This week Nehemia Gordon, Keith Johnson, and Jono Vandor discuss the Torah portion of Ki Tisa covering Exodus 30:11-34:35.
And when Moses came down from the Mount Sinai, he held the two tables of the testimony, and he knew not that his face was horned from the conversation of the Lord. And Aaron and the children of Israel seeing the face of Moses horned, were afraid to come near. – Latin Vulgate – Exodus 34:29-30
This week Nehemia Gordon, Keith Johnson, and Jono Vandor discuss the Torah portion of Tetzaveh covering Exodus 27:20-30:10.
The photograph above was taken by Nehemia Gordon, about which he writes:
The “Temple Institute” created this replica of the Menorah which they intend to be used in the future Temple. The replica is gold-plated instead of solid gold as commanded in the Torah (Exodus 25:36, 39). It also has a stepped base instead of a tripod as in the earliest Jewish artistic representations of the Menorah. The stepped base comes from the portrayal of the Menorah on the Arch of Titus in Rome. Location: Jewish Quarter, Old City, Jerusalem.
This week Nehemia Gordon, Keith Johnson, and Jono Vandor discuss the Torah portion of Mishpatim covering Exodus 21:1-24:18.
This week’s program is dedicated to Nehemia’s faithful canine companion, Georgia the Rhodesian Ridgeback, who sadly passed away the day of this recording. The outro music of this program was specially written in honor of Georgia. It features Yoel ben Shlomo on didgeridoo and Jono Vandor on guitar, and is entitled “Memories of Georgia”. May we all display the faithfulness of Yehovah’s servant, Caleb.
This week Nehemia Gordon, Keith Johnson, and Jono Vandor discuss the Torah portion of Beshalach covering Exodus 13:17-17:16.
This week Nehemia Gordon, Keith Johnson, and Jono Vandor discuss the Torah portion of Bo covering Exodus 10:1-13:16.
This week Nehemia Gordon, Keith Johnson, and Jono Vandor discuss the Torah portion of Vaeira covering Exodus 6:2-9:35. At face value, the first sentence of Vaeira appears to contradict other Scripture but several common-sense explanations clear things up. We learn why Moses’ lineage was important—particularly to the original audience—and that his “why me?” attitude was a sign of greatness. Gordon reveals a key verse for understanding the month of Aviv and the significance of its place on the Hebrew calendar. He also reads a poetic passage from the Portion that contains God’s name and where the rhyme of the divine is evident. As the trio examines each plague, Gordon translates the three Hebrew words for what was done to Pharaoh’s heart. Johnson speculates if the livestock taken to a place of shelter—a “migdal-oz”—hints at the mixed multitude and wonders if any Egyptians took shelter in the wondrous redemption to be found in Goshen.
This weeks discussion covers the Torah portion of Shemot, Exodus 1:1-6:1.
This weeks discussion covers the Torah portion of Vayechi, Genesis 47:28-50:26. In the final Genesis portion, Gordon provides the cultural and geographical significance of the blessings to the 12 tribes. We learn the special inheritance given to the Levites, why their descendants are still traceable, why Reuben’s portion went to Joseph’s sons, and the significance of the “right hand.” From Jacob’s insistence that Joseph “swear” to him, we learn that the patriarchs knew God’s name and how to use it.
While Jacob’s artful use of the Hebrew poetic form is soul-stirringly beautiful in the original language, it leaves us with some guesswork in English. Gordon takes us on a literary tour of the quadruple alliterations, the sophisticated triple-plays on words, the dropped prepositions, and the use of rare words (or common words with rare connotations) that could be translated in wildly different ways. Other word studies include: “blessing,” “Shechem,” “Shiloh,” “gathered to his people,” the rare context of “angel,” and the unique structure of the name “Issachar.”
In closing, Gordon pronounces the traditional Sabbath blessing—“May you be like Ephraim and Manasseh”—and encourages listeners to receive from Yehovah—as a child at his knee with his hand on our head.
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