Many people have an unspoken assumption that the Mishnah is like the golden calf of the Rabbis - they threw in all their additions to the Torah, and out came this Mishnah! Actually, the opposite is true. The Jewish people literally couldn't keep the Torah without developing the Mishnah. You could even say that the Mishnah is similar to the New Testament in that they're both extensions of the Torah, a 'fleshing out' of it.
I released my second Mishnah lesson this week tackling this question, looking at how the Mishnah was developed and the reason behind it. And I have to say, even though this subject is very serious, I also think this lesson is most hilarious I've ever created. I dare you to watch and not smile or laugh even once.
This lesson is FREE, so watch it here or at the bottom of this email, and please do pass this on to anyone you think would appreciate it!
I hope you enjoy the rest of this digest. And if there's anything on your mind, just hit reply. This email goes to over seven thousand people, but we read and respond to every reply. Because we really are here for you.
Shavua tov - have a good week!
Izzy Avraham
Founding Teacher
New Lessons
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For Hebrew Sketches we talked about why Jews say OY VEY and what that actually means! WE also talked about why "woe" is pictured by the nouns for island, ruins, desert creature, and falcon, the question "where?", and the verbs to be isolated and to crave. Watch it here, and discuss it here.
For Hebrew Verses we read Matthew 14:19-36. Some of the questions we discussed included: Why do most Christians pray before the food - which is an extrabiblical Jewish tradition - and don't pray after the meal, which is actually commanded in the Torah? Why do Christians bless the food, but Jews bless God who gave the food? Was it ok to talk or pray to Yeshua after his resurrection and ascension? Did Yeshua's disciples worship him? What's the physical action picturing "chazak"? What's the physical action picturing the Hebrew word for apostle, and why do Jews use the word emissary instead? Is there proof that Yeshua wore tzitzit in a traditional Jewish manner? Watch here, and discuss it here.
Sashya Clark wrote a PHENOMENAL article for Rosh Chodesh Elul which is TODAY - "12 Hacks That Will Change the Way You Read the Word"! Read it here.
And Jonathan released the first of his new series, "Fun Emoji Hebrew Scripture", reading through Genesis 1:1! Watch it here.
a story from Nancy
Nancy is following Yeshua in a Hebrew way, and here’s a little update from her!
I'm so excited to share with y'all my progress in Hebrew Quest. It's been almost two months since I started my first lesson, scared, and convinced that I would probably never learn anything because Hebrew just seemed so hard to understand. I don't necessarily think Hebrew is a piece-of-cake, but I was able to make more progress than I thought. I'm on lesson eight right now, and I'm now able to read some words. How amazing is that?!!! Praise Abba! I practice writing whenever I get a chance. Here's what I practiced on recently, the song Gadol Adonai, by Sarah Liberman.
See how easy that was? Take a moment to spread some inspiration by sharing YOUR update with the tribe too! Here's how.
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