Biblical Heritage Center Blog

A tablet found on a rock during excavations in Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite civilization in the central Anatolian province of Çorum, will be deciphered with a 3D scanning system.  See picture & read article at -- http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hittite-tablet-to-be-deciphered-with-3d.aspx?pageID=238&nID=72324&NewsCatID=375

A lawyer, who was a Pharisee, asked Jesus this question -- “Which commandment is the greatest commandment.” Below is Jesus’s answer:  You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Torah and the Prophets . (Matthew 22:36-40) The lawyer asked for one commandment, but Jesus combined parts of two commandments. Jesus not only answered the question, he revealed something much more important – God’s highest value and a foundational principle of His kingdom . Read the complete article at -- http://biblicalheritage.org/DTB/0914_DTB_What_Does_God_Value.pdf

One of the most important concepts that Jim Myers and I teach through the Tov Center is about the importance of "Community." We live in a society of individuals. Everyone is a "ME." Individual rights, needs and wants take priority over those of community. Essentially, the "WE" is disappearing from America, the nation famously known as “WE the people!” This creates a problem that most people do not seem to be aware of -- without a "WE" there is no "ME ." Without a “WE” there is no righteousness; there is no kindness; there is no justice; there is no Tov; and, there is no community without others! And, very importantly, there is no shared Values Standard we can use to guide and measure human relationships. Every “ME” is running around with his or her own “self-created standard” measuring the world with it. Read Rabbi Leynor’s latest blog at -- http://tovcenter.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-power-of-collective-tov-creativity.html

An amateur metal detectorist has unearthed one of the largest hoards of Roman coins ever found in Britain. Laurence Egerton, 51, made the discovery as he explored land near Seaton, in East Devon - and he was so concerned someone would steal it, he camped out for three nights while archaeologists excavated the site. Dubbed Seaton Down Hoard, the collection of 22,000 copper-alloy coins is thought to have been buried by a private individual or soldier for safe keeping, but was never recovered. See picture and read article at -- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2770576/Builder-unearths-vast-treasure-trove-22-000-Roman-coins-spends-three-nights-sleeping-site-guard-hoard.html

This week the US, France and a few Arab countries started bombing ISIS targets in Syria, in addition to the attacks on ISIS in Iraq. In response, ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad AL-Adnani released a statement Monday urging Islamist militants to kill American and French citizens around the world. But is ISIS really the biggest Islamic-jihad danger to the US? After all, the Obama administration has repeatedly said that ISIS does not present an “immediate threat” to America. And they could be right. Intelligence officials say the U.S. needs to be on the alert for terror threats from a militant group in Syria --   and it's not ISIS. Last weekend several US media outlets reported on “Khorasan” an Al Qaeda affiliated terrorist organization based in Syria, that most analysts say is far more dangerous to the US and Western countries than ISIS. Read the complete report by Gil Elan at -- http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/1825091/5193c7d9a6/591947869/c8aec7c0be/

In Hebrew, Rosh means “ head ” and HaShanah means “ the year ,” so the name of the holiday literally means “ Head of the Year .” It is the Jewish new year, even though it takes place in the seventh month – Tishrei – of the Jewish calendar. The first month of the Jewish calendar is Nisan  which takes place in t he spring.   Rosh HaShanah is a time of celebration and introspection.  The two days of Rosh Hashanah usher in the  Ten Days of Repentance  ( Aseret Yemei Teshuvah ), also known as the Days of Awe ( Yamim Noraim ), which culminate in the major fast day of  Yom Kippur , the Day of Atonement . Below are links to websites that will provide much more information about Rosh HaShanah. (1) My Jewish Learning -- Basics, Traditions & Rituals, Food and Prayers – CLICK HERE . (2) Judaism 101 – CLICK HERE . (3) HAARETZ – The history of Rosh Hashanah, which wasn't always the 'new year' – CLICK HERE . (4) About Religion – The...

Alright! I'm coming clean! I don't care for sports, (cause I suck at them), I don't have tattoos, I don't hunt nor do I like  camping and hiking the great outdoors,(though I am inspired by all the amazing places I've seen), I don't drink beer, I don't drive a pickup. OMG! Do you think I'll be drummed out of the ranks of " Malehood?" It's interesting to see and hear so many perceptