Tag Archives: Elijah/Eliyahu

Jesus in the Talmud

What does the Talmud actually say about Jesus? Is it true that he is described as boiling in excrement in hell? How did the ancient Jewish Sages view Jesus and his origins? Discover the surprising truth in this eye-opening class.

*This class was delivered in July of 2026 at the Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center, at a yearly event started by Rev. George Balasko to promote interfaith dialogue and help Christians learn more about Jews. Past speakers have included Rabbi Benjamin Blech and Professor Lawrence H. Schiffman. For my talk at this event last year, on Noahide Laws, see here.

How to Pronounce God’s Name

This week’s parasha, Va’etchanan, contains a second reading of the Ten Commandments. The third commandment is the prohibition to take the name of God in vain. Some people mistakenly believe that this means we are not allowed to ever pronounce the Tetragrammaton, יהוה, commonly transliterated as YHVH or YHWH. This is not true at all, though it is true that later in history the Sages instituted using other words to be used instead of the Tetragrammaton (such as “Adonai” or “Hashem”) so that people do not accidentally take the name of God in vain, or misuse this powerful name of God. Since the Tetragrammaton is so sacred, it was thought too holy to invoke on a regular basis. Today, no one invokes the proper name at all. It’s gone so far that many believe we have forgotten how to properly pronounce the name. This is false. How can we be God’s people if we don’t even know His name? Continue reading →

Judaism vs. Zoroastrianism

Did ancient Zoroastrianism inspire Judaism, or vice versa? What are the similarities and differences between the two great faiths? And what does it all have to do with the current war in Iran and the Straits of Hormuz, named after the god of the Zoroastrians? Find out in this eye-opening class, in which we also explore the origins of the two chief demons in the universe, the true nature of hell, and parallels between Abraham and Zarathustra.