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Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Today's shout-out goes to Art Forester from Hudson, WI. Thank you for your partnership with us through Project23. Your commitment is helping deliver God's Word with clarity and conviction. This one's for you. Our text today is Judges 7:1–3. Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. The LORD said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me.' Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 'Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.'" Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. — Judges 7:1-3 So the Israelite army wakes up early, camped at the spring of Harod. Just across the valley, Midian's massive force waits. Every soldier counts — at least, that's what Gideon must have thought. But God sees the situation differently than Gideon does. He tells Gideon, "You have too many men." Too many? Against an army so large it can't be counted? Yes. God knows the danger isn't the size of the enemy — it's the pride in Israel's heart. If they win with a big enough army, they'll think they did it themselves. So God orders a cut. Anyone who is afraid can leave. And just like that, 22,000 soldiers pack up and head home. Gideon is left with less than a third of what he started with. The odds just got worse — and exactly how God wanted them. God will sometimes strip away the resources, people, or security you thought you needed — not to punish you, but to purify your faith. When he reduces what you rely on, it's because he wants you to rely on him. It is uncomfortable. It feels unsafe. But if our confidence rests in our numbers, connections, or abilities, then our faith isn't in God — it's in ourselves. So has God been reducing your resources lately? When God reduces our resources, he is often removing our false sense of control that we've been clinging to. Sometimes we don't even know we are clinging to it, so we resist the reduction. But fewer options force deeper faith. Less human advantage means more room for divine intervention. The question is, when God starts reducing your "resources," will you see it as a setback… or as the setup for him to show his power? ASK THIS: Where has God been cutting back your resources or support lately? How could that reduction be preparing you to trust Him more? What false securities might He be removing from your life? Are you willing to face a harder battle if it means God gets the glory? DO THIS: Identify one area where you've been depending on your own strength. Release it to God today and pray for faith to trust him with the outcome. PRAY THIS: Father, when You take away what I think I need, help me see it as Your way of drawing me closer to You. Strip away my pride and replace it with deeper trust in Your power. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Strip It All Away."
Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.2 And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,3 And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land;4 And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the Lord hath destroyed them unto this day;5 And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place;6 And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:7 But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did.8 Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it;9 And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:12 A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;17 And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you.18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;23 Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.29 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.30 Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh?31 For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.
Moreh Nevukhim #60 - 3.48 (3) by Rabbi Avi Harari
This episode teaches us a crucial and valuable lesson that Ben Sorer U'Moreh comes to teach us.
Matthew 18:15 NIV “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. Matthew 18:19-20 NIV “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”POINT 1: VALUESJoshua 24:15 NIV But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”POINT 2: VOLUME Joshua 6:10 NIV But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!”Galatians 5:22 NIV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. POINT 3: VOW Joshua 1:3-7 NIV I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.Joshua 26:15 NIV But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Genesis 12:7-7 NIV Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring[a] I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 NIV When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Matthew 18:19-20 AMP “Again I say to you, that if two [a]believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.”
