Podcasts about hebrew

תאומים are twins, from the root תאמ which is used in Hebrew for anything to do with matching, suiting, fitting, and coordinating. Let's learn how to use this family of words in our everyday life. Mat'im lachem? Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Te'om, te'omim – Twin, twins – תאום, תאומים Zug te'omot siamyot – A pair of siamese twins (f.) – זוג תאומות סיאמיות Migdaley ha-teomim – The twin towers – מגדלי התאומים “Zeh lo ta'am et ha-tsipiyot” – It did not match the expectations – זה לא תאם את הציפיות “Eich lifgosh ben zug to'em – How to meet a matching partner – איך לפגוש בן זוג תואם Eich efshar letaem pgisha merubat mishtatfim – How can one coordinate a multi-participant meeting – איך אפשר לתאם פגישה מרובת משתתפים Te'amti lecha tor – I've coordinated an appointment for you – תיאמתי לך תור Meto'emet lecha/lach pgisha – A meeting is coordinated for you – מתואמת לך פגישה Efshar leta'em li tor? – Is it possible to coordinate an appointment? – אפשר לתאם לי תור Te'um, teumim – Coordination – תיאום Te'um bitchoni – Security coordination – תיאום בטחוני Lehat'im odem – How to match lipstick – איך להתאים אודם Mat'im li – It suits me – מתאים לי Lo mat'im shmoneh – Eight is not good for me – לא מתאים שמונה Lo mat'im lecha ha-tseva ha-zeh – This color does not suit you – לא מתאים לך הצבע הזה Ha-chultsa gdola midai, hi lo mat'ima lach – This shirt is too big, it doesn't suit you – החולצה גדולה מדיי, היא לא מתאימה לך Lo mat'im achshav – Not this now – לא מתאים Eich mat'im achshav knafeh – Knafeh would really hit the spot right now – איך מתאים עכשיו כנאפה Eich mat'im achshav – How fitting it would be now – איך מתאים עכשיו Mut'am ishit – Tailor made – מותאם אישית Mut'amim le- – Fitted for – מותאמים ל Lehat'im mashehu le mishehu – To fit something to someone – להתאים משהו למישהו Lehat'im chultsa le-michnasyiam – To match a shirt to the pants – להתאים חולצה למכנסיים   Playlist and Clips: TV10 – Siamese twins Eich leta'em – How to coordinate a meeting Ashley – Eich lehat'im odem  Sharif – Mat'im Li (lyrics) Ep. 123 about likbo'a tor, set an appointment

Register to join the weekly Daily Bread Torah Classes!!! Learn Torah in Light of Messiah every week with Bible Teacher Lars Enarson. Join anytime. www.larsenarson.com/torah Plagues, sacrifices, rituals, and blood. This is the part of the Bible many Christians avoid—the Law of Moses (“Torah” in Hebrew). Isn't the Law about rules, not relationship? Works, not grace?​​​​ Yet Yeshua said, “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me” (Jn 5:46). And King David said, “Oh how I love your Law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps 119). — How can that be?​​​​​​ GET A COMPREHENSIVE foundation in the Torah—the part of the Bible many Christians are least familiar with, yet which forms the basis for all Scriptural revelation.​ The Torah is an interpretive key that unlocks the rest of the Bible. Join students worldwide learning Torah in light of Messiah.

This week, Ryan and Brian learn about nicknames, heavy metal music, and history from 1981. All that, plus a new Fandom Feast, a new Anti-Match Quiz from Scott Weiss, and a brand new Contest of Now, which is a Rows Garden puzzle! If you get bored (how could you?!), write something for the Fill Me In wiki. And if you're feeling philanthropic, donate to our Patreon. Do you enjoy our show? Actually, it doesn't matter! Please consider leaving us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. This will help new listeners find our show, and you'll be inducted into the Quintuple Decker Turkey Club. Drop us a note or a DM or a postcard or a phone call — we'd love to hear from you. Helpful links: Apple Podcasts link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fill-me-in/id1364379980 Google Play link: https://player.fm/series/fill-me-in-2151002 Amazon/Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/item_name/dp/B08JJRM927 RSS feed: http://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/rss Contact us: Email (fmi@bemoresmarter.com) / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bluesky We're putting these words here to help with search engine optimization. We don't think it will work, but you probably haven't read this far, so it doesn't matter: baseball, crossword, crosswords, etymology, game, hunt, kealoa, movies, musicals, mystery, oscar, pizza, puzzle, puzzles, sandwiches, soup, trivia, words

The pivotal events leading up to Jesus' trial, focusing on the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas' betrayal, and Peter's denial. Listeners will delve into Jesus' agonizing prayer, His arrest, and the subsequent interrogation by religious leaders. The narrative highlights Jesus' unwavering commitment to God's plan, contrasting it with the disciples' reactions, particularly Peter's struggle between loyalty and fear. Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.org Want to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out ou...

In ancient times, names were much more significant than they are today. They were carefully chosen, and were sometimes conferred by God himself. Names were descriptive of a person's lineage, character, and in some cases even his destiny. Likewise, God applies a variety of Hebrew names and titles to Himself because He wants us to know more about His character, nature, and attributes. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29?v=20251111

Rabbi Gordon studies one chapter a day from Maimonides' classic legal work of Mishneh Torah. The original Hebrew text is read and then translated and clearly explained in English.

These classes teach the day's section of the weekly Torah portion. The lesson is taught using the original Hebrew text with the indispensable commentary of Rashi—both translated and elucidated so that anyone can follow along.

Some ideas belong in the theological recycle bin—this episode takes on one of them. We unpack the “serpent seed” doctrine, where it came from, why it keeps resurfacing, and how it collapses under Hebrew, history, and the church fathers. We trace its Gnostic fingerprints, show how it fuels bad fruit (including racist distortions), and contrast it with the biblical “seed” theme fulfilled in Christ. We also sort out why people confuse Genesis 3 with Genesis 6 and how presentism, isogesis, and click-driven sensationalism muddy the waters. Along the way: Irenaeus, Heiser, Zohar, Ophites, Branham/Murray, and why sound doctrine must marry reason and the supernatural. We wrap with practical tests for spotting heresy and a call back to creedal foundations that love the real Jesus. Today we welcome back Dr. Judd Burton.https://www.burtonbeyond.net/

News and commentary for Monday, 17 November, 2025.

Daily Dose of Hope November 18, 2025   Scripture – Acts 2   Prayer: Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We have just started the book of Acts, after walking through all the Gospels.  What a great spiritual journey this has been and I'm so glad you have joined us!  Today, we walk through Acts 2.   I'm going to start by reading the first three verses, On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.  Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.  Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.    You guys, this is incredible.  First, let's talk about the roaring windstorm.  Throughout Scripture, wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.  In ancient Hebrew, we have the word, ruach, which means breath/wind/spirit and we see this word quite a bit in the Old Testament.  Wind represents the life-giving work of the Spirit.  Think about it.  In Genesis 2, God breathed life (ruach) into Adam.  In Ezekial 37, we are in the valley of dry bones and God has Ezekiel prophesy to the bones, saying "I will put my Spirit (ruach) in you and you will live."  In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is typically referred to in the Greek as pneuma.  The Holy Spirit comes upon Mary to form life in her womb.  In John 3:5, Jesus tells Nicodemus that the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.    I can't help thinking, how many people need to experience the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit right now?  How many people are really struggling, barely holding on, languishing in doubt, pain, anger, cynicism?  Or maybe, you simply feel nothing?  There is NO true living without the presence of the Spirit, only existing.    Next, we have the tongues of fire.  Let's sit here for a second.  Fire is often descriptive of God in the Old Testament and it speaks to the purifying and refining work of the Holy Spirit.  In this sense, the Spirit causes things that are impure to become pure...lives, hearts. Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist says "I baptize you with water for repentance.  But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."  Peter speaks of the new Gentile believers as experiencing the Holy Spirit and having their hearts purified.    If something is pure, it is only one thing–pure gold, pure oxygen.  It isn't filled with contaminants or additives. It is totally and completely that one thing. I picture the Holy Spirit coming upon that group of believers on the day of Pentecost and purifying or refining their hearts so they would be totally and completely dedicated to the things of God, not half filled with the stuff of the world and half filled with the things of God.  I wonder that about our own hearts.  What contaminants have we allowed to seep in?  What do we need to purify? Come like a fire, Holy Spirit, and burn in us so that we can be pure and totally devoted to the things of Jesus.   Let's read some more Scripture, beginning with verse 4 (this is truly a paraphrase), All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.  This made a racket and a crowd forms...When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken...Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?  Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."  And then Peter gets up and says, we aren't drunk, it's only 9 in the morning.  Let me tell you what his means...and he shares with them the Gospel, he speaks of how the Old Testament scriptures point to Jesus as the Messiah, he speaks of Jesus' ministry, his death, his resurrection and it says this,  Peter's words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"  Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."   And what happened? 3000 believed and were baptized.  The Holy Spirit came, the people were given power to act, and they did it!  They trusted God and they responded.  This was essentially the beginning of the church.  At the end of chapter 2, we see how the people begin to gather to worship Jesus, to pray, to learn, to take care of one another, to celebrate the Lord's Supper.  They sold all they had and gave it to the poor among them.    We talked about how the Holy Spirit is life-giving and purifying but it also has power.  The Holy Spirit empowers believers to do really hard things.  If you have said yes to Jesus, then the Holy Spirit has made a home within you. The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead LIVES within you.  And God didn't give us that power simply for our own use.  It's for the mission of sharing the love and grace of Jesus Christ with others.    Why do you think we struggle so much with that?  What part of the mission causes you to hide in fear?  Friends, we have POWER within us and it is given to us for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ.  Let's just let that sit and settle.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Welcome to this week's prophetic Weekly Word! As we transition from the Hebrew month of Heshvan into Kislev, God is bringing major spiritual shifts, alignment, and supernatural repositioning. This is a season of new mantles, new assignments, and covenant promises being activated!Although life in the natural may feel busy due to the holiday season, the Spirit is slowing things down so you can hear God clearly and aim your destiny like an arrow. November 15–January 15 is a time of divine alignment with heaven's timing.Kislev is the biblical month of hope, trust, dreams, covenant fulfillment, and miracle oil—leading us into Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. Just like Noah stepping into new territory, many will transition into new land, new jobs, new ministries, and new territories.The Tribe of Benjamin—warriors skilled in hitting the mark—is highlighted this month. God says: Do not sell your birthright for temporary comfort like Esau did. Protect your destiny! Stay spiritually alert, remain in the secret place, and set your faith like a bow pointed at your God-given purpose.This is a month of:Covenant AlignmentDestiny ActivationSupernatural DreamsNew Territory & PromotionDivine Rest & StrategyStaying Focused to Hit the MarkScripture References:Genesis 25–28 • Psalm 78:7 • Genesis 49:27 • 1 Chronicles 12:2 • Psalm 19:1If you're ready for breakthrough and prophetic direction, this word is for you. Don't miss what God is doing as we step into the month of Kislev and beyond!00:00 – Welcome & Weekly Word Intro00:42 – Transition from Heshvan to Kislev: What It Means02:10 – Why Things Feel Slower Spiritually03:20 – New Mantles, New Assignments & Covenant Alignment05:05 – Noah's Shift Into New Territory & Its Prophetic Timing07:08 – Kislev: Dreams, Trust & Hope09:15 – Miracle Oil & Hanukkah Preview10:50 – The Tribe of Benjamin: Warrior Identity & Destiny13:22 – Sagittarius in Hebrew: The Bow That Shoots Destiny15:40 – Jacob & Esau: Protect Your Birthright18:05 – Do Not Trade Destiny for Fleshly Comfort19:47 – Strategy for November–January: Rest & Alignment21:30 – Final Prophetic Activation & PrayerSign up for the free “ASCEND Class” at 10 am and 6 pm EST – Monday November 17 http://bit.ly/4gfRKXmSign up for “Kingdom Wealth Strategies” for a 6 month COACHING in how to increase prosperity - excellent for marketplace ministry leaders and thoseWanting to dig deeper into God's plan for wealth and prosperous living.https://dream-mentors-transformational-life-coaching.teachable.com/l/pdp/kingdom-wealth-strategies-class-prophetic-communityIn USA get your copy of my new "Cracking the Time Code" to defeat delay and secure God's promises https://www.candicesmithyman.com/shop/p/preorder-cracking-the-time-code-step-into-supernatural-acceleration-stop-cycles-of-delay-and-secure-gods-promises-today

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Ariel's Mystical Night: Unearthing Celestial Wonders Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2025-11-18-08-38-20-he Story Transcript:He: בערב סתווי אחד, הירקות מהחצר של אריאל כבר היו נרדמים, והעולם שמעבר לחלון הספרייה נראה כולו קסום ומסתורי.En: On one autumn evening, the vegetables from Ariel's yard were already asleep, and the world beyond the library window looked entirely magical and mysterious.He: אריאל, נער סקרן עם אהבה גדולה למסתורין ולאסטרונומיה, שמח לעזור בנקיון הספרייה.En: Ariel, a curious young boy with a great love for mysteries and astronomy, was happy to help clean the library.He: אבל הלילה היה שונה.En: But this night was different.He: בזמן שכל העיר חגגה את חגם של התודה, אריאל לא יכול היה להפסיק לחשוב על האורות המוזרים שראה מעל הספרייה בלילות האחרונים.En: While the whole city celebrated their Thanksgiving holiday, Ariel couldn't stop thinking about the strange lights he had seen above the library in recent nights.He: הספרייה בפרברים הייתה מבנה בן שתי קומות עם חלונות פנורמיים גדולים שצפו בנוף של עצים צובעים בשלל גווני השלכת.En: The library in the suburbs was a two-story building with large panoramic windows overlooking a view of trees painted in a range of autumn shades.He: אחרי שעות הסגירה, הספרייה הייתה שקטה ושלווה, והעצים מסביב יצרו נוף מופלא.En: After closing hours, the library was quiet and peaceful, and the surrounding trees created a wondrous scenery.He: "בואי לראות!" קרא אריאל לליאורה, אחת הספרניות.En: "Come and see!" Ariel called to Leora, one of the librarians.He: "בליל אמש ראיתי שוב את האורות."En: "Last night, I saw the lights again."He: אבל ליאורה, אישה טובה, רק חייכה בעייפות.En: But Leora, a kind woman, just smiled tiredly.He: "אלה רק מטוסים," היא ענתה, אם כי עיניה הביעו חיבה לאמונה התמימה שלו.En: "They're just airplanes," she replied, though her eyes expressed affection for his innocent belief.He: אבל אריאל לא הניח לדבר.En: But Ariel didn't let it go.He: בלילה, כשכולם נרדמו, חזר לספרייה.En: At night, when everyone fell asleep, he returned to the library.He: הוא הצטייד בטלסקופ ובפתק קטן שבו כתב את תוכניתו: לבדוק, לצלם, להוכיח.En: He was equipped with a telescope and a small note where he wrote his plan: to check, to photograph, to prove.He: האורות לא יכלו להיות סתם מטוסים, הוא הופך ביפול שלו, והיה צריך לגלות יותר.En: The lights couldn't just be airplanes, he mulled over, and he had to find out more.He: במרחשים השקטה והמלבבת של הלילה, הוא התמקם על הדשא מול הספרייה.En: In the quiet and enchanting nighttime atmosphere, he settled on the lawn in front of the library.He: הירח היה בהיר, וכך גם התקווה שלו.En: The moon was bright, as was his hope.He: לפתע, נפתחו שערי השמים והאורות חזרו בשורה מסתובבת, מרחפים בצורה מופלאה.En: Suddenly, the gates of the sky opened, and the lights returned in a rotating sequence, hovering in a spectacular manner.He: הם התנועעו בדפוסים שלא דומים לשום כלי טיס מוכר.En: They moved in patterns unlike any known aircraft.He: לרגע, אריאל רק התבונן, אך אז החל לצלם ולאסוף ראיות.En: For a moment, Ariel just watched, but then he began to photograph and gather evidence.He: למחרת, עם ראיות בידיו ולב מלא התרגשות, פנה אל ליאורה שנדהמה מהממצאים.En: The next day, with evidence in his hands and a heart full of excitement, he turned to Leora who was astonished by the findings.He: "אנחנו חייבים לספר לכולם," אמר אריאל.En: "We have to tell everyone," said Ariel.He: באולם העיתונות המקומית, נאחל לו באריכות ימים מי שצחק עליו.En: In the local press hall, those who had laughed at him wished him a long life.He: אריאל ואהבתו לאסטרונומיה מצאו דרך בלבבות של אנשי העיר.En: Ariel and his love for astronomy found a way into the hearts of the townspeople.He: לאחר ששיתף את התמונות והסיפור בעיתון המקומי, זכה הערכה וחיבה מחבריו.En: After sharing the photos and story in the local newspaper, he gained appreciation and affection from his friends.He: הוא הבין את חשיבות האמונה ברעיונות שלו.En: He understood the importance of believing in his ideas.He: מאותו יום, אריאל כבר לא היה הנער המוזר; הוא היה החוקר הצעיר שסיפק הוכחה לעולם הנסתר שמעבר.En: From that day on, Ariel was no longer the odd boy; he was the young researcher who provided proof of the unseen world beyond.He: והספרייה הקטנה בפרברים זכתה לפרסום בזכות חוש ההרפתקנות שלו והידידות הכנה של ליאורה.En: And the small library in the suburbs gained fame thanks to his adventurous spirit and the sincere friendship of Leora. Vocabulary Words:autumn: סתוויmysterious: מסתוריcurious: סקרןsuburbs: פרבריםpanoramic: פנורמייםoverlooking: צפו בscenery: נוףinnocent: תמימהequipped: הצטיידtelescope: טלסקופsalient: בולטתevidence: ראיותastonished: השתוממהappreciation: הערכהadventurous: הרפתקניaffection: חיבהsincere: כנהhover: מרחפיםrotating: מסתובבתpatterns: דפוסיםlawn: דשאenchanted: מכושפתspectacular: מרהיבastonished: נדהמהfame: פרסוםaffection: חיבהappreciation: הערכהprove: להוכיחbeyond: מעברunseen: נחבאBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

Support Birthright Israel: https://birthrightisrael.foundation/callmebackApply to become Ark Media's Production Manager: https://tinyurl.com/mthkpmnaSubscribe to Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=insideGift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/giftsSubscribe to Amit Segal's newsletter ‘It's Noon in Israel':arkmedia.org/amitsegal/Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcastCheck out Ark Media's other podcasts: For Heaven's Sake: https://lnk.to/rfGlrA‘What's Your Number?': https://lnk.to/rfGlrAFor sponsorship inquiries, please contact: callmeback@arkmedia.orgTo contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorgDan on X: x.com/dansenorDan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenorTo order Dan Senor & Saul Singer's book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdnToday's Episode: The Israel-Hamas ceasefire has been in place for just over a month. Despite the occasional flare-ups, it's been a time of relatively few sirens (by Israeli standards). As President Trump pushes forward with his peace plan and Israel's regional enemies seek to gain a new advantage, Dan sat down with Dr. Micah Goodman to figure out whether two years of war have left the Jewish state stronger, weaker, or both. In other words, did Israel win?Micah Goodman is the author of seven best seller books and the co-host of the Mifleget Hamachshavot podcast in Hebrew with Efrat Shapira-Rosenberg.CREDITS:ILAN BENATAR - Producer & EditorADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive ProducerMARTIN HUERGO - Sound EditorMARIANGELES BURGOS - Additional EditingMAYA RACKOFF - Operations DirectorGABE SILVERSTEIN - ResearchYUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Register to join the weekly Daily Bread Torah Classes!!! Learn Torah in Light of Messiah every week with Bible Teacher Lars Enarson. Join anytime. www.larsenarson.com/torah Plagues, sacrifices, rituals, and blood. This is the part of the Bible many Christians avoid—the Law of Moses (“Torah” in Hebrew). Isn't the Law about rules, not relationship? Works, not grace?​​​​ Yet Yeshua said, “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me” (Jn 5:46). And King David said, “Oh how I love your Law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps 119). — How can that be?​​​​​​ GET A COMPREHENSIVE foundation in the Torah—the part of the Bible many Christians are least familiar with, yet which forms the basis for all Scriptural revelation.​ The Torah is an interpretive key that unlocks the rest of the Bible. Join students worldwide learning Torah in light of Messiah.

We explore Jesus' comforting words to His disciples in the upper room. The episode delves into Jesus' new commandment of love, His promise of the Holy Spirit, and His assurance of peace amidst coming trials. We examine key themes such as Jesus as the Way, Truth, and Life, the role of the Holy Spirit as Helper and Comforter, and the disciples' future persecution. Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.org Want to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out ou...

In ancient times, names were much more significant than they are today. They were carefully chosen, and were sometimes conferred by God himself. Names were descriptive of a person's lineage, character, and in some cases even his destiny. Likewise, God applies a variety of Hebrew names and titles to Himself because He wants us to know more about His character, nature, and attributes. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1094/29?v=20251111

Rabbi Gordon studies one chapter a day from Maimonides' classic legal work of Mishneh Torah. The original Hebrew text is read and then translated and clearly explained in English.

These classes teach the day's section of the weekly Torah portion. The lesson is taught using the original Hebrew text with the indispensable commentary of Rashi—both translated and elucidated so that anyone can follow along.

11/16/25 Tom explores some of the origins of the Hebrew language and its implications for the Bible and our interpretations today.

Love and Torah—what's love got to do with it? This series explores the “Two Great Commands': loving Yahweh and loving your neighbor. What does John 15 reveal about Yah's kingdom structure? How does John 15 connect to Genesis 1's creation account? What was the first instruction given to humanity? When Yeshua told His disciples to keep His commands, which ones did He mean? Did Messiah add to Torah? In John 15:15, Yeshua told His disciples they are no longer servants but friends. What is the difference between a servant and a friend? How do we define 'friend'? Since Messiah said this to His disciples, how does it apply to us today? Rabbi Berkson carefully analyzes these passages again to help you better understand what Yah expects of you—so you can do it and receive His blessings. Visit our website, https://mtoi.org, to learn more about MTOI. https://www.facebook.com/mtoiworldwide https://www.instagram.com/mtoi_worldwide You can reach MTOI by emailing us at admin@mtoi.org or calling 423-250-3020. Join us for Shabbat Services and Torah Study LIVE, streamed on our website, mtoi.org, YouTube, and Rumble every Saturday at 1:15 p.m., and every Friday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time for Torah Study Live Stream.

Continuation from "The Second Story and the Third Heaven Part A"

When everything feels dead and hope seems lost, can dry bones live again?  In this powerful episode for the Second Sunday of Advent, hosts Rolf Jacobson, Kathryn Schifferdecker, and Craig Koester explore Ezekiel's stunning vision of the valley of dry bones—a message of hope for exiles who believed they were completely cut off from God. The conversation unpacks the rich Hebrew word "ruach" (spirit/breath/wind) that runs throughout Ezekiel 37, revealing how God promises to breathe new life into seemingly hopeless situations. Unlike Jeremiah who wrote from Jerusalem to the exiles, Ezekiel himself was living in exile, speaking directly into the despair of a displaced people whose city had been destroyed and who felt abandoned by God. This isn't just ancient history. Whether you're an individual feeling spiritually dried up, or part of a congregation that seems to have lost its vitality, this text speaks directly to that despair. As the hosts emphasize, the Israelites' lament—"our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, we are cut off completely"—represents the deepest kind of spiritual crisis. Yet God's response through Ezekiel is a vivid, visual promise: I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live. The discussion highlights how Advent functions as a season of holy waiting and exile, longing for home. Kathryn notes Michael Chan's powerful observation that "Ezekiel's audience lives life with an open wound," and that the journey to genuine hope begins with "a hard stare into the eyes of truth."  This isn't false optimism—it's hope grounded in the God of life who has the power to bring resurrection even from death-dealing situations. Whether you're preparing a sermon, teaching a Bible study, or seeking personal encouragement, this episode offers both scholarly insight and pastoral wisdom for one of Scripture's most memorable visions of hope. TIMECODES: 00:00 Advent Life and Exile 02:54 Ezekiel's Vision of Hope 05:52 The Power of God in Despair 09:00 Understanding Yahweh's Promise 11:07 Hope Amidst Exile

Who or what are you trusting in? Today Mark is discussing Isaiah 13-39."Draw near, O nations, to hear, and give attention, O peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that fills it; the world, and all that comes from it. For the Lord is enraged against all the nations, and furious against all their host.... Strengthen the weak hands...say to those who have an anxious heart, 'Be strong; fear not!'... Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,.. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." —Taken from Isaiah 34:1-2; 35:3-5,10 >>Watch on YouTubeDr. Mark Gignilliat is professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School, where he teaches courses in Old Testament and Hebrew. Mark also serves as theologian in residence at St. Peter's Anglican Church in Birmingham. Dr. Gignilliat is married to Naomi, and they have four children.

To conclude Season 7, Jill sits down with a spiritual mother, Debb Webb — a Kingdom teacher whose journey has moved from leading a traditional church to cultivating Spirit-led, home-based Kingdom communities as part of the Legacy Conversation series.  This episode draws from a deep well of wisdom. It's the kind of conversation that may feel like drinking from a fire hydrant — dense, layered, and overflowing with revelation. Together, Jill and Debb explore themes that range wide and deep: -The meaning behind the title "Son of Man" and key Hebrew words that reveal God's heart -The original human mandate and how it shapes our purpose today -How to discern the Spirit of God in community -The nature of revelation and prophecy -What it means to live in faithful obedience to the Father's will This is a rich, Spirit-filled conversation for those hungry to understand the Kingdom more deeply — an invitation to listen slowly, reflect prayerfully, and let wisdom take root. The advent guide referenced in the intro can be found on The Hills website - www.thehills/christmas - and on The Hills App under Daily Habits, Guided Reflection.  Reach out to us at nextgennow@thehills.org and find more information about The Hills Church at www.thehills.org.

There are different takes on the exact meaning of the temple Ezekiel sees in today's passage, some say it is symbolic, others heavenly, while others take note of it's cross-shaped floor plan. Here's what we know. First, it was never built. Second, this passage is the longest recording of a revelation in Scripture and it gives very specific dimensions for a temple design with measurements that differ from the original temple. Third, in the original Hebrew, the measurements are in cubits and multiples of 5 and 25 abound; and this vision takes place after 25 years in exile. Fourth, but certainly not finally, other than Moses, Ezekiel is the only person in the Old Testament to receive and transmit specific legislation directly from God.Ezekiel 40 - 1:02 . Ezekiel 41 - 8:59 . Ezekiel 42 - 17:35 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

When the king of Egypt is first introduced in our OT book of Exodus he is not named, nor thereafter. But the book itself in Hebrew is called "Names," and even the midwives are named (Exod. 1:15). Egyptians tended to treat the kings of their enemies the same way. Dr. Oliver Hersey is the 11th president of Jerusalem University College. This college, located on the southwestern corner of Mount Zion, equips for ministry by providing immersive study of the ancient and modern contexts of Israel and the surrounding regions for a deepened understanding of God and his word. B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4qXJAsL  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4i2FEmo 

Our newly adopted mission statement reflects our core values of justice and compassion, which represent our public and private commitments to Christ-like acts of mercy. These values are rooted in the ancient wisdom of scripture, including teachings from Hebrew prophets and the life and witness of Jesus. This Sunday, we continue to focus on our congregation's mission and how the new community described by Isaiah invites each of us to be part of this community and its "Chorus of Generosity." www.TheLoftLA.org

