Hebrew for Christians

Last week’s Torah portion (i.e., parashat Noach) introduced us to Abram (אַבְרָם), the descendant of Noah’s son Shem, who was the great-grandson of the patriarch Methuselah – a man who who personally knew Adam and Eve and upheld the original promise of redemption given in the Garden of Eden. Just as there were ten generations […] The post Parashat Lekh-Lekha Podcast…...

Last week’s Torah portion (Bereshit) showed how the mutiny of Adam and Eve caused humanity to plunge into idolatrous chaos. The subsequent generations lost sight of the LORD and became progressively steeped in moral anarchy and bloodlust, so that “every intention of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). After just […] The post Parashat Noach Podcast… appear...

THE VERY FIRST PROPHECY OF THE TORAH concerns the promise of the coming “seed of the woman” who would vanquish the serpent (nachash) that had originally tempted and deceived Eve (Gen. 3:15). This prophecy is sometimes called the proto-euangelion (“first gospel”), since it is the starting point of all subsequent prophecy and redemptive history revealed […] The post Parashat Bereshit Podcast&#...

V’zot HaBerakhah (“this is the blessing”) is the final portion of the Torah, which records Moses’ last words to the people just before his death. It is always read just after the festival of Sukkot on the holiday called “Simchat Torah.” After reading this portion, we will “rewind the scroll” back to parashat Bereshit to […] The post V’zot HaBerakhah Podcast appeared first on Hebr...

In this special “High Holiday” audio presentation, I discuss the holiday of Yom Kippur and its themes, particularly in reference to the atonement given in the Messiah Yeshua, as well as parashat Ha’azinu, the Torah portion we always read between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Ha’azinu is an amazing prophetic song (“shirah”) written by […] The post Ha&#8...

In this “Shavuah Tov” audio broadcast I discuss both the Jewish High Holidays — and how they relate to us as followers of Yeshua the Messiah — as well as the weekly Torah portion we will read for Shabbat Shuvah, namely parashat Vayeilech. I hope you will find it helpful. L’Shanah Tovah u’Metukah b’Yeshua Meshicheinu, […] The post Parashat Vayeilech P...

Our Torah reading for this week, parashat Nitzavim (פרשת ניצבים), is always read on the Shabbat immediately before the solemn holiday of Rosh Hashanah, and therefore it is the last Torah portion read before the new Jewish year (see Exod. 23:16). In many synagogues, the opening and concluding paragraphs of parashat Nitzavim are also read […] The post Parashat Nitzavim Podcast… appeared...

In this audio podcast I discuss the 40 day “Season of Teshuvah” or repentance leading up to the Jewish High Holidays as well as the weekly Torah portion, parashat Ki Tavo, which includes instructions for the people to ratify the Sinai covenant in the promised land by means of a special covenant renewal ceremony performed […] The post Parashat Ki Tavo Podcast… appeared first...

Our Torah reading for this week (i.e., parashat Ki Teitzei) identifies 74 of the Torah’s 613 commandments (more than any other), which again invites the question of whether we are obligated to follow the law code of Moses or not… In this Shavuah Tov broadcast, I explore how we are to understand the law in […] The post Why then the Law? – Thoughts on Ki Teitze appeared first...

If you’ve been following the weekly Torah schedule, you will recall that in last week’s Torah reading (i.e., Shoftim), Moses defined an extensive system of justice for the Israelites and pointed to the coming Messiah who would be the rightful King of Israel: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like […] The post Parashat Ki Teitzei Podcast… appeared first on H...

It is written in our Scriptures: “Above all else guard your heart, for from it flow the springs of life” (Prov. 4:23). The Hebrew text for this verse is emphatic. We are to guard our hearts vigilantly, just as a prison guard or warden might keep watch over a prisoner. The phrase translated “above all […] The post Guarding Your Heart (podcast) appeared first on Hebrew for Christia...

It may be a far cry from the political realities of this fallen world, but the Torah clearly instructs people to live in godly society based on moral truth and ethical principles. Surely the moribund cultures of anarchy, relativistic chaos, and “radical” politics need to hear the words of Torah regarding personal boundaries and matters […] The post Parashat Shoftim Podcast…...

