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We often think of Mashiach – the Messiah – as a future figure, the one who will usher in an era of peace and redemption. But what about now? Where is he? What’s he doing? Jewish tr...
When the time came for Abraham to leave this world, God didn't send just any messenger. He summoned the Angel of Death himself. But God, in His infinite compassion, knew that Abrah...
The very first family facing the ultimate crisis. Adam, the first man, is nearing his end. Can you even fathom the weight of that moment? The realization that mortality, this thing...
We read about death all the time, but imagine being the first person… ever… to face it. Well, Jewish tradition has a lot to say about the death of Adam, the first human. And it's n...
"The Nefilim were in the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of r...
Kingdoms rise and fall, fortunes change in the blink of an eye... It's enough to make you wonder what, if anything, lasts. Ben Sira, that wise sage whose words dance between poetry...
The wisdom of Ben Sira, a sage writing over two thousand years ago, has some sharp, insightful words for us about these very human tendencies. He cuts right to the chase: “Do not s...
It has some pretty strong words for those of us prone to envy. "In the eye of a fool," Ben Sira tells us, "his portion is small; but he that taketh his neighbour's portion wasteth ...
Surprisingly, it’s not all about deprivation. Ben Sira gets right to the point: "Do good to a friend before you die; and as your hand attains, give unto him." It’s a simple, powerf...
The ancient wisdom of Ben Sira, a Jewish sage writing over two thousand years ago, certainly thought so. He cuts straight to the heart of what truly matters, and honestly, it's a m...
It turns out, that feeling might be older than you think. Ben Sira, that wise sage from centuries ago, put it bluntly: "He that sinneth against his Maker will behave himself proudl...
Jewish tradition, with its profound wisdom, offers guidance even on how to mourn – and when to let go. The Book of Ben Sira, a work of wisdom literature from the Second Temple peri...
Ben Sira, in his wisdom, grapples with this very question. He paints a picture of two groups of people, both part of the same community, yet destined for very different legacies. "...
That’s the feeling I get when I read this small passage from the Book of Ben Sira. It's a book of wisdom literature, a mussar sefer if you will, offering ethical teachings from a s...
It’s a deeply human experience, one that resonates across cultures and centuries. And it’s one the ancient text of Ben Sira, or Sirach, addresses with raw honesty. Ben Sira, a book...
The verses we’re looking at today, from Ben Sira 51, are raw and visceral. They paint a picture of someone in deep distress. The speaker cries out, seemingly from the very edge of ...
We're talking life-and-death serious. The Book of Jubilees, a text that offers a unique retelling of biblical history, really drives this home. It's not part of the Hebrew Bible ca...
The Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text not included in the Hebrew Bible but considered scripture by some, touches on this very idea. It speaks of a profound responsibility: "...
Today, we're focusing on a small but powerful passage from chapter 4. The Book of Jubilees tells us that in the fifteenth jubilee period – a "jubilee" being a period of 49 years – ...
Jewish tradition grapples with this very idea, particularly when we consider the stories of the earliest generations. Take Adam, for example. The Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewis...
What is the Book of Jubilees, you ask? It's an ancient Jewish text, considered apocryphal by some, pseudepigraphal by others – meaning its authorship is debated. It retells the sto...
We often think of Abraham as this towering figure of faith, but the Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text from the Second Temple period, gives us a stark look at the consequence...
He said, "Because thou hast obeyed My voice, and hast not withheld thy son, thy first-born, but hast offered him up to Me, in order that I might make a great nation of thee, and (b...
We often think of trials as grand, sweeping events, but sometimes the most profound tests come in the quiet moments of grief. Think about Abraham. We know him as a patriarch, a fig...
Sometimes, the most fascinating details are tucked away in texts just outside the mainstream, like the Book of Jubilees. Think of it as a peek behind the curtain of the Torah. This...
The Book of Jubilees, sometimes called Lesser Genesis, is an ancient Jewish religious work that retells much of the Genesis story, often with added detail and a unique perspective ...
Let’s turn to the Book of Jubilees, a fascinating text from around the 2nd century BCE. It's not part of the standard Hebrew Bible, but it was highly regarded by some Jewish commun...
Then… a chill. An unnatural cold that seeps into your bones. That’s how Jacob discovered the death of his grandfather, Abraham. The Book of Jubilees, a fascinating text from around...
When you're talking about someone like Abraham, the father of monotheism, the grief takes on a whole new dimension. Let's turn to the Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text that ...
Jubilees, for those unfamiliar, is an ancient Jewish text that expands on the stories in Genesis and Exodus, offering a unique perspective on history and law. Some consider it part...
We find ourselves with Isaac, the son of Abraham, a man who clearly inherited not only his father's land, but also, crucially, his father's unwavering faith. The text tells us, "be...
This ancient text, considered scripture by some and a fascinating historical lens by others, doesn't mince words. It speaks of destruction, of rooting out, and of expulsion. Harsh ...
That feeling, that burning resentment, is at the heart of our story today, straight from the Book of Jubilees, a text that expands on the stories we find in the Torah itself. We’re...
The ancient text of the Book of Jubilees, a fascinating work expanding on the narratives of Genesis, gives us a poignant example. We find ourselves in the midst of the story of Jac...
The birth of a child, for instance, can be a moment of overwhelming happiness tinged with the pain of labor, the worry for their future. The story of Benjamin's birth, as recounted...
The Book of Jubilees, a text considered canonical by some but excluded from the Hebrew Bible, gives us a glimpse into just such a time of profound loss for Jacob. It's a raw, emoti...
Sometimes, the answers are tucked away in unexpected corners of our history, like in the Book of Jubilees. Now, the Book of Jubilees isn't part of the standard Hebrew Bible we read...
Rebecca, the matriarch of our people, certainly did. The Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text that expands on the stories in Genesis, gives us a glimpse into her final days. It...
Today, let's peek into the final days of Rebecca, wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau, as described in the Book of Jubilees. This fascinating text, considered apocryphal (me...
Today, let's listen in on a tender moment from the Book of Jubilees, a text considered scripture by some, and a fascinating piece of Jewish history by all. We're focusing on chapte...
Some say it's gravity, others dark energy. But what about love? What about a mother's love, strong enough to bind even the most volatile relationships? The Book of Jubilees, an anc...
Sometimes, the little snippets, the moments in between the big events, can be just as fascinating. Take the story of Isaac, Esau, and Jacob. We know the highlights. But what about ...
The scene opens with a sense of completion. Isaac, the son of Abraham and father of Jacob and Esau, has just finished giving his final instructions and blessings to his sons. Imagi...
Let’s talk about Leah. We often hear about Rachel, Jacob's great love. But what about her sister, Leah? The Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text that retells and expands upon t...
The Book of Jubilees tells us he "remembered all her deeds which she had done during her life, and he lamented her exceedingly; for he loved her with all his heart and with all his...
It's an ancient Jewish work that retells the stories from Genesis and Exodus, but with a whole lot of extra detail and a unique perspective on Jewish law and history. And it's in t...
The Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text expanding on Genesis, dives deep into such a betrayal, a family feud that echoes through generations. We find ourselves in the middle o...
We jump into the story already in progress. Jacob's sons have just returned from Egypt, where they went to buy grain. Remember, there was a famine in the land. But things didn't go...