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Balancing Books and Bonds: A Thanksgiving Tale of Friendship Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2025-11-17-23-34-02-he Story Transcript:He: העלים מחוץ לדלת של לוי ותמר רחשו בכבוד לאוטום שבחוץ.En: The leaves outside Levi and Tamar's door rustled in deference to the autumn weather outside.He: השניים ישבו בחדר המגורים הקטן שלהם, מביטים סביב בחדר מעוטר בצבעי הסתיו, עם קישוטים פשוטים.En: The two of them sat in their small living room, looking around at the room adorned in autumn colors, with simple decorations.He: על השולחן הקטן שבמרכז החדר היה מונח סידור פרחים קטן שהפיץ חמימות ורוגע.En: On the small table at the center of the room was a small flower arrangement that exuded warmth and calm.He: לוי היה תלמיד חרוץ.En: Levi was a diligent student.He: הוריו תמיד הציבו לו מטרות גבוהות בלימודים.En: His parents always set high academic goals for him.He: אבל הפעם הוא הרגיש את הלחץ יותר מתמיד.En: But this time, he felt the pressure more than ever.He: לוי ידע שעליו להכין את המסמכים לאוניברסיטה, אבל החג התקרב ותמר, שותפתו לחדר, החלה להיערך ליום ההודיה.En: Levi knew he had to prepare his university applications, but the holiday was approaching, and Tamar, his roommate, began preparing for Thanksgiving.He: "תראה," אמרה תמר, מתחילה לסדר את החדר.En: "Look," Tamar said, starting to tidy up the room.He: "אני יודעת שאתה רוצה ללמוד, אבל אנחנו יכולים לקחת קצת זמן להרגע.En: "I know you want to study, but we can take some time to relax.He: גם לך מגיע."En: You deserve it too."He: לוי היסס לרגע, מביט בעודו מהרהר בשולחן מלא המסמכים לידו.En: Levi hesitated for a moment, looking thoughtfully at the table full of documents beside him.He: "אני לא יודע," אמר בקול ספקני.En: "I don't know," he said skeptically.He: "אולי אסתדר לבד."En: "Maybe I'll manage on my own."He: תמר חייכה אליו בחום.En: Tamar smiled at him warmly.He: "בוא נעשה עסק.En: "Let's make a deal.He: אני אארגן משהו קטן כאן, אתה תעזור לי קצת – ונוכל להרגיש כמו בבית."En: I'll organize something small here, you help me a little – and we can feel at home."He: הימים עברו ותמר התחילה לארגן את הכל.En: The days passed, and Tamar started organizing everything.He: היא הזמינה חברים נוספים שלא יכלו ללכת הביתה.En: She invited other friends who couldn't go home.He: לוי התחיל לראות איך דאגה לכולם וניסה לעזור קצת.En: Levi began to see how she cared for everyone and tried to help a bit.He: הם תכננו ארוחה עם מאכלים פשוטים ונעימים.En: They planned a meal with simple and pleasant dishes.He: בערב יום ההודיה, החדר הקטן היה מלא בצחוק ושמחה.En: On the evening of Thanksgiving, the small room was full of laughter and joy.He: לוי ישב והביט סביב, מרגיש איך הלחץ מתמוסס לאט.En: Levi sat and looked around, feeling the pressure slowly dissolve.He: הוא הבין עד כמה חשוב לעצור לרגע, ליהנות מהרגעים הפשוטים עם חברים טובים.En: He realized how important it is to pause for a moment, to enjoy simple moments with good friends.He: בסיום הערב לוי חשפת את ליבו בפני תמר, "תודה לך, תמר.En: At the end of the evening, Levi opened up to Tamar, “Thank you, Tamar.He: אני מרגיש הרבה יותר טוב עכשיו."En: I feel much better now.”He: תמר חייכה אליו בהבנה, "אני כאן בשבילך תמיד.En: Tamar smiled at him understandingly, “I'm here for you always.He: תזכור, אפשר להצליח גם כשלוקחים הפסקות."En: Remember, you can succeed even when taking breaks.”He: לאחר מכן, לוי חזר ללימודים בתחושת חידוש ואנרגיה רבה, ותמר הייתה מרוצה שיכלה ליצור תחושת בית לכל הסובבים.En: Afterward, Levi returned to his studies feeling renewed and full of energy, and Tamar was pleased she could create a sense of home for everyone around.He: לוי הבין שעליו ליצור איזון בין הצלחה אישית למסורות המשפחתיות, ותמר זכתה להבין את החשיבות של גמישות בתוכניותיה כדי שכולם ירגישו שייכים.En: Levi understood he needed to balance personal success with family traditions, and Tamar learned the importance of flexibility in her plans so that everyone would feel included.He: כך החג הסתיים, ולוי ותמר, בחדר המעוטר, הבינו יותר על החשיבות של איזון בין עבודה לפנאי והרמוניה חברותית.En: Thus, the holiday ended, and Levi and Tamar, in their adorned room, gained a greater understanding of the importance of balancing work with leisure and social harmony. Vocabulary Words:rustled: רחשוdeference: בכבודadorned: מעוטרexuded: הפיץdiligent: חרוץacademic: בלימודיםskeptically: ספקניhesitated: היססtidy: לסדרdocuments: מסמכיםorganizing: לארגןincluded: שייכיםsimple: פשוטיםcalm: רוגעrenewed: חידושtraditions: מסורותflexibility: גמישותharmony: הרמוניהsocial: חברותיתpressure: לחץunderstandingly: באהבהsuccess: הצלחהpause: לעצורbalance: איזוןenjoy: ליהנותwarmly: בחוםpleasant: נעימיםapproaching: מתקרבroommate: שותפתו לחדרincluded: שייכיםBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Finding Friendship: A Bond Forged in Autumn's Glow Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2025-11-17-08-38-19-he Story Transcript:He: היו אלו ימי סוף הסתיו בקמפוס הלימודים שבסביבה הירוקה והשלווה.En: It was the end of autumn on the campus located in the serene, green surroundings.He: העלים בצבעי זהב כתום חיפו את המרבדים על האדמה, ורוח קלה נשבה והזכירה את בוא החורף.En: The leaves, in shades of orange and gold, blanketed the grounds, and a light breeze blew, heralding the arrival of winter.He: בפנים, בחדר המעונות, ישבו שני צעירים, אורי ונח, על המיטה שהיתה מכוסה שמיכה רכה בצבע כחול כהה.En: Inside, in the dorm room, two young men, Ori and Noah, sat on the bed covered with a soft, dark blue blanket.He: אורי היה ילד ביישן אך סקרן, בתקוותו למצוא את הדרך להשתלבות בקמפוס.En: Ori was a shy yet curious boy, hoping to find his way to fitting in on campus.He: הוא היה מביט אל נח, שברגעים הראשונים שהגיע החיב אותו בפרץ של חביבות ודיבר בגילוי לב.En: He looked up to Noah, who had welcomed him with a burst of kindness and spoke frankly from the very first moments they met.He: "אורי," אמר נח כששני אורנחים דלוקים על החנוכיה שבחלון.En: "Ori," Noah said, as two candles were lit on the Hanukkiah in the window.He: "מה דעתך להצטרף אליי ולרחל להדלקת נרות החג?En: "How about joining Rachel and me for the holiday candle lighting?"He: "אורי התלבט לרגע, לחשב את הסיכון שביצירת קשר חדש, אבל עיני נח היתה מלאות כנות.En: Ori hesitated for a moment, weighing the risk of forming a new connection, but Noah's eyes were filled with sincerity.He: "כן, אני אבוא," השיב אורי בחיוך קטן.En: "Yes, I'll come," Ori replied with a small smile.He: כשנכנסו לחדר של רחל, המראה היה מרהיב.En: When they entered Rachel's room, the sight was spectacular.He: מחרוזות של אורות צבעוניים נתלו סביב החדר, והמוזיקה התמזגה עם הריח של סופגניות מתוקות.En: Strings of colorful lights hung around the room, and music blended with the scent of sweet sufganiyot.He: נח הרים כוסית והשיק אותה לאורי בשעשוע.En: Noah raised a glass and clinked it with Ori's in amusement.He: במהלך הדלקת הנרות, נח לפתע דיבר בקט רגש.En: During the candle lighting, Noah suddenly spoke with great emotion.He: "אורי, יש משהו שאני רוצה לשתף.En: "Ori, there's something I want to share.He: המשפחה שלי מצפה ממני לדברים גדולים, וזה קשה לי לפעמים.En: My family expects great things from me, and sometimes it's difficult.He: אני מרגיש לחץ כל הזמן.En: I feel pressure all the time."He: "אורי הביט בו בהבנה, לוקח נשימה עמוקה.En: Ori looked at him with understanding, taking a deep breath.He: "גם אני מרגיש בודד לפעמים.En: "I also feel lonely sometimes.He: אני מתגעגע לבית, אבל באמת רוצה למצוא חברים טובים פה.En: I miss home, but I really want to find good friends here."He: "הם ישבו זה מול זה, וזה היה רגע של חיבור טהור, כנה.En: They sat across from each other, and it was a moment of pure, honest connection.He: הם הבינו שהדרך לחברות מתחילה ביכולת לשתף ולהיות פתוחים זה לזה.En: They understood that the path to friendship begins with the ability to share and be open with one another.He: במשך הערבים שחלפו, נח ואורי נעשו חברים טובים, מספרים סודות, מעלים זכרונות ומשתפים חלומות.En: Over the following evenings, Noah and Ori became good friends, sharing secrets, recalling memories, and sharing dreams.He: רחל המשיכה להצטרף אליהם כשהזמינה אותם לטייל בעיר או לערוך לילות משחק.En: Rachel continued to join them, inviting them to explore the city or host game nights.He: אורי הפך להיות ברור יותר בעצמו, ונח למד לסמוך על אנשים ולשתף אותם בקשייו.En: Ori became more self-assured, and Noah learned to trust others and share his difficulties.He: כך הסתיים החג בתובנה ובהחלטה להמשיך ולתמוך זה בזה.En: Thus, the holiday ended with the realization and decision to continue supporting each other.He: הם ידעו כי יחד יוכלו להתמודד עם אתגרי הקמפוס ועם החיים עצמה.En: They knew that together they could face the challenges of campus life and life itself.He: החברות ביניהם היתה הלהבה שחיממה אותם בלילות הקרירים של הסתיו והביאה להם אור בתקווה רבה לעתיד.En: Their friendship was the flame that warmed them during the cool autumn nights, bringing them light with great hope for the future. Vocabulary Words:autumn: סתיוserene: שלווהblanketed: חיפוbreeze: רוח קלהheralding: הזכירהcampus: קמפוסcurious: סקרןfrankly: בגילוי לבcandle lighting: הדלקת נרותhesitated: התלבטsincerity: כנותspectacular: מרהיבstrings: מחרוזותscent: הריחamusement: שעשועemotion: רגשpressure: לחץlonely: בודדhonest: כנהself-assured: ברור יותר בעצמוtrust: לסמוךdifficulties: קשייוrealization: תובנהsupporting: לתמוךchallenges: אתגריםfriendship: חברותflame: להבהcozy: חיממהhope: תקווהfuture: עתידBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

Is there life in space? Mainstream science is converging on a positive answer. So why are people still talking about the so-called Fermi paradox?We examine the evidence for some important questions: Is there water beyond our little blue ball? Is there life in space? If so, what do we know about it? Where is everybody? Have they already arrived?BioKen is the author of several books, including UFOs In the Bible, Before Roswell, and Fermi's Paradox is Bullshit. I have also authored commentaries on two of the major Sumerian creation myths, the Enuma Elish, and the Atrahasis Epic, and am the lead translator and commentator for the Bara Bible, a completely new Old Testament translation like nothing you have seen before, based on a fresh etymological deep dive into the original ancient Hebrew texts. I have also written a couple of novels and a lot of poetry just for fun.As a professional systems analyst, I have come to realize that any system is only as good as its data, and that one of the key factors in data quality is consistency. While my degree from the University of Northern British Columbia is in computer science, I minored in anthropology, and have studied a broad range of other topics including physics and electronics engineering at the College of New Caledonia and Vancouver Island University, religion and philosophy at Briercrest College, and business administration at the University of British Columbia. These further studies cemented the fact that there exists a set of universally consistent patterns, the true essence of which we have only scratched the surface of. Even with our limited understanding, we have developed truly miraculous technologies and have come to understand our place in the universe as a unique one.However, the consistent story that is becoming more and more evident is that this uniqueness may be somewhat misinformed. The big picture of patterns emerging from phenomenology, mythology, archaeology, astronomy, and physics is beginning to form an emergent view of consistency across these varied disciplines – a view where modern man is not the pinnacle of creation as we have been led to believe.My writing thus far has endeavored to begin exploring some of the puzzle pieces, in a way that is consistent with an overarching paradigm that includes seemingly disparate views. It is my hope to continue to bring these viewpoints one step closer together, with an eventual goal of possibly integrating more of them in an explicit way. So far, I am working with a lot of hints, but each of these hints is solidly evidence based. The more I dig, the more amazed I become at where the evidence seems to lead, but only when we have defined a more complete and widespread dataset can we truly draw meaningful conclusions with a foundation stronger than speculation. It is my dream that soon the evidence will coagulate in a truly meaningful and incontrovertible manner, and it is to this end that I will continue to aim my efforts.Please subscribe to Ken's free substack channel for occasional articles on topics including but not limited to conceptual ancient mythology and ancient alien theory… or whatever else catches his eye.You may also like to catch a couple of his Appearances on other channels, or read a couple articles he wrote for Ancient Origins Magazine.He is the host of the Dimensionfold Youtube channel featuring discussions on many fascinating subjects and interviews with authors, researchers, alien abductees and paranormal witnesses.https://ufo.dimensionfold.com/https://dimensionfold.com/authors/ken-goudsward/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2DXDCZX? https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/alienufopodcastMy book 'Verified Near Death Exeriences' https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXKRGDFP Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The more modern the world gets, the more relevant passages like this are. I know it doesn't seem that way at first reading, but if you follow along with me, I think you will see that this is a very interesting passage with a critical concept for us to grasp. That concept is regular times of celebration before the Lord.   One of the challenges of modern life is a loss of the sense of time. I don't mean we are all so busy now, I mean that we live as if we aren't as bound to it anymore. Let me give an example. When our phones could get email, a little over 15 years ago, suddenly we could be working anywhere, anytime. The idea of “office hours” vanished and suddenly all of life could look the same. Any day could became Monday just in the time it takes for your phone to chime. This is just an extension of what has happened in the last 50 or so years when a lot of people's work stopped being dependent on what time of the year it is. Farming is very dependent on the month of the year. Email works the same whether it is June or January, so many have lost the connection to the natural rhythms of the world.   I came across a quote from Dr. Ross, my old Hebrew teacher, that sums up what I'm hoping to preach about today: “Only when worshippers begin to see how creation and redemption inform their use of time will they fully appreciate what it means to enter into the Lord's rest and enjoy fellowship with the holy God, and with one another in Christ.” (Recalling the Hope of Glory, 240). Let's unpack that.   In this section of Scripture, and in other places in the Old Testament, we see feasts or celebrations to God that correspond to certain seasons of the year, the creation. They were times that called for everyone to stop and remember the past, recognize the present, and rejoice for the future. Each one is filled with meaning not only when it comes to what is happening in the world, but even more so what is happening in redemption.   Our main point is to embrace the opportunity to celebrate, knowing that you always have reason to do so.

These classes teach the day's section of the weekly Torah portion. The lesson is taught using the original Hebrew text with the indispensable commentary of Rashi—both translated and elucidated so that anyone can follow along.

