One of the most problematic subjects in Biblical literature and history is prophecy. What is a prophet and how do we know who is a true prophet of Elohim. Join Yoel in another study session where we explore the question as it is felt in the Tanakh, Dead Sea scrolls and Jewish literature.
I get asked about my opinion of what to do with nonfood/nonhuman food items made from unclean animals, and can you have pets.
This question relates to clothing, toys pet food, and more, and in our industrial world, the issues continue to grow.
Storytelling in the bible is a complex process that includes space, time, and people. In this short paper, you will be presented with the basic principles of the Hebrew narrative and will be introduced to the core points of storytelling.
“Cuando se acabará la luna nueva para poder vender nuestro grano?”
Una examinación de la relación entre la luna nueva y el Shabbat en tiempos Bíblicos
“Es el día de luna nueva un Shabbat?” Ha sido una discusión entre grupos observantes de la Torah por muchos años”. El argumento más común es que el día de luna Nueva es el que inicia un ciclo de siete días, donde el séptimo o el octavo día es un día de descanso. En este artículo, examinaré el uso de Amos 8:5 en el reclamo y buscaré evidencia histórica en el tema.[1]
Génesis 1 Descripción de la Luna
“Is the New moon day a Shabbat?” has been a discussion in Torah observant groups for many years. The common argument is that the day of the new moon is the starter of a cycle of seven days, where the seventh or eighth day is a day of rest. In this article, I will examine the use of Amos 8:5 in the claim, and look into historical evidence on the matter.[1]
Hebrew in Israel
Não Falar o Nome – Aprenda Torah
A Proibição de Falar o Nome – Uma Visão Geral de Fontes Selecionadas
Ultimamente eu tenho visto a renovação do debate em relação ao uso do nome de Deus. O assunto à mão não é sobre a pronúncia correta, mas sobre o assunto base de usar o nome em geral.
Tem-se tornado um clamor comum que os sábios Judaicos, ou rabis, são aqueles que decretaram uma proibição sobre falar o nome de Deus. Contudo, um exame das fontes leva a uma conclusão completamente diferente.
The Torah teaches us that Bil’am was extremely important at his time. This importance echoed into later times and to the Jewish sages who recognized how powerful he was. This power was so great that rabbis said he was called to do the job of cursing because he had the same God-given gift as Moses—the power of speech.
Lately I have been seeing the renewal of the debate in regard to the use of the name of God. The subject at hand is not about the correct pronunciation, but on the base subject of using the name in overall.
It has become a common claim that the Jewish sages, or rabbis, are the ones who decreed a prohibition on speaking God’s name. However, an examination of the sources leads to a completely different conclusion.
I have been asked multiple times on the subject of reincarnation in the bible and Judaism. The following are my personal thoughts and understandings as being a person who has come across this belief in mainstream Judaism of today. As a person who has been raised in Orthodoxy and has also received academic training, I cannot find concrete data on this belief as an ancient one. This affects the validity of said belief and opens it up to modern criticism which cannot use ancient sources.
“Praise be to Yah” is known in Hebrew as HaleluYah-הללויה.
The breakdown of this word is the verb הלל– to praise, and יה– the poetic form of the Tetragrammaton. However, a question is raised if this word is to be seen as a compound (Portmanteau) word and should be read as one, or that it is two words and should be read as such. In some bibles, we can find a hyphenated form הללו–יה, and in others as one-word הללויה. In the Aleppo we find that it is written as one, and so is it found in most Jewish writings such as the Cairo Geniza as seen in the picture.
However, the debate about this matter dated back to Talmudic times, and can be found in the tractate of Pessachim p.117a:
R. Hisda said in R. Johanan’s name: Halleluyah, Kesyah and Yedidyah are single words. Rab said: Kesyah and merhavyah are single words. Rabbah said Merhavyah alone [is a single word]. The scholars asked: What about Merhab Yah in R. Hisda’s view? The question stands. The scholars asked: What about Yedidyah in Rab’s view? — Come and hear: Yedidyah is divisible into two, therefore Yedid is non-sacred while Yah is sacred. The scholars asked: What about Halleluyah in Rab’s view? Come and hear, for Rab said: I saw [a copy of] the Psalms in my friend’s college, wherein ‘Hallelu’ was written on one line and ‘Yah’ on the following. Now he disagrees with R. Joshua ben Levi, for R. Joshua ben Levi said: What is the meaning of ‘Halleluyah? Praise him with many praises. Further, he [R. Joshua b. Levi] is self-contradictory. For R. Joshua ben Levi said: The Book of Psalms was uttered with ten synonyms of praise, viz.: Nizzuah [victory], Niggun [melody], Maskil, Mizmor [psalm], Shir [song], Ashre [happy], Tehillah [praise], Tefillah [prayer], Hodayah [thanksgiving] and HalleluYah. The greatest of all is ‘Halleluyah,’ because it embraces the [Divine] Name and praise simultaneously.
The discussion opens with examples of compound names of sorts which are seen as one word. However, HalleuYah is not a name but praise and can be seen as two words as in some cases found in the Torah. Rab’s view is presented as a testimony of what he saw, however, I must stress that his view is not actually presented, but what he saw. The reason R.Yehoshua is considered self–contradicting is because when he said that it is many praises, what is understood is that Hallelu is many praises, and Yah is a separate word. The ending of this section indicates that the probable final understanding is that it is one word. Because there is no opposing opinion, and it is a testimony of a sage, the conclusion is that it is one. This is known as Lishna Batra-–an Aramaic term meaning “last word” which is placed in a text to indicate that the ruling is as that opinion.
It is worth noting that the word appears as two words in the DSS as can be seen in the Psalm scroll 11QPs a col.XXVIII for psalm 134 and 151.
In Jewish reading tradition, we find that all Hebrew speakers say הללויה as one word and not two. However, it seems clear that there are actually two different reading traditions in which the only one which survived is the one-word reading tradition.
Originally Published: May 22, 2015
The class is done in a virtual class room with multiple participants. We meet on Sundays at 11:45am US eastern, or 6:45pm Israel time. You do not need to know Hebrew for this class, and you also receive a recording of the classes every month. For the link and how to join, click the More Info Button to email us.
