Thursday Night Live 07/20/2010
Tonight’s Class is canceled due to overtime schedule.
Due to Dr. Oakley’s overtime work schedule there will be no class this evening. We should be back on schedule next week.
Shalom
Return from the Holy Land
Our return from the Holy Land leaves us in awe of G-d’s plan and people. I just wanted to remind everyone to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Mitzvah 156 (p)
Positive Mitzvah 156
156. To destroy chametz [before Pesach], as [Exodus 12:15] states: “On the day before [the holiday], obliterate chametz from your homes.”
Thursday Night Live (Torah Focus)
Mesorah of Mark in Review
This week we want to do some review. We will be looking at the overall picture of how Mordechai (Mark) fits in the scheme of the Triennial Schedule.
Key points for tonight’s discussion will be…
- The Triennial Schedule
- Rebuilding through Parsha
- Rebuilding through key words, phrases and concepts
- The Synagogue and the 1st Century
- The Sermon and the Synagogue
- Believers in the Synagogue
- Mordechai (Mark) as a Mesorah
All Study Guides for Mordechai can be found at the following page.
TNL – To Walk like Yeshua
Learning to walk as Yeshua walked
In tonight’s class we will learn how the past three Pericope of Mordechai (Mark) have been joined to the appropriate Torah Seder. The past Torah readings have brought us from the pillars of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) to the present Torah reading where the Cohanim are consecrated, anointed and dedicated to G-d’s service.
TNL on UStream TV
Last Thursday night’s Torah Focus Class it available on UStream TV
We look at counting the omer for the year 2010 and follow the reasoning behind counting.
Counting To Perfection
Counting
based on the teachings of Rabbi Simon Jacobson
Leviticus 23:15-21; Deuteronomy 16:9-12
During this time, we are supposed to be working on our selves. We are to see the forty-nine days as if we were ascending to Sinai.
After the miraculous Exodus from Mitzraim (Egypt), the B’nai Yisrael spent 49 days preparing for the most awesome experience in human history, the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Just as the B’nai Yisrael’s’ redemption from Mitzraim teaches us how to achieve inner freedom in our lives; so too, this 49-day period, called ‘Sefirat Ha-Omer’ the Counting of the Omer, is a time of intense character refinement and elevation.
What are the forty-nine steps and how do I make them?
The following Seven characteristics form the basis for the forty-nine attributes if the inner man. When combined they form an order that elevates us to the level that prepares us to receive the Torah.
1. Loving-kindness
2. Justice and discipline
3. Harmony, compassion
4. Endurance
5. Humility
6. Bonding
7. Sovereignty, leadership
The Fifth Cup
In this we explore the idea of the fifth cup, “Elijah’s cup” and prophecy.
We will also be exploring the Cups of the Seder. We will also focus on the “Fifth Cup” the “Cup of Eliyahu” (Elijah).
We also explore the casting of the “mantle” upon Elisha and the concluding passages of the book of Malachi.
In preparation for the class you will need to read
Shemot chapter 12
1 Kings chapter 19
Malachi chapters 3-4 (chapter 3 in a Jewish published Bible)
Likewise you will want to download the image “seder.” (click on “seder” and the image will appear in a separate window). You may also “right click” and “save as” to a desired location on your computer for future reference.
Shalom
Dr. Walter Oakley
Counting the Omer
Thursday Night Live – Counting the Omer
Tonight’ Thursday night Live Class will look at the Biblical mandate of counting the omer. We will be looking at the spiritual aspects of counting and its relation to the soul. There are 2 study guides for this class.
Shabbat haGadol and Mordechai
Shabbat haGadol and Mordechai
Tonight we will be looking at Shabbat haGadol as a prelude to Pesach. Likewise we will see how Mordechai (Mark) fits the theme of Pesach and Shabbat haGadol.
The following Study Guide will be helpful
Kiddush HaChodesh
Weekly Torah Reading
Shemot 11:1-12:28, Yechezel 45:18-46:15, Mishle 7:1-27, Col 2:16-23, 1 Cor 5:6-8
Tonight’s discussion will follow the following order.
Download the STUDY GUIDE for this lesson
What’s troubling Rashi?
Why was Rashi was troubled with the opening of the Chumash, “Bereshit Bara Elohim”?
