In this week’s class, Ross highlights the blessings and the curses of the Torah. He points out that there is currently a great confusion on the subject of the “curse of the Law”. It is commonly taught that all those who keep the Law are under a curse, but Ross shows that this is in fact just the opposite of what is taught in the Torah. Life and blessings are always associated with obedience to the Torah while death and curses are associated with disobedience. This confusion is shown from a sermon delivered by the famous protestant Martin Luther and is shown to be evident in the writings of Paul as well. You will not want to miss this class.

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In this week’s teaching, Ross focuses on the idea of Divorce and Marriage as it relates to prophecies of God’s unfaithful wife. You will not want to miss this class. He begins the class by covering some of the points covered in this week’s Torah portion. The title of the class is, “A Divorce Made in Heaven, A Marriage made in heaven – God’s Unfaithful Wife.

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Based upon the sighting of the new moon, today marks the first day of the 6th Biblical month – known popularly as Elul. The first of Elul is the beginning of a 40 day period held by traditional Judaism as a time of repentance, leading up to the most solemn day on the Hebrew Calendar – known as Yom Kippur (a Day of Covering or the Day of Atonement as it is most commonly known). (See Leviticus chapter 16 and 23 23:26-32) Tradition holds that it was on the first day of the 6th month when Moses makes his 3rd of 3 treks up the summit of Mount Sinai. On this day, it is believed that he rose early and climbed the mount with the two tablets of stone that would replace the ones he had broken when he descended and found the Israelites worshiping the golden calf. As many enter this time of repentance, I want to make a special plea for all of you to pray earnestly for our respective governments and their leaders. Members of the Synagogue Without Walls are from various countries around the world and many of us are concerned about the manner in which our leaders are governing the affairs of man. This week’s Torah portion contains the blueprint for a true government established upon Biblical order – a divine plan for human government. We find that this order is to be administered by human officials but under strict guidance and rules from heaven. The foundation of the divine plan for governing the affairs of man is described by the Hebrew word tzedek. What are we to learn from the Torah this week about true government? What part do we play in establishing such a government? Ancient Israel was given a charter and an order for a true government. It is known as the Kingdom of God and is to ultimately be realized ‘on earth as it is in heaven.’ The people of God have tended to veer from the plan and seek to be ‘like the nations’ when it comes to politics. The current situation in the US and abroad is presented as dismal by many. There are countless preachers of gloom and doom. Is this the end? Are we left with no alternative but to ride this down to the ground and hope for the best? Are we hapless victims being led to ‘hell in a hand basket’? I personally don’t think so and have a message that I hope will shed some light on the subject. Is the solution to the world’s situation depending on the leaders of men or of the men themselves? Asked another way; ‘Is the problem with the leaders or with the led ? ‘ I may get a little controversial this week, but perhaps that is what is needed to wake up those who slumber.

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In this class Ross teaches on Torah Reading Re’eh. Re’eh is Hebrew for “see”. Moses begins his discourse by informing the people that he is putting two ways before them; one of blessing and one of cursing. Blessing for those who choose to obey the commandments and cursing for those who choose NOT to follow the commandments. As the children of Israel prepare to enter the promised land we find that they are each doing what is right in their own “eyes”. There is also a phrase in the reading about doing what is good and right in the eyes of Yehovah. Ross shows that there is a vast difference between the two. Can we learn to “see” things as God sees them? You will not want to miss this class.

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In this week’s class, Ross covers the Greatest Sermon of Moses. In these chapters, Moses sets forth a pattern through a repetition of four words that show up again and again, that if followed have the ability to open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf. Listen, Learn, Guard and Do! Deuteronomy contains over 80 occurrences of various forms of the Hebrew Verb Shema – Hear! This week’s Torah lesson contains 24! But what else must we do aside from “hearing”? We can not be mere hearers of the word. This class shows what else one must do. We encourage you to listen to this class and share it with others.

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In this week’s class, Ross teaches his introductory lesson on Deuteronomy. He shows in this class that within Deuteronomy there is a Road Map to Redemption that runs through these texts. Keying off of a phrase that occurs only 10 times in the entire Hebrew Bible (9 times in Deuteronomy and once in Jeremiah), Ross shows what we should be working on. The recurring phrase is “with all your heart and with all your soul”. Working through these texts we can learn what it is that we must “do” in order to find our way home. Ross shows in this lesson that we are to “hear and do”. You will not want to miss this teaching.

Image courtesy of FreeBibleIllustrations.com

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In this week’s class we conclude the book of Numbers (BeMidbar). We are also in a period known in Hebrew as Bein HaMetzarim (between the straights). It is a 3 week period that falls between the 17th of the 4th month and the 9th of the 5th months (also known as the 9th of Av). These three weeks are traditionally held to be a time of mourning. In this week’s class, Ross speaks on the topic of sin and particularly the sins that led to the tragic events of the 9th of Av – the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. He points out that the sins of the fathers require our confession and shows this from the Scriptures. You will not want to miss this class.

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This class was delivered on June 26th from the historic Temple Sinai Synagogue. It is Ross Nichols’ teaching on Torah reading Balak.

“Image courtesy of FreeBibleIllustrations.com”

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In this class, Ross teaches on the “matter of Baal Peor”, and of the remedy to the plague that came upon the children of Israel. The class focuses on the Biblical idea of zeal. The class covers Number chapter 25:10 – 30:1. Check it out.

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In this Torah portion, Miriam and Aaron die. Moses and Aaron are informed that they will not be allowed into the land promised to their fathers. What did they do that brought about this sentence? What can we learn from their mistakes? The children of Israel quarrel with Moses and with God. Serpents are sent among the people and Moses is instructed to make an object for the bitten ones to look upon. What can we learn from a careful examination of these words? You will not want to miss this class.

“Image courtesy of FreeBibleIllustrations.com“

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