The Chasidic Soul (2)

And what is the portion of God from above, or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?   Job 31:2  NASB Portion – Let’s continue with our discussion of the article on teshuvah from Chabad.org. “Teshuvah is therefore a spiritual repudiation of philosopher Will Durant’s statement: “We are what we repeatedly do.” Judaism teaches us otherwise. We…

The Chasidic Soul (1)

And what is the portion of God from above, or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?   Job 31:2  NASB Portion – I recently received an insightful article from Chabad.org.  It is worth reading so I am pasting it here.  After you’ve read through it, I’ll have some comments. Repentance: Teshuvah (תשובה)   Return to the…

Uncreated

then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.  Ecclesiastes 12:7  NASB Spirit will return – Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher-mathematician, invented the doctrine of the eternal existence of the soul (in Greek psyche).  The ancient world did believe in life after death (e.g., Egyptian burial…

Healing Wounds

When He killed them, then they sought Him, and they returned and searched diligently for God;  Psalm 78:34  NASB Sought – When do you seek God?  Well, when do most people seek God?  When things are bad.  When we want a God-genie to fix things. When we’re suffering.  The rest of the time, God is sort of…

Jeremiah’s Desperado

I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.  Jeremiah 24:7  NASB Return – Hauser makes me cry for the passion of music.  The Eagles make me cry for the pathos of living. …

But Things Have Changed

“And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil.  Joel 2:13  NASB Return– How do you feel when it all comes back? What do you think of God’s grace and compassion when all the trials, struggles and discouragements return?   Why should you…

Restoration

for God Who protects and rescues us are You; for God, the gracious and compassionate King, are You. Siddur, Maariv for Weekdays, Shema and Its Blessings, p. 291. Protects and Rescues – “Being obedient does not require understanding God’s reasoning.”[1] Yes, that’s so true. Frankly, I don’t understand God at all. I don’t understand how…

The Promise

For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. Hebrews 10:37-38 NASB Will come – In the previous verse, the author of this letter exhorts the reader…

A History Lesson (2)

and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 NASB Turn – A little historical pun. That’s why the choice of shuv in…

Subject or Verb?

So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. Ruth 1:22 NASB Who returned – What are we to make of the unusual Hebrew construction in this verse? What usually happens in translation is a…