In Jewish legend, the mythical In Jewish tradition, the Golem is a creature formed from inanimate matter, and brought to life through mystical means, often involving Hebrew letters and divine names. The concept of the Golem is rooted in  Kabbalistic mysticism. This podcast will examine how seriously the Rabbis believed or did not believe in such creatures and why, and what are the practical implications such as would a Golem be counted for a Minyan-quorum in a synagogue. It will also analyze the underlying uniqueness of human beings.

In Jewish legend, the mythical In Jewish tradition, the Golem is a creature formed from inanimate matter, and brought to life through mystical means, often involving Hebrew letters and divine names. The concept of the Golem is rooted in  Kabbalistic mysticism. This podcast will examine how seriously the Rabbis believed or did not believe in such creatures and why, and what are the practical implications such as would a Golem be counted for a Minyan-quorum in a synagogue. It will also analyze the underlying uniqueness of human beings.

The Time Riders: Part 9 Planning Another Vacation Time Travel. Based on a post by BiscuitHammer, in 16 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Cast of Characters: Mark Simmons: 18 year old High School grad, enamored with Miss Becky Fischer. He finds the time machine and builds a new life. Uses various aliases in traveling. Rebecca 'Becky' Fischer: Mark's Physics teacher. Very intelligent, in her later twenties, Shapely Tall Blonde, lusty bisexual, D Cup tits. Martial arts expert, Uses various aliases in traveling. Henri: Claims to be a French physician and Apothicary. Chester Edgerton: Time traveling mentor, living in 17th Century French village. Cardinal Richelieu: ‘The Red Duke'. Statesman and Roman Catholic Cardinal. Dispises Queen Anne. Alexandra D'Assaut ('Alexa', or 'Lexi': Lady in waiting (and trusted advisor) to Queen Anne of France, Lusty bisexual, Very Tall, Busty DD tits, long golden blonde hair, Blue eyed. Lisette: servant (and lover) of Lady Alexandra, young, bespeckled brown eyes. Short, shapely, with wavy dark hair, bisexual. Dhallyla: Mark's mother. Roxy: Mark's sister. Nanu: An Egyptian slave of Pompeneia Flavius, purchased by Becky, dark complexion. Pompeneia: Roman hostess of Orgies. Lusty wife of Flavius, Mother of Domitia, bisexual, tall and shapely. Flavius: Roman aristocrat, husband of Pompeneia, protective father of Dometia, Domitia: Lusty young daughter of Pompeneia and Flavius. A pledged Vestal Virgin, Escapes to Sumeria when sentenced to death by starvation by Roman court. The Retiallis: A gladiator of the Collosseum. Prefers the trident spear and netting, to subdue opponents. Escapes to Sumeria. Rullus: A bulky gladiator of huge physical dimensions. Has an affection for Achilleia. Escapes to Sumeria. Achilleia: A fierce female gladiator. Prefers the whip and sword as weapons. Has a crush on Rullus. Escapes to Sumeria. Roxy stomped out of his room, trying to not slam the door behind her. Once he heard her heading down the stairs, Mark sank onto the corner of his bed and exhaled loudly, another shiver running up his spine. He suddenly had to pee. Had he really told Roxy the truth? He hadn't planned to, but he didn't exactly know what he planned to tell her, either. Now that he thought of it, telling her the truth was even more ridiculous than any appreciable lie he could have come up with, wasn't it? Of course she wouldn't believe him about a time machine, and she was quite reasonable not to. Just because it was true didn't mean she was committing an error in judgment. But now what? He had no idea how long her coerced 'promise' would hold her. She was really hot under the collar, and Roxy didn't take losing well at the best of times. He'd just have to be careful, he supposed. More so. He sighed and looked down at her little weed pipe, still in its baggie. In a moment of panic, when Roxy had been standing over him and threatening to slug him across the jaw, he'd made an instant decision; taking a lesson from his playbook with Becky; and resolved that he would get into Danni's house and filch the pipe, because he knew Roxy kept it there. He'd heard her talking over the phone about it with Danni at various points, and never really thought anything of it. Until now. He was familiar with Danni's house, since she'd been best friends with Roxy since they were little. When the two families were having dinner together, the girls had often dragged Mark upstairs and dressed him in girl's clothes and put makeup on him, like he was a doll for their tea parties. He also knew that Danni's parents didn't care if she smoked, because he'd heard Roxy lament this fact over the phone, wishing her parents were that cool. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to do the math of all this in his head. It would take Roxy thirty minutes to reach Danni's house in her car, to ask what the Hell had happened. But Danni would protest, insisting she'd never betray her friend and give Mark the pipe. Then she'd prove it by showing Roxy it was exactly where it was supposed to be, which was taped inside to the top of her underwear drawer. Only it wouldn't be there. Unless Mark went back to Danni's place and stashed it again, before the girls got up to her room. And then got out again. That'd really fuck with Roxy's head, and make Danni think Rox had gone insane. It took eight minutes for Mark to fire up and prime the Holmes Field Device, which was sitting in a corner in the basement that no one ever used. It was dead space, and as safe as any place else could be that wasn't Becky's basement. Eight minutes to prime it and program in the coordinates and the time. Like, literally a minute after he'd apparently gotten the pipe out of there to begin with. What? His mind was almost spinning at the logic flips. He had to return the pipe before he actually stole it? When did he steal it if he hadn't done it before returning it? And did that mean he had to steal it twice? He could account, apparently, for Danni not being in her room the first time, because he'd seemingly gotten away with it. If he landed a minute or so after he had burgled her, he would have the time he needed, he hoped, before she came back from wherever she was. Return it; steal it later, when no one is looking, then return it; I think. He heard the distinct sound of Roxy's Mustang roaring away down the road angrily. He somehow doubted that he had thirty minutes. What if he miscalculated and got caught? The obvious issues aside, how did he explain the Holmes Field Device? Could he explain it? People in this era thought time travel was fanciful sci-fi, after all. What happened then? He dropped the baggie on the bed, clasped his face in his hands and groaned, the number of calculations he needed to do making his head hurt. He really needed to stop pulling his solutions out of his ass, he was going to give himself a time-hemorrhoid. Time was wasting. "Wow, Mark," Becky mused as she sat in her lounger, sipping at the Falernian wine. Her bottles were almost gone, and they'd soon have to go back to their secret place in the woods and get more. It had been a rather involved operation, getting the giant vats aged a certain number of years back in the Roman era, then transporting them into the present and burying them again, so that they had a large stock of perfectly aged wine. "You sure like to play with fire, don't you?" "Tell me about it," he said wearily, as he sat on the couch, long pull drink from his own wine glass. "Can't believe it went off without a hitch." "You were near death that first night with me," Becky said rather somberly, concerned about the stress on her student's face. "And that only required one trip on your part, and my belief in myself. This little circus, however, I'll be amazed if your time cops don't show up to lecture you again. You'd deserve it." "I felt trapped, okay?" he said, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice. He knew Becky was right, and he didn't want to snap at her. It had just really worn him out. He'd lost track of when he was supposed to be there, and how often. He'd eventually concluded that dumb luck had saved him from criminal charges, not to mention any other headaches. "I just; when telling her the truth didn't make her go away, I jumped into my playbook, which at this time, consists of what I did with you." "What would you have done, exactly, if she'd believed you about the Holmes Field Device?" Becky queried, looking at him with interest. He considered and gave a halfhearted shrug. "I guess I knew she wouldn't, because if I told Roxy I was a guy, she'd yank my pants down to make sure. But to answer your question, I; I dunno. I was just really outta options." "I know you know this, Mark, but we obviously have to find ways for you to be even more careful," she said in a gentle tone. "You haven't timelocked yourself yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if you came really close there." "No shit," he muttered, scowling at his glass. "Sorry, just stressed." "Oh, poor baby," Becky cooed, getting out of her seat and coming over to sit down next to Mark. She pulled him into lean on her and then rested his face between her opulent tits, knowing exactly the effect this would have on him. "Just relax, it's all fine now." Mark sighed and nuzzled into her tits, relaxing a little. His teacher's scent and her glorious softness had a calming effect on his frazzled nerves. "Uhd, we should go on vacation in some remote time for a year or so. I could use it." Becky giggled, stroking her fingers through her student's dark hair. "If only we could." "Well, why couldn't we?" Mark reasoned, still nuzzling and refusing to leave his nest. "We've got a time machine, don't we?" "Mark, a two-week vacation is one thing, but longer stretches are problematic." "Why?" Becky sighed and put down her wine, opting to just hold him while he nuzzled her boobs. It wasn't like she didn't enjoy the sensation, after all. She knew that Mark, even though he was at least as experienced a time traveler as she was at this point, was still an eighteen-year-old boy, who had failed her Physics course. He just wasn't good at this stuff yet. But he took her with him readily, and she would have all the patience in the world until he caught up. If he ever did. "Mark, let's say you and I did indeed go on vacation for a year, somewhere in the time stream," she began, still stroking his wavy, dark hair. "And let's say we left tonight." "Sounds good, I'm in," Mark replied in a muffled tone. She smirked and continued. "And we come back after a year, to, say, an hour after we left, no one would notice, right?" "That's the beauty of it," he agreed, nodding in her boobs. "But we'd notice," she pointed out. We'd be a whole year older than when we left. When you got back, everyone would be trying to celebrate your nineteenth birthday, when, in reality, you're twenty. And you're the only one aside from me who knows it. Thanks to my captivity in the Louvre, I'm already a month older than our calendar indicates, so my birthday is technically inaccurate." He paused as he considered what she was saying. "And let's say, God forbid, that the time machine broke down somewhere in the past," she said, her voice taking on a serious tone. "Neither of us knows how to fix it, and there's absolutely no guarantee that we'd be able to find someone who could. What if it took the two of us five years to repair it, against all odds? We'd arrive back, an hour after we left, if we could, and everyone would notice we were magically five years older. I'd be thirty, you'd be twenty-three. We'd both look somewhat older, undoubtedly. How would we account for that?" Mark said nothing, just listening. "The only alternative would be to arrive five years in the future, to make up the difference, but then we've been AWOL with no explanation for five years," she continued. "Sure, maybe you can say you joined the merchant marines without a moment's notice, but what would I say?" She took his chin gently and turned his head to look up into her blue eyes. "We can't mess with the time stream and people's lives like that," she said quietly, almost sadly. "We're not from an era where time travel is the norm and people know what to expect." "You sure know how to take the fun out of time travel, Becks," he sighed, shaking his head. She giggled and cradled him in her bosom again, knowing he didn't mean it. "Silly," she cooed, jiggling her tits against his face a little. "You know better than anyone how much fun I can be in the time stream." "Yeah, that's true," Mark admitted, smiling and turning over on his back to look up at her while he lay in her lap. She was wearing black yoga pants, and a tight tank top and gave her impressive bust lots of breathing room. "But I really could use a little time away, to be honest. This nonsense stressed me out." "I'm sure it did, and hopefully you'll start thinking about these things ahead of time," she agreed, poking him in the nose. "In terms of what we could do, I have been giving the matter some thought." Mark raised an eyebrow. Becky never had bad ideas. Not compared to his, in any event. "I'm all ears." "Hardly," Becky giggled, reaching her hand down to gently cup his crotch beneath his jeans. "Let me explain first. You're not the only one with a predicament, although mine isn't necessarily self-inflicted." "Still listening," Mark said dryly, noticing the cheerful jibe. "It's difficult, being separated by three months the way we are," Becky said, caressing his cheek. "You, the Mark lying in my lap, you're from my upcoming summer. Me, I'm still waiting for the school year to finish. And three times a week, I see you in my classroom, and have to remind myself that the you sitting in that desk is not only still a minor, still, but has absolutely no idea about any of this." Mark said nothing, considering. "And I have to constantly be on guard, making sure I'm not sitting behind my desk, gazing at you dreamily in an off moment, or reminding myself not to sext you from the bathroom." "Damn, now I kinda wish you had," Mark mused, making her snicker. "Silly. What I'm saying, is that I think in the very near future, we'll need to not see each other for three months, as agonizing as that sounds, so that I can catch up with you." Mark screwed up his face as he thought about that. "That does sound sucky." "Oh, it won't be for you," Becky pointed out. "You get to hop on your time machine and return to three months from now, just like you always do every time we meet up. You won't even notice the difference. But you've also very tacitly avoided my future self for now, haven't you?" He nodded. "Yeah, you said to. Not that hard; it's a big city, and you told me where you tend to be at any given time, so it isn't much of a challenge." "Well, I want to catch up," Becky said firmly. "I want us to be on the same relative time frame, so that we don't need to worry about twists and so on, where things can go wrong. And if that means not seeing this you for three months," she whispered, placing her hand gently on his crotch, "and no time travelling for me because you've got the Holmes Field Device, then I'll manage. But it needs fixing, Mark." "Okay, done," Mark agreed, nodding. "But you mentioned something fun, which hasn't come up yet in this presentation so far." "Well," Becky began again. "I was thinking that we really should go and get Nanu and bring her forward with us. "It's not fair to leave her in that villa by herself. She doesn't really know how to look after herself, after all." "But we can keep visiting her," Mark pointed out. "She doesn't understand time travel, she'd hardly notice." "If we keep coming back to the same point in time to visit her, or at least within the same period frequently, it's true that little or no time will have passed for her," Becky said. "But we have our own lives, and goodness only knows when we'll have the time to pop out to Imperial Rome again. Years might pass for us before we can see her. How would we explain how much older we look to her?" "That again," Mark sighed, resenting the mathematical drudgery of time travel. "Yeah, that would freak her out. And as far as she's concerned, I'm still your slave, and she is too." "It's a notion I'll have to disabuse her of, once we bring her back here," Becky confirmed. "But I was thinking we'd have some fun when we go back and get her, and then she could stay with me. I'd spend our three months apart teaching her about our time and world, and when you meet us, we'd all be caught up together. Sound good?" "Well, I can't imagine it not being fun if you're around," Mark replied, grinning and sitting up, feeling considerably better after this talk with his teacher. "What're we gonna use to get the funds?" "Well," Becky said, making a cute show of thinking. "I've actually checked with that chroniques dealer? The one over on Adelaide that we were directed to?" "You've been busy!" Mark laughed, putting his arm around her shoulder. "I like to be prepared," she purred, snuggling into his side. "Anyway, I told him about my complete collection of Monchhichi minis that I inherited from my older cousin when I was young. Never did anything with 'em, because they just took up shelf space. But he's willing to give me a lot of money for them, apparently they're huge in the thirty-third century." "Well, of course they are," Mark said, rolling his eyes. "I; what the Hell are they, anyway? Never heard of 'em." "Oh, just collectible figurines from Japan in the Seventies, they look