As Elul is the month preceding Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, it is considered a month of repentance and spiritual preparation. According to tradition, several biblical verses hint at the centrality of these desired behaviors, as their first letters form the acronym ELUL. Repentance = Teshuva Then YHVH your Elohim will open up (lit. circumcise)…
When the Jews rebelled against Roman rule, they believed that their leader, Shimonbar Koziva (also known as Bar Kochba), would fulfill their messianic longings. But their hopes were cruelly dashed on Tisha B’Av, 135 CE, as the Jewish rebels were brutally butchered in the final battle at Betar. The following account is from the Talmud (Gittin 57a–b):] Because of…
We hope you will enjoy this latest Radio interview by Gene Porter on his podcast: 2730 Years and Counting – Radio show with Gene Porter and Pastor Isaac
A fascinating overview capturing the meaning of the holiday and fast… Rabbi Avraham Goldhar has amazed audiences around the world with his ability to break down and simplify complex subject matter. He is the founder of the Goldhar School, home of the Fastest Jewish Education on Earth. He trains students, teachers and professionals in his…
There are Three Weeks that are an annual mourning period that falls out in the summer. The Three Weeks or Bein ha-Metzarim (Hebrew: בין המצרים, “Between the Straits”) (cf “dire straits”) is a period of mourning commemorating the destruction of the first and second Jewish Temples. This is when we mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple and our launch into a still-ongoing exile. The period…
Question: Since it is forbidden to fast on Shabbat, do we fast on Yom Kippur if it falls on Shabbat? Answer: We do fast when Yom Kippur coincides with Shabbat (this being one of the differences between Yom Kippur and other fasts). Since Yom Kippur is a biblical fast, and the Torah calls it “Shabbat Shabbaton” – the Shabbat of Shabbats – this implies that it takes precedence over Shabbat.…
– by Isaac Heckman This week’s torah portion of Shelach L’kha introduces a very practical commandment still applicable for us still today! In this week’s Torah parashah, after seeing that God’s people were having difficulty remembering and guarding God’s commandments, and thereby losing their intended blessing, we see an introduction to the principle of wearing a…
by Isaac Heckman A Prophet like unto Moshe! In Deut 18:15-19 God prophecies of the future one whom He would send to Israel: The LORD thy God will raise up (like an sacrifice) unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren(Has to be Jewish.. cannot be muslim), like unto me (see…
With all the recent “self-proclaimed” prophets and people with “messages from God” in different movements and on the internet and YouTube it is important for God’s people to use scriptural discernment and not be deceived. The following eight tests of a true prophet we hope will help you not be swayed by every passing wind of…
A common quote from the new testament among believers is Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus/Messiah Yeshua.” This is usually stated to encourage us in our failures, but the sentence does not end there. It goes on to say “who do not walk according to the…
