Jacob stood before Pharaoh blessed, chosen, and carrying God’s promises — yet when asked about his life, he spoke with regret.
Why do painful memories so often outweigh blessings?
Why does loss feel more honest than gratitude?
And how can a life marked by God’s faithfulness still feel “few and evil”?

This teaching confronts the subtle danger of regret — how replaying the past reshapes memory, distorts identity, and quietly poisons the life we were meant to live. Drawing from Torah, psychology, and lived experience, we explore why regret feels safer than gratitude — and what it’s costing us.

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What happens when the brother you betrayed turns out to be the one who holds your life in his hands?
When Joseph says, “Ani Yosef — I am Joseph,” terror fills the room before healing ever begins. Why doesn’t Joseph seek revenge? How does bitterness give way to redemption? And what does Judah’s willingness to step forward teach us about repentance and transformation?
In this week’s 5 Minute Torah, we explore Parashat Vayigash and the moment everything changes—for Joseph, for his brothers, and for Israel’s future.
Join me to discover why this choice between bitter or better still matters today—in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

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We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worship Music and Teachings

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Why did Joseph put his brothers through suffering when God never told him to?
Where is the verse that commands Joseph to test them—and what does its absence reveal about forgiveness, trauma, and reconciliation?

This teaching wrestles honestly with one of the most emotionally charged moments in the Torah. Is Joseph seeking revenge, justice, or healing? Why does he weep again and again? And what does his story teach us about seeing those who wounded us—not through fear or resentment, but through love?

Joseph’s journey forces us to ask a hard question:
Are we willing to truly see… and be seen?

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

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We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worship Music and Teachings

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Nearly every year, Parashat Mikeitz is read during the festival of Hanukkah — but is that just a calendar coincidence? Or is there a deeper connection we’re meant to see? Joseph stands before Pharaoh as a lone candle in the darkness of Egypt, refusing to claim credit and shining God’s light instead. Centuries later, Judah Maccabee stands against a crushing empire with the same radical trust in Heaven. What unites these two moments — and what does it reveal about the kind of light we’re called to shine today?
Join me to discover why… in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

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We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worship Music and Teachings

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

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Hanukkah isn’t just a winter tradition — it’s a bold declaration of light in a world growing darker by the day. Why did Judaism survive when every empire around it collapsed? What made the Maccabees fight back instead of assimilate? And what does their courage demand from us now, when hostility toward the people of Israel is rising again?

In this Hanukkah message, Rabbi Damian uncovers the deeper call of the festival: to resist the pressure to hide, to shine the light we’ve been given, and to awaken hope in a weary world.
Join me to discover why the light still matters.

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

Whether you are an in-person or virtual member, your support is vital to sharing the message.

We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worship Music and Teachings

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

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Joseph’s brothers threw him into an empty pit… but the Torah adds a strange detail: “there was no water in it.” If it was already “empty,” why say more? Ancient Jewish commentators insisted this wasn’t just a dry hole — it was filled with snakes and scorpions. But why hide that detail? And how does this surprising insight reshape Joseph’s story and our own spiritual lives? Join me to explore these questions in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

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We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worship Music and Teachings

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

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Jacob isn’t usually imagined as a warrior — yet the Torah reveals a side of him we rarely acknowledge. Why does he prepare for battle? Why does he divide his camp with military precision? And what does his mysterious struggle at Peniel reveal about the kind of strength God calls each of us to walk in?

In this teaching, we uncover three surprising insights that reshape not only how we see Jacob, but how we face our own battles.

Join me as we explore the night Jacob became a warrior — and why it matters for your spiritual journey.

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

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We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worship Music and Teachings

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

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Jacob’s reunion with Esau wasn’t the only moment of danger in Vayishlach. Hidden in this portion is a deeper struggle — one that still reaches into our lives today. Why did Dinah stay with Shechem even after the harm he caused? What makes us return to the very things that wound us? And how does temptation disguise itself as love, comfort, or immediate gratification? Discover the subtle seductions that pull us off the path of discipleship and shows how Torah exposes the traps we don’t see coming.
Discover the warning — and the hope — in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

Whether you are an in-person or virtual member, your support is vital to sharing the message.

We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worship Music and Teachings

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

Whether you are an in-person or virtual member, your support is vital to sharing the message.

We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!

A viral message is reshaping how many Christians talk about “Israel” — but is it telling the truth? In this teaching, Rabbi Damian tackles a rising trend that redefines who the children of Abraham really are. Why is this message spreading so quickly? What did our grandparents understand that we’ve forgotten? And how can we stay grounded when popular teachings distort Scripture and identity?

If you’ve ever wrestled with questions about Israel, inheritance, or who truly belongs to God’s covenant family, this teaching will challenge, comfort, and clarify. Discover what’s at stake — and why gratitude matters now more than ever.

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

Whether you are an in-person or virtual member, your support is vital to sharing the message.

We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worship Music and Teachings

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

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We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!

What happens when a righteous person leaves a place? Why does the Torah repeat Jacob’s departure from Beersheba—not once, but twice? Rashi says the answer reveals a profound truth about the kind of presence a disciple of Yeshua is meant to carry, and the kind of vacuum we are meant to leave behind.

Does your life bring beauty, splendor, and light to the spaces you enter? And when you’re gone… does anything change?
Let’s explore what Jacob’s journey teaches us about the weight of a righteous life… in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

Whether you are an in-person or virtual member, your support is vital to sharing the message.

We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!Join Shalom Macon Live! at 11am EST every Saturday (#Shabbat) for uplifting Worship Music and Teachings

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God provides for the work of Shalom Macon through the giving of those who benefit from that work and in turn, give generously to allow it to continue.

Whether you are an in-person or virtual member, your support is vital to sharing the message.

We thank you for joining us, Shabbat Shalom!