like cute little lolicon monkeys, along with a plushie toyline and several cartoons," she explained, waiving dismissively. "I couldn't care less about them, and if they make some person happy thirteen hundred years in the future, great. I'm getting lots of money for 'em." "Okay," Mark agreed, shrugging. "I was gonna sell my dad's Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots or Micronauts if we needed the geld. I'd probably get a good price on those, too." "You will," she confirmed. "But my lolicon monkeys are worth more, so we'll use them. So, we'll go see Nanu, tell her what's really up, have a lot of fun, spread my money around, and then bring her back. Sound good? I think two weeks of solid sucking and fucking should make you forget your woes." "I can hardly wait," Mark declared. "Why wait at all, big boy?" she purred again, as she undid his fly and bent her head down while fishing his cock out of his pants. Nanu sighed as she sat on the solium, kicking her legs back and forth slowly as she looked at the mosaic on the floor. It had been over a week now since she had seen anybody, let alone her mistress. As gorgeous as her surroundings were, this expansive villa hidden in the distant hills outside of mighty Rome, she was decidedly lonely. She'd never really spent any appreciable time by herself before Lady Aurora had purchased her from the Flavians. Despite her mistress' unwelcome absence, she found herself smiling as she thought of her. Lovely, lovely Lady Aurora Horatia; tall, with long, golden blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes, sensuous lips that were always parted to show her white teeth and radiant smile. Her thoughts turned to the lady's other parts now, and she blushed. She thought of her mistress' lovely neck, supple shoulders, her large, perky bust, trim waist and glorious, tight ass. Nanu felt warm as she pictured Lady Aurora's cunt, which she kept smooth and clean; so unusual for a Roman patrician woman. She had long, strong dancer's legs, just like Nanu. She remembered how captivated she'd been while she watched Lady Aurora dance at the orgy. Bonosus. Lady Aurora's principal slave, and her lover. Dark, wavy hair, and deep brown eyes; he was unnaturally tall, at least to Nanu, with an athletic build, broad shoulders, and a small waist that was hard to the touch; and his cock was huge. It had felt like it was tearing Nanu apart when she rode on it with wild abandon. She came out of her reverie and looked around again, sighing forlornly. The villa was beautiful, with plastered walls covered in colorful frescoes, mosaic floors, indoor bathing chambers and toilets, beautiful gardens, a stream just behind the building, and all the delicious food she could eat. She had all the creature comforts any slave could ever want, but it was still quiet and lonely for her. She looked down at herself, using her fingers to pull slightly at the material of the top of the dress she wore. It was a spare garment, made of quality linen, one of several Lady Aurora had bought for Nanu from the Flavius family. Of course, the slave girl was thrilled beyond words to wear such a thing, and in all ways, she saw her ownership by Lady Aurora as a turning point in her life, the beginning of something wonderful beyond words. She and Bonosus were the luckiest slaves to ever live. But not if she was so very alone. Nanu, born into poverty in the tiny settlement of Akhmim in Egypt, the youngest of twelve children. Sold into slavery to the Flavians at a tender age to help feed her family, she'd lived a hard life, doing the most menial of tasks for the wealthy Roman family at their home in Tepihu, far up the Nile. But then they discovered she could dance, and dance well. She was sent to the principal Flavian household in distant Rome, a place she'd only ever heard of, and could never imagine. She danced for the patriarch and his wife, and they agreed to keep her on, as long as her legs held out. So Nanu danced relentlessly, determined to never return to the misery she'd known before. Within a year, she was the leader of the dancing girls the Flavians owned, and whatever jealousies the other girls might have held were quickly cast aside. Nanu understood that if she treated them all equally, she was more likely to prosper, rather than looking after only herself at their expense. She was lovers with all of them, and it wasn't long before she was fucking the lord and lady as well. Her position was as secure as a slave's could be under such circumstances. True, she was still punished, quite often for things beyond her control. But the Flavians were not overly harsh with her, having her flogged with short, thin reed brooms, to avoid scarring her. It hurt, and she cried, but she inevitably recovered, usually to be fucked by Master Flavius as she soon as she could walk. She left the chair and walked over to a small table, on which sat a highly polished silver mirror. She picked it up and looked at herself, pursing her lips, assessing her features. She'd always concluded that she was at least somewhat attractive, since men (and women) always wanted to fuck her. She was aware that being a highly trained dancer gave her a desirable physique for a slave, and her strong, taut muscles kept her cunt tight. Her tits were not overly large, but were pronounced from her torso, and jiggled when she danced or ran. She thought they swayed nicely when she walked. She had the creamy bronze skin of the people of the Black Lands, children of the pharaohs. Her thick hair was a glossy blue-black, and she kept it trimmed to just past her jaw, in the manner of women in her country. Her eyes were a warm hazel, with tawny flecks many of the other dancing girls described as bewitching and seductive. If only she could- "Well now, if it isn't everyone's favorite dancing slave," quipped a lyrical voice from nearby. Nanu's head snapped around and she cried out in delight as she espied Lady Aurora standing in the door nearby, with Bonuses just behind, looming over her and grinning. Nanu had been so wrapped up in looking at her reflection and feeling sorry for herself that she hadn't even heard them approach. "Mistress!" the Egyptian girl called out as she darted across the room and threw herself into Lady Aurora's waiting arms. "Magistra! How I Have Missed You!" "We've missed you too, Nanu," Becky said softly, hugging the shorter girl and kissing the top of her head while Nanu burst into tears. "I'm sorry we were away for so long." "It felt like forever, mistress, I won't lie," Nanu said, choking back her sobs before pressing her mouth to Becky's and kissing her fiercely. Becky returned the kiss gladly, and the women greeted one another with tangling tongues and wandering hands for nearly a minute before they needed to breathe. Nanu looked up at Becky now, her eyes still wide and wet with emotion. "May I; may I say hello to Bonosus, mistress?" "I'm pretty sure he's counting on it," Becky said, stepping aside and giggling as Nanu flung herself against Mark, kissing him feverishly, but with her hands predictably snaking down his frame and under his tunic to fondle his cock. "Goodness, girl, did those toys I left get no love from you in my absence?" "Oh, mistress, they got loved day and night," Nanu replied, turning to look at Becky since she was being addressed. "But I do not need to tell you that it is hardly the same as the real thing, as to have a real lover. And I am sorry if it makes me sound deficient, but; I am not good at being alone. I am not at all used to it." "Oh, I'm sorry, darling," Becky said as Mark picked Nanu up in his arms and carried her back into the room. Nanu had her arms around his neck, and seemed to be in absolute heaven, now that the two most important people in her life had returned. "But we're back now, and we have no intention of leaving you behind again." Nanu looked curious. "Won't leave me behind again; are we going somewhere, mistress? Are we to leave the villa?" "It will take some explaining, I promise you that," Becky answered, nodding. "But first, I think the three of us should fuck one another stupid all over the villa, don't you?" Nanu's face lit up at her mistress' suggestion and she nodded eagerly. "Yes, mistress! I want to fuck you both until I cannot see or walk straight!" Becky made a grand gesture with her hand, taking in the whole villa. "Then you may pick where we fuck, my love. Anywhere, as much as you please. We await your pleasure." Nanu looked around in almost breathless excitement as Mark put her down. She didn't know where to begin, only that she wanted to fuck Mistress Aurora and Bonosus in every single area of the villa. She'd been so glum that she barely noticed how horny she was. Now the rampant feelings of lust washed over her, and her cunt was shamefully wet. She grabbed Becky's hand and pulled her excitedly along through the house. "This way!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with anticipation. "I want us to bathe and fuck!" Becky and Mark laughed as they followed the Egyptian girl into the small antechamber in front of the sudatorium, which Mark and Becky would normally identify as a sauna. They were amazed at the speed with which Nanu had not only removed her own clothes, but also undressed the two of them. Clearly she was in great need and had no intention of waiting. She had apparently lit the fire to heat the small room earlier in the day, for her own use, and now all she had to do was scrub the three of them down before bringing them inside. With a small sponge and rough linen cloths, she did this quickly. She then brought them into the sweat room, which was filled with steam already. Rocks in the little containment chamber over the brazier heated water and caused the steam, while small pouches of herbs hung over the rocks, and wine dripped through them to sizzle and evaporate, giving the steam a heady, aromatic quality that often left guests somewhat drunk. The three now stretched out on the wooden benches that lined the wall, sighing and relaxing for a moment before Nanu's eagerness overtook her. She crawled on top of Becky and kissed her deeply, squirming her body down into her mistress' while they fondled one another. Mark watched on lazily, knowing that the day was young, and it was best that he conserve his strength. Keeping up with Nanu's libido was no small task, not to mention Becky's once she got going. It wasn't long before the two girls were locked in a slippery, trembling sixty-nine, moaning as they lapped at one another's twats and fingered each other's puckered knots. Nanu came so hard she almost shrieked inside Becky's cunt, while the blonde goddess shuddered and speared her tongue deep inside her lover as she came, glazing Nanu's face with her cum. Both girls seemed almost to become puddles, sighing languidly as they lay together, bodies shining with sweat. Through the haze of steam, Mark could see them kissing one another's pussies gently, and the look on Nanu's face could only be described as rapture, mixed with a sense of relief and contentment. She was so happy her mistress had come back to her. But Nanu recovered quickly, turning her head to look at her fellow 'slave', whom she knew as Bonosus. Mark was lying on his side on the bench he occupied, idly stroking his cock. Nanu had already focused on his manhood like an arrow, and managed to extricate herself from Becky without disturbing her mistress' bliss, and crawled across the tile floor on all fours, her hazel eyes glinting. Without waiting, she knelt next to him, moved Mark's hand aside, and took his cock into her grip. She began stroking slowly and gently, before leaning in to kiss the swelling tool lovingly. She swirled her tongue around the head, then up and down the hardening shaft several times, her hand following her tongue. Then she popped her mouth around the head and slowly pushed down, humming as she moved wetly down his length. Mark sighed in pleasure and began running his hand through her raven hair. Becky now watched, caressing her creamy cunt as she gazed over at the lovers. Mark was half on his back, half on his side, while Nanu was kneeling on the floor, bent over and bobbing up and down on his stiff cock. Her tiny hand made a gentle twisting motion on the smooth skin of his shaft, following her warm, wet mouth. Becky smiled, knowing how great it was to give her student head, since she'd done it countless times herself now. Things would be so much easier for them all when she finally caught up with him in the timeline. Mark stroked down Nanu's back and reached her ass, giving one of the tight, perk cheeks a squeeze before nudging her. Nanu took the hint readily and stood up, clambering over Mark's face and looking down his body. The bench wouldn't have been big enough for Mark and Becky to do what was now happening, but Nanu was considerably smaller than Becky, and somehow managed. She leaned down his body, crying out suddenly as Mark pulled her ass cheeks apart and slid his tongue around her gooey cunt. She trembled and squirmed for several moments before composing herself and returning to the task of sucking on his cock hungrily. He was at full mast now, and Nanu's tiny hand could hardly fit around the girth of his shaft. Amazingly, though, she could take his manhood all the way inside her mouth, and down her throat readily. Becky's slave was as gifted as she was shameless, clearly. Nanu grunted as Mark slid one of his fingers inside her ass. Mark had larger hands than most people from her home era, and his finger was larger than some dicks she'd had back there before. Or at least, it certainly felt that way at the moment. She accepted the intrusion willingly, squirming back against his hand, and squeezing her tight tunnel around it while he massaged her cunt and clit with her tongue. She let out little moans, still bobbing up and down while giving Becky a sidelong look with heavily lidded, glazed eyes. Determined to not be left out, Becky slowly rose from her bench and wiggled over across the small area. She observed the setting with a critical eye for several moments, working out the logistics of how to best fit into this carnal puzzle. Just like she could not readily engage in a sixty-nine with Mark on these relatively (to them) narrow benches, she could not straddle him and fuck him to proper effect either. The answer presented itself quickly. She eased Nanu up into a sitting position over Mark's face, and if the slave girl was disappointed in having to relinquish that delicious cock, the feeling quickly gave way to yelps of delight as she sank her cunt even further down onto Mark's tongue, squirming and grinding lustily. Becky pumped and stroked Mark's cock steadily for several seconds, making sure he would stay hard. He was lying down the length of the bench, his tool ramrod-erect for her. She then stood and moved over his midsection, facing out into the tiny chamber. She bent her knees and reached under, steadying his throbbing cock while she guided it to her cuntlips. One she had him in place, she slowly sat down, sighing as he pushed up inside her steaming depths. Her ass come to rest on his hips, while she sat sideways on him, pinned to his cock. She closed her eyes and just savored the sensation for several seconds, her fingers flexing against his stomach and his knee, respectively. She finally opened her blue eyes and turned her head to smile at Nanu, who was moving up and down slowly on Mark's tireless tongue. Becky leaned in toward the slave, who immediately moved her torso forward to meet Becky. They kissed over Mark's long form, tongues tangling while Becky began to move up and down slowly, loving the feel of this unique position with him deep inside her. The threesome slowly squirmed and undulated against one another, time lost within the confines of the tiny, steaming chamber. The dim, amber light of the fire beneath the heated stones was their only illumination, but in this misty, ethereal sitting, it was utter perfection. The scent of spiced wine mingled with the aromas of bodies making love. Becky could taste the wine in Nanu's sweat as she drew her tongue along the girl's collarbone and over her tits. "I think it's about time for you to fuck Nanu and cum in her, Mark," Becky panted after several minutes of churning up and down on his thick rod. She was massaging and groping her tits, or Nanu's as she rode. The Egyptian girl had reached forward and was massaging her mistress' cunt dutifully as well. "It's been a few weeks for her, and you just filled me up this morning." "Relatively speaking," Mark quipped from beneath Nanu's writhing hips. "You sit on the bench and spread 'em, Becks, and she can kneel and lick you. I'll get behind her." Becky had no problem with this plan, and quickly coaxed Nanu off Mark's face, to kneel on the floor in front of her. Nanu's eyes widened with delight as Becky smiled and parted her legs, before reaching down with two fingers to spread her thick nether lips wide, exposing her glistening inner pink to the slave girl. Nanu practically dived in, and Becky grunted and almost jumped, clasping the girl's head suddenly, her feet leaving the floor. "Nuh, fuck!" she wheezed as Nanu began lapping at her like she was eating her last meal before she died. Her fingers gripped Nanu's black hair while she began grinding her snatch against the girl's face desperately. Nanu licked cunt like nobody's business. Mark, meanwhile, had positioned himself behind Nanu, and lined his cock up with her dripping twat, holding her by the ass cheeks. Nanu trembled while he slid his cockhead up and down