The Way of Kindness and Empathy – Its Use and Abuse
Why I wrote this article There has been a growing reaction in recent years against the virtues of kindness, generosity and empathy. This reaction has arisen largely because these virtues have sometimes been misapplied, misused or exploited – whether by those who...
Confucianism and Talmidi Ethics: Where They Agree, and Where They Differ
Why I wrote this article Occasionally I like to examine the values of other religions and philosophies, in order to understand them; also, to understand where we align in our outlook, and where we differ. Doing this will help us understand in what areas we can build...
The ‘Reverential Awe’ of YHVH in Proverbs and the Prophets
This fourth article has been written as part of a series, in preparation for Theophany Day (this year, on Friday 19th June 2026), a day when we try to relive the experience of the manifestation of God's Glory to the Israelites, as if we had experienced it ourselves....
How does God’s Indwelling Presence (Shekhinah) dwell among people?
This article has been written as part of a series, in preparation for Theophany Day (this year, on Friday 19th June 2026), when we relive the experience of the manifestation of God's Glory to the Israelites. Previous articles: Theophany Day: An Opportunity to Focus on...
How and Why God bestows a Portion of God’s Spirit on us
(There is a summary of this article at the end) In the Israelite religion, the spirit of YHVH is not something separate from God, but rather the inherent, active, transforming force of YHVH in the world. YHVH's spirit is understood as God's active moral presence,...
Theophany Day: An Opportunity to Focus on Encountering the Divine Presence
Shalom everyone, Theophany Day, a non-obligatory day of personal devotion, when we try to relive the Giving of the Torah, and the Manifestation of God's Glory to the Israelites, is expected to be on Friday next week, with the main observances on Friday 19th June 2026....
Being Afraid For One’s Life Is Not “Islamophobia”
Some of you might know about the various attacks that have been carried out by Islamists against Jews in the UK over the last couple of years, becoming more and more frequent over the past few months this year. Yesterday there was yet another attack by an Islamist,...
Why Staying Connected Matters So Much: Building the Community We All Want to See
Dear Enquirer, One of the most common questions we receive is simple and understandable: “Do you have a Talmidi congregation in my local area?” We fully understand why people ask this. Human beings are not meant to live in isolation. Faith is often strengthened...
The Purpose of the additional Midrash in ‘The Exhortations’
This article is mostly by way of explanation, to clarify the purpose of the additional midrashim found throughout The Exhortations, especially in the first few books, such as the Book of Yochanan the Immerser, the Book of the Prophet Yeshua, and the Book of Yaʽaqov...
The biblical Criteria for a True Prophet of YHVH – and why Muhammad was not a Prophet of YHVH
In Islam, a prophet is someone who delivers a new revelation – and that’s it. In the Yahwist Israelite faith, a prophet is someone who calls people back to the original revelation, by calling for repentance, a change of heart, and a return to God. Islam had to...