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It offers a rather…unique take on the second day of Creation. We all know the story: God creates the rakia, the firmament, on the second day. He separates the waters above from the...
Jewish tradition offers some pretty fascinating, and sometimes unsettling, answers. Take the story of Satan's fall from grace. It's not just a simple tale of rebellion; it's a comp...
We often think of him in the Garden of Eden, or perhaps being expelled from it. But Jewish tradition holds some truly fascinating ideas about his ultimate fate. One such idea, foun...
We often picture God directly shaping him from dust, but some fascinating traditions tell a slightly different story, involving heavenly helpers. The story goes that when the time ...
We know King Solomon, wise and powerful, but he was also, according to tradition, a master of summoning and controlling demons. The Testament of Solomon is practically a who's who ...
Jewish tradition gives us a few different, evolving, and sometimes contradictory answers. One early picture, found in the ancient text 1 Enoch (specifically, chapters 22:1-14), dat...
Jewish tradition is rich with stories of dreams and visions, and the power they hold. One particularly striking tale, found in Tree of Souls by Howard Schwartz, tells of a dream th...
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...
Was Jacob, the patriarch, just an ordinary man? Tradition whispers secrets, suggesting his story is far grander than we might imagine. Some even say his true name was Israel, and t...
Jewish tradition offers some powerful and moving images of what happens to the souls of the righteous after death. And some of these images paint a picture of them continuing to fi...
(Genesis 6:4) mentions the Nefilim. That word, Nefilim, generally understood to mean “giants.” But who were they, really? And where did they come from? The Torah just kind of drops...
"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...
That tension is something the ancient wisdom tradition wrestled with, too. And it's something we find echoed in the Book of Ben Sira. This book, also known as Sirach or the Wisdom ...
The Book of Ben Sira, a treasure trove of wisdom literature, has something to say about that very human struggle. It's a book full of practical advice, ethical teachings, and a hea...
Sometimes, ancient wisdom is exactly what we need to steady ourselves.It's like getting a pep talk from a really wise old friend. "Prepare your heart and be strengthened," Ben Sira...
One that echoes through generations, forcing us to confront our own anxieties and shortcomings. But it's not all doom and gloom. Ben Sira, also known as Yeshua ben Sirach, offers a...
That’s the heart of the message we find in the Book of Ben Sira, a treasure trove of Jewish wisdom literature written in Hebrew sometime in the Second Temple period. to a few verse...
We all do sometimes. But what if I told you there's a simple, ancient piece of wisdom that could help lighten that load? The Book of Ben Sira, a treasure trove of Jewish wisdom lit...
To a passage from the Book of Ben Sira, a treasure trove of ethical teachings. The first line hits hard: "Vex not the spirit of the soul that lacketh; And hide not thyself from one...
Sometimes, the ancient wisdom whispers the loudest when we finally quiet down enough to listen. Let's tune into one of those whispers today, from the book of Ben Sira. Ben Sira, al...
It's precisely those moments that the wisdom of Ben Sira addresses with such piercing clarity. This ancient text, part of the Apocrypha, pulls no punches when it comes to self-dece...
Ben Sira, that wise sage from way back when, would tell you that’s a dangerous game indeed. He cuts right to the heart of things: "For mercy and anger are with him; And his displea...
We've all been there. But what if I told you that even those seemingly mundane moments hold profound spiritual significance? That's what we find when we delve into the wisdom of Be...
Ben Sira, also known as Sirach or the Wisdom of Ben Sira, is a book of ethical teachings. It’s part of the Apocrypha, writings that are considered canonical by some Christians but ...
Ben Sira, that ancient sage, certainly understood the power of temptation. In his wisdom, preserved in the book we know as Ben Sira (also called Sirach or Ecclesiasticus), he offer...
Ben Sira, that ancient sage, knew the feeling well. In his wisdom book, he gives us some pretty direct advice on navigating power, friendships, and even just plain survival. He sta...
To a few verses from his writings. He starts with a seemingly straightforward observation: "A noble, ruler, judge shall be glorified, but nothing is greater than fearing the Lord."...
It offers a surprisingly direct and honest assessment of the self-destructive tendencies we all wrestle with. "Happy is the man whose soul hath not reproached him; And whose expect...
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...
Ben Sira, that ancient sage whose wisdom dances between the canonical and the apocryphal, wrestles with this very feeling in his writings. He captures that whisper of doubt that cr...
The Book of Ben Sira, also known as Sirach or the Wisdom of Ben Sira, wrestles with this very human impulse. It poses the question: If I sin in secret, who's to know? This ancient ...
It’s a question that’s echoed through generations, cultures, and faiths. And believe it or not, ancient Jewish wisdom has some pretty strong opinions on the matter. We’re diving in...
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...
Ben Sira, that wise sage of ancient times, had some pretty strong feelings about that. He wrote, in a fragment that's both fascinating and a little bit broken, "So whoso hath wealt...
The ancient wisdom of Ben Sira, a sage writing over two thousand years ago, knew all about it. He understood the anxieties and struggles we still face today. to one little slice of...
One wrong step, and BOOM. Ben Sira, that wise sage of ancient times, knew a thing or two about navigating life's treacherous paths. And in chapter 33, he offers some pretty direct ...
Ben Sira, that wise sage from way back when, really hits on that feeling in his writings. He challenges us to be more mindful, more discerning, especially when it comes to the thin...
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, paints a vivid picture of this powerful figure. He writes, "Who was written truly for the time, to stop anger before the rage of God; to return the hearts ...
Ben Sira, in his wisdom, points us to figures who possessed just such insight. He begins with someone who, "with a great spirit… saw the end, and comforted the mourners of Zion." W...
Incense fills the air, music swells, and then Simon the High Priest appears. He's just completed the sacred service, and the sight is so breathtaking, so imbued with holiness, that...
Ben Sira, that wise sage from centuries ago, knew the feeling. He even wrote about it. He mentions "the inhabitants of Seir and Philistia; And the foolish nation that dwelleth in S...
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 ...
That feeling isn't new. It's been with us for millennia. And it shines through in the ancient wisdom of Ben Sira. This passage from Ben Sira 51 isn't just about acquiring knowledge...
Ben Sira, in his wisdom, captures that feeling perfectly. He says, "My inward parts were hot as an oven for her, to behold her; Therefore I possessed her as a good possession." Wha...
That’s how I feel every time I delve into the Book of Ben Sira. This passage from Ben Sira 51 – it's like a whispered confession, a peek into the author's journey. "See with your e...
This particular passage is about a time of profound transformation. It paints a picture of people turning towards the Divine—"with all their heart and with all their soul and with ...
It’s a question that echoes through millennia, a yearning woven into the very fabric of Jewish tradition. And it’s a theme that resonates powerfully in the Book of Jubilees. Imagin...
