Shalom friends, It has been some time since I last shared words here. Longer than I would have preferred. As it is written, “Man plans his way, but Yahovah directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). Life unfolds in ways we do not always anticipate, and seasons come that require our attention elsewhere. This has been such a season. I also want to say this clearly: I have not relied on automation or artificial means to continue posting in my absence. Our sages teach that words of Torah must come from a מקום של אמת—a place of truth. If I am to share, it must be from what I am actively learning, wrestling with, and living. Not from something generated to fill space. Better מעט בכוונה— a little with intention —than much without heart. I am grateful for those who have remained, who continue to seek, to study, and to walk this path with sincerity. With Yahovah’s help, I am returning to a place of sharing again. May our words be established in truth, and may we grow in understanding together. ...

Recently, I engaged with a post on the AskGramps website discussing the question of Sunday as the Sabbath. I offered a response grounded in scripture and Restoration theology. That response was later removed by the site’s moderators. I do not presume intent, nor do I take offense. Questions surrounding the Sabbath have long been shaped by inherited tradition, cultural practice, and historical development. The Restoration invites us to reexamine such questions carefully, not to unsettle faith, but to refine it through revealed truth. One of the great gifts of the Restoration is that it does not ask us to rely solely on post-apostolic tradition or majority practice. It calls us back to first principles, to Creation, covenant, and the direct word of the Lord. With that spirit in mind, I am reposting my full response here, not as a critique of others, but as a contribution to ongoing study and sincere inquiry. I offer it in the hope that it will encourage thoughtful engagement with the...

Did Yeshua Teach a New Law? A Look at Torah and the Messiah Let’s start with a simple but profound statement from Yeshua: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) At first glance, this seems straightforward—love for Yeshua is demonstrated through obedience. But obedience to what? Some claim Yeshua brought a brand-new law, something separate from the Torah given at Sinai. But if we listen carefully to His own words, we find that’s not the case. “Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17, TLV) The Greek word here for “fulfill” (πληρόω, plēroō ) doesn’t mean “to end” but rather to bring to full expression, to uphold, or to properly teach. In other words, Yeshua wasn’t dismantling the Torah—He was clarifying its true intent. He rebuked those who nullified God’s commandments with their traditions (Mark 7:6-9) and made it clear that the Torah still stands: “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least o...

  Why we should celebrate  Hanukkah  (Chanukah) We should probably start with the question of what in the world is Hanukkah anyway? Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah, is an eight-day Jewish winter festival often called the "Festival of Lights." It is celebrated with the nightly lighting of the menorah, special prayers, and traditional fried foods. The name Chanukah means "dedication" in Hebrew, commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, as detailed in the story of this holiday. While often spelled Hanukkah or other variations, the Hebrew pronunciation features a guttural "kh" sound: kha-nu-kah, rather than tcha-new-kah. Chanukah begins on the evening of Kislev 25 on the Hebrew calendar and lasts for eight days. On the civil calendar, it typically falls in the month of December. In 2024, Chanukah will be observed from the evening of December 25 through January 2. In the next few years it will change on the civil (Gregorian) calendar as f...

 This Article is re-blogged from myjewishlearning.com , the text is unaltered and we've done our best to maintain the integrity of the post, please Read the original at the preceding link and even sign up for their newsletter.  Jewish tradition teaches that music unlocks the door to divine connection. By   Joey Weisenberg Music usic is the most immaterial and ephemeral of all the art forms. We can’t see music, we can’t grasp it in our hands, but we can feel it working through us and the world. As such, music represents our connection to the divine, to each other, to everything. Music is a wordless prayer that opens up our imaginations to the divine source of all life. In the Hebrew numerological system known as  Gematria , the numerical value of the words for prayer,  tefillah , and song,  shirah , are identical. From this we can see that music is a form of prayer, and prayer is a form of music. They are like two legs of the spiritual throne, mutually suppo...