From: Toby Janicki
Asarah BeTevet: The Fast of the 10th of Tevet
The Fast of the 10th of Tevet is Thursday January 5th sunrise to sunset. The book of Zechariah mentions a fast that takes place in the tenth month. (Zechariah 8:19) Traditionally this is seen as a commemoration of the destruction of Jerusalem which began in the year 588 BCE: And the word of the LORD came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of...
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The Ninth of Tevet: Simon Peter's Yahrzeit
Tuesday evening, January 3rd, begins the 9th of Tevet which, according to Jewish tradition, is the anniversary of the death of Simon Peter. Simon Peter holds a special place in the hearts of many believers. We find camaraderie and consolation in a man who could sail from the highest points of discipleship to the lows of denying his Master. His struggles are our struggles; his challenges are our challenges, and,...
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Is New Year's Pagan?
This time of year there is a lot of focus on Christmas and its pagan origins. There was even an article in a prominent Christian magazine entitled "Stealing Christmas" that admits that many popular Christmas traditions were borrowed from ancient pagan practices. It is surprising then that very little attention is given to New Year's Day. Judaism celebrates four different New Year's Days throughout the year, depending on what...
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Priestly Seal Discovered
According to legend, when the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple, they could find only one cruse of oil that still bore the priestly seal of purity--a quantity sufficient for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days until new ritually pure oil could be produced. Just in time for Chanukah, archaeologists in Jerusalem have announced the discovery of a first century, priestly seal from the Temple. The coin-sized seal found...
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Jeremiah 10 and the Christmas Tree
Last week I posted a blog entitled A Kosher Christmas Tree? which received quite the response on both the blog itself and Facebook. At First Fruits of Zion, we neither endorse nor condemn the Christian celebration of Christmas. As advocates of Messianic Judaism, a discussion about Christian Christmas tradition is outside of our purview. My family and I do not celebrate the holiday in our home. Nevertheless, there is an...
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A Kosher Christmas Tree?
Does a kosher Christmas tree really exist? Well, not exactly but a new trend is taking place across the globe of topping off Christmas trees with a Magen David ("star of David"). As oxymoronic as that sounds, thousands have been sold in the US, Canada, the UK, Austria, Ireland, Australia and Mexico. Not surprisingly, the holiday season can be a difficult time for interfaith families made up of Jews and...
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The Gospels: Our Connection to Yeshua (Part 1)
We at First Fruits of Zion are excited about the rollout of the Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels project. As we engage in the study of the Gospels, we can take a cue from Chassidic Judaism as to the importance of this discipline in our walk of discipleship. One of the central tenants of Chassidic life is the concept of hitkashrut (התקשרות) which is the close connection a disciple has with his...
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More posts by Toby Janicki
- The Ninth of Av: "Blessed Are Those Who Mourn"
- The Fast of Tammuz
- The Scoop on What About Paganism?
- The Ninth of Av: "Blessed Are Those Who Mourn"
- Shavuot: A Time of Anniversaries
- Haggadah: Pre-order Now!
- eRosh: Adar
- J-BOM is Coming
- Common Objections: Acts 10
- Common Objections: John 1:17
- Taking Torah to the Nations
- The Appetite of the Wise
- Burying a Bible
- Yartzeit of Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri
- The Ninth of Tevet: Simon Peter's Yahrzeit
- Yahrzeit of Rabbi Daniel Zion
- Sukkah Contest Winners
- Mishkan: Levertoff
- Part 2) "One Law" in the Late Second Temple Era
- Part 1) "One Law" in Context
- Elul: The Month of Repentance
- Speaking In Love
- Slow to Anger
- A Father's Discipline
- Honesty & Truth
- The Messianic Movement In Prison
- The Protection of the Righteous
- Blessing of the Righteous
- Teaching Torah
- Good Friday?
- The Fruit of Humility
- Torah On Our Heart
- Does Gentile Mean Pagan?
- Guarding Speech
- Guarding Our Eyes
- Guarding Wisdom
- Yartzeit of Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri
- Love of Money
- Asarah B'Tevet (10th of Tevet)
- Balancing Love and Fear
- Fear of God
- Keeping Focused
- Happy Thanksgiving
- Amazing "Millie" Grace
- Hallowed on the Radio
- New Evidence: The Master Played Baseball!
- Fringe Benefits
- Being Noticed
- I was in Prison...