We are being educated for eternity, and the life of faith is a long lesson in obedience — learning to suffer God’s will, to accept whatever happens, and to endure in hope. Practically speaking this means “laying aside” your desires and surrendering yourself — all that is within you — in trust of God’s plan […] The post School of Suffering…. app...

Shalom chaverim v’talmidim b’Yeshua. In this “Daily Dvar” broadcast, based on parashat Re’eh, I discuss our responsibility to discern the spiritual significance hidden within our everyday choices and therefore to choose life. ­ I hope you find it helpful… ­   Deut. 30:19 Hebrew page (pdf)­ ­   ­Podcast here:   ­ For more information […] The post S...

This week we read a “double portion” of Torah to conclude Sefer Bamidbar, or “the Book of Numbers.” Our first Torah portion, parashat Mattot (מַטּוֹת, “tribes”), begins with the LORD giving laws regarding the making of vows (nedarim). After this, the Israelites were commanded to wage war against the Midianites for seducing the people to […] The post Parashat Mattot-Ma...

­ “Joy is at the end of it, after all. Astonishment and joy are what our faith finally points to, and even Paul … after he had come through his years of suffering, and at the end, licking his wounds in a Roman lock-up wrote: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice” […] The post Joy at the End of it all… appeared first on Hebrew for Christians .

Shalom friends. Our Torah reading this week honors Aaron’s grandson Pinchas (“Phinehas”), who, during the tragic rebellion at Baal Peor, zealously removed evil from Israel by driving a spear through a tribal prince who was brazenly cavorting with a Midianite princess in defiance of God’s law. On account of Pinchas’ zeal for the truth of […] The post Parashat Pinchas (podcast)&#82...

The Spirit of God cries out, “choose life that you may live!” (Deut. 30:19), which implies that is our responsibility to believe in the Reality of God, to trust in his providential care, to affirm that “all is well and all manner of thing shall be well,” and to understand that our present struggle is […] The post Choosing to Believe (podcast) appeared first on Hebrew for Christians .

A discussion about “Taryag Mitzvot,” or the 613 commandments of Torah , and how they are to be understood by followers of Yeshua the Messiah by Hebrew for Christians. ­ The post Taryag Mitzvot: 613 Commandments of Torah appeared first on Hebrew for Christians .

Our Torah portion for this week (i.e., parashat Balak) is named after a fretful Moabite king (בָּלָק) who sought to curse the Jewish people by hiring the services of a wicked Midianite “prophet” named Balaam (i.e., bil’am: בִּלְעָם). King Balak’s plan was to employ Balaam’s sorcery (i.e., kashafut: כַּשָׁפוּת) against the Israelites to prevent them […] The post Parashat Balak Podcast…...

In the second part of the “Shavuah Tov” audio broadcast for this parashat Chukat I go into further detail by considering: 1) the significance of the mysterious Red Heifer (פרה אדומה) sacrifice, 2) the gospel message of the nachash nachoshet (the “bronze serpent”), and 3) the sin of Moses… Please note that that this H4C […] The post Parashat Chukat Podcast (part two) appeare...

Our Torah portion this week (i.e., parashat Chukat) begins, zot chukat ha-Torah (זאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה), “this is the decree of Torah” (Num. 19:2). The language here is both striking and unique, suggesting that what follows, namely, the ritual of the parah adumah (פרה אדומה) or “red heifer,” is nothing less than “the seminal decree” of […] The post Parashat Chukat Podc...

The Spirit of God cries out, “choose life that you may live!” (Deut. 30:19), which implies that is our responsibility to believe in the Reality of God, to trust in his providential care, to affirm that “all is well and all manner of thing shall be well,” and to understand that our present struggle is […] The post Choosing to Believe… (Chukat) appeared first on Hebrew for Christians .

“Wherever you go, there you are…” You can’t escape from yourself; you can’t run away from who you are, and therefore your relationship with yourself is as inescapably eternal as your relationship with God. Indeed how you relate to yourself expresses your relationship with God (Luke 15:17). If you are self-abusive, if your life is […] The post Healing of the Self… appeared first o...