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Mishlei 16:1 - From Hashem is the Tongue's Reply (Part 2)לְאָדָם מַעַרְכֵי לֵב, וּמֵיְיָ מַעֲנֵה לָשׁוֹן:Length: 1 hour 1 minutesSynopsis: This afternoon (7/24/25), we continued our analysis of the pasuk we began yesterday. After a quick review and some elaboration on Saadia Gaon, I shared my interpretation, which we examined through three sources: (1) Meiri's commentary on Mishlei 10:3, (2) the chapter of Moreh ha'Nevuchim that Rambam considered most important to pay attention to, and (3) the commentary of R' Sheishes ben Yitzchak Gerondi on our pasuk. As usual, we covered some fundamental methodological points along the way and (I hope) walked away with a few eminently practical ideas.-----מקורות:משלי טז:ארמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות דעות ב:דמאירי - משלי י:גרמב"ם - מורה הנבוכים ב:מחר' ששת בן יצחק גרונדיאבות ב:ד-----With gratitude to Hashem, I'm pleased to announce that I am officially listed as a teacher on YUTorah! Special thanks to Alex K., the sponsor of this week's content, for suggesting that I make my debut in conjunction with Nach Yomi's recent start of Sefer Mishlei and for helping make it possible. I'll begin by uploading all 600+ of my Mishlei shiurim, including shiurim on every pasuk in chapters 10–14, 16, and 18–24, as well as most of chapter 15 and assorted other pesukim. After that, I'll upload my other shiurim. For now, if you—or anyone you know—are interested in my Mishlei shiurim, you can find them at:https://www.yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Matt-Schneeweiss -----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. -----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/YU Torah: yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Matt-SchneeweissPatreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlis
Abrahamic Covenant G'day and welcome to Partakers! We are now on day 5 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! Lets read together: Genesis 12v1-9 The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you." So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth-his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran-and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your descendants." And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him. After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord. Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev. A Theocratic Covenant Whilst the Edenic, Adamic and Noahic Covenants were universal covenants, this fourth Covenant is the first covenant which is theocratic, or relating to the rule of God. It is dependent on God alone! A God, who through grace in the "I will..." statements promises to bestow blessings! This covenant with Abraham, or the Abrahamic Covenant, is also the basis for all theocratic covenants to come and provides blessings on three levels: Personal level to Abraham: "I will make your name great; and you will be a blessing" (Genesis 12v2) National level: "I will make you into a great nation" (Genesis 12v2) Universal level: "all peoples on the earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12v3) Initially here in Genesis 12, this covenant can be seen in broad outline, but God later confirms it to Abraham in greater detail as we shall see. The Abrahamic covenant is a link to all of God's activities and programs until the end of time. Personal Aspects The personal aspects of the Covenant, particular to Abraham are: Abraham will be a father of a great nation (Genesis 12v1) Abraham will receive personal blessing (Genesis 12v2) Abraham will receive personal honour and reputation (Genesis 12v2) He, Abraham, will be a source of blessing to others. (Genesis 12v3) Universal Aspects The aspects of the Abrahamic Covenant, pertinent universally are: God will bless those who bless Abraham and the nation of Israel which comes from him (Genesis 12v3) curses on those who curse Abraham and Israel (Genesis 12v3) blessings on all the earth through Abraham (Genesis 12v1-3) This was the first time God made this promise to Abraham, but not the only time as Abraham received it another 5 times as God gives great detail to it (Genesis 13:14-18, Genesis 15:4-5, 13-18, Genesis 17:1-8, Genesis 18:17-19 and Genesis 22:15-18. All Change! Abram, as Abraham was originally known, was weaned away from his native land by God, into a journey of the unknown! It was in this way that Abraham would develop his faith in God and use it like a muscle. In fact, when God reiterated the covenant in Genesis 17 to Abram, God changed his name from Abram meaning "glorious father", to Abraham, which means "father of many nations!" (Genesis 17v5) Reminded and renewed! So important was this covenant that God renewed it with: Isaac, the "only begotten son" of Abraham twice: Genesis 26:4 and Genesis 26:23-24 Jacob twice as well Genesis 28:14-15 and Genesis 35:9-12 This covenant gives yet further glimpses of God's essential character of grace and mercy, as well as hinting at somebody who is to come as a messiah or saviour! Can you tell how and where these glimpses are? Tomorrow our story continues! Do you know where to next? Right mouse click or tap here to download as a MP3 audio file
Moreh Nevukhim #59 - 3.36 by Rabbi Avi Harari
6/1/2025 Joel 3:1-2 Hosea 3:4-5 No Two State Solution! Intro: God promised in the Abrahamic Covenant they would be His people and occupy His land Genesis 12 and 15. Genesis 12:2-3 is the promise And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 7 And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. Genesis 15:18 is the boundaries of the land. In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: And that means that they must occupy the land again in the last days. Ezekiel chapters 36 and 37 God tells His people that they will occupy the land again in the last days. They will be brought from the gentile nations after being scattered among the gentiles. The UN wants Two States. Israel and Palestine. It might happen. I can't say it won't…. but one thing I can say….God is not going to be happy about it and will destroy those who try to do it!
