“Barak answered her: “If you go with me, I’ll go; but if you won’t go with me, I won’t go.” The song of Devorah connects haftarah Beshalach to the Torah portion containing the Song on the Sea. Jono and Yoel discuss Devorah; judge and prophetess of Israel, and what we need to know about Hebrew […]

Jeff Gilbert and Yoel talk about aspects of the first Pesach and the annual reenactments in this week’s Torah Portion Bo (enter), as well as taking an interesting detour into bee honey, camel’s milk and mother’s milk. Torah Portion Bo: Exodus 10:1- 13:16 Questions And Topics In This Discussion Did Egypt Have a Lamb god? The […]

“Why has your strong one been overthrown?  He failed to stand because YHWH pushed him down.” Jeremiah prophesies that Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is sent to conquer Egypt in haftarah Bo. Haftarah Bo:  Jeremiah 46:13-28 *Note:  During the recording a mistake was made, and the last two verses were omitted because I focused on the message about Egypt.   Mentioned […]

What does it mean that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart?  We examine the concept of Free Will, as well as the significance of the Nile and more in this week’s Torah Portion, Vaera (I appeared). Torah Portion Vaera: Exodus 6:2 – 9:35 Questions And Topics In This Discussion Division of the Text in the Hebrew Bible The […]

“I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, you big crocodile lying in the streams of the Nile!” The hubris, and therefore demise, of Egypt connects this week’s parashah and haftarah Vaera.  We look at the background of Egypt and the historical setting of this prophecy against Pharaoh Hophra in Ezekiel 29. Haftarah Vaera:  Ezekiel 28:25 – 29:21 […]

We present midrashic, historic, archaeological and cultural aspects to several points in this week’s Torah Portion Shemot (names). Torah Portion Shemot: Exodus 1:1 – 6:1 Questions And Topics In This Discussion Midrash on the 70 Who Came to Egypt The Historic Knowledge of Egypt in the Book of Shemot Was the Story of Moshe Stolen From […]

“‘I passed by and saw you there, wallowing in your own blood; and as you lay in your blood I said to you, “Live!”” There are three traditional readings for haftarah Shemot.  We will examine the Yemenite traditional reading from Ezekiel 16.   Haftarah Shemot:  Ezekiel 16:1-14     Hebrew In Israel intro music: Çeçen […]

“The Spirit of God fell on Sha’ul when he heard this; blazing furiously with anger…” Chapter 11 of 1Samuel gives us the positive side of having a king. Why was the first king of Israel still plowing his own field? And where did the people of Jabesh-Gilead come from when they were nearly wiped out […]

In this week’s Torah Portion, Vayechi (he lived) Yoel focuses on the blessings to Ephrayim, Yehudah, and Yoseph, presenting the literary, historical and cultural factors in understanding them. Torah Portion Vayechi: Genesis 47:28 – 50:26   Questions And Topics In This Discussion Understanding Ephrayim The Significance of Yehudah’s Blessing Mummification of Yoseph     These teachings […]

“The time came near for David to die; so he commissioned Shlomo his son as follows: “I am going the way of all the earth.  Therefore, be strong; show yourself a man.” We look at the historic and textual background of the book of Kings and the end of the reign of King David as he […]