Footsteps of the Messiah

Years ago our rabbi asked where some story was located in Scripture and someone exclaimed without thinking, "The book of Samson!" Well, as you probably know, there is no "book of Samson" but there is a Book of Judges, or Shoftim, where the story of Samson, Hebrew: Shimshon, can be found. We look at the connection between the Parashat HaShavua, Numbers 4:21-7:89 and this passage...

So the two haftarah portions read for this week of Shavuot are from the book of Ezekiel and the day two reading is from Habbakuk. We'll look at a couple of customs, but mainly the haftarah for both days 1 and 2. So if there is a holiday to celebrate in honor of Israel and it's gift to the world, it is SHAVUOT. Israel became G-d's bride and was betrothed at Shavuot. Vows were exchanged,...

So for Tazria-Metzora, this week's Haftarah falls at a very unique time and it only happens twice this year during the Biblical year and cycle of the Torah readings. The 2nd day of Rosh Chodesh falls on SHABBAT. This year Rosh Chodesh day one or two only falls on Shabbat 2 times, it already happened in Tevet, I believe, and this is the second time it will happen for the year and not again will...

So wow! This week's Parasha includes the beginning of the "Kehuna" the Priestly Service, the short-lived careers of Nadav and Avihu, their unique deaths and then the kosher mitzvot and finally the laws/teachings about ritual purity. Incidentally, Kosher and Taharot [purity] are considered "chukim", decrees that are difficult or impossible to completely understand or derive...

The letter MEM in the word מוֹקְדָ֨ה in this week's parasha, TZAV, in Leviticus 6:2, is diminished when you look at an authentic Torah Scroll and in most publications, that honor the original text. I was not able to recreate or copy and past the diminished MEM here but you can see it if you look up the original text, for instance on Sefaria.org. We look into the letter being small and reasons...

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THE SMALL ALEF?  We cover that and a whole lot more on this edition of Footsteps of the Messiah! Why would Moshe, who wrote the Torah for HaShem, from His mouth to Moshe’s hand, use a small letter here in the very first word of the very first verse of the entire book? Also how does this translate?  What does the word “LEVITICUS” even mean and why is it used?  Who is a priest a...

This is the third of four special Shabbats leading up to Pesach 5783! Well, actually it happens every year but these four special Shabbats spanning from Adar into Nisan and right up to Pesach, do not ALWAYS coincide with the same Torah and Haftarah portions. We also see a double parashah this year since it is not a "shanah m'uberet" or a "pregnant" year, i.e. a Jewish leap year. These two portions...

Shabbat Parah includes a special additional reading from Numbers 19 and a substitute haftarah is read from Ezekiel! Normally a passage from 1 Kings 18 is read but when it falls on Shabbat Parah, we read a different haftarah, more in tune with the season and the additional Torah portion from Numbers 19. Find out why and what the connection is to this portion from Ezekiel HaNavi [the prophet] and th...

What's the deal with Samuel & Saul?  Why can they NOT get along???  Does obedience come at the price of doing offerings?  Is an offering bad or good or is it something that draws the offerer near to HaShem?  What about hearing from HaShem?  Should we be doing both?  Well, we can't b/c there is no Temple but the sacrifices/offerings of our hearts are super important aren't they? Learn more about Sh...

What would a parashah about the Mishkan/Tabernacle have to do with a passage about King Shlomo/Solomon? Well, they both built structures commanded...yes chevre, COMMANDED by HaShem...and they followed them perfectly. How do we know...?  The Bible tells us they did and The Almighty, HaKadosh, B"H [Baruch Hu], fulfilled His promises to Moshe, the tribes of Israel in the desert as well as to Shlomo H...

Mishpatim is kin to the word "shoftim" which is the name of the book of Judges...interestingly the Haftarah WAS from JUDGES just 2 weeks ago in Beshallach.  But that's beside the point!  We cover the parasha with a brief overview, take a parasha quiz and see how you do with 10 KEY QUESTIONS about PARASHAT MISHPATIM.  Then we come to the Haftarah and its interesting connection to the...

