Category: Torah Study

Selected verses from the Torah for Hebrew study

The 40 Days of Teshuvah…

John J Parsons

The last month of the Jewish calendar (counting from Tishri) is called Elul (אֱלוּל), which (this year) begins at sundown on Monday, September 2nd, 2024. Traditionally, Rosh Chodesh Elul marks the beginning of a forty day “Season of Teshuvah” that culminates on the solemn holiday of Yom Kippur. The month of Elul is therefore a time set aside each year to prepare for the Yamim Nora’im, the “Days of Awe,” by getting our spiritual house in order.

During this time we make additional effort to repent, or “turn [shuv] toward God.” In Jewish tradition, these 40 days are sometimes called Yemei Ratzon (יְמֵי רָצוֹן) – “Days of Favor,” since it was during this time that the LORD forgave the Jewish nation after the sin of the Golden Calf (Pirke d’Reb Eliezar). Some of the sages liken these 40 days to the number of days it takes for the human fetus to be formed within the womb.

The advent of the “Season of Teshuvah” reminds us that we all fail, that we all are broken people, and that errors and mistakes are part of our daily spiritual life… We journey toward humility and compassion rather than struggle for perfection; we confess our need for forgiveness and seek reconciliation with all those we might have harmed… During this season it is common enough to hear messages about our need to turn and draw near to God for life, but it is equally important to remember that God turns and draws near to the brokenhearted for consolation. As it is said, the Lord is near to the nishbar lev (נִשְׁבָּר לֵב), the one with a broken and crushed heart (Psalm 34:18).

Brokenness is the means through which God performs some of His deepest work within our hearts. A.W. Tozer once said, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply.” Likewise Alan Redpath once wrote, “When God wants to do an impossible task, he takes an impossible individual – and crushes him.” William James called this deep work of the spiritual life Zerrissenheit, a term that roughly can be translated as “torn-to-pieces-hood,” or a state of being utterly broken and in disarray… The brokenhearted live in day-to-day dependence upon God for the miracle…

­

­

Psalm 34:18 Hebrew page (pdf)

 

 

 

Note that the word “Elul” (אֱלוּל) may be read as an acronym for the phrase, ani le’dodi ve’dodi li (אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי), “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved in mine” (Song 6:3), to encourage to become full of desire for the Beloved of our soul…

­

Seeing and Decision (daily d’var)

John J Parsons

Shabbat Shalom chaverim. 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.­

 

­

For more information see the Hebrew for Christians web site.  Shalom.

Parashat Re’eh Podcast…

John J Parsons

Our Torah portion this week (i.e., parashat Re’eh) begins, “See (רְאֵה), I give before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing (הַבְּרָכָה), if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse (הַקְּלָלָה), if you … turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known” (Deut. 11:26-28).

­

We obtain God’s blessing (i.e., berakhah: בְּרָכָה) when we obey the LORD, and our decision to obey manifests the blessed state of walking before the Divine Presence (the direct object marker et (את) before the word “the blessing” alludes to the blessings of “Aleph to Tav,” that is from Yeshua, as described in Lev. 26:3-13). As King David said, “I have set (שִׁוִּיתִי) the LORD always before me…” (Psalm 16:8). David made a choice to “set” the LORD before his eyes, for he understood that opening his eyes to Reality was the only path of real blessing.

On the other hand, we obtain God’s curse (i.e., kelalah: קְלָלָה) when we close our eyes and “forget” that the LORD is always present…. Suppressing God’s truth invariably leads to idolatry, that is, to self exaltation. Note that the root word for the word “curse” (kalal) means to be treated as of little account, and therefore “ratifies” the rebellious heart’s attitude toward God. This is middah keneged middah – we are ignored by the LORD as we ignore Him, just as we seen by Him when we truly seek His face (Isa. 55:6-7). So we see that the blessing or the curse really comes from our own inward decision, and God establishes the path we have chosen. As King David said, “God supports my lot” (Psalm 16:5), and Solomon wrote, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps” (Prov. 16:9).

