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Being Near to God

I came across some amazing words in this week’s reading. In Deuteronomy 4:7, Moshe exclaims, “What nation is there that has God as near to them, as ADONAI our God, when we call on him?” Immediately, in my heart, I heard, “See, Hashem is near. He will answer. There is none like him. He never abandons his people, and you should not ever doubt him.” But what about my prayers, then I pondered? Not just me, but thousands like me are also praying every day to stop the bloodshed, to heal our people, restore us, and unite us… If Hashem is so near, why don’t we feel like he is right now? And that’s when I realized I needed to read the rest of that passage carefully.

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The One God who is Two

This is a lecture by Shaye J. D. Cohen, who is a Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He is a well-known historian who also holds a rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. His lectures often probe

The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls by James Charlesworth

James H. Charlesworth's "The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls" is a gateway to one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century: the Dead Sea Scrolls. The book explores how these scrolls, containing biblical manuscripts, sectarian writings, and apocalyptic literature, provide invaluable insights

Facing the Holy and Each Other in Prayer

For some, prayer is free-flowing, meandering from one topic to another, like a summer breeze, a living dialogue, or a musical improvisation. For others, prayer is something more formal, organized, and structured with care. It's not that one approach is superior to another, but there is room for

Second Temple Era Stone Inscription Mentions Jerusalem

During the winter of 2017, archaeologists working in a Jerusalem suburb, discovered the foundations of a Roman structure dating to the 1st century B.C.E. What they found was building remnants and a part of a common round column. The exciting part is that the column had writing on

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The One God who is Two

The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls by James Charlesworth

Facing the Holy and Each Other in Prayer

Second Temple Era Stone Inscription Mentions Jerusalem