http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/ Gain new understanding from the ancient writings! Learn messianic insight from the Torah every week through the Weekly eDrash. en Copyright 2012 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:31:58 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.361 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Chassidic discourse teaches that the Spirit of Messiah is more exalted than that of Moses. Whereas Moses is depicted being drawn out from the water and dividing the sea, walking through the water, Messiah is depicted above the water. In the beginning of Genesis it says, "and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the water." The Sages teach, "This is the Spirit of Messiah." In the gospels, Messiah walks over the surface of the water.]]> http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/beshalach/nachshons_leap.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/beshalach/nachshons_leap.php Beshalach Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:31:58 +0000 "This is the bread of affliction that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let all the hungry come and eat! Let all the needy come and celebrate Passover! This year we are here; next year may we be in the Land of Israel. This year we are slaves; next year may we be free men." (Traditional Passover Haggadah) http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/bo/the_bread_of_affliction.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/bo/the_bread_of_affliction.php Bo Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:51:59 +0000 "It might be the devil, or it might be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody." (Robert Zimmerman) "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18) http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vaera/the_robber_and_the_strong_man.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vaera/the_robber_and_the_strong_man.php Va'era Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:30:22 +0000 Rabbah 2:2)]]> http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/shemot/the_good_shepherd.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/shemot/the_good_shepherd.php Shemot Sun, 08 Jan 2012 03:42:44 +0000 Rabbah 98:14 on Genesis 49:18)]]> http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayechi/waiting_for_salvation.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayechi/waiting_for_salvation.php Vayechi Sun, 01 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0000 tallit (coat): "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!" (Luke 13:34)]]> http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayigash/man_of_sorrows.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayigash/man_of_sorrows.php Vayigash Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:07:48 +0000 Didache 3:10) We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)]]> http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/miketz/this_too_is_for_the_good.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/miketz/this_too_is_for_the_good.php Miketz Sun, 18 Dec 2011 09:13:09 +0000 The rejection of Joseph, the agent sent to them by their father, is paradigmatic for Israel's future rejection of the prophets sent by God and ultimately the rejection of Messiah. The Gospel of John sadly observes, "He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him." (John 1:11) But the story of Joseph ends with reconciliation between him and his estranged brothers. http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayeshev/joseph_and_messiah.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayeshev/joseph_and_messiah.php Vayeshev Sun, 11 Dec 2011 05:40:24 +0000 God named all three of the patriarchs. He changed Abram's name to Abraham. He chose Isaac's name and announced it to Abraham before the child was even conceived. In this week's Torah portion, He changes Jacob's name to Israel. A genuine encounter with God is life-changing. A name-change by God represents a new nature and new destiny. http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayishlach/jacob_and_israel.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayishlach/jacob_and_israel.php Vayishlach Sun, 04 Dec 2011 17:36:40 +0000 The deeds of the forefathers are portents for the children. The Torah says in Genesis 28:10, "Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran." Did anything like this ever happen to the children of Israel? Of course it did. Twice even. Israel was twice exiled from the land of promise. Two times she went down into darkness. Once in the days of the Prophets (with the Assyrians and Babylonians playing the part of Esau) Israel was driven from her land and into Mesopotamia and captivity. It happened a second time, in the days of the disciples. Like Jacob, fleeing from the wrath of Esau, fleeing from the house of his father, leaving behind his family and the place of Abraham and Isaac, Rome forces Israel to flee her land and forsake it for centuries that stretched into millennia. This second exile has endured for almost two thousand years. http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayetze/the_dispersion_and_return.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayetze/the_dispersion_and_return.php Vayetze Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:51:47 +0000 As followers of the Master, we must be children of Jacob, not children of Esau. We must remember that our animal nature does not rule us. Paul reminds us that we belong, not to our appetites, but to the Lord. He says, "Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body" (1 Corinthians 6:13). Our heads must rule our hearts. http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/toldot/red_red_stuff.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/toldot/red_red_stuff.php Toldot Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:38:24 +0000 Genesis 24:67 says that Isaac took Rebekah, she became his wife and he loved her. Notice the order. This seems backward to us. We would expect the opposite. In our culture, we believe that a person should marry whoever he or she falls in love with. Falling in love is a terrible criteria upon which to base a marriage. What should marriage be based upon? http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/chayei_sarah/love_and_marriage.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/chayei_sarah/love_and_marriage.php Chayei Sarah Sun, 13 Nov 2011 11:07:13 +0000 Abraham's life was a life of faith, and the life of faith is a life of testing. At every juncture we are tested. Passing each test requires stubborn optimism, resolute confidence in God and steadfast obedience. Life's problems are opportunities to prove our faith and to improve our faithfulness. We fail life's tests when we give in to despair, lose confidence in God or turn away from obedience. Every difficulty and trial is a test of faith. Will we assess the problem through the eyes of faith or not? Will we respond in faith or faithlessness? http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayera/abrahams_great_test.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayera/abrahams_great_test.php Vayera Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:08:48 +0000 Blessed are You, O LORD, our God and God of our fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the great, powerful and awesome God, God above all, Who performs kind acts of devotion, and is the Owner of all things, Who remembers the fathers' acts of devotion, and brings a Redeemer to their children's children, for the sake of His Name, with love. (First blessing of the Daily Prayer) http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/lech_lecha/the_greatness_of_the_fathers.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/lech_lecha/the_greatness_of_the_fathers.php Lech Lecha Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:34:42 +0000 Noah's story teaches us about the company we keep. Humans are gregarious creatures. We tend to imitate those around us. The attitudes of family, friends and colleagues rub off on us. If you want to be a godly person, though, you need to hang out with godly people. http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/noach/the_righteous_cannibal.php http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/noach/the_righteous_cannibal.php Noach Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:16:50 +0000