5 Minute Torah Podcast

The text of Pirkei Avot acts as an anchor to the practical application of biblical values and ethics, which can often be obscured by the intellectual and oftentimes academic nature of other Jewish studies. There will be a total of seven videos in this series: an introduction and then one video per week, each covering one chapter of Pirkei Avot. For some, this may be all new material. For others, the text may be familiar, but the connections with the Yeshua and the Apostolic Scriptures will be new. Nothing in this study will be new or innovative. However, you may discover that you will look at the Apostolic Scriptures, particularly the teachings of Yeshua, through a lens you may have never seen before. My hope is that you’ll not only come to appreciate the wisdom of Pirkei Avot, but you’ll see the wisdom of Yeshua and the Apostles in a new light as well. Links to my books on Amazon: 5 Minute Torah, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3VzepUR 5 Minute Torah, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/3s560uM 5 Minute Torah, Volume 3: ht

The text of Pirkei Avot acts as an anchor to the practical application of biblical values and ethics, which can often be obscured by the intellectual and oftentimes academic nature of other Jewish studies. There will be a total of seven videos in this series: an introduction and then one video per week, each covering one chapter of Pirkei Avot. For some, this may be all new material. For others, the text may be familiar, but the connections with the Yeshua and the Apostolic Scriptures will be new. Nothing in this study will be new or innovative. However, you may discover that you will look at the Apostolic Scriptures, particularly the teachings of Yeshua, through a lens you may have never seen before. My hope is that you’ll not only come to appreciate the wisdom of Pirkei Avot, but you’ll see the wisdom of Yeshua and the Apostles in a new light as well. Links to my books on Amazon: 5 Minute Torah, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3VzepUR 5 Minute Torah, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/3s560uM 5 Minute Torah, Volume 3: ht

The text of Pirkei Avot acts as an anchor to the practical application of biblical values and ethics, which can often be obscured by the intellectual and oftentimes academic nature of other Jewish studies. There will be a total of seven videos in this series: an introduction and then one video per week, each covering one chapter of Pirkei Avot. For some, this may be all new material. For others, the text may be familiar, but the connections with the Yeshua and the Apostolic Scriptures will be new. Nothing in this study will be new or innovative. However, you may discover that you will look at the Apostolic Scriptures, particularly the teachings of Yeshua, through a lens you may have never seen before. My hope is that you’ll not only come to appreciate the wisdom of Pirkei Avot, but you’ll see the wisdom of Yeshua and the Apostles in a new light as well. Links to my books on Amazon: 5 Minute Torah, Volume 1: https://amzn.to/3VzepUR 5 Minute Torah, Volume 2: https://amzn.to/3s560uM 5 Minute Torah, Volume 3: ht

Fire. I can sit and watch a fire for hours on end. I love seeing the flames dance around and hear the crackle of the wood as it’s lapped up and consumed by the blazing heat. I also love the smell of meat being roasted over a fire—the fragrant aroma of beef or poultry making my mouth water as it slowly cooks to perfection. I have a feeling many of you feel the same way. But for some reason, when we change the context from a camp fire or backyard fire pit to God’s Holy House, things start sounding weird and everyone gets freaked out. I opened last week’s video talking about blood and guts and how the average person has a hard time connecting to portions of the Bible like what we are reading in Leviticus. This week we have more of the same type of content. What practical application can we possibly get out of this? I’m glad you asked. Let’s take a look together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah. Messianic Commentary Watch the video: https://youtu.be/nPZh6moG-Ko

Is the book of Leviticus only about blood, guts, scabs, lesions, bodily discharges, slaughtering animals and other cult rituals? I believe if we look deeply enough we’ll see the beauty of God’s instructions and the opportunities He has given to His people. Let’s take a look together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

I like oatmeal. And I like garlic. But trust me … they don’t go together. We’ve all done it. We like one thing and we like another and then we think, “Hey! Let’s put those two things together and we’ll have the best of both worlds!” We all know how that turns out. Or maybe it’s something like, “The instructions say to put one drop of Gorilla Glue per square inch. But I don’t want this mug coming apart. I’m gonna make sure and coat both pieces entirely.” How did that turn out for you? Well, this week we’re talking about Misguided Zeal and the consequences it can have. Not sure what I mean? Let’s take a look together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

There are some things in life that you can live with just having half: half a sandwich, half a cup of coffee, half a sheet of paper, half off the retail price, etc. But there are other things that just don’t work when you only have half: Half a water bottle. Half a bag. Half a shoe. Half a brain. Even worse than these is Half a Person. But yet there are millions of them, if not billions of them, walking around every day. It’s a sad commentary on our world today. But how does this relate to our current Torah portion and our responsibility to do something about this problem? Let’s take a look together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

If a person came up to you and said, “I’ll give you $1 million to take your place in Heaven or take your share in the World to Come” (depending on your theological paradigm) … What would you say? Would you take it? What if they offered you $100 million? What about $1 billion? Is there anything anyone could offer you that would be appealing enough for you to forgo your place in the World to Come? Most people with any kind of spiritual sensibility would flatly reject any such offer. However … we have at least two examples in the Scriptures where our spiritual leaders were willing to do just that. Who am I talking about? Stick around and I’ll tie their stories to a lesson of leadership in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

Hypocrisy. Scandal. Corruption. Phony. Fake. These are words that come to mind when many people think of religion. Why? Because often religious people love to wear their religion on the outside so that they look good in the face of the public, but are inwardly a different person altogether. Yeshua rebuked his peers for this hypocrisy. He has called his people to be pure and holy, set apart to himself. How can learning about the construction of the Ark of the Covenant help us understand the full implications of Yeshua’s teachings against hypocrisy and help us to be disciples who are the “real deal?” Join me for this teaching as we learn how to avoid the trap of hypocrisy in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