Moshe brings Israel out of Egypt to meet G-d but lo and behold, they run into his father in law and his family.  Yitro may have made the most impactful contribution to Israel and its organizational development of any non-Israelite, although the Sages say he converted to belief in The G-d of Israel.  This is very believable and Jewish Tradition tells us Yitro went through an experience mu...

The Haftarah for Beshallach is Judges/Shoftim 4:4-5:31.  It tells about the defeat of a general named Sisera and his Cananite army, and Devorah whose name means bumblebee, incidentally, who sings a prophetic song of triumph. The main connection to the Torah portion itself is how the Egyptians drowned at the Reed Sea and and the subsequent songs led by Moses and Miriam.  May you be blesse...

The haftarah and Torah portion are connected b/c Egypt again is being punished and HaShem calls for the release of captives out of Egypt...AGAIN! The final three plagues of ten appear in Parashat Bo and similarly we see the locusts appear but in the form of people: the Babylonian Army, coming against Egypt, who Israel had tried to rely on for defense, but they did not come through for Israel. &nbs...

The plagues!  The impending departure from Egypt!  Pharaoh and The Nile!  What does it all have to do with the coming redemption?  And why would Ezekiel be speaking about Pharaoh hundreds of years after the Exodus?  And how does this prophesy the Messianic Redemption?  And what about the mysterious, marvelous past and future HAIL?!?  All these questions will be a...

As we enter the book of Shemot/Exodus, we see Israel "coming" into the land but it's a land of EXILE...NOT a land of promise...or promises PLURAL, like the promises to the Patriarchs.  But here comes the redeemer, many decades later to "draw them out" just as he was drawn out of the Nile.  Hear a brief survey of Parashat Shemot and see why the sages chose the portion from Isaiah for the...

Ya'akov, aka ISRAEL is dying at his bed and beside him are the 12 sons and his grandsons.  He switches the blessings on his grandsons like he switched birthrights and blessings with his brother Esav and elevates his grandsons to full tribes under him, essentially displacing Yosef.  Connected to this in the Prophets/Nevi'im portion, the haftarah, is the death of David Melech, but NOT befo...

This is a speedier version of our year of focus on the haftarah of the week.  Sorry we're a bit late but we're getting caught up!  So Joseph and Yehudah have a stand off but we really see how Ezekiel foretells the coming of both Messiahs, or both Messianic comings by one man, Yeshua.  Listen to the significance of the phrase "Son of Man" and why Yeshua referred to himself as that. &...

Miketz is an interesting portion as it sometimes falls during Chanukah and if so, as it did this year, 5783/2022, we read from Zechariah 2:14-4:7.  We read about Yehoshua, the high priest, but he is also given a crown and is possibly the one to whom the Angel of the L-rd refers to as "The Branch"!  This is a code word for the Messiah Himself!  What's so fascinating is that our Messi...

So what's the deal with the 8th night?  Why is it special?  Why is tonight NOT LIKE ALL OTHER NIGHTS???  So in addition to extra "fire power" we have an infusion of extra spiritual energy and with all 8 lights burning, the "spiritual ignition" of extra prayer potency and an auspicious time, a time for this one day that is unique and presents favorable circumstances, showing signs of...

So what kind of menorah or Chanukiah can you use?  What is the background of the heroes of the story? How does the calendar work?  How many candles do we light and why does it matter? Learn the answers to these and other questions on Chanukah Night 7!  Chag Hanukah Sameach!

How does Yehudit bring about the victory and how does HaKadosh Barukh Hu make His mighty hand known?  Tune in and see for this final episode of the 3 part series heralding Yehudit, one of the finest names in Jewish History, yet rarely spoken of.  

What happens to Yehudit when she attempts to go to the Syrian Greek camp and seduce Holofernes?  It is alot of intrigue, lies and deception, but is she staying faithful to her mission?  Find out more in this follow up episode to yesterday's cliffhanger!

Part 1 of this famous story shows the bravery of one Jewish woman in a mysterious town whose identity is uncertain.  Learn the famous story of this one woman saved a city during the Maccabean revolt against the Syrian Greeks!

Continuing our mini-series for 8 nights of Chanukah, we cover the three major blessings and more about the details of the Chanukah story and how we ended up with this amazing holiday and the military history.