Lies can be impactful. They can shape a nation’s fate. When articulated by the well-respected, they are particularly dangerous. Deception is a form of lying; it uniquely provides the employer the cover of deniability. The polemical Torah Portion Shelach captures a nation suffering severe consequences as a result of deception. Shelach’s tale begins with MosesContinue reading “The Lies of Spies”
Tag Archives: faith
Of Good & Evil
A friend asked me “why are houses get broken into?” I explained to them that houses, by their design, are meant to be entered into. Likewise, I added, homes are meant to be a place for people to store their possessions. I said that since houses have doors and windows were built they are placesContinue reading “Of Good & Evil”
What’s In A Name? Bamidbar
The Torah Portion Bamidbar, while describing a head count, goes no to list a large number of individual’s names. Biblical names were defining; names, as we learn from the Torah, have currency. The best example of a defining name comes from Moses’ Burning Bush encounter. Moses queries God as to what name he should provideContinue reading “What’s In A Name? Bamidbar”
The Bible In Four Words
Hillel, the revered Talmudic figure, was once queried by a Roman concerning Judaism. The Roman asked the Rabbi to teach him Judaism while standing on one foot. Hillel told him “that which is hateful unto you, do not do unto your neighbor, that is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation of this- goContinue reading “The Bible In Four Words”
Isaiah, On Purpose & Hope
What is your purpose? Without purpose, what is there? What is life to be? These inquiries often posed during troubling time. For some people, they often chase purpose. This is not a difficult endeavor. This is especially in the present time in which those advancing notions of purpose can keep talley via social media. BeyondContinue reading “Isaiah, On Purpose & Hope”
Isaiah On Idols
While the Decalogue provides commandments concerning idolatry, passages from Isaiah offer much insight into the workings that surrounded this practice. This post will discuss one particular portion is worthy of looking at in contemporary terms. In Isaiah 44, the Prophet Isaiah brings the following message: “All who fashion statues are empty, and the objects ofContinue reading “Isaiah On Idols”
The Value of Order
“The righteous person shall live though his faith” Habbakuk Laws are merely words. Whether set in stone, written on papyrus, or printed on paper, they standing alone are meaningless. The Prophet Habakkuk addresses this matter in this Ten Commandments’ moment. Is the Decalogue alone of no value? This article explores what gives meaning to law.Continue reading “The Value of Order”
Relationship Advice? A Book of Jonah TCM
“I called, in my distress, to the Lord, and He answered me” Jonah 2:3 Relationships involve level of emotionality. While love is the one most frequently bantered about with unions, there is another feeling that can exist within bonds. “Fear of God” is an emotion that can exist within a Human-Deity relationship. Commentator Dennis PragerContinue reading “Relationship Advice? A Book of Jonah TCM”
Shemini’s Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Entire Bible Summed Up in One Word?
How do you describe the Hebrew Bible in one word? Shemini’s Second Torah Reading- instructions concerning the Passover celebration- offers a bread crumb to the answer. The Children of Israel are told: “On the tenth of this month, let them each take a lamb for the fathers’ houses, a lamb per house. And if theContinue reading “Shemini’s Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Entire Bible Summed Up in One Word?”
A Book of Isaiah Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Ultimate Sacrifice?
“Why do I need your numerous sacrifices?” The Book of Isaiah 1:11 Beyond two tablets with laws set in stone, the Decalogue has external factors. The scheme establishes relationships: God-Human and Human-Human. The Torah provides two unique tracts of administering justice/morality. For God-Human relations, sacrifices were instituted. Some of these sacrifices, i.e. sin or guiltContinue reading “A Book of Isaiah Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Ultimate Sacrifice?”
The Ten Commandments Project 