Moreh Nevukhim #58 - 1.35 by Rabbi Avi Harari
Rambam's philosophical work, Moreh Nevuchim (the Guide for the Perplexed) was initially decried as heretical and kicked off the Maimonidean Controversy that pitted rationalism against tradition. Although few truly oppose The Moreh nowadays, it is still apprached with caution in many Jewish circles. What is the Rebbe's Shita regarding Moreh Nevuchim? Should we study the Guide for the Perplexed and, if so, how and when should we learn it?
Trapped Week #5 Pruning Season Judges 7:1-8 God's thoughts are higher and God's ways are greater So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, […]
Moreh Nevukhim #57 - 3.32 (2) by Rabbi Avi Harari
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length: 1 hour 43 minutesSynopsis: Last night (4/4/25), in our Thursday night women's shiur, we explored a question posed to me by two of my students (shout out to Moshe and Shmarya) about a song found at the end of most Haggadot: “Is there an inherent problem with saying Adir Hu?” The concern is that, on the surface, Adir Hu seems to exemplify the type of excessive adjectival praise condemned by R' Chanina in Berachos 33b. Our session was more of a “Machshavah Lab”-style exploration than a formal shiur: we learned the Gemara, raised a bunch of questions, and then turned to the poskim—with the Rambam leading the minority view, opposed in various ways by the Tur, Beis Yosef, and Shulchan Aruch. We also looked at the Rambam's stricter formulation in the Moreh ha'Nevuchim, noting what seem like major inconsistencies in his position. We concluded with a summary of why, according to everyone except the Rambam in the Moreh, it's halachically permissible to sing Adir Hu. It was a fun adventure that left us with plenty of juicy questions and problems to think about over Pesach and beyond!-----מקורות:אדיר הואברכות דף לג עמוד ברמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר אהבה, הלכות תפילה וברכת כהנים ט:ז; א:א-דטור אורח חיים קיג:טבית יוסף שםשולחן ערוך שםרמב"ם - מורה הנבוכים א:נטרמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר אהבה, הלכות ברכות י:כד-----The Torah content from now until Erev Pesach has been sponsored by Yehudis Korn l'zecher nishmas Moshe ben Yeshayahu Yehuda.-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel
Moreh Nevukhim #56 - 3.46 by Rabbi Avi Harari
Moreh Nevukhim #55 - 3.32 by Rabbi Avi Harari
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length: 38 minutesSynopsis: This morning (3/20/25) we had a rare (this year) Q&A! We discussed the following questions: (1) How should a person use their outside-of-yeshiva "downtime" with their rabbeim: to talk about Torah or about other things? (2) What do we make of the tension between acknowledging God as the cause of evil and the Rambam's position in the Moreh that God doesn't directly cause evil? (3) What, exactly, was given at Sinai? (4) Which principles or factors should determine when, how, and whether to share what we've learned with other people?-----מקורות:רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות תלמוד תורה - הקדמה; א:יברמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות דעות - הקדמה; ו:א-ב-----The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by my friend, Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder. His latest book, Happiness in the Face of Adversity: Powerful Torah Ideas from a Mom's Parting Words, shares the wisdom of Shani Feder a"h, a true Eishes Chayil. This is the kind of Torah I wish more people knew—ideas that directly impact our experience of life. Available now on Amazon.-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel
Moreh Nevukhim #54 - 2.39 by Rabbi Avi Harari
Moreh Nevukhim #53 - 1.71 by Rabbi Avi Harari
A page with 5 mishnayot: 1. To become a ben sorer u-moreh, the kid has to steal food from his father and eat it while on the property of others. 2. For the kid to be a ben sorer u-moreh, both parents need to be in agreement in bringing him to court. Plus, the parents have to be suited for each other (and not in violation of prohibited relationships -- but also the Gemara establishes them as more the "same" than that). 3. If either parents has a physical impairment or disability, the child is excluded from the potential status of ben sorer u-moreh, via very careful interpretation of the biblical verses. 4. What happens to a boy who is brought to court before the signs of physical maturity, flees the court, and then he grows the genital hair? Would he still be liable? Punished? Plus, the stringent rules for a Noahide who might evade the court (not for ben sorer u-moreh). 5. The ben sorer u-moreh is judged now out of concern for the harm he will (certainly) do down the road, which leads to an unusual (for a mishnah) discussion about the doings of wicked and righteous people, and their respective impacts on the world.