Rashi was troubled with this text because he knew that the Chumash was a halachic book. As a result Rashi had to resolve the problem of why HaShem began the text with “Bereshit bara.”
The point being made is that Rashi, as do almost all the Sages see the Torah as a Halachic document.
Who’s On First?
Chagigah 12a
Our Rabbis taught: Beth Shammai say: Heaven was created first and afterwards the earth was created, for it is said: In the beginning G-d created the heaven and the earth. Beth Hillel say: Earth was created first and afterwards heaven, for it is said: In the day that the L-rd G-d made earth and heaven. Beth Hillel said to Beth Shammai: According to your view, a man builds the upper storey [first] and afterwards builds the house! For it is said: It is he that buildeth His upper chambers in the heaven, and hath founded His vault upon the earth. (Amos 9:6) Said Beth Shammai to Beth Hillel: According to your view, a man makes the footstool [first], and afterwards he makes the throne! For it is said: Thus saith the L-rd, The Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. (Yeshayahu 61:1) But the Sages say: Both were created at the same time.
Why does the Torah Start with Bereshit?
The argument between Hillel and Shammai tell us that the word “Bereshit” can NOT mean the first thing that G-d created was the Heavens and earth. Nor can we determine an order of creation from this verse. Nevertheless, our present Torah Seder establishes an order. That order is that the mundane came before the spiritual. Now the BIG question is WHY?
This the BEGINNING
Shemot 12:1-2
Why is this the BEGINNING?
What is so special about the beginning and how does this relate Bereshit 1:1 to Pesach?
How does the Tosefta to Pesachim reveal the answer to this problem?
PESAHIM (MISHNAH)
1:1 On the night preceding the fourteenth [of Nisan] they seek out leaven by the light of a candle. Any location into which [people] do not [ordinarily] bring leaven does not require examination. And why did they say, “Two rows in a wine vault [must be searched out]”? [This designates] a place into which they bring leaven. The House of Shammai say, “Two rows over the entire surface of [the rack of jars in] the wine vault.” And the House of Hillel say, “The two outermost rows which are uppermost.”
1:2 They do not scruple that a weasel might have dragged [leaven] from house to house and place to place. For if so, [they will have to scruple that the weasel has dragged leaven] from courtyard to courtyard and from town to town, [so] there is no end to the matter.
PISHA (TOSEFTA)
1:1 On the night preceding the fourteen [of Nisan they seek out leaven by the light of a candle [M. Pes. 1:1]. They do not seek out [leaven] by the light of the sun or the light of the noon, but only by the light of a candle, for examination with the light of a candle is far more thorough. Even though there is no clear proof for the proposition, there is at least an indication of it: At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps (Zephaniah 1:12). And it says, The spirit of man is the lamp of the L-rd, searching all his Innermost parts (Prov. 20:27).
1:2 The House of Shammai say, “Two rows over the entire surface [of the rack of jars in] the wine-vault [M. Pes. 1: 1 ] “the outermost row, which faces the door, and the uppermost row, ‘Which faces the beams [are to be examined]. “But that which is below it or further in than it does not require examination.” And the House of Hillel say, “The outermost row which is the uppermost. “which faces the door and the beams, “[and] that which is below it [require examination]. “But that which is further in than it does not require examination.”
The Torah Reading cycle and this week’s Torah Seder
Thursday Night Live
We will look at the reading schedule and how to determine our place in that schedule. Once we have determined how to determine our place in the schedule we will look at this coming weeks Pashsa
The following STUDY GUIDE will be helpful
Odyssey Israel 2010
Shalom Chaverim
We have solidified all the details for our 2010 trip to Israel. Download our brochure to see our itinerary. Make plans to join this fabulous trip hosted by Dr’s Walter and Elizabeth Oakley.
This trip will be a teaching tour. We will have many students that are working on their Doctoral degree joining us to learn about the foundations of their faith and how the land of Israel influenced the lives of early Believers.
Who are the Amalek?
Tonight’s Thursday Night Live discussion will center on the Amalek. This Shabbat is Shabbat Zachor – remember the Aamalek. Why is it that HaShem tells us to remember the Amalek. Are the Amalek still around? If they are who could they possibly be and what will be done to them?
See you at 7 CST
