In this episode of Hebrew Voices, Live from Quarantine #3, I talk with Keith Johnson, his wife Andrea, and my mother, about preparing for Passover while in lockdown. We talk about the challenges of celebrating together amidst this plague, look at the idea that we are sheltering in grace, and remember that Yehovah is our protector. Continue reading
In this Support Team Study, Pesach Feast of Protection, Nehemia Gordon deciphers the ancient Hebrew meaning of the word "Passover". He starts out looking at how the word Pesach is used in the Bible and compares this with how it is interpreted by ancient Jewish sources. Nehemia comes to the shocking conclusion that "Passover" is actually a mistranslation! Continue reading
In this episode of Hebrew Voices, Live from Quarantine #2, I talk with Keith Johnson about Yehovah as our healer, why God sometimes sends diseases, and how the current lockdown is reminiscent of the plague of the firstborn. Susan wrote: “Thank you for all your insights and for bringing these passages together! I was just reading through Psalms and wondering ‘what does this mean when it says it is an ascent?’ It felt so cool to have the answer to my exact confusion pop up here!” Continue reading
In this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion of Tzav covering Jeremiah 7:21-8:3, 9:22-23. In this portion paralleling the sacrifices in Leviticus, Gordon traipses through millennia to offer explanations for the perplexing statement, “I didn’t command you to bring sacrifices.” So, were sacrifices allowed or commanded? Plan A or plan B? A remedy for idleness or a method for learning principles? Continue reading
In this week's episode of The Original Torah Pearls, Tzav (Leviticus 6:1-8:36), we discuss what exactly is the JEPD theory otherwise known as the Documentary Hypothesis? What is the role of the the Aaronic priest and is it fulfilled by any particular order today? Is the command to not drink blood just for Israel or does it apply to all the peoples of the earth? All this and more in this week’s Torah Pearls! Continue reading
In this Support Team Study, Passover Letters from the Elephantine Papyri, Nehemia Gordon concludes his conversation with Prof. Bezalel Porten, by delving into a series of Jewish letters written in southern Egypt in the 5th century BCE. They discover that the earliest reference to Passover outside the Bible is an Aramaic letter dealing with the same problem we face today: when to do Passover! They also look at evidence of Gentiles in ancient Egypt who kept the Sabbath in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. Continue reading
This is a special preview of the Support Team Study, Passover Letters from the Elephantine Papyri, in which Nehemia Gordon and Prof. Bezalel Porten delve into a series of Jewish letters written in southern Egypt in the 5th century BCE. They discover that the earliest reference to Passover outside the Bible is an Aramaic letter dealing with the same problem we face today - when to do Passover and look at evidence of Gentiles in ancient Egypt who kept the Sabbath in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. Continue reading
In this episode of Prophet Pearls, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson discuss the Prophets portion for Vayikra covering Isaiah 43:21-44:23. This portion parallels the Torah’s central section on sacrifices. Gordon and Johnson delve deep into the issues of sacrifice, obedience and idolatry. Word studies include: “blot out” (with its historical context of a debt certificate), “first father” (with Jewish and Christian perspectives on original sin), and “bow down” (with its exclusive connection to idolatry). Continue reading
In this episode of The Original Torah Pearls, Vayikra (Leviticus 1:1-5:26), we share our recommendations of English translations and how to use them responsibly. What is really going when we see Leviticus chapter 5 ending with verse 19 in the gentile translations, while in the Hebrew and Jewish translations it ends with verse 26. We review the five primary types of sacrifices, which correspond to the first five chapters of the book Leviticus. We discuss whether there is atonement and forgiveness without blood. What “to lean his hand” means. Whether if you sin can you just bring a sacrifice and receive atonement. What fats we are and aren’t we allowed to eat. The difference between intentional and unintentional sin. If one becomes unclean, have they done something which makes them guilty? Are we really expected to ring the neck of the bird? And so much more. Continue reading
In this episode of Hebrew Voices, Live from Quarantine #1, Nehemia Gordon speaks with Keith Johnson about the challenges Keith encountered in Israel when the pandemic broke out, what it was like praying on the Temple Mount when no one else was there, and look at some Bible passages to put everything that’s going on into perspective. Petra wrote: “This was such a blessing! Thanks so much for sharing your hearts!... My family and I are determined to be prayerful, careful and will stay strong in heart. Blessings from Maine!” Continue reading