַוְיַדֵבּר יקוק ֶאל ֹמ ֶשׁה ְבּ ִמְדַבּר ִסיַני ְבּ ֹאֶהל מוֵֹעד ְבֶּאָחד ַל ֹחֶדשׁ ַה ֵשִּׁני ַבּ ָשָּׁנה ַה ֵשִּׁנית ְלֵצא ָתם ֵמֶאֶרץ ִמ ְצַריִם ֵלא ֹמר. (ב) ְשׂאוּ ֶאת ֹראשׁ ָכּל ֲעַדת ְבֵּני יִ ְשָׂרֵאל ְל ִמ ְשׁ ְפּ ֹח ָתם…