Sometimes what we read in the Scriptures inspires us. Sometimes it comforts us. But sometimes it rebukes us. And, if we’re honest, sometimes it even shocks us. Matthew 15 records what may be the most politically INCORRECT statement in the New Testament. A Canaanite woman, driven to desperation, comes to Yeshua to request healing for her demon-possessed daughter. In our minds, we expect Yeshua to respond with compassion to this lady. But instead, he calls her a dog. That’s right: a DOG. What’s up with that? Well, believe it or not, this week’s Torah portion might just have the missing piece of the puzzle to help us understand this strange response of our beloved Savior. Please join me as we unravel this mystery together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

In the book of Acts, we read about the signs and wonders God poured out on the Apostles and all who were with them after Yeshua’s ascension: tongues of fire on their heads, a mighty wind from heaven, and the ability to speak in languages they had never learned. If you grew up in a Charismatic Christian tradition like I did, these signs marked the separation between the old era of Judaism and the new era of Christianity. That event supposedly marked the beginning of the church. But what these signs weren’t something new, but actually something ancient? What if these signs and wonders were already associated with Judaism and only served to strengthen the Apostles’ connection to the validity of their Jewish faith? What if they saw them as signs linking this event back to the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai? Let’s explore this idea together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

What is it? That seems like an odd opening line, but it’s even more strange that someone would use that phrase, “What is it?” to name a food. But this is exactly what happened with the Children of Israel. When God provided bread from heaven, they took one look at it and said, “Mann hu?” — “What is it?” And the name just sort of stuck. But even if they were perplexed as to its substance, they were nourished by it nonetheless. How does this Mysterious Manna help us to understand our relationship with Yeshua? Let’s take a look at this curious lesson together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

I hate to brag, but my wife makes the most incredible homemade bread that has ever crossed the lips of mankind—especially the challah that she makes for our Friday night Shabbat meals. There are hours of work that go into making that perfect loaf of bread. The flour is mixed with salt, sugar, oil, eggs, yeast and water and then is kneaded by hand, all while infusing the dough with her prayers for her family and friends. Then the dough goes through two separate risings. And… when she finally pulls it out of the oven, the entire house smells like it just floated down from heaven. Every mouth is watering with anticipation, looking forward to blessing God and taking the first bite of this delicious bread. But as wonderful as that is, this video isn’t about my wife’s "Cheavenly Challah." It’s about the life of a type of simple, tasteless cracker that has an extremely powerful lesson to teach us. Let’s take a look at this eye-opening lesson together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

Each year at the Passover seder we drink four cups of wine for a very specific purpose. Each cup symbolizes one aspect of God’s promise of Redemption to Israel. What are these various facets of God’s promise to Israel? And, as a Gentile, do these cups have any meaningful promises to offer me? If you’ve ever wondered about these things, then this is the video for you. Let’s take a look at these concepts together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

Want to know a secret? I struggle with Impostor Syndrome. What is Imposter Syndrome? It’s feelings of self-doubt and personal incompetence that persist despite a person’s education, experience, and accomplishments. Have you ever struggled with something similar? Have you ever doubted that you had what it takes to do the things God has called you to do? Those of us who struggle with Imposter Syndrome are not only aware of our limitations and inadequacies, but we are controlled by them. This type of fear can be debilitating at times. How do we overcome this in order to become the person God created us to be? Let’s look at this idea together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

Have you ever seen someone that you should have recognized, but you didn’t? For some reason you just couldn’t place them at the moment. What about the other way around? Have you ever had someone look right at you and not recognize you even though they should have? When Joseph brings his sons to his father so that they could receive their blessings, Jacob asks him who they are. Did he really not know who these two young men were that Joseph had brought to him so that he could bless them? Or is there something going on here we aren’t seeing in a surface reading of the text? Please join me as we dig deeper into the Scriptures together in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

Vayigash - The Power of Hope by Emet HaTorah

In Acts 10, Peter had a dream. He saw a sheet come down from Heaven with all kinds of unclean animals in it. He heard a voice tell him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” He refused, but the vision was repeated a total of three times telling him to kill and eat the unclean animals that he had been shown. We are told that Peter was perplexed by the vision. Why didn’t Peter immediately understand it? Was he simply too dense to understand the obvious? Wasn’t God telling Peter that He was abolishing the dietary laws He gave to His people back in the Torah, and that he wanted them to start ordering in their Honey-Baked-Ham for the holidays? Or was there a different message the Lord wanted Peter to take away from the vision? There is a very important dream in this week’s Torah portion. Could understanding its interpretation be the key to unlocking Peter’s vision?

Have you seen pictures where different people see different things? Why is that? Why don’t we all just see the same thing? It’s because of something called perspective. Each of us encounter life with a slightly different perspective and it can make a difference in how we see the world around us. Some of us can only see the obvious. But others can see beyond the illusion and see what’s really going on behind the smoke & mirrors. And that single shift in our perspective can sometimes make or break us. What do I mean? Come join me as I explain the Grand Illusion in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.

What’s your name? I mean your REAL name. Are you hiding something? Are you really who you claim to be? For that matter, are you really who you think you are? Well, I’ve got a secret … You really aren’t who you think you are. Have I got your attention? Want to know what I’m talking about? Hang around for a little while and I’ll explain what I mean in this week’s 5 Minute Torah.