Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 8, 2010
"The Talmud states that a Bat Kol (heavenly voice) was heard (on two separate occasions) declaring that Hillel and Samuel were worthy of the Shekinah (Divine Presence)…"
[from "Jesus the Pharisee" by Harvey
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 8, 2010
David Flusser wrote, "Jesus regarded the Kingdom of Heaven as taking shape around him and together with him. Later on, Christianity was influenced by this idea, but in a somewhat distorted manner, and identified the idea of the Kingdom of Heaven with the community itself -- the
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 25, 2010
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Spiritual Near-Sightedness
One of my favorite riddles is this one
Q: What did the near-sighted porcupine say when it backed into a cactus?
A: Pardon me, honey!
If you are near-sighted, you see objects that are near, but distant objects are blurry or unclear. To put is simply, you are equipped to
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 25, 2010
Wayne Grudem writes, "In a day when it is common for people to tell us how hard it is to interpret Scripture rightly, we would do well to remember than not once in the Gospels do we ever hear Jesus saying anything like this: 'I see how your problem arose--the Scriptures are not very clear on this
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 18, 2010
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From the Associated Press
RIVERTON, Wyo. – Officials say a magnifying glass set on a stand in a sunny room started a small blaze in a Wyoming home. UPS worker Buddy Armstrong was delivering a package to 84-year-old Thomas Guthrie's Dubois home on Tuesday when he heard an alarm inside. Armstrong,
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 4, 2010
DUBAI (AFP) – "Once-bustling Dubai will open the world’s tallest skyscraper on Monday, boasting new limits in design and construction…
"Bill Baker, a structural and civil engineer and partner in Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), which designed the tower, said Burj Dubai has set a
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 4, 2010
"When a man learned that an elderly woman could no longer buy her medicine and pay her rent, he came to her rescue. He took her into his home and treated her as if she were his mother. He gave her a bedroom, prepared the food for her meals, bought her medicine, and transported her whenever she
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 4, 2010
Hillel: "What is painful to you, do not do unto others". (Talmud, tracate Shabbat 31a; Midrash Avot de Rabbi Natan). Akiva states "Whatever you hate to have done unto you, do not do to your neighbor; wherefore do not hurt him; do not speak ill of him; do not reveal his secrets to others; let his
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 28, 2009
According to the Associated Press, "Philippine troops went house to house Thursday threatening to use force to move hundreds of residents from the steaming slopes of a lava-spilling volcano. Some farmers begged to stay to guard their livestock while their families spent Christmas Eve in a shelter.
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 28, 2009
"R. Eliezer the Great declares: Whoever has a piece of bread in his basket and says. ’What shall I eat tomorrow?’ belongs only
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 28, 2009
PRAYER, ACCORDING TO THE MISHNA
"One who says the Tefillah so that it can be heard is of the small of faith; he who raises his voice in praying is of the false prophets; he who belches and yawns is of the arrogant; if he sneezes during his prayer it is a bad sign for him — some say, it shows that
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 21, 2009
In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: "We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas."
• Katherine hurried to the editor of the
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 14, 2009
This story broke this week from the United Kingdom: " LONDON (Reuters) – Gone are the days of shepherds in tea towels and tinsel-clad angels. Britain’s competitive parents are forking out on luxury pashmina shawls and velour dressing gowns to make their child the star of the annual nativity
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 14, 2009
Like the game Mousetrap, if we are in the middle of it -- the guy falling through the bath tub, for example, it doesn’t make sense. But we are part of a process. Maybe we will raise a child that will raise a child that will marry a woman with a child from a previous marriage, and your grandson
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 7, 2009
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WAITING FOR GABRIEL
I was picking up my son at a youth event, and I saw Darl, who was doing the same. Darl’s oldest son is Gabriel. I asked him how he was, and Darl said,
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 7, 2009
THREE ANGELS AND ABRAHAM
"The three angels that appeared to Abraham (Gen. xviii.) were Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael; Michael, as the greatest, walked in the middle, with Gabriel to his right and Raphael to his left (Yoma 37a). Michael stands at the right hand of God, Gabriel at His left
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 30, 2009
When I first began dating Marylu, she was a waitress. Fortunately, I was brought up with good etiquette, & knew to tip 15% for good service. Now the protocol is 20%, and I try to do that, if the service is good. If not, I leave less.
This week, an interesting story broke out of
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Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 30, 2009
John Gill wrote, "Jeremiah, whom some of the Jews have thought to be the prophet Moses spoke of, in (Deuteronomy 18:15) and expected that he would appear about the times of the Messiah" [his source: Baal Hatturim in Deut.
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