Congregation Shema Yisrael

In this week’s Bible Study, Rabbi Glenn teaches on 2 Chronicles 28 about King Ahaz and Isaiah 7:1-14, the prophecy of the child born as a sign. The arguments for the sign being directed at Ahaz in the immediate context and the greater sign to all Israel of the miraculous birth of the Messiah are examined. […] Source

“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. This well-known phrase is a fitting summary for one aspect of this week’s parasha, Ha’azinu.  Parasha Ha’azinu covers Deuteronomy 32 and translates to “Give ear”.  This is a fitting name for a parasha that truly needs to be listened to and understood. In […] Source

This week’s parasha is a double portion: Nitzavim (meaning “Those taking a stand”) and Vayelech (meaning “And he went”), and it covers Deuteronomy 29:9 through 31:30. In last week’s parasha Moses promised the Israelis that obedience to God’s commandments would bring blessings, and warned that disobedience would bring curses upon the nation. Here in chapter 29, Moses brings all Israel together […]...

Most of us have heard this saying before: “You are the only Bible some people will ever read.” It can be a bit of a cliché, and it can be wrongly applied, but is there any doubt in your minds that our lives are on open display, and people are watching? Granted, some are watching, […] Source

This week’s Torah portion is titled Kee Tavo (“When you come in”). It covers Deuteronomy chapters 26 thru 29:8. Our parasha begins with Moses assembling the nation of Israel to give instruction on two very specific ceremonies when they cross over the Jordan and take possession of the Promised Land. These two ceremonies were the […] Source

Shabbat Shalom! When Rabbi Loren asked me to deliver the main message this week, I immediately thought of different passages I might talk on, topics for a message. However, it seemed in that moment the Holy Spirit led me to one of my favorite, but also misunderstood passages of Scripture, 2 Corinthians 3. This passage […] Source

2 Chronicles 27 – Jotham Jotham = “Adonai is perfect/flawless/complete” (abbr. Yah + tamim) Verses 1-2 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that […] Source

The name of this week’s Parasha is Ki Teitzei, which means “when you go out.”  It covers Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19, and deals with various rules and regulations that God commands the Jewish people to follow. In chapter 21, Moses instructs the Jewish people on the following situations:  how to treat female captives who are captured in […] Source

Last Shabbat we read through the book of Jonah. If you weren’t here, it was a lot of fun. It makes for great preaching, because there is no lack of irony and humor. But there are profound ethical and spiritual implications to the story, as well. Most notably, are you prepared to love your enemy? […] Source

For all his foolishness, his disobedience and his disagreeable disposition, Jonah the son of Amittai, was genuinely a prophet of God. When it comes to the book of Jonah, all kinds of questions are raised. Many people, including not a few members of the clergy, don’t believe in the historicity of the narrative. They are […] Source

What We Can Learn From The End Of Paul and Timothy’s Letter To The Colossians; The Things That Characterized Messiah’s Community During The Middle Of The First Century; The Same Things Need To Characterize Our Lives Messiah’s Community, during this middle part of the First Century, was the Church at its best. It was pure. […] Source

This week’s Parasha is called Va’Et’Chanan, which means, “And I pleaded.”  It covers Deuteronomy Chapter 3:23 – Chapter 7:11.  The parasha opens with Moses pleading with God to allow him to cross over into the Promised Land, but God refusing to allow Moses to enter the Promised Land.  If you remember, back in Numbers, Chapter […] Source

This Shabbat brings us to the introduction of the fifth book of Moses, known in the English Bible as Deuteronomy and in the Hebrew Bible as D’varim – “Words” covering Deuteronomy 1:1 – 3:22. The book begins, These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness…. The Hebrew […] Source

Note: This parasha was a collaboration by Don Sutton and Rabbi Glenn Harris. The audio version is given by Rabbi Glenn. This week consists of two Parashas. The first is entitled Mattot – “Tribes”. The second one is entitled Masei – “Journeys”. They span Numbers 30:2 – 36:13. Chapter 30 contains rules governing the making […] Source

(How Suffering Produces Perseverance And Maturity In The Life Of The Believer) James 1:1-4 and James 5:7-11 “And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They […] Source

The name of this week’s Parasha is Balak, which is named after Balak, the king of Moab who tried to entice the corrupt prophet Balaam into pronouncing curses on the Jewish people. It takes us from Numbers 22:5 through 25:9. Balak and the Moabites knew that the Jewish people were coming, and were afraid of […] Source

Lowered To Die To The Old Nature; Risen To Live According To The New Nature Because of the Fall of Man; because humanity joined the rebellion of the fallen angels, human beings have been terribly damaged. Our nature is twisted. Our thinking about the most important truths is confused. Our character is bad. Our values […] Source

This week’s Parasha is titled Chukat or in English, “Decree of.” It encompasses Numbers 19 through 22:1. Last week’s Torah reading, Korach, established the authority of Moses as the leader of Israel, as well as Aaron’s authority over God’s chosen priestly line. Parasha Chukat shares with us three distinct biblical accounts that the young Israeli […] Source

The Colossian Community was a good, solid community of Messianic Jews and Gentile Christians, but they were being challenged by false teachings. They included Jewish legalism, Greek philosophy, a false kind of mysticism and asceticism. To combat these errors, Paul and Timothy focused the attention of Messiah’s Community in Colossae on Messiah. Why? Why is […] Source

This week’s Parasha is called Korach. It covers Numbers 16:1-18:32. Last week we read in the Torah that the mighty God would bring judgment on the 12 tribes because they went along with the faithlessness of the10 spies. Their disobedience would cause their entire generation of Israelis to die before they reach the Promised Land. […] Source

The parasha this Shabbat is called Sh’lach L’cha, meaning “send out for yourself” and spans Numbers chapters 13-15. God said to Moses, “Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel.” Moses chose one leader from each of the tribes, […] Source

The Colossian Community was a solid community but they were being challenged by false teaching. It was a mixture of Jewish legalism, Greek philosophy, a false kind of mysticism and asceticism. To combat these false teachings, Paul and Timothy focused the attention of Messiah’s Community in Colossae on Messiah. Even though he was in a […] Source

The Colossian Community was a good community but they were being challenged by false teaching. It was a mixture of Jewish legalism, Greek philosophy and a false kind of mysticism. Charles Ryrie inform us: “Specifics include dietary and Sabbath observances, circumcision rites, the worship of angels and the practice of asceticism. Combating these errors, Paul […] Source

This week our parasha is Behaalotechah, which translates to “In your setting up” and covers Numbers 8:1-12:16.  I would like to focus on Numbers 11 and 12 which recounts three separate rebellions against the Lord.  These rebellions teach us the serious consequences of turning against our Creator, and show that our nature has not changed […] Source

The very first broadcast of Jesus Made Me Kosher.  This show covers the idea of “Jesus Made Me Kosher”, that believing in Jesus (Yeshua) is the most Jewish thing you can possibly do.  Rabbi Loren and Rabbi Glenn discuss how Jesus has made them Kosher . Source