 

Parashat Re’eh Podcast:

The Romantic Holiday of Tu B’Av….

John J Parsons

The 15th of Av (i.e., Tu B’Av) is the “holiday of romance and love.” Just as Yom Kippur originally celebrated the reconciliation of Israel to the LORD after the sin of the Golden Calf, so Tu B’Av originally celebrated the reconciliation of Israel for the Sin of the Spies. Therefore both the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur became joyous times celebrating forgiveness and restoration to the LORD. The Babylonian Talmud (Ta’anit 31a) quotes Shimon ben Gamliel as saying, “Israel had no holidays as joyous as the fifteenth of Av and the Day of Atonement, when the maidens of Israel would go out and dance in the vineyards… What were they saying: Young man, consider whom you choose to be your wife…”

In modern Israel, Tu B’Av is observed as an annual holiday of love and affection (i.e., chag ha-ahavah: חַג הָאַהֲבָה) that is celebrated like “Valentine’s Day” (though it is a much older holiday). However, since it is the “last” festival of the Jewish year, Tu B’Av prophetically pictures our marriage to the Lamb of God (Seh Elohim), Yeshua our beloved Messiah. On a soon-coming day those who belong to him and are faithful to follow his ways will be blessed with the unspeakable joy as their “wedding day” finally has come. This is heaven itself – to be in the Presence of the LORD and to be His beloved (Rev. 19:6-9).

With the advent of the holiday of Tu B’Av, we are reminded of the beautiful phrase, ani l’dodi ve’dodi li (אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי), “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine” (Song. 6:3), a phrase the sages say is an acronym for the name Elul (אלול). Now the month of Elul begins in just a couple of weeks (i.e., Monday, August 5th this year), and the entire month is set apart to prepare us for the coming High Holidays in early September. During this time it we engage in cheshbon ha-nefesh (“soul searching”) and to derive comfort that God is forgiving and loving to those who turn to Him. The sages chose the seven “Haftarot of comfort” to encourage us to make our hearts ready for the upcoming High Holiday Season.

­

Blessing of Holy Desperation

John J Parsons

Shalom chaverim yakarim. In this “Daily Dvar broadcast” (see link below) I discuss what I have called the “blessing of holy desperation” (ברכת יֵאוּשׁ הקדוש), which I define as that very special blessing of needing God so viscerally that you would otherwise fall apart or even self-destruct apart from his ongoing intervention in your life. It is this great blessing of “brokenness” that reveals God’s compassion and grace in our lives…  I hope you will find it helpful.

.

Podcast:

 

Hebrew Lesson:

 

Parashat Va’etchanan (podcast)…

John J Parsons

Our Torah portion for this week (Vaetchanan) includes some of the most foundational texts of the Jewish Scriptures, including the Ten Commandments, the Shema (the duty to love God and study His Torah), and the commandments of tefillin and mezuzot. In addition, in this portion Moses predicts the worldwide exile and the eventual redemption of the Jewish people in acharit hayamim (the prophesied “End of Days”).

We always read this portion of the Torah on the Sabbath that follows Tishah B’Av, called Shabbat Nachamu (שבת נחמו), the “Sabbath of Comfort,” since the haftarah speaks about God’s future consolation in the coming kingdom of God (“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people [Isa. 40:1]). With the advent of this special Sabbath, we have just seven weeks to prepare for the new year (i.e, Yom Teruah) and the High Holidays – a “jubilee” season that heralds the return of Yeshua… In addition, on the 15th day of the month of Av we will celebrate chag ha-ahavah (חַג הָאַהֲבָה), or “the holiday of love.” Since it marks the “last” festival of the Jewish year, prophetically the 15th of Av (called Tu B’Av) pictures our marriage to the Lamb of God (Seh Elohim), the LORD Yeshua our beloved Messiah. On a soon-coming day those who belong to the LORD and are faithful to follow His ways will be blessed with the unspeakable joy of an eternally intimate relationship with Him. This is heaven itself – to be in the Presence of the LORD and to be regarded as His beloved (Rev. 19:6-9).