her slippery lips, and against her tingling clit, making her squeak and whimper into Becky's cunt. He braced her for only the briefest of moments before sliding inside her without any warning, sinking in to the hilt. The Egyptian slave-girl wailed in ecstasy as he forced her wide, pinning her to him. Mark began fucking Nanu with a steady, strong pace, and she yelped into her mistress' cunt with each thrust, even while lapping at her pink twat hungrily. Her face was shining with sweat, and Becky's wetness, her tongue thick with the cloying sweetness of the blonde woman. Nanu's head was spinning in delight. Surely this was the heavenly afterlife? Becky almost curled up on herself, her fingernails threatening to leave grooves in Nanu's scalp as she shook uncontrollably and came, barely able to keep herself from screeching. She slathered Nanu's face in her essence, her entire body tingling with fire. Nanu shuddered and writhed, wailing as she came, her cunt tightening around Mark's cock fiendishly. As if on cue, Mark arched his back, gritted his teeth and growled, pumping all his cum inside Nanu, thrusting strongly. The trio rocked and writhed in depraved unison for close to a minute before Mark leaned forward on Nanu's back, breathing heavily. Becky sighed in exhaustion, sinking down on the bench, her cunt pressing into Nanu's face. The slave girl, pinned in place between her mistress and her fellow slave, simply held still, surrounded by warm, slick flesh and gently caressing fingers. She could still feel Bonosus throbbing deep inside her, and her mistress' cunt oozed against her mouth. She felt so blessed and safe like this. But then she looked up from between Becky's legs, her own glinting with eagerness. "Come! I know where we need to fuck next!" And with that, the Egyptian girl extricated herself from between them and wiggled quickly out of the room. Mark groaned and sagged forward between Becky's tits, and she held onto him wearily. "Now I know why we can't leave her for weeks on end," he mumbled in her cleavage. "Because we won't survive the backlog of fucking we need to do;” Nanu was sitting in the chair, her expression one of bewilderment. She seemed to have forgotten the goblet of wine in her hand, and she sat with her arms and legs tucked in close to her body. Clearly, she was confused and feeling uncertain about what she was hearing. "You're; mistress, you're not a Roman at all?" she asked quietly as she stared at Becky. They were sitting in the atrium of the villa, and it was a quiet evening. Birds sang, and a gentle breeze caressed their faces and the nearby blossoms as it dipped over the villa and into the central opening. Becky shook her head, knowing that this was going to take a lot of patience on her and Mark's part; and even more on Nanu's. Everything she was in the process of telling the girl would sound completely preposterous, even more so than Mark's explanation to his sister the day before. "No, Nanu, I'm not a Roman of any sort," the blonde woman confessed, trying to smile. "And my name is not Aurora Horatia. My name is Rebecca." "Rebekah?" Nanu queried, making a wry face. "That is a Hebrew name." She looked Becky up and down skeptically. "You don't look like a Hebrew." The slave girl looked at Mark. "And your name is not Bonosus, and you're not a Roman either?" He shook his head. "Nope. I'm Mark. And Becks is actually my teacher." Nanu squeezed her eyes shut for several seconds and when she finally opened them, they were filled with worry. "Are; are you going to kill me?" Despite herself, Becky burst into giggle fits at the question. Nanu looked confused, and then slightly irked at the response from her 'mistress'. She thought it was a perfectly reasonable question, under these circumstances. She folded her arms, crossed her legs, and looked off at the sky over the far wall, annoyed. "I'm sorry, Nanu," Becky said finally reining herself in. "I wasn't laughing at you, I mean it. It just wasn't what I expected to hear at all, and we both love you too much to ever consider killing you. Hell, I'm not sure we could if we tried." "Well I don't know what to believe," sniffed the younger girl. "You've bought me, and taken me away from a comfortable, if not happy life, and nearly gotten me killed at least once, and then there was that; thing; that you two ride around on;” "The Holmes Field Device," Becky said, nodding. "It doesn't just take us where we want to go, it allows us to travel through time, which is why we are here at all." Nanu shook her head, indicating that she had no idea what Becky meant. The teacher leaned forward slightly, smiling. They weren't sitting that far apart, but she had allowed for a small amount of distance between them, so that Nanu didn't feel trapped or pressured if she took all this poorly. To be honest, she was taking it surprisingly well, even if she wasn't buying all of it. "Nanu, I apologize for asking simple questions, but please bear with me;” she said quietly, noticing that even if she was listening, Nanu was now staring at Becky's cleavage, framed between her arms while she sat forward. Mark was staring too. Some thing would never change. "You understand the concepts of yesterday, today and tomorrow, yes?" Nanu nodded slowly. "Yes, mistress." "Do you ever wish you could visit days that have gone by?" Becky asked. "Like maybe go back and visit your childhood, or meet some member of your family who was lost years ago? Or even see the Sphinx getting built?" The girl looked confused again. "Suh-finx?" Becky looked at Mark, hoping for some help. He still had the chip that let him speak Egyptian in his head. He pondered the issue for a moment before the tiny computer in his noggin gave him the answer. He looked at Nanu and smiled. "Horemakhet." Nanu's eyes went wide. To see the Horus of the Western Horizon being built by the gods. She shook her head. "What you say is impossible!" Becky smiled now, not blaming Nunu for her disbelief. "Nanu, a long time ago, people would have thought that chariots were impossible, that mastering fire and steel were impossible. But you know they're not just possible, you know that these things are fact." Nanu nodded, willing to listen to her beloved mistress, who apparently wasn't her mistress. But she listened. "Mark and I come from many, many tomorrows away, a time many years from now. That device that we travel on, it allows us to do it." The Egyptian girl screwed up her face, trying to understand. She thought she'd heard outlandish things in her life before, but this was so far beyond her conceptions and experience that it sounded like a ridiculous fable her grandmother would tell her. But she had stepped on the wondrous device, and it had taken them somewhere far away from Rome in the blink of an eye, and back. She could not deny this had happened, even if she didn't understand it. Which brought up a big question for her. "Why do you do this?" she queried, looking at each of them. Mark shrugged. "It's fun to move through time and do things." Another skeptical look from Nanu. "You think it's fun to have the gladiators of Rome try to kill you?" Mark faltered slightly. "I; well, no, not that part." Becky giggled. "No, Nanu, that part is unplanned. Mark and I like to travel to different times, to see important events, and to fuck there." Nanu tilted her head curiously at the statement. "What it so important about fucking in these places?" Becky considered her answer. "There's nothing important about it, you're right. But it's still fun. We love to do these things, because almost no one else can. And hopefully it's exciting but not dangerous. If we didn't do this, we never would have met you, and we wouldn't be fucking you now. And we both wouldn't be crazy about you." Nanu's stomach was in her feet as she thought about what her mis; what Rebekah was saying. She was horrified by the thought now that she might never have met them, they she might not have been bought, or living here, in freedom, and getting fucked to her little heart's content. "But if you are not; not from today;” she murmured, trying to formulate her thoughts around these strange concepts. "Then you will keep leaving me. You might come back, but you will keep leaving." Becky could see the tears welling in Nanu's eyes, and she rose from her chair and moved to sit with the smaller girl, cradling her into her bosom as Nanu tried not to cry. "Oh, Nanu, I'm sorry," she cooed. "I didn't realize how hard it was for you to be alone." "I've never been alone," sniffled the raven-haired girl, wrapping her arms around Becky's waist tightly, unwilling to let go. "My whole life, I've never been alone for so much as a day, never mind a week. It was terrifying. I'm a slave, you know." Becky caressed her fingers through Nanu's hair and kissed the top of her said. "I understand now. And I am sorry. But Mark and I wanted to talk to you about that, actually." Nanu choked back a sob and looked up at Becky, ready to hear what she had to say. "Mark and I want to bring you with us," Becky explained, using a thumb to wipe some tears from Nanu's cheek. "Come back to our time, and perhaps take you with us on our adventures." Nanu's eyes went wide. "L; leave Rome?" Becky shrugged. "Is there anyone left for you to care about?" "Well, no." Nanu admitted. "And as I've already told you, Mark and I are crazy about you, so since we cannot stay here in Rome with you, maybe you should come with us, Becky continued. "I love having you around." Nanu's face lit up at Becky's words, but then a cloud passed over her face as things occurred to her. "But I; know nothing about this place you are from. How would I live?" "Well I would teach you, of course," Becky replied, smiling. "And it'll probably be terrifying at first, since you will see things you cannot even imagine, but Mark and I will protect you and help you learn." "I; would stay with you?" Nanu asked in a voice begging for assurance. Becky nodded. "You won't leave me alone?" The blonde woman smiled. "Well, I might have to step out the door once in a while to go and get food, or go to my job, but I won't leave you alone for days at a time, I promise." Nanu returned to hugging Becky, looking off at the far wall across the atrium. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she thought about what she should do. Did she take these two up on their weird offer? Did she just ask to stay here at the villa, and take her chances about when they could visit? Did she ask to be sent back to the Flavius household? Every option terrified her. She finally looked up at Becky again and drew a deep breath. "Can we; fuck some more, while I think about it?" Becky and Mark both laughed and nodded their assent. It was the most Nanu thing Nanu had ever said. Predictably, Nanu, after much fucking and pondering, had decided to take Mark and Becky up on their offer. Delighted, Becky had declared that they would be doing some shopping first, heading into Rome to get things she wanted. Nanu was always happy to visit the city, she was always enthralled by the sights and sounds around her. "But I; I must point out something," she confessed, looking uneasy. "I know you keep saying that I need not be your slave anymore, but it is not safe for me to walk around freely, Mistress, no matter what you tell me. If you say you don't own me, I am still a slave to them. They'll put me in chains and have me on the auction block again in no time, but probably not before they do awful things to me." "She has a point, Becks," Mark started, shrugging as he fastened his tunic in place. "We may know slavery is immoral, but Rome doesn't give a shit. As far as they're concerned, you're still a patrician woman, and we're still your slaves." "Which brings up another troublesome fact," Becky sighed, building on Mark's premise. "You're the most hated individual in Rome. You defiled a Vestal Virgin;” "Pervert," Nanu said in a low voice, nudging Mark. "You made a mockery of the legal system, and turned the Colosseum into a sexual freak show. I wouldn't be surprised if every soldier in Rome had orders to skewer you on sight." "Hey, I'm not the one who dropped a giant canvas sail on the emperor's head and wiggled my tits at seventy thousand people, you know!" Mark protested. "Well, that part was fun," Becky mused, smirking, lapsing into English for a moment. "So what do we do? I want to go shopping, but without getting you killed." "Yeah, you've got a point there," Mark allowed, looking at the ground as he pondered the issue. Nanu looked back and forth between them as they spoke in their unintelligible gibberish. "Well, we either need a disguise for me, so I don't look like Bonosus anymore, or we need to jump back a few days to before we arrived, and before anyone would know us." "More of your time twists," Becky chided, holding up a finger. "Didn't you learn?" "I know what you mean, but I kinda think we did that," Mark replied. "Don't you remember how you said people were waving at you like they knew you already, and you thought that was weird? That maybe they'd mistaken you for someone else? It's kinda unlikely that they are mistaking you for anyone, Becks. You're as tall as most of the men, and you're like a living embodiment of Venus to them, with blonde hair." "I'm afraid you may be right," Becky sighed, not liking the hypothesis, but forced to admit it was probably accurate. "So we go back maybe a week before we first arrived, do our shopping, and split?" Mark turned and looked at Nanu now. "Nanu, have you been into the city of Rome any time in the last week before you met us? Or anyone from the Flavius household?" "Ooh, good catch, Mark," Becky mentioned, nodding. "Can't have her running into herself by accident, no matter how unlikely." Nanu considered for a moment and then shook her head. "No, before you arrived, it had been more than a month, I think. Master Flavius resented paying the prices they wanted in the city, he usually made us shop in Lavinium, it was cheaper." Mark shrugged. "We could probably do your shopping and find some fun, Becks. Then we'll plan our next move. Sound good?" Becky removed her outfit, letting pool around her feet before sitting down in a low chair. She held out her arms, beckoning for Nanu to join her. The Egyptian girl shed her clothing, and then went to sit naked in her blonde lover's lap, their lovely tits squashing together. They kissed for some moments before Becky smiled at Nanu. "I want to buy you some outfits, Nanu, outfits like I wear. Would you like to dress and look like mistress?" It seemed as though Nanu might faint. Becky was also pretty sure she felt the girl getting wet. She giggled and kissed Nanu's nose. "I'll take that as a yes." Rome. The litter glided through the crowded street, with people dutifully making way for it; whomever was inside was clearly important. The four dark-skinned slaves bearing it on their shoulders walked along silently, seemingly not bothered by the weight within. The litter itself was simple in design, but ornate in appearance, the canopy held aloft on carved poles, and much of it decorated with gold leaf or edging. Diaphanous curtains on all sides obscured the women within. Becky and Nanu lay on their sides, facing in toward one another. Nanu was wearing a beautiful stola, just like Becky, and she gazed down at her raiment in wonder, running a hand delicately over the fabric. Becky smiled as she watched the Egyptian girl while reaching into a bowl between them and putting a grape in her mouth. "Mistress, this is wonderful," Nanu whispered, knowing to not refer to Becky as her mistress too loudly. "I've never felt anything like this in my life, except on someone else." "Well, it's yours, and yours alone, so enjoy it," Becky said cheerfully, enjoying Nanu's elation. She put another grape between her teeth and smiled slyly. Nanu leaned in and took the grape between her own teeth, their lips touching. As Nanu masticated on the grape, Becky opened the gauze-like drapes in the back if the litter and called out gently. "How we doing back there, Mark?" "Oh, just fine, thanks so very much for asking," muttered the student-slave, who trudged along behind the litter, carrying several handbags made of linen and animal skins, filled with shopping goods. His hands and shoulders ached. How the Hell could Becky purchase so much shit in an era that didn't have electronics? "How much farther we got?" "Not too much longer, I think," mused the blonde teacher casually. She wasn't too worried about Mark having to carry stuff, he'd been through worse recently. She'd bought outfits and jewelry, pretty house furnishings, and other curios to take home. She considered what she'd need to buy for Nanu upon their return. Clothes aside, she would somehow need to procure ID for her, some sorts of medical records, and so forth. How did she get any of that done? "Will I like my new life, mistress?" Nanu asked, eating another grape. "I am sure I will love living with you, but;” Becky smiled and caressed her face lovingly. "It will be very, very different, Nanu. And at times it will seem frightening. But there are so many things I cannot wait to show you." "Then I will wait and trust you," the Egyptian girl said softly, giving herself over to her mistress' carefully in her mind. "Because I believe you when you say you love me and want the best for me." Nanu was silent for some time, as if deep in thought. "What's on your mind, darling?" Becky asked, curious. Nanu sighed. "I just miss my family. I have not seen them since I was young. And I dreamed of returning to them one day." Becky smiled. "Oh, you want t

