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“If it does, [YHWH] is responsible for this great tragedy; if not, we will know that it is not his oppression which has been over us, but that what has been happening to us has been only by chance.”

Do things happen by chance? The Philistines test for evidence of God’s hand and successfully transport the Ark of the Covenant by oxcart. We also look at the direct hit on Baal the storm god in part 5 of our Light of the Prophets: Samuel series.

In several cases we find in the Hebrew Bible stories use repetitive motifs to illustrate the ideas and messages of the stories. These motifs are used in a scheme which the author uses to move the story forward, and comment on different ideas. In Genesis 4:1-16, we find the story of the struggle between Cain and Abel, which led to the death of Abel and Cain’s expulsion. When comparing the story with the act of sin and punishment of Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:4-3:24 we find analogous points that could indicate dependency between the stories.

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“The blind I will lead on a road they don’t know, on roads they don’t know I will lead them; I will turn darkness to light before them, and straighten their twisted paths.  These are things I will do without fail.”

Some history of ancient temple liturgy precedes our presentation of Haftarah Bereshit in which Isaiah describes the powerful promise to save and restore YHWH’s exiled covenant people.

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“Only be strong and very bold in taking care to follow all the Torah which Moshe my servant ordered you to follow; do not turn from it either to the right or to the left; then you will succeed wherever you go.”

Our haftarah presents the transition of leadership from Moshe to Joshua.  This lesson is supplemented with history on the Torah reading cycle traditions.

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In Part 2, we finish the discussion on counting the Omer, addressing the “day after the sabbath” and “firstfruits”; Yom Teruah and what it is for, Yom Hakippurim and “afflicting your soul” from “evening to evening”, Sukkot; what constitutes a sukkah, what are the four species, and why is it just the native-born who can celebrate Sukkot?

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“He makes me swift and sure-footed as a deer and enables me to stand on my high places.”

 Biblical poetry about God’s protection and deliverance is the common thread between this week’s torah portion and haftarah Ha’azinu.

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“These are the designated times of YHWH, the holy convocations you are to proclaim at their designated times.”

We begin our study with a discussion on identity since the Feasts are for Israel. Do you have to be a native born Jew to keep the Feasts of YHWH? Do you have to live in Israel? Is Sabbath one of the Feasts? We address these questions and more as we go verse by verse through the text of Leviticus 23 from our Weekly Bible Class. In Part 1 we cover Shabbat, Pesach, Chag Hamatzot and the Wave Sheaf/Omer.

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“Return, Isra’el, to YHWH your God, for your guilt has made you stumble.” 

 This week’s haftarah teaching from Hoshea holds a beautiful picture of repentance and God’s great love for Israel.

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“…for he has clothed me in salvation, dressed me with a robe of triumph, like a bridegroom wearing a festive turban, like a bride adorned with her jewels.” 

BarMitzvahs, cantillation, Yemenite brides and Edomites all take part in this week’s presentation of Haftarah Nitzavim.

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“Arise, shine, for your light has come, the glory of YHWH has risen over you.”

  All of Isaiah chapter 60 is the 6th of our 7 prophecies of comfort.  We also address what can be learned from Ancient Near East references in the Bible and how to derive the meaning of Hebrew words.