Weekly Torah Commentaries

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

Weekly Torah Commentaries episodes

May 28 We Bear the Family Name
The Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6 is among the oldest liturgical texts in
biblical history. Archaeologists have recovered it inscribed on silver
amulets dating to the seventh century BCE, predating even the Dead Sea
Scrolls. Its age, however, is not its most striking feature.
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May 21 Obedience Begins with Listening
“Shema” means to hear or listen, but ancient Hebrew is a language of
action. Hearing and listening are passive activities. When we find the word
“shema” in the Bible, it can mean “to hear,” but oftentimes it is
translated as “listen” when there is an active component of obedience or
some form of action attached to the meaning.
8 min
May 13 An Invitation to Intimacy
God is not just a God of order; he desires for us to draw near to him. As
we begin the Book of Numbers, we remember how he cared for our ancestors by
numbering them and giving them freedom from bondage. Further, he invites
them into intimacy, into a covenant that is alive and well today. Our
challenge is: Will we accept it?
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May 08 Real Trust Requires Surrender
What is surrender? Simply put, it is giving up our idea of how our lives
should be run and accepting God’s idea for us. As he lays out his direction
for our lives, we display that Abraham-like trust.
0 min
April 29 The Shepherd and the Lamb
The offering and Priest — the Shepherd and the Lamb
Glory to the One who died and rose again
And is the great I Am
The Shepherd and the Lamb
Hallelujah!
8 min
April 23 Real-life Holiness
Holiness means being set apart, but not just from something. It means being
set apart to Someone. That’s the difference. If holiness is only
separation, you end up with legalism. If it’s only connection, you end up
with compromise. Torah holds both together.
8 min
April 15 The Lightness of Grace
When grace is received, it often feels like a lifting, a release from
heaviness long carried. Something shifts within, as though the gravity of
the soul has changed.‍ The rabbinic tradition gives language to this
transformation. “Great is repentance, for it can transform even deliberate
sins into merits” (Yoma 86b). What once weighed us down can, through grace,
become the very ground of renewal.‍
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April 09 Beauty in Distinction
Our sages recognized the importance of distinction and taught us to bless
the “One who makes creatures different,” affirming that diversity itself is
part of the Divine wisdom. Each person, each animal, each role, reflects a
different facet of God’s glory. When these distinctions are honored within
a framework of love and covenant, they do not divide us—they deepen our
capacity to see one another and to see God more fully.
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March 25 Passover Removes the Leaven of Despair
It may be normal to be anxious as we’re bombarded with reports of
antisemitic violence. But the Survivors’ Haggadah (published in 1946 for
Jews still in European DP camps observing their first Passover after World
War II) declares, “The seder is a protest against despair.”
0 min
March 20 The Call to Connection
Our awareness of the distance between humanity and a holy God recalls the
famous image from Michelangelo’s painting of the Creation. God and Adam are
reaching out to each other with fingers extended but not touching. “In
Israel, however, unlike the Sistine Chapel,” notes one commentator, “they
do make contact!”
10 min

About Weekly Torah Commentaries

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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…