In our second installment comparing the Hebrew version of the Bible with the ancient Greek one, Garry Stevens of the History in the Bible podcast joins Gil to talk about an obscure but fun book Join our tribe on Patreon! Check out these cool pages on the podcast's website:Home PageWho wrote the Bible: Timeline and authorsAncient maps: easy to follow maps to see which empire ruled what and whenClick here to see Exodus divided into "sources" according to the Documentary Hypothesis The podcast is written, edited and produced by Gil Kidron

In this episode of the Jewish Inspiration Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues in the Gate of Remembrance from Orchos Tzaddikim (Day 104, top of page 611), presenting three daily remembrances to sharpen spiritual awareness. The tenth calls for a daily accounting: Did you follow your yetzer hara (evil inclination) or your Yotzer (Creator)? He urges listeners to serve Hashem more than themselves, and if they've fallen short until now, to begin immediately with full effort. The eleventh contrasts the frantic energy people pour into earning money—waking early, obsessing day and night, and valuing only business connections—with the minimal effort often given to the soul, which is eternal. Rabbi Wolbe shares a personal anecdote about a donor who offered charity only in exchange for business leads, highlighting how worldly pursuits can corrupt even good deeds. He warns that wealth often brings more harm than happiness and is ultimately temporary, while the soul's enrichment lasts forever.The twelfth remembrance is that Hashem sees and knows everything—every thought, intention, and private moment. Just as one prepares meticulously (haircut, fine clothing) to stand before a king or the Supreme Court, how much more should we prepare to stand 24/7 before the King of Kings? Rabbi Wolbe cites Joseph dressing properly before Pharaoh and a former secular hostage who began praying Shema daily in a dark bunker, proving closeness to Hashem is possible anywhere. The episode closes with a bonus reflection on truth in Torah and life: multiple perspectives can be valid (elu v'elu divrei Elokim chayim), as in marriage, parenting, or halacha. Parents must honor each child's unique path (chanoch l'na'ar al pi darko), recognizing different gifts and challenges without comparison or unfair expectations.Recorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 24, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 16, 2025_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #Remembrance, #Spiritual, #Material, #Divine, #Soul, #Purpose, #Purpose ★ Support this podcast ★

Rabbi Gordon studies one chapter a day from Maimonides' classic legal work of Mishneh Torah. The original Hebrew text is read and then translated and clearly explained in English.

These classes teach the day's section of the weekly Torah portion. The lesson is taught using the original Hebrew text with the indispensable commentary of Rashi—both translated and elucidated so that anyone can follow along.

This episode from the Everyday Judaism Podcast, hosted by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, discusses the Halachot (Jewish laws) regarding the immersion (Tevilah) of utensils in a Mikvah, based on the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Siman 37). The discussion draws from biblical origins (from the conquest of Midian) and covers practical applications, exceptions, and related concepts like Kashering (making utensils kosher). Below is a structured breakdown of the key points, including Halachot mentioned, materials affected, procedures, and special cases.The episode concludes with a transition to the Ask Away #23._____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #70) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on November 2, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 16, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Halacha, #Jewishlaw, #Immersion, #Utensils, #Mikvah, #Holiness, #Kashering, #Water ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Jewish Inspiration Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues in the Gate of Remembrance from Orchos Tzaddikim (Day 104, top of page 611), presenting three daily remembrances to sharpen spiritual awareness. The tenth calls for a daily accounting: Did you follow your yetzer hara (evil inclination) or your Yotzer (Creator)? He urges listeners to serve Hashem more than themselves, and if they've fallen short until now, to begin immediately with full effort. The eleventh contrasts the frantic energy people pour into earning money—waking early, obsessing day and night, and valuing only business connections—with the minimal effort often given to the soul, which is eternal. Rabbi Wolbe shares a personal anecdote about a donor who offered charity only in exchange for business leads, highlighting how worldly pursuits can corrupt even good deeds. He warns that wealth often brings more harm than happiness and is ultimately temporary, while the soul's enrichment lasts forever.The twelfth remembrance is that Hashem sees and knows everything—every thought, intention, and private moment. Just as one prepares meticulously (haircut, fine clothing) to stand before a king or the Supreme Court, how much more should we prepare to stand 24/7 before the King of Kings? Rabbi Wolbe cites Joseph dressing properly before Pharaoh and a former secular hostage who began praying Shema daily in a dark bunker, proving closeness to Hashem is possible anywhere. The episode closes with a bonus reflection on truth in Torah and life: multiple perspectives can be valid (elu v'elu divrei Elokim chayim), as in marriage, parenting, or halacha. Parents must honor each child's unique path (chanoch l'na'ar al pi darko), recognizing different gifts and challenges without comparison or unfair expectations.Recorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 24, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 16, 2025_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #Remembrance, #Spiritual, #Material, #Divine, #Soul, #Purpose, #Purpose ★ Support this podcast ★

Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for a two-part look at parsha "Chayei Sarah," Genesis 23:1-25:18)... [Full description and separate parts to follow...] "Chayei Sarah: It's ALL about Trust" The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash:

This sermon addresses the "why" behind the Ten Plagues, asking "What's up with that?" regarding God's harsh judgment. The plagues are a revelation (Who is God?), a rescue (fulfilling His promises), and a recompense (judging oppression). They show God rules over humanity, nature, and all other gods. These were supernatural acts, and this message tackles the "why" of their severity.Scripture ReferencesActs 17:25Psalm 50:12Galatians 6:7-8Matthew 7:2Proverbs 1:24-33Exodus 34:6-72 Peter 3:9Ezekiel 33:11Exodus 8:25, 8:28, 10:11, 10:24Key PointsGod Is Not Insecure; His Glory Is Our Good God's commitment to His own glory isn't neediness; it's love. He seeks our worship not because it meets His need, but because it meets our need. When God exalts Himself, He draws us to the only thing that can satisfy our souls. We were designed to worship. Non-worship is not an option; you will worship something. God, in His kindness, offers Himself as the only object that leads to life.God Will Not Be Mocked (Reaping What You Sow) The plagues are a terrifying picture of justice. Egypt is reaping what it has sown. Long before God turned the Nile red, the Egyptians turned it red with the blood of Hebrew infants. Long before God struck the firstborn son, Pharaoh had been killing Israel's sons. This principle is meant to drive us to the Gospel, to flee to God for mercy rather than face the just consequences of our own actions.God's Patience Precedes His Judgment God is "slow to anger" (Ex. 34:6). He is not a short-fused, raging deity. These plagues come after centuries of oppression. He warns repeatedly because He is patient, "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). His warnings are an act of love.God Will Not Compromise on Freedom Pharaoh tries to negotiate, offering four compromises that are still schemes of the enemy today:Deal 1: "Worship, but stay my slaves." (A faith with chains on).Deal 2: "Worship, but don't go too far." (A private, comfortable faith).Deal 3: "Let the men go, but leave the families." (A faith that doesn't include your household).Deal 4: "Go, but leave your flocks." (A faith that costs you nothing). God refuses every deal. He is committed to total, costly, all-encompassing freedom.ConclusionGod will not settle for a people who worship with chains on. He has not called us to a compromised faith. He is committed to our total freedom, and He paid the ultimate price for it. We must refuse to "play church" and settle for anything less than the complete freedom Christ has purchased for us.Calls to ActionRefuse to Worship with Chains On: Renounce any bondage you've accepted as normal.Reject Compromised Faith: Don't take the enemy's deals. Go as far as God calls.Take Your Family With You: Commit to leading your entire household in worship.Make Your Worship Costly: Refuse to offer God a faith that costs you nothing. Support the show*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI. Please notify us if you find any errors.

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2025Messages/25Nov16.pdf * Over the past three weeks, we have considered that Christ is the causation of eternal salvation and therefore it is impossible for those who are in Christ to fall away - and lose that salvation. This is all due to the Perfect Nature of His Priesthood and His Sacrifice. * Today, we begin another two part message - this time considering a fuller presentation of Christ as our High Priest, as given by the author of this book, by considering The Melchizedekian Order of His Priesthood, the Ministry of His Priesthood and the Mediatorship of His Priesthood. Those final two points will lead us into His Perfect Propitiatory Sacrifice. * We begin by looking at what the author declared as being "hard to explain" since the Hebrew audience had become sluggish in learning - dull of hearing. * Melchizedek is mentioned, by name, nine times in the New Testament. All of those references occur in Hebrews 5-7. Therefore, that is where we will begin our study of Christ's greater Priesthood. * This message was presented by Bob Corbin on November 16, 2025 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

This episode from the Everyday Judaism Podcast, hosted by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, discusses the Halachot (Jewish laws) regarding the immersion (Tevilah) of utensils in a Mikvah, based on the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Siman 37). The discussion draws from biblical origins (from the conquest of Midian) and covers practical applications, exceptions, and related concepts like Kashering (making utensils kosher). Below is a structured breakdown of the key points, including Halachot mentioned, materials affected, procedures, and special cases.The episode concludes with a transition to the Ask Away #23._____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #70) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on November 2, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 16, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Halacha, #Jewishlaw, #Immersion, #Utensils, #Mikvah, #Holiness, #Kashering, #Water ★ Support this podcast ★

