Weekly Torah Commentaries

By UMJC - Union Of Messianic Jewish CongregationsReligion & Spirituality Christianity Judaism

Weekly Torah Commentaries episodes

June 21, 2022 Follow Fear or Follow Faith?
Moses sends out twelve men, a man from every tribe, “every one a leader
among them,” to spy out the land. This action reveals the partnership
between God and his people that marks all of our godly activities here on
earth: We follow God’s word to do his work, yet we also have to prepare by
developing intelligent plans. Herein lies our dilemma.
9 min
June 15, 2022 Called to Bring Light
Finally, after so many months remaining in the shadow of Sinai, Moshe will
at last be leading God’s people toward the promised land. But just as
Israel’s story is about to unfold in new ways, this parasha provides some
reflective insights for us to consider.
9 min
June 09, 2022 Face-to-Face with the Eternal
Is it possible to have a face-to-face conversation with God?
In Exodus 25:22, the Lord said that he would speak to Moses “from above the
ark-cover, from between the two k’ruvim [or Cherubim] which are on the ark
for the testimony.”
9 min
June 02, 2022 Numbers, Shavuot, and Lifting Up Your Head
The book of Numbers begins with God telling Moses to take a census of the
entire assembly of Israel. This census seems to appear out of nowhere.
Which leads us to ask, what is the purpose of this census anyway?
6 min
May 25, 2022 The Joy of Dispossesion
Recently a friend of mine was helping her friend pack and get ready to
move, and found this handwritten Post-it note on a bookcase: “If God is all
we have, that is all we need.” She commented, “Hmmm . . . but we all have a
lot more. Maybe we don’t need it all?!”
10 min
May 18, 2022 Sabbath Treasures in Heaven—God’s Treasure on Earth
The land is an important biblical character in its own right. The first
portion (tithe) always belongs to the Lord, whether of produce or animals.
In Parashat Behar, God commands Israel to give the land a holy Sabbath rest
every seven years.
11 min
May 12, 2022 Does God Need a Press Secretary?
It seems to me that God could use a good press secretary. You know, like
C.J. on the classic TV show West Wing—the perfect prototype of the
professional spin-doctors who protect and often augment the images of
public figures.
11 min
May 05, 2022 We are Called to Preserve Life
A principle in Judaism known as pikuach nefesh roughly translates to
“saving a life.” The principle holds that human life is of the highest
value—so high a value, in fact, that the commands of Torah can and should
be set aside if a life can be spared in the process.
9 min
April 28, 2022 Escaping Our Inner Egypt
Acharei Mot. What a way to start a parasha—with the words Acharei Mot:
“After the death!” This phrase refers to the death of Aaron’s two sons,
Nadab and Abihu, who had offered “strange fire” before the Lord.
8 min
April 17, 2022 The Passover-Easter Dispute
The story told and celebrated on Passover and Easter is essentially one and
the same story, viewed from two different angles. It’s the story of God’s
redeeming power, bringing freedom to Israel, the nations, and all creation.
10 min

About Weekly Torah Commentaries

From the publisher's feed

Reflections on the weekly Torah portions from a diverse group of Messianic Jewish rabbis, scholars, and lay people. Our contributors bring fresh insights to familiar texts, drawing connections to…