Moreh Nevukhim #52 - 1.54 by Rabbi Avi Harari
You know – God is full of promises. Amazing promises. But so often – it's hard to see how those promises fit into the reality of our lives – here and now. Promises, Promises, Promises Well, I am really excited because we're starting a new series this week called, "It's Time to Take the Promised Land". What sort of a series title is that? "It's Time to Take the Promised Land". Well, here's my hunch. We live in a world that promises so much: A world of brands and products and experiences and travel and luxury – a world that promises so much. Marketers talk about the brand promise. For example, here's my favourite. On TV, the advertisements for margarine or breakfast cereal or low-fat milk. Right? Have you ever noticed them? Here's what they look like. Here's the setting. It's a kind of trendy, today kind of kitchen and the sun's always streaming in through the windows. It's never raining; it's always sunny. Mum's smiling as she prepares breakfast. She's slim and happy and well-adjusted, and this well-adjusted teenager bounds in smiling and spreads margarine on their bread or pours the milk on their cereal or whatever, and then ... Then this cool-looking forty-something dad strolls in, and he is good-looking, and then he grabs a piece of toast and kisses his wife before he reads the newspaper. This is the sort of family and breakfast that most people would like to have, but the reality ... Well, the reality's a bit different to that ad. I mean, the reality is that there are millions of people watching that ad who don't know where their next meal's coming from. The reality is that a lot of the people watching that ad, their families and marriages are falling apart. The reality is, even if they aren't, they're bringing up teenagers and that's tough and there's dysfunction. The reality is, most people's families and kitchens and lives look nothing like those glossy images on the ad. Images selling margarine or cereal or milk, making a brand promise that if you buy this product ... well ... this is what your life will look like. You look at that in the cold, hard light of day, and it's absolutely nuts. Right? I mean, it's crazy to try to link a margarine to a well-adjusted family. New car ads are the same. They're always out on the open road; there's only ever that one car on the road, and the brand promise is if you buy me, you'll have the freedom to roam. Isn't it funny how the car ads never have someone stuck in peak-hour traffic, ever? See, there are so many things in this world that hold out a promise that they can't deliver. On the one hand, we want to live out those images of success the marketers kind of dangle under our noses. On the other, we so often ... well ... we never do. We never quite get there. It never quite works the way that the advert says it will, and that's the psychology of marketing. You create an image that creates desire, and the person sees the gap between the image and their reality, and so they spend money to buy that thing to buy the brand promise, and they discover it doesn't work, and so the marketers dish up the next image, and round and round and round we go, on this treadmill of broken promises. It makes our consumer economies go round, and here you and I are with this treadmill of broken promises, brands that never really deliver their brand promise, and God comes along with a promise. God makes lots of promises. "I'll be your God, and you will be My people, and I'll walk among you. I'll bless you and keep you and comfort you and guide you" ... Jesus said, "I have come that you may have life in all of its abundance." It's almost like God's painting this picture of a promised land – a land that's almost too good to be true – a land ... a life ... well, to you and me, it seems a bit like the kitchen and that family in the margarine ad. In the reality of our lives, the promises of God can be hard to swallow, especially when we're still on that treadmill of broken promises, going round and round and round ... In this day and age, God's promises are harder to accept than ever. Now ... now we're getting close to the heart of this new series, "It's Time to Take the Promised Land", because God is a God of promise, and brand Jesus is the one brand that actually delivers. God's plan is to lead you and me into His promised land – a land flowing with milk and honey, a land of blessing, but (here's the but) He involves us in that process and we have a part to play. The first step that we're going to talk about today in this whole thing of walking into God's promised land is accepting His promise in the first place; letting Him write that promise on our hearts, and believing it with all that we are; believing it with every fibre of our beings, with our very lives. You see, we can't have the promised land (we can't go there, we can't settle) unless first we believe it in our hearts. God is a God that calls us to faith, and faith means believing before we see it. Now we're going to talk about that very thing today because if we're going to talk about accepting the promises of God, you can't go there without talking about it: Faith. It's