 

Vaetchanan Podcast:

 

God’s Glory and Tishah B’Av…

John J Parsons

Shalom chaverim.  In this “Daily Perush” audio I provide an exegesis and reading of a significant phrase in King Solomon’s great prayer at the dedication of the First Temple, namely, “Behold heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain you” (2 Chron. 6:18), and I then go on to reflect a bit on the meaning of these words in relation to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.  Please note that this topic is primarily designed for those who are studying Biblical Hebrew. I hope you will find it helpful. – John

Key Verse:

 

 

…

Additional Comments

During his earthly ministry, our Lord Yeshua referred to himself as “the True Temple of God” (המקדש האמיתי של אלוהים) that dwelt among us. The Mishkan (Tabernacle) was a temporary dwelling place as was the physical Bet Hamikdash (Temple). As Solomon said, God never could be contained in a house made of stone, cedar and gold (2 Chron. 6:18). These were shadows of a greater Substance that entirely embodied the Temple’s purpose and essential truth (Col. 2:17).

Yeshua told the Pharisees of his day that he was greater than the Temple in Jerusalem (Matt. 12:6) and challenged them: “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19-21). Yeshua is the Shekhinah – the Presence of God – manifested in the temple of human form: “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col. 2:9, John 1:1,14).

As the Lamb of God, Yeshua is not only the Kodesh Hakodoshim (Holy of Holies) — embodied within a human heart of flesh — but also the substance and end of all sacrifice (Heb. 10:12). When his flesh was destroyed on the Cross, the curtain of the Temple was likewise rent asunder (Matt. 27:50). Access to the inner sanctum of the LORD was thenceforth available to all who would come in faith. Yeshua alone is the Spirit, Source and the End of the true Temple of God.

 

For more see:

The Significance of Zion and the tragedy of Tishah B’Av

­

.

Parashat Devarim Podcast…

John J Parsons

Our Torah reading for this week (i.e., parashat Devarim) is the very first portion from the Book of Deuteronomy (i.e., Sefer Devarim: ספר דברים), which is always read on the Sabbath that immediately precedes the somber holiday of Tishah B’Av (תשעה באב). In Jewish tradition, this special Sabbath is called “Shabbat Chazon” (שַׁבַּת חַזוֹן), “the Sabbath of Vision,” since the Haftarah that is read (i.e., Isa. 1:1-25) comes from the vision of the prophet Isaiah (ישעיהו הנביא) regarding the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. In both Jewish tradition and liturgy, teshuvah (repentance) and viduy (confession of sin) are the themes of this preparatory Sabbath.

 

Devarim Podcast:

­

Parashat Mattot-Masei

John J Parsons

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 sin at the incident of “Baal Peor.” During the ensuing battle, the wicked sorcerer Balaam was killed, as well as five tribal kings of the land of Midian. Our second Torah portion, parashat Masei (מַסְעֵי, “journeys”), provides the boundaries of the land of Canaan that were to be initially occupied by the Israelites. Note that these borders are not the same as those described earlier to Abraham (see Gen. 15:18-21), since that area will be given to Israel only after our Messiah Yeshua returns to establish Zion during the Millennial Kingdom (see Ezek. 47:15-48:35). During that coming time, Jerusalem (i.e., Zion) will be the center of the earth and renamed as “Adonai Shammah” (יְהוָה שָׁמָּה), “the LORD is there.”

 

Mattot-Masei Podcast:

 

Parashat Pinchas (podcast)

John J Parsons

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 Torah, God stopped the plague and Israel was delivered from destruction… As we will see, Pinchas reveals great truths about Yeshua the Messiah and how he became the mediator of the New Covenant of the LORD.

In addition to an overview of the Torah portion, I discuss the Three Weeks of Sorrow leading up to the somber holiday of Tishah B’Av as well as the significance of the Jewish holidays (mo’edim).

 

Pinchas Podcast:

.

.

­

­For more see:
H4C Parashat Pinchas pages