The Torah commands us: "In the First Month on the fourteenth day of the month, between the two evenings [Hebrew: "Bein Ha'arabayim"], is the Passover [Sacrifice] to Yehovah." In biblical Hebrew, the word "evening" (Ayin-Resh-Bet) indicates both the "early part of the night", as well as the actual "onset of evening". 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 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. Be sure to first watch The Aramaic Name of God and The Ancient Jewish Temple in Elephantine.
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In this episode of Hebrew Voices, Passover Special, Nehemia Gordon and Keith Johnson delve into the story of the exodus, beginning with Ex 12:21. They start off by sharing the time they personally experienced "darkness so dark, it could be felt". Nehemia points out a few examples in the exodus story where we are given background information by way of a flashback and he explain how the Passover sacrifice was brought, who could eat of it and how it should be commemorated today. Keith gets all excited when they come to the part where Yehovah introduces His calendar and Nehemia suggests we be tolerant of our neighbor who may be celebrating the holidays on a different date than ourselves. Nehemia also gives a very quick overview of the three different types of leaven and the extent of the prohibition of leaven on Chag HaMatzot (Passover). Continue reading
In this Support Team Study, The Hidden Message of Purim, Bible Scholar Nehemia Gordon gives an overview of the story of Purim. Nehemia discusses the concept of this holiday being a national day of celebration, as opposed to a holiday ordained by Yehovah. He also explains the word “purim” and Haman using superstition to try and find an auspicious day to exterminate the Jews. How Haman underestimated Yehovah’s desire to protect His people and His ironic sense of humor. And Yehovah creating this elaborate miracle, which makes for a riveting fast pace story with a twist. Nehemia also looks at some possible explanations of why Hadassah was called Esther. And he stresses, what he thinks is one of the most important lessons of the story, that Yehovah has the power to act behind the scenes and uses us to do His will. Hopefully we will each be able to find the courage, as Esther did, to stand up for Yehovah and those that follow Him. Wishing everyone who chooses to celebrate this occasion commemorating Yehovah saving us from doom, a very happy Purim! Continue reading
In this episode of Hebrew Voices, The Truth about Christmas and Tammuz, Bible Scholar Nehemia Gordon connects with Dr. Richard Carrier, an expert in ancient religions who reads Greek and Roman texts the way Nehemia reads ancient Hebrew. Dr. Carrier uses his expertise to help Nehemia sort out the genuine pagan influences on Christmas from modern-day myths projected back in time by "dodgy" scholarship. They discuss Tammuz, Inanna (Ishtar), Mithra, Isis, Osiris, and other pagan deities with reference to the writings of Philo, Justin Martyr, Plutarch, Euhemerus, Plato and the Rambam. In closing, Gordon encourages listeners not to be afraid to check out ancient sources and to approach them with discernment and a prayer for understanding.
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In this episode of Hebrew Voices, A Jerusalem Sukkot Encampment, Nehemia Gordon speaks with an American couple who sparked a worldwide Sukkot-movement by pitching a tent in Jerusalem with their seven children. They share the story of their humble beginnings studying the Bible, which led them to discovering the name of God and forgoing pagan holidays. Years later and hundreds of people, from all over the world, join them in fulfillment of prophecy of Zechariah 14:16 about the nations of the world celebrating the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem.
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In this Support Team Study, The Four Fasts of Zechariah, Nehemia Gordon explains that the rabbinical fast of Tisha B'av (the 9th of Av), commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in 586 BCE and 70 CE. The prophet Zechariah mentions this fast along with three other annual fasts. In this special in-depth Support Team Study, Dr. Gordon talks about whether we should be observing these four fasts in accordance with the prophet's teaching today.
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One of my earliest childhood memories was Sukkot of 1976, when I was 3.5 years old. I remember sitting in the family Sukkah, looking up through the branches that formed the roof, at the clouds as they whisked across the sky. We lived in a 17-story condominium and there was no obvious place to build a Sukkah. My father (of blessed memory), an Orthodox rabbi, asked permission to build a Sukkah in his designated parking space. When his request was turned down by the condominium board, my mother came up with the idea of building our Sukkah on the back of a U-Haul trailer. Continue reading
This is a special preview of Nehemia Gordon's Support Team Study, Shavuot Feast of Oaths. In this study, Nehemia shares a life-changing experience he had in China and how that caused him to re-evaluate a 2,200 year old interpretation found in the Book of Jubilees. Sunrise wrote: “Thank you Nehemia, really enjoyed listening to this audio and looking forward to celebrating Feasts of Oaths from now on.” Continue reading