Category «Science and History»

The Prophecy of the Messiah in the Old Testament

Portion of the Temple Scroll, labeled 11Q19, one of the longest of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The New Testament is seen as the Christian part of the Bible, while the Old Testament is shared by Judaism and Christianity. This could suggest that the prophecy of the Messiah in the Old Testament is only partially relevant to Christians: After all, Jesus’ life, teachings, and death are Christianity’s origin. However, a comparison of …

The Meaning of Torah in Hebrew: Not Just Another Term for the Pentateuch

How to Begin Studying the Bible: Bible Scroll

Torah is commonly translated as “law” and is the Hebrew name for the Greek Pentateuch. Both names refer to the Old Testament books Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. However, it turns out that “law” as the meaning of Torah in Hebrew might not be the only, or even the best, translation; furthermore, the word Torah can also refer to the entire body of Hebrew …

How to Really Understand the Bible

Reading the Hebrew Scripture with a Magnifier

Most people in the Western world are familiar with the Bible. Often times, people have read or at least heard stories from the Bible. But how can you really understand the Bible? Learning how to really understand the Bible is something that anyone, Christian, Jewish, or otherwise, can do. The Hebrew Bible Another name you’ll …

Do Jewish People Celebrate Thanksgiving?

Group of Friends Making Toast

What do Jews, the Pilgrims of the Mayflower, and the fourth Thursday of each November in the United States have in common? Quite a lot, in fact. But, many still ask “Do Jewish people celebrate Thanksgiving?” In order to understand the condition of American Jewry, one must understand the crucial role Judaism played in the …

List of Jewish Traditions: Many Ways to Remember the Lord

Jewish Temple

By the time you consider religious law, rabbinic orders, sectarian recommendations, and community and family preferences – the list of Jewish traditions is overwhelming. Furthermore, the traditions of many Jewish groups were impacted by the culture in which they assimilated during the Diaspora. (The Diaspora is the distribution of Jewish people throughout the world – …

What Is the Best Way to Read the Bible?

What Is the Best Way to Read the Bible? Jewish Text

Many will hear the question “what is the best way to read the Bible,” with confusion. Why does it require anything other than flipping pages and taking in words? Those that believe know the truth, though: within the pages of the Bible lie mysteries so great and commandments for every nuance of life. What most …

The History of Hebrew Literature: More Than a Local History

Mishnaic Manuscript

The history of Hebrew literature spans across the record of human civilization, with archaeological evidence dating its origins back to the 12th century BCE. When Hebrew became the state language of the State of Israel in 1948, it propelled a strengthening global movement around Hebrew literature, its ancient teachings, and progressive concepts. Today, Hebrew Book …

Orthodox Judaism Beliefs and Practices

Menora

‘Orthodox’ is taken from the Greek word orthos meaning “straight or correct” and secondly doxa meaning opinion, and thus we may say that Orthodox Judaism follows a strict set of rules as interpreted from the Talmud and other rabbinical traditions. It should be noted that another term, Torah Judaism, is how many Orthodox followers prefer …