As the sisters introduce their new season, they commit to sharing what they are learning in the study of biblical Hebrew by discussing the current month of Elul and the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the Aleph (א). In this first episode, they explore a topic that is central to their faith – Why did Yeshua die? After acknowledging encounters with different viewpoints on the topic, Krysta and Traci explore scripture passages, starting from Genesis, discussing the origins of sin, free will, what repentance means, the law of sin and death, and Adonai's mercy, justice, and love.

Key Points:

• The current month of Elul on the Biblical calendar is a time of Teshuvah (repentance) in preparation for the spiritual new year, Rosh Hashanah.
• Aleph (א) is the first letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet (alphabet), representing the number 1 or 1,000, and symbolizing strength, leader, Master, and Lord (learn more at hebrew4christians.org).
• The punishment for breaking God's first commandment in the Bible was death.
• Our connection with God and with each other was broken because of sin.
• Yeshua's death and resurrection reconciled us to God; so that we, the church, could become His bride.
• Obedience because of our love for God is different than legalistic observance.
• Repent means to return, to stop descending, and to begin ascending towards the Lord.
• Humans tend to think about temporary things because of our flesh, but when living by the Spirit, we focus on the eternal.

Scriptures mentioned: (Complete Jewish Bible version)

• Genesis 2:15-16 Adonai, God, took the person and put him in the garden of 'Eden to cultivate and care for it. Adonai, God, gave the person this order: "You may freely eat from every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die."
• Romans 8:1-4 Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua. Why? Because the Torah of the Spirit, which produces this life in union with Messiah Yeshua, has set me free from the "torah" of sin and death. For what the Torah could not do by itself, because it lacked the power to make the old nature cooperate, God did by sending his own Son as a human being with a nature like our own sinful one [but without sin]. God did this in order to deal with sin, and in so doing he executed the punishment against sin in human nature, so that the just requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us who do not run our lives according to what our old nature wants but according to what the Spirit wants.
• Romans 7:1-4 - Surely you know, brothers — for I am speaking to those who understand Torah — that the Torah has authority over a person only so long as he lives? For example, a married woman is bound by Torah to her husband while he is alive; but if the husband dies, she is released from the part of the Torah that deals with husbands. Therefore, while the husband is alive, she will be called an adulteress if she marries another man; but if the husband dies, she is free from that part of the Torah; so that if she marries another man, she is not an adulteress.
• Ephesians 5: 25 – 30 - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
• Romans 3:19-20 Moreover, we know that whatever the Torah says, it says to those living within the framework of the Torah, in order that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world be shown to deserve God's adverse judgment. For in his sight no one alive will be considered righteous on the ground of legalistic observance of Torah commands, because what Torah really does is show people how sinful they are.
• 1 Samuel 15:22-23 - "Does Adonai take as much pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying what Adonai says? Surely obeying is better than sacrifice, and heeding orders than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of sorcery, stubbornness like the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Adonai, he too has rejected you as king."
• Colossians 3:2 - Focus your minds on the things above, not on things here on earth.
• Romans 13:10-12 - Love does not do harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fullness of Torah. Besides all this, you know at what point of history we stand; so it is high time for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; for the final deliverance is nearer than when we first came to trust. The night is almost over, the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and arm ourselves with the weapons of light.

Listeners are encouraged to reach out if they need specific prayer or support, and are invited to share feedback, submit new topics, ask questions, or request prayer by visiting the website iamnotenough.us. They are also welcome to follow the ministry page on Facebook.com.

Special thanks to Joshua Aaron for his song "Spirit and the Bride," Elizabeth Wallrauch for her artwork, and our producer Andrea Entz