- Little Messiahs
- Remembering Paul
- Loving the Divine in Your Neighbor
- Post Tisha B'Av Thoughts
- The Cup of Blessing
- Are You Really Listening?
- The Mezuzah and Discrimination
- The Fast of Tammuz
- The Home Run Derby and Sanctifying the Name
- A Dead Sea Stone: In Three Days You Shall Live
- A Shot in the Dark: A Bulgarian Translator
- The World's Oldest Church?
- Help Wanted: Artist
- Frankie Lee and the Baal Shem Tov
- Good Friday Revisited
- Passover and the Death of James the Just
- eRosh: Parshat Parah
- Time is Flying: Hudson in View
- eRosh: Purim and Shushan Purim
- eRosh: Parshat Zachor
- eRosh Blog: Shabbat Shekalim
- eRosh Blog: The Birth and Death of Moses
- Step Into My Office……..
- eRosh Blog: The Birth and Death of Moses
- New eRosh Calendar Blogs
- Changing a Light Bulb
- Conversion Denied
- The Jesus Tomb Discovered Part 2
- The Back of the Bus
- Do Miracles Still Happen?
- Is Kosher Better?
- Yartzeit of Yitzchak Kaduri
- Sabbath Campaign
- Christian Tefillin?
- HaYesod: Digging the Foundation Again
- Hanukkah Controversy and Concert
- Conversions: Cheaper by the Dozen Part 2
- Conversions: Cheaper by the Dozen
- Yartzeit of Leon Levison
- Meeting the Needs of Others: Boaz the Barista
- Ann Coulter Part 3
- A Sabbath Keeping Oven?
- More Tunes
- Archaeology Part 2: The Tomb of Ezekiel
- Heavy Burdens
- Ann Coulter Part 2
- The Mitzvah of Happiness
- Moslem Digs Reveal First Temple Part 2
- The Cry of Rachel
- Moslem Digs Reveal First Temple
- Our Opponents Say Part 3
- Ur-Tunes
- Jesus the Chasid
- Please HaShem Save Now!
- Yartzeit of Rabbi Isaac Lichtenstein
- The Fallen Sukkot of Denver
- New Synagogue in Munich
- The Mysteries of God
- Because of the Nazarenes
- Finally Saw the Light
- Double Trouble
- Our Opponents Say... (Part 2)
- Over Yonder Mountain…
- Hit-bo-de-what?
- The Attitude of Teshuva
- With a Little Help from My Friends
- The Halachah of E-Mail
- Who’s Counting? The Shemittah Year is Coming
- Elul: Objects In The Mirror are Closer Than They Appear
- Yartzheit of the Chacham Ephraim
- Archaeology Part 1: The Tomb of John the Baptist
- The Ten Commandments and Frankie Lee
- Got Hebrew Skills?
- What Would the Torah Say about Michael Vick?
- Sparing a Maysit
- New Dead Sea Scrolls
- The Ninth of Av Part 3
- The Ninth of Av Part 2
- The Ninth of Av Part 1
- Hoppsy Havdallah
- Warriors at Qumran
- Seven Wonders of Biblical Archeology
- The Execution Stake in Texas
- Rosh Chodesh Av: Remembering Aaron and Feivel
- The Nine Days
- The Alhambra Decree
- Peter’s Early Mincha
- Who In The World Is Sar-sekim?
- Destruction in Jerusalem: The Spirit vs. the Letter
- Non-Kosher Cow
- Ahavat Yeshua
- Lost Teachings of the Master
- On the Road Again…
- Fast of Tammuz
- Baseball in the Land
- Ezekiel's Merkavah Vision (Part 2)
- Who Is My Neighbor: A Different Rabbinic Perspective
- Shavuot in Hudson: Are You In?
- HaYesod in the Land
- Passover and the Death of James the Just
- Fortifying Walls: A Trip to Florida
- A Trip to the Frozen Tundra
- Bob Dylan: A Messianic Jew
- New White Papers
- Asarah B'Tevet (10th of Tevet)
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More Recent Posts
- Asarah BeTevet: The Fast of the 10th of Tevet
- The Ninth of Tevet: Simon Peter's Yahrzeit
- Is New Year's Pagan?
- Priestly Seal Discovered
- Jeremiah 10 and the Christmas Tree
- A Kosher Christmas Tree?
- The Gospels: Our Connection to Yeshua (Part 1)
- The Ninth of Av: "Blessed Are Those Who Mourn"
- The Fast of Tammuz
- The Scoop on What About Paganism?
