Daily Bread — Friday, September 6, 2024
The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. (Psalm 1:4-5) This statement is made in contrast with the man whose fruit is abundant...
2 Elul — My Commentary On Commentaries
It was on this day, in 1553, that Pope Julius III ordered the confiscation and destruction of the Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds. Pope Julius felt these works contained derogatory and anti-Christian remarks and should be destroyed. On the other hand, Judaism takes...
Daily Bread — Thursday, September 5, 2024
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3) The Hebrew word translated as rivers or streams of water comes from a root word that...
1 Elul — Distinguishing The Light From the Darkness
Jewish tradition believes it was on this day that the third biblical plague descended upon Egypt. What make this particular plague so interesting is, after this, God set a division between Israel and Egypt, thus protecting God’s people from the suffering the ensuing...
Daily Bread — Wednesday, September 4, 2024
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3) In Jewish commentary, there is a notion that the Hebrew word translated as planted...
30 Av — Don’t Settle For Less
It was on this day, in 1943 that, the sixth Zionist Congress convened in Basel, Switzerland. This would be the last Congress presided over by Theodore Herzl, the father of modern Zionism. During this particular Congress, split among delegates developed over a British...
Daily Bread — Tuesday, September 3, 2024
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3) I've always found it interesting that, in the Bible, men are often likened to trees...
29 Av — Moses and the Messiah
Jewish tradition believes it was on this day that Moses was instructed to hew two stones for the tablets of the law. The first set of tablets, hewn by the finger of God, were broken as a consequence of the Golden Calf incident. Later, Moses was instructed to hew two...
Daily Bread — Monday, September 2, 2024
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2) As we shared in the previous...
28 Av — The Prayer of the Righteous
Jewish tradition believes that, on this day, Moses returned from his second ascent to the top of Mt. Sinai. On this trip to the top of the mountain he learned that God was not going with the people, but was sending an angel before them. That was much better than what...
Daily Bread — Sunday, September 1, 2024
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2) Within Judaism it is said that...
27 Av — Calling Fire Down On Our Brethren
It was on this day, in 1868, that members of the KKK lynched Mr. S. A. Bierfield in Franklin, Tennessee. Allegedly, this was the first time the Klan had killed someone who was Jewish, although it was not the first time they had murdered someone. In today’s world, the...