My research is focused on the interpretations of biblical texts in the contexts of ancient culture, languages, and history.
The book of Acts mentions the church, which is a translation of the Greek word "ecclesia." This Greek term is ancient, but the word "church" is actually not. Where does this new word come from? What does it mean? How did the early Christ-followers see and...
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev used to teach his students an interesting spiritual lesson about Passover. This is how he explained the meaning of the Passover holiday (Pesach). “Pesach” literally means peh-sach, “the mouth פה (peh) talks שח (sach).” On Pesach we open our mouths and talk about the wonders...
In Shemot, Exodus 1:8 says that “a new king rose over Egypt” – vayakam melekh chadash al mitzraim. As generations pass, new leaders rise all the time. New leadership often brings changes, and most of us are resilient enough to make adjustments through those changes. But Torah adds one more...
What did Jesus and his disciples eat during the Last Supper? What was on the menu? New research reveals a list of likely foods. A bean stew, lamb, olives, bitter herbs, a fish sauce, unleavened bread, dates, and aromatic wine likely were on the menu at the Last Supper, says...
Taking a break from cultivating the land for the whole year sounds good in theory, but it can impact people economically in a major way. Most of us are not farmers today, but it is not hard to imagine the implications of such a step of faith. Taking a break...
As an educator, I experiment with different types of teaching. Most often, in my videos, I present all sorts of academic, historical, biblical, and religious information in lecture format. Occasionally, I lead spiritual discussions, which are also educational, but they are meant to be a learning of a different sort....
First of all, what is Charoset? It is a special Passover menu item found on every Jewish table that celebrates the exodus from Egypt. Today Charoset (חֲרֽוֹסֶת), a sweet brown mixture eaten as a part of the memorial meal that looks back to the slavery of...
The Jewish Passover Celebration is a remembrance of the chosen people’s exodus from Egypt. During this celebration, a special plate with symbolic items is set as the centerpiece of every festive table. One of the items on this special plate is a bone. The traditional name of the bone...
Egypt is a key ancient power to be understood by any serious student of the Bible. But who has the time to study their vast culture in detail? Thankfully general understanding of the topic can be gained pretty fast these days, and Encyclopedias are a huge help here. This is...