It is a basic tenet of Judaism that God wants people to understand the purpose of creation. One of the ways that God has chosen to communicate His will is by revealing it to different types of prophets.
Hashkafa
This is a very broad category where I will include topics from the most mundane to the sublime. The point it, Judaism is not merely concerned with Jewish law. There is also deep concern with every aspect of life.
What is Prophecy? A Jewish Perspective
Throughout the Bible God speaks to individuals and groups. God also gave to some individuals, called prophets, the role of conveying His message to other people.
Since so many books of the Bible contain prophecies, let’s try to understand the Jewish concept of prophecy.
The Concept of Satan in Judaism
Satan or the devil is a popular figure in Western culture. In this article I will explain the Jewish concept of Satan. As will be seen, the Jewish concept of Satan is very different from the popular culture concept.
Levirate Marriages
Most people are not familiar with the topic of levirate marriage. Therefore, the command of levirate marriage seems very strange.
This article will look at examples of levirate marriage in the Bible and the Talmud.
Joseph’s Dreams Fulfilled
Joseph the son of Jacob had two dreams when he was 17 years old.
Years later, Jacob lived in Egypt for 17 years.
I suggest that this repetition of the number 17 can give us a new insight into when Joseph’s dreams were fulfilled.
Levirate Marriage, Yibum, and Chalitzah
One of the main purposes of marriage is to have children that can be raised to become productive members of the community. Sometimes a husband dies before his marriage has produced children.
It is at sad times like these that yibum or Jewish levirate marriage plays a role.
Almonds in the Bible
The Land of Israel is praised for the seven species mentioned in Deuteronomy / Devarim chapter 8. Recently, a friend asked me why almonds aren’t included in the seven species.
That leads to the issue of what almonds represent in the Bible.
This article attempts to answer that “simple” question.
Who wrote the 10 Commandments?
This article will answer 3 very important questions:
- Who wrote the 10 Commandments?
- When were the 10 Commandments written?
- How were the 10 Commandments given?
The Pence Rule and Yichud
Vice President Mike Pence married his wife Karen in 1985. They have 3 children.
I could write similar sentences about most other U.S. politicians.
However, he and his wife have a rule that makes them stand out and has become a lightning rod for criticism.
Rambam and Marriage
This week my wife and I celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary.
I won’t claim everything has always been perfect. “And they lived happily ever after” only happens in fairy tales.
However, since we’ve reached this milestone, I think I’ve got some license to share a wedding idea with you.