Can we become a tzaddik (a righteous person) by following the mitzvot of the Torah? It might seem so. The greatest rabbis of recent memory, such as Lord Jonathan Sacks and Adin Steinsaltz, have garnered wide acclaim for the profundity of their moral insight. Their devotion to Torah has inspired Jewish people, and even non-Jews, […]
If the Messiah is supposed to end antisemitism, make all wars cease, and establish God’s kingdom on earth, then how can Yeshua (Jesus) be the Messiah? His followers have perpetrated antisemitism for centuries, have initiated countless wars, and Yeshua even said his “kingdom is not of this world.” He might have claimed to be the […]
The past century has been marked by horrors that challenge the very notion of a just and benevolent God. In the shadow of Auschwitz, the Jewish world reckoned with the depths of human cruelty, and as a result, many turned to secularism or non-theistic expressions of spirituality. Why follow a Jewish tradition and a God […]
What is supersessionism, and why is this Christian theology so detrimental to the Jewish people? Supersessionism is the belief that the promises, covenants, blessings, and election bestowed upon the Jewish people in the Hebrew Bible have (1) been transferred to Christians and (2) been abrogated, cancelled, or made obsolete for Jewish people. This theology has […]
As we celebrate Passover, a season steeped in tradition and remembrance, many of us will gather with family to retell the story of our liberation from Egypt. We’ll ask the four questions, dip parsley in salt water, and savor matzah—all symbolic acts that connect us to generations past, and our redemption in the future. But […]
‘Tis the season of wintertime magic. Whimsical carols fill the air. Families bundle up inside. Hot cocoa warms our mugs as snow blankets the ground. Enchantment and serenity are the promises of the season. Even so, in our culture, the magic is intertwined with Christmas—the holiday for Christians to celebrate the coming of Jesus. Try […]
According to the Jewish prayer book for the High Holidays (the machzor), “Repentance, prayer, and charity can avert the severity of the evil decree.” According to Jewish tradition, on Rosh Hashanah, God opens up two books in heaven: the Book of Life, and the Book of Death. For the following ten days, each person has […]
Ever since its declaration of independence in 1948, the State of Israel has been under attack from forces who desire her destruction. Jewish people from within Israel and the Diaspora have been the primary supporters of Israel’s cause since that time. Surprisingly, however, Gentile Christians have also been staunch defenders of Israel, and they have […]
To read Part I of this series, click here. In this second article on Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures, I am going to introduce you to a concept that I believe is the key to finding Yeshua throughout Israel’s experience in the Old Testament. No One Can See God and Live In Exodus 33, Moses […]
According to the New Testament, the resurrected Yeshua was walking on the road with two of his disciples on Resurrection Sunday (Easter), and they didn’t recognize him. They were depressed that their rabbi had just been executed. So Yeshua replied to them: “‘O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the […]