when we place our faith in Him. When we place our faith in His promises, then ... then He calls us on to cross over into that land, and to take the land. Now that's a shock and a surprise to me. We're going to be looking at that a bit over the coming weeks. It's really important that we understand the journey. God's promised land isn't like pizza delivery. You know, He doesn't ring the doorbell and deliver the promised land; God actually calls us out of the front door, to take a step of faith, and it can be a tough journey with battles all along the way. We're going to be looking through the book of Joshua over the coming few weeks in the Old Testament, because the book of Joshua is about the time that Israel crossed over into the promised land. They'd been in slavery in Egypt and then on the exodus for forty years, and the book of Joshua begins right on the threshold of the promised land, and they have an upfront decision to make. Do I really want God's promised land, really? And if I do, am I going to let Him write His promise on my heart, and carry it round with me through thick and thin – the bright sunny days, and the cold wet days? Well, today's programme is all about letting Him write His promise on our hearts, His plan for us to dwell in His promised land. As we're going round and round and round on that treadmill of broken promises, where many people have this empty unfulfilled life, we have a decision today to make. We can decide that it's time to step off that treadmill and to take the promised land. One Man's Promise So where does this term, "The promised land" come from? Well, it all begins when God promises some land to Abraham. Now God first engages with His people, Israel ultimately, through Abraham – the father of Israel. Abraham was living very comfortably indeed. He was quite wealthy, in a place called Ur, which is near Babylon or around modern-day Bagdad, and God calls him out of that place. If you have a Bible, grab it, and open it up at Genesis chapter 12. God calls him out of this place. This is what happens: Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your family and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. Incredible promise for Abram and Sarai, who were old. I mean, they were well into their seventies; they were childless, and there is a two-part blessing here, two-part promise: Land and children, but there in the comfort and the wealth, they believe God, so they step out. They up and leave all of that. They take their possessions and servants and animals, and they hit the road and head westward to a land called Canaan. Now, what happened when they got there? Well, we read about that in Genesis 12:6-8: When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, the Canaanites were in the land. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.' So Abram built an altar to the LORD who had appeared to him. Now just think about God's promise to this old man. Firstly, your descendants. The guy is seventy years old, and he and his wife have not been able to have children, but God promises him descendants. Not only descendants, but God says, "I will make you a great nation". Really? And, "I will give this land to your descendants". Imagine Abram. "But God, I'm in my seventies. I don't have any children. This land is occupied by the Canaanites". It was a pretty impossible promise, but right here, right in the middle of all this impossibility, the promised land is born. God promised it to Abram, yet Abram believed this promise with his life. How do we know that? Because he actually left his comfortable existence in Ur, and followed down the dusty trail of God's promise, over hill and dale, and he gets to this land of God's impossible promise – a land filled with Canaanites, who weren't about to say, "Well, yeah, sure, Abram. Take our land! We don't mind", and the childless Abram ... what does he do? He builds an altar to God. He honours God. He bows down and says, "Well, God, you know, even though this doesn't make a whole bunch of sense, I'm going to believe You", and God knows what's going on in Abram's heart. He takes him up a hill and makes the promise again. You can read it. Flick over to Genesis 13:14: The LORD said to Abram after Lot had separated from him, ‘Raise up your eyes now, and look from the place where you are: North and south and east and west, for all the land that you see I will give you, and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Rise up! Walk the length and the breadth of this land, for I will give it to you.' So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which were at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD. I love how God lays out the land before Abram. Can you see that picture? They're on-top of the hill and God is speaking to Abram, who's thinking about this impossible promise, and little by little God is breathing this promised land into the man's heart. "Go and walk through it, as far as your eyes can see, and let Me make an outrageous promise," says God, "So many descendants you will have that they will be more than the grains of dust on the earth", and Abram built another altar and honoured