When David and Scott wish our listeners a shana tova – a good (not only happy) new year – are they talking only to Jews or to all of mankind? Is Rosh Hashanah a holiday for Jews or for the entire world? Join Morning Drive Bible to find out!   (Please note that Morning Drive...

The post (87) Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year or the World’s New Year? first appeared on Morning Drive Bible.

The Torah mandates that we blow the shofar only nine times – that is, nine shofar blasts – on Rosh Hashanah; but the Jewish people universally blow at least thirty, and usually many more. Where does this tradition come from, and what does it reveal about the unity of Israel?

The post (86) The Shofar and the Unity of the Jewish People first appeared on Morning Drive Bible.

The ram’s horn – shofar – that Jews blow on Rosh Hashanah evokes a sense of weeping or sighing. But it also reminds us of the Abraham’s almost-sacrifice of Isaac. Join David and Scott to find out more.

The post (85) The Shofar and the Binding of Isaac first appeared on Morning Drive Bible.

Many Jewish families have a custom to eat symbolic foods at night on Rosh Hashanah, but Scott and his family have their own tradition that mystifies New Yorker David. Does Bob Kraft owe the Patriots’ success to a Jewish family in Beit Shemesh, Israel? Listen in to find out.

The post (84) Symbolic Foods on Rosh Hashanah – and the New England Patriots first appeared on Morning Drive Bible.

In the Jewish tradition, it’s not enough to ask G-d to forgive us; we also must ask our friends whom we’ve wronged to forgive us, as well. Where do we see this idea in the Bible – and how does it relate to The West Wing? Join David and Scott to find out.

The post (83) Asking Forgiveness From Our Friends first appeared on Morning Drive Bible.

According to classic Jewish thought, repentance requires three specific ingredients in order to fully restore our relationship with G-d – one of which is confession. Join David and Scott as they investigate the importance of verbal confession, and discuss what it is and what it is not.

The post (82) The Three Aspects of Repentance first appeared on Morning Drive Bible.

Although G-d promises to forgive a person who sincerely repents, does that mean that the consequences of sin are erased, as well? Join David and Scott for a discussion about repentance, and the Jewish concept of “Original Consequences.”

The post (81) Does G-d Erase the Consequences of Sin? first appeared on Morning Drive Bible.

Is repentance automatic, or can G-d choose to reject repentance? By investigating the contrasting stories of King David and King Saul, David and Scott offer a fascinating theological insight that can help us all build a more meaningful relationship with G-d.

The post (80) A Father in Heaven or a Grandfather in the Sky? first appeared on Morning Drive Bible.

David admitted his sin to Nathan the prophet, and was forgiven; Saul admitted his sin to Samuel the prophet, but still suffered dire consequences. David and Scott discuss the differences between the two situations, and what it can teach us about our own repentance.

The post (79) “No Excuses”: The Difference Between the Repentance of David and Saul first appeared on Morning Drive Bible.

Psalm 51 – paraphrased in a key line of the Selichot liturgy – is David’s prayer after Nathan the prophet confronted him with the reality of David’s sinful behavior. What is the background to this Psalm, and what can it teach us about the true nature of repentance?

The post (78) The Sin of David and Bathsheva… and David’s Prayerful Response first appeared on Morning Drive Bible.