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Transforming Thanksgiving: Snowstorm Turns Festival Magical Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2025-11-16-23-34-02-he Story Transcript:He: סופת שלגים הפתיעה את העיר ניו יורק ביום הסתווי והיפה של חג ההודיה.En: A snowstorm surprised the city of New York on the beautiful autumn day of Thanksgiving.He: אריאלה, מנהלת אירועים נלהבת ומסורה, יצאה בבוקר מוקדם לסנטרל פארק.En: Ariela, an enthusiastic and dedicated event manager, set out early in the morning for Central Park.He: היא עבדה חודשים על הפסטיבל שנועד לחגוג את חג ההודיה בקהילה, ורצתה שהכל יהיה מושלם.En: She had been working for months on the festival meant to celebrate Thanksgiving with the community and wanted everything to be perfect.He: השלג התחיל לרדת אט אט והפך במהרה לסופת שלגים חזקה, מצפה את הפארק בצבע לבן מבריק.En: The snow began to fall slowly and quickly turned into a strong snowstorm, coating the park in a shiny white layer.He: כל הציוד והדוכנים שהכינה הפכו מיותמים תחת שכבת שלג עבה.En: All the equipment and booths she had prepared became abandoned under a thick layer of snow.He: איתן ונועם, חברי הצוות של אריאלה, הגיעו לעזור אך הביטו חפויים במזג האוויר המשתולל.En: Eitan and Noam, Ariela's team members, arrived to help but looked helplessly at the raging weather.He: השלושה התכנסו תחת אוהל קטן, מדברים בלחש ובדואגים על התוכניות שלהם.En: The three gathered under a small tent, speaking in whispers and worryingly about their plans.He: השמיים הכהים המשיכו לשפוך שלג והאורחים שהתחילו להגיע קולטים שהאירוע עומד בפני סכנה של ביטול.En: The dark skies continued to pour snow, and the guests who started to arrive realized that the event was at risk of being canceled.He: אריאלה ידעה שהיא עומדת בפני החלטה קשה.En: Ariela knew she was facing a tough decision.He: היא הרגישה לחץ כבד מצד הצוות והמבקרים לספק את החוויה שהבטיחה.En: She felt immense pressure from the team and visitors to deliver the experience she had promised.He: לפתע, התיישבה במקומה והציצה בשלג סביב.En: Suddenly, she sat down and looked around at the snow.He: רעיון עלה במוחה.En: An idea popped into her mind.He: "אנחנו נשאיר כאן את הפסטיבל," אמרה בהתלהבות, "נעשה משהו שונה לגמרי.En: "We're going to keep the festival here," she said excitedly, "we'll do something completely different.He: הפסטיבל יהפוך לאירוע חורף קסום!En: The festival will turn into a magical winter event!"He: "איתן ונועם העיפו בה מבט מופתע, אך אט אט ההתלהבות שלהם עלתה.En: Eitan and Noam gave her a surprised look, but their excitement gradually rose.He: שלג רך נפל על ראשיהם כרעיון החורף התחיל להתהוות.En: Soft snow fell on their heads as the winter idea began to take shape.He: הם הכינו מסלול לשלג, דאגו לבימה למופעים קטנים, וסידרו תחנות שוקו חם למבקרים.En: They prepared a snow path, arranged a stage for small performances, and set up hot chocolate stations for the visitors.He: למרות השלג הכבד והקור, הפסטיבל תפס חיים חדשים.En: Despite the heavy snow and cold, the festival gained new life.He: ילדים התגלשו בשלג, מבוגרים שוחחו עם כוסות שוקו חם ביד, והאורחים לא יכלו להפסיק לחייך.En: Children slid in the snow, adults chatted with cups of hot chocolate in hand, and the guests couldn't stop smiling.He: מה שהיה אמור להיות אירוע סתווי, הפך לחוויה חורפית בלתי נשכחת.En: What was supposed to be an autumn event turned into an unforgettable winter experience.He: אריאלה צפתה באורחים המבלים, וליבה התמלא בגאווה.En: Ariela watched the guests enjoying themselves, and her heart filled with pride.He: היא למדה שעל ידי חיבור יצירתיות וצוות טוב, אפשר להתמודד עם כל אתגר.En: She learned that by combining creativity with a good team, any challenge can be faced.He: וזה מה שהיה באמת חשוב - שכל אדם נמצא שם בסנטרל פארק, מחייך ומרגיש את הקסם של הרגע.En: And that was what truly mattered - everyone was there in Central Park, smiling and feeling the magic of the moment.He: בערב, כשהשלג הפסיק לרדת והאורות ניצנצו בין העצים, הבינה אריאלה שכל קושי מביא איתו הזדמנות לשינוי והתחדשות.En: In the evening, when the snow stopped falling and the lights twinkled between the trees, Ariela realized that every difficulty brings an opportunity for change and renewal.He: היא חוותה ניצחון אישי ולמדה לאמץ את הספונטניות והכוח של העבודה עם אחרים.En: She experienced a personal victory and learned to embrace spontaneity and the power of working with others.He: הפסטיבל נמשך, למרות הכל, והיה הצלחה שבזכותה לבבות רבים התחממו ביום סתווי וקסום.En: The festival continued, despite everything, and was a success that warmed many hearts on a magical autumn day. Vocabulary Words:snowstorm: סופת שלגיםautumn: סתוויenthusiastic: נלהבתdedicated: מסורהfestival: פסטיבלcoating: מצפהabandoned: מיועתםraging: המשתוללwhispers: לחשimmense: כבדpressure: לחץspontaneity: ספונטניותdeliver: לספקtransformation: לשינויopportunity: הזדמנותrenewal: התחדשותspontaneity: ספונטניותpersonal victory: ניצחון אישיtwinkle: ניצנצוlayer: שכבתhelplessly: חפוייםgathered: התכנסוrisk: סכנהcanceled: ביטולmagical: קסוםstage: בימהperformances: מופעיםembrace: לאמץunforgettable: בלתי נשכחתpride: גאווהBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Unlocking Inspiration: A Journey Through Art and Friendship Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2025-11-16-08-38-20-he Story Transcript:He: הים התיכון הרחב נצבע בגוונים של זהב וכתום.En: The vast Mediterranean Sea was painted in shades of gold and orange.He: הסתיו בלב יפו העתיקה הביא איתו רוח קרירה ומתקתקה.En: Autumn in the heart of Old Jaffa brought with it a cool and sweet breeze.He: אריאלה, נועם וטלי טיילו יחד בנמל הישן.En: Ariela, Noam, and Tali strolled together in the old port.He: זה היה סוף שבוע ספונטני שהחלטנו לקחת כדי למצוא השראה וביחד להתענג על האוויר הנעים.En: It was a spontaneous weekend we decided to take to find inspiration and together savor the pleasant air.He: אריאלה חיפשה רעיונות חדשים לציוריה.En: Ariela was searching for new ideas for her paintings.He: היא הייתה אמנית בנשמה אך לאחרונה חוותה מחסום יצירתי שהקשה עליה.En: She was an artist at heart but recently experienced a creative block that was troubling her.He: נועם, שתמיד היה שם בשבילה, תמך בה מסירות.En: Noam, who was always there for her, supported her with dedication.He: בלבו הוא נשא את התקווה שיום אחד יספר לאריאלה מה שהוא מרגיש באמת.En: In his heart, he carried the hope that one day he would tell Ariela what he truly felt.He: טלי הייתה הרוח החיה שביניהם.En: Tali was the lively spirit among them.He: היא הגיעה במיוחד, לאחר שנים שלא ראו אחד את השני.En: She came especially after years of not seeing each other.He: היא רצתה לאחות מחדש את הקשרים הישנים ולהזכיר להם את השמחה שבחברות.En: She wanted to reconnect the old ties and remind them of the joy in friendship.He: השלושה הסתובבו בין הגלריות, רחובות מתפתלים עם שלטים צבעוניים.En: The three wandered among the galleries, winding streets with colorful signs.He: כל גלריה הציגה עולם חדש, סיפורים שנכתבו על קנבס.En: Each gallery presented a new world, stories written on canvas.He: אבל אריאלה הייתה מוסחת, מצד אחד הנוף עוצר הנשימה ומצד שני המחשבות על נועם שלא נתנו לה מנוחה.En: But Ariela was distracted, on one hand by the breathtaking view and on the other by thoughts of Noam that would not let her rest.He: "אני צריכה קצת לבד," אמרה פתאום, נוטשת את השניים ופונה למקום שקט יותר, ליד קו המים.En: "I need a little alone time," she suddenly said, leaving the two and heading to a quieter place by the water's edge.He: היא עמדה שם, מרגישה חלק מהנוף וחלק מהתנועה, חושבת על אומנותה ועל חבריה.En: She stood there, feeling like part of the scenery and part of the movement, thinking about her art and her friends.He: אז היא נכנסה לגלריה קטנה ונסתרת.En: Then she entered a small, hidden gallery.He: על הקיר התנוססה תמונה שכבשה את ליבה.En: On the wall hung a picture that captured her heart.He: התמונה הייתה של נמל ביום חורפי, אך החמימות שבה הקסימה אותה.En: The picture was of a port on a wintry day, yet its warmth fascinated her.He: דמעות עלו בעיניה כשהיא הבינה שמשהו בתוכה נפתח.En: Tears welled in her eyes as she realized that something inside her had opened.He: נועם, שעקבה אחרי, מצא אותה שם.En: Noam, who had followed her, found her there.He: "אריאלה," אמר ברוך, "אני רוצה שתדעי משהו.En: "Ariela," he said gently, "I want you to know something.He: אני מעריך אותך יותר ממה שאת חושבת.En: I value you more than you think.He: אולי אני אוהב אותך מאז ומתמיד.En: Maybe I've loved you all along."He: "ברגע הזה, עם התמונה ברקע ונועם לפניה, הבינה אריאלה שהאומנות שלה לא חייבת להיות מסע בודד.En: At that moment, with the picture in the background and Noam before her, Ariela realized that her art didn't have to be a solitary journey.He: ההשראה נמצאת בחבריה הנאמנים, בתמיכה של נועם ובשמחה שטלי מביאה.En: Inspiration lies in her loyal friends, in Noam's support, and in the joy that Tali brings.He: בסופו של היום, היא לא קיבלה רק השראה אלא גם חיבור מחודש אל חייה ואל האומנות שלה.En: By the end of the day, she gained not only inspiration but also a renewed connection to her life and her art.He: העולם נראה לפתע בהיר יותר, והיא הייתה מוכנה להתחיל מחדש, עם חיוך על פניה ולב מלא אהבה.En: The world suddenly seemed brighter, and she was ready to start anew, with a smile on her face and a heart full of love. Vocabulary Words:vast: רחבpainted: נצבעshades: גווניםautumn: סתיוbreeze: רוחport: נמלspontaneous: ספונטניinspiration: השראהsavor: להתענגartist: אמניתcreative block: מחסום יצירתיdedication: מסירותhope: תקווהreconnect: לאחות מחדשjoy: שמחהwandered: הסתובבוwinding: מתפתליםbreathtaking: עוצר הנשימהsolitary: בודדjourney: מסעloyal: נאמניםedge: קוscenery: נוףhidden: נסתרתcaptured: כבשהfascinated: הקסימהtears: דמעותvalue: מעריךrealized: הבינהrenewed: מחודשBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

Readings: Isaiah 12; Psalm 98; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19. Central Theme: Jesus's prophecy against Herod's ornate temple reflects a consistent biblical pattern of God rejecting centralized religious power and wealth accumulation in favor of decentralized, agrarian faithfulness. Key Insights: Luke writes post-70 CE with knowledge of the temple's destruction, but this doesn't negate Jesus's prophetic vision The name "Jesus" (Yeshua = "salvation") connects Christ to Joshua the builder of the plain-Jane Second Temple Septuagint (LXX) Exodus 15:3 reads "The Lord brings wars to nothing" vs. Masoretic "The Lord is a warrior" - a crucial difference for understanding God's relationship to violence Hebrew root LHM carries both "laham" (fighter) and "elohim" (gods), pointing toward a God who undoes physical violence through spiritual battle. Theological Argument: Salvation is cooperative work between humans and God, not passive reception of predetermined grace. The biblical witness consistently undermines those who claim entitlement without labor (Pharaoh, Herod, Solomon) and instead elevates agrarian mutuality and decentralized interpretation. Contemporary Challenge: We must "federate our faith" and resist religious institutions that enforce monopolies on meaning. The oldest manuscripts we possess are Hellenized texts that already represent a tension between imperial power and prophetic decentralization - we should embrace this pluralism rather than seek singular authority. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Suffering of the Psalmist      The Psalmist wrote, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (Psa 119:67). The word translated “went astray” is שָׁגַג (shāgag). According to HALOT it means “to make a mistake inadvertently, unwittingly…to go astray.”[1] It connotes moral or spiritual deviation (cf. Prov 5:23; Isa 53:6). Ross states, “The verb (שָׁגגַ) is used in Leviticus for unintentional sins; but here it probably includes rationalized, deliberate sins because he was wandering from the way of God. He was not walking by faith in obedience to the word, and so he suffered some affliction at the hands of the wicked; but now he was keeping God's oracle, the word “keep” (שָׁמַר) referring to a meticulous observance of all that God required in his covenant.”[2] The significance is that the psalmist admits he was drifting from obedience, not necessarily into outright rebellion, but into carelessness or neglect of God's Word. The affliction became God's means of correction, turning his wandering into renewed obedience. Thus, the term highlights human tendency to stray and God's faithful use of discipline to restore. A few verses later he states, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, so that I may learn Your statutes” (Psa 119:71). Affliction is seen as a teacher that drives God's people back to His Word. Ross adds, “The psalmist is able to acknowledge that his affliction worked for his good because it forced him to learn more of God's plan revealed in his word. In learning through adversity, he discovered the word God personally revealed in human language was far more valuable than silver or gold [Psa 119:72].”[3] Then, the psalmist states, “I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me” (Psa 119:75). Ross states: "The affliction he has been experiencing came from God, even though it was through arrogant oppressors. The principle was laid down in the experience of Israel in the wilderness: God tested them to see if they would obey or not (Deut 8:16). Those who understand the ways of God know that ultimately it is his plan to exalt the righteous and destroy the wicked, but that in his wisdom he often humbles the righteous before exalting them."[4]      Taken together, these verses trace the movement from wandering, to correction, to obedience, and finally to worshipful recognition of God's faithful purposes. They teach that affliction, far from being wasted, is a tool in God's hand to sanctify His people and anchor them more firmly in His Word. We don't like trials or suffering, and we often ask God to remove them, much like Paul asked God to remove his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:7). However, we find that most of the time God chooses not to remove our difficulty, like He did not remove Paul's (2 Cor 12:8-9), and we must learn that what He does not remove, He intends for us to deal with, and this by faith (2 Cor 12:10; cf. 2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6). The Suffering of Joseph      Joseph's life stands as one of Scripture's clearest demonstrations of how God employs suffering to shape the faith and character of His people. Betrayed by his brothers and cast into a pit, Joseph was sold into slavery and carried away to Egypt (Gen 37:23–28). There he endured the humiliation of serving as a foreigner in Potiphar's house, and though he prospered by God's favor, his integrity in resisting Potiphar's wife led to false accusations and unjust imprisonment (Gen 39:1–20). Even in prison, where he was forgotten by those he had helped (Gen 40:23), Joseph displayed remarkable faithfulness, refusing bitterness and maintaining trust in God's providential hand. Each stage of his trial pressed him deeper into dependence upon the Lord, refining his character for the weighty responsibilities that awaited him. His hardships were not incidental but instrumental in God's design, preparing him to serve as second only to Pharaoh and to become a channel of blessing to countless lives.      Joseph consistently interpreted his life from the perspective of God's providence, not merely in the well-known statement of Genesis 50:20. When he first revealed himself to his brothers, he sought to comfort them with the assurance that their sin, though grievous, was under divine control: “Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Gen 45:5). He went further, declaring, “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen 45:7–8). In both statements, Joseph acknowledged the reality of human betrayal but deliberately framed it within the larger purposes of God. He viewed his sufferings as divine instruments for the preservation of life and the fulfillment of covenantal promises.      Later, after Jacob's death, Joseph's brothers again feared retaliation, but Joseph reaffirmed the same perspective, saying: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Gen 50:20). This statement serves as the theological climax of his narrative, demonstrating how God overruled human evil for His own purposes. According to Radmacher, “God works His good plan even through the evil plans of evil people. Even the worst events can be used in the hand of kindly Providence for His good.”[5] Even at the end of his life, Joseph's confidence remained fixed on God's providence. Altogether, Joseph voiced this divine perspective at least four times (Gen 45:5; 45:7–8; 50:20; 50:24–25), revealing a mature faith that consistently interpreted suffering through the lens of God's sovereign care. The Suffering of Moses      Moses' life reveals how God employs prolonged suffering and repeated trials to shape His servants into men of spiritual depth and usefulness. After killing the Egyptian, Moses fled into exile, spending forty years in Midian as a shepherd (Ex 2:15–25). This season of obscurity was not wasted but was God's classroom for humility and preparation. Though Moses had been educated in all the wisdom of Egypt (Acts 7:22), he needed the quiet discipline of the desert to unlearn self-reliance and to grow in patience and dependence on God. The Lord used these years of hiddenness to refine his character and to equip him with the endurance necessary for leading Israel. This long exile reminds believers that God often uses seasons of difficulty, waiting, and obscurity as essential training grounds for future service. Moses would later emerge not as the impulsive prince of Egypt but as the meek servant whom God could use to shepherd His people. Wiersbe states: "The man who was “mighty in word and deed” is now in the lowly pastures taking care of stubborn sheep, but that was just the kind of preparation he needed for leading a nation of stubborn people. Israel was God's special flock (Psa 100:3) and Moses His chosen shepherd. Like Joseph's thirteen years as a slave in Egypt and Paul's three years' hiatus after his conversion (Gal 1:16-17), Moses' forty years of waiting and working prepared him for a lifetime of faithful ministry. God doesn't lay hands suddenly on His servants but takes time to equip them for their work."[6]      When God called Moses to return to Egypt, the trials intensified. He faced the hardened opposition of Pharaoh (Ex 5–12), who resisted every divine demand, bringing repeated conflict and mounting pressure. Beyond this, Moses bore the weight of constant complaints from the Israelites themselves, who murmured against him at the Red Sea and in the wilderness over water and food (Ex 14–17). Such trials might have broken a lesser man, but through them God deepened Moses' humility and dependence. Scripture later records that “the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth” (Num 12:3). His humility came as he suffered hardship—first in Midian's solitude, then in Pharaoh's defiance, and finally in Israel's stubbornness. Each trial stripped Moses of self-confidence and taught him to rest in God's power and presence. Thus, Moses' life illustrates that suffering, though painful, is God's tool to produce humility, endurance, and spiritual maturity in His people, preparing them for greater responsibility and usefulness in His service. The pathway to spiritual maturity sometimes runs though the valley of hardship and suffering. Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.   [1] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 1412. [2] Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms (90–150): Commentary, vol. 3, 523. [3] Ibid., 524–525. [4] Ibid., 529. [5] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 83. [6] Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. 1, 182-183.

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