God. See what's going on here? God is taking him through a process, a huge leap. He's an old man with no kids, and God is promising him a promised land full of his own descendants, and God's leading Abram gently into a place where he can believe. Like you and me, this guy's a man and he's human. He's struggling with it in his heart. We can read about it in Genesis chapter 15. Abram goes to God and says, ‘Look, I still don't have a son. I mean, this other man will have to be my heir. How's this promise ever going to happen?' Look at what God says and does (Genesis 15:4). God says: 'No, that man won't be your heir. No one but your very own son shall be your heir.' God took Abram outside and said, ‘Look towards the heavens and count the stars if you're able.' Then God said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be', and Abram believed the LORD and the LORD reckoned it unto him as righteousness.” What a beautiful picture! Abram is aching! He wants to believe in God's promises. He wants to believe in the land and descendants and mighty nations, but it's so hard. He just can't see how God could possibly deliver on this promise, so God takes him out to the stars – the Milky Weigh; this unbelievable sight, without the city lights and the smog. There are so many stars there, and finally the word of God, the promise of God, God's promised land drops into Abram's heart. Still he makes plenty of mistakes along the way. You can read about it in the next few chapters of Genesis, but the promised land is written on Abram's heart. Ultimately he has a son, Isaac. That's the only part of the promise he ever sees, and Isaac has a son called Jacob and Jacob has twelve sons, who are the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel. They ended up in slavery in Egypt and grew into a mighty nation and then Moses led them out through the Red Sea. And they experienced the desert, the exodus for forty years, and all of a sudden one day, this mighty nation of Israel was standing on the banks of the Jordan, ready to cross over into the promised land, but that took centuries to happen. We're going to look at that next week, but there on that night, under the stars alone with God, the promised land was written on Abram's heart, and he believed. God's Promise to Us I'm always so touched by the story of how God reaches out to Abraham. Sure; it's a story about Abraham, but Abraham's not Mr Perfecto Super-Christian. He's human; he's frail; he has struggles like you and me, and he struggles to believe in this outrageous promise from God. Then gently, and tenderly, the LORD leads him to believe in the promised land – this mighty nation. If you and I put ourselves in Abraham's shoes just for a minute, this old man, wouldn't we struggle too? Next week we're going to be starting in the book of Joshua and looking what it means to cross over into the promised land, and the battles involved in taking that promised land, and why God does it that way. I mean, this promised land was supposed to be flowing with milk and honey. Wouldn't you think you'd just arrive? Wouldn't it be like a summer resort with a swimming-pool and a bellhop to carry your bags up to your suite? Well, that's the next few weeks, but over the next few minutes, it's time for you and me to consider this promised land and whether we'll believe. Faith is the key to the promise. Faith is the gift from God, and the reason you and I are together today (no doubt) is that God wants to unlock the promise in your heart, as He breathes faith into you through His Word. As Israel went from Egypt through the Red Sea, and then forty years in the desert, how many Israelites that crossed through the Red Sea at the beginning of the exodus crossed through the Jordan into the promised land forty years later? Do you know? How many? Out of hundreds of thousands and probably millions, how many? Just two: Joshua and Caleb, and Psalm 106 tells us exactly why: They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. So God said He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him to keep His wrath from destroying them. Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise. They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Law, so He swore to them with uplifted hand that He would make them fall in the desert. That's why today's message is so important. You and I, like Abraham, we look at the circumstances of our lives and we look around, and it's hard to believe sometimes in God's promises. Maybe we even have a grumble about God and His promises ... That's going to keep us out of His promised land. People sometimes say, "Well, Berni, you talk about this promised land. It's obvious what it meant to the Israelites back then, but what does it mean to you and me here and now?" Well, we need to go from the Old Testament to the New Testament. There's a transition from the physical land to the spiritual one - something that people struggled with when Jesus talked about the kingdom of God. They thought Jesus had come to kick the Roman occupiers out of the promised land, the physical land, but He was talking about something entirely different. There are so many passages we could go through in the New Testament, but a couple that really explain the promised land that God has given to us through Jesus His Son ... Let's have a look at them. Luke 17:20. Flick over to there: Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The kingdom of God doesn't come with your careful observation, nor will people say, “Here it is,” or “There it is”, because the kingdom of God is within you.' The promised land isn't something out there. It's not a new house or a new car or all that stuff. The promised land is the kingdom of God; it's God living and dwelling and ruling in our hearts. Again, Jesus explained it this way in Matthew 13:44: The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. The promised land is the treasure of God Himself in our hearts, our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name; Your kingdom come. John 14:23. Jesus said: If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to make our home with him. There are plenty of people who believe in Jesus for their eternal life. Jesus died for my sin; therefore I'm forgiven; therefore I have eternal life. Then what they do is, they kind of put it in their filing cabinet and file it under insurance policy, and live a miserable life. Jesus promised a lot of things – a rich, abundant life, as well as trials and persecutions. He didn't promise us it would be easy to follow Him; what He did promise is that our relationship with Him would fill us to overflowing with abundant joy and peace. That's where the promised land is today – in our hearts; in our relationship with Jesus Christ; in that abundance of life that comes through that relationship. Let me take you back to that starry night: Abram, and the LORD led him tenderly to the point where God wrote His promises on Abram's heart – a promise that Abram believed against all odds; a promise that God delivered against all odds. You and I are each under our own patch of starry heaven today, and the LORD is whispering of His promised land in our hearts – a land purchased by Jesus on the cross, a land of blessing that goes on forever. The Spirit of God will write that on our hearts if we let Him. He will give us the faith to believe if we'll ask Him. Is today that day when we open our hearts to God's promised land?
Moreh Nevukhim #51 - 3.39 by Rabbi Avi Harari
This shiur has been sponsored anonymously in appreciation of Rabbi Lopiansky's Harbatzas HaTorah
Moreh Nevukhim #50 - 3.41 (3) by Rabbi Avi Harari
Moreh Nevukhim #49 - 2.28 by Rabbi Avi Harari
Moreh Nevukhim #48 - 3.11 by Rabbi Avi Harari
Genesis 12 is one of the most important chapters in the Old Testament because it begins to show us God's plan for the world; as He calls Abraham to establish a new nation of people dedicated to Him. Chapter 12 lays the foundation for much of what unfolds through the rest of scripture. Join us for another key study in a key chapter of God's Word! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: Genesis 12 1. Read over verses 1-3. What were the promises that God gave to Abram? In what sense were these unconditional promises? From what you can tell in these verses, how does the Lord expect Abram to respond to them? 2. What do these unconditional promises indicate about God, His plan of redemption, and the kind of blessings He would pour out upon Abram and his descendants? 3. According to the study, how will this new nation be different from the nations of the world that we saw back in Genesis 11? How is this difference still to be reflected in the life of believers today? 4. Genesis 12 opens with Abram being 75 years old and living in the northern area of Haran. When God calls Abram to “Go forth from your country,” what would this departure have been like for Abram and his family? How was Abram's obedience an indication of his faith? How did Abram respond? How is that a model for our responses to God's commands? 5. How do you think Abram felt about leaving his family and former life behind? How would you have felt if you were in Abram's shoes? 6. In verse 5, who went with Abram on his journey to the Promised Land? Glance back to the list of Abram's family in Genesis 11:27-32. Who did not go with Abram? Why do you think they didn't go with him? 7. In verses 6 and 7, the Lord appeared to Abram at the Oak of Moreh; which was a common place of pagan worship. What did Abram build there? Thinking about this radical action, how do you think Abram had such faith and courage? What does this kind of faith and courage look like in our walk with God today? 8. The study mentioned that there are physical descendants of Abram and spiritual descendants of Abram who have embraced God's New Covenant by faith. Have you accepted God's covenantal offer to join this nation of God-obeyers? If not, why not? If so, what does this look like in your life? 9. The end of Chapter 12 includes an account of Abram not looking very heroic. What happened in verses 10-20? How does this seem incongruent with a man of faith? What does this teach us about the kind of people God uses? Does this give you any hope that God might still have a plan for you? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.
Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.John 1:14 Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Jubilate (Psalm 100)Alleluia. To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *serve the Lord with gladnessand come before his presence with a song.Know this: The Lord himself is God; *he himself has made us, and we are his;we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.Enter his gates with thanksgiving;go into his courts with praise; *give thanks to him and call upon his Name.For the Lord is good;his mercy is everlasting; *and his faithfulness endures from age to age.Alleluia. To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia. The PsalterPsalm 34I will bless the Lord at all times; *his praise shall ever be in my mouth.2I will glory in the Lord; *let the humble hear and rejoice.3Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord; *let us exalt his Name together.4I sought the Lord, and he answered me *and delivered me out of all my terror.5Look upon him and be radiant, *and let not your faces be ashamed.6I called in my affliction and the Lord heard me *and saved me from all my troubles.7The angel of the Lord encompasses those who fear him, *and he will deliver them.8Taste and see that the Lord is good; *happy are they who trust in him!9Fear the Lord, you that are his saints, *for those who fear him lack nothing.10The young lions lack and suffer hunger, *but those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good.11Come, children, and listen to me; *I will teach you the fear of the Lord.12Who among you loves life *and desires long life to enjoy prosperity?13Keep your tongue from evil-speaking *and your lips from lying words.14Turn from evil and do good; *seek peace and pursue it.15The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, *and his ears are open to their cry.16The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, *to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.17The righteous cry, and the Lord hears them *and delivers them from all their troubles.18The Lord is near to the brokenhearted *and will save those whose spirits are crushed.19Many are the troubles of the righteous, *but the Lord will deliver him out of them all.20He will keep safe all his bones; *not one of them shall be broken.21Evil shall slay the wicked, *and those who hate the righteous will be punished.22The Lord ransoms the life of his servants, *and none will be punished who trust in him. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsGen. 12:1-7A Reading from the Book of Genesis.Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. Heb. 11:1-12A Reading from the Book of Hebrews.Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. John 6:35-42,48-51A Reading from the Gospel According to John.Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven'?”I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages AV. Show us your mercy, O Lord;R. And grant us your salvation.V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R. Let your people sing with joy.V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;R. For only in you can we live in safety. V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.V. Let your way be known upon earth;R. Your saving health among all nations.V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit. The CollectsCollect of the DayAlmighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen
Moreh Nevukhim #47 - 3.10 by Rabbi Avi Harari
Should I Learn Moreh Nevuchim?
Moreh Nevukhim #46 - 3.12 by Rabbi Avi Harari
Questions, comments, feedback? Send us a message.#322> This episode is dedicated by Mikey Stone, L'Ilui Nishmas Rav Mordechai Jofen ZT'L and in order to promote the careful study of the Rambam's Torah.> We discussed learning Moreh in general and who this is good for, which version is recommended, the strengths and weaknesses of this new edition with examples, and more. > To read Rabbi Burton's written review in the Winter edition of Jewish Action: https://jewishaction.com/books/reviews/the-guide-to-the-perplexed-a-new-translation/> To purchase the English edition "Kisvei HaRambam: Vol 1" edited by Rabbi Burton: https://www.artscroll.com/linker/SEFORIMC/link/Books/9781422633021.html> To purchase the English Edition, "Kisvei HaRambam: Vol 2" edited by Rabbi Burton: https://www.artscroll.com/linker/SEFORIMC/link/Books/9781422642580.html> To purchase, "The Guide to the Perplexed: A New Translation": https://amzn.to/4gTAqb1> To purchase, "A Guide to The Guide to the Perplexed: A Reader's Companion to Maimonides' Masterwork": https://amzn.to/3OUyL8O> To join the SeforimChatter WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DZ3C2CjUeD9AGJvXeEODtK> To support the podcast or to sponsor an episode follow this link: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/or email seforimchatter@gmail.com (Zelle/QP this email address)Support the show
Moreh Nevukhim #45 - 3.17 & 3.24 by Rabbi Avi Harari
Because Jesus makes Abraham's children, we must participate in his world-wide family Genesis 12:1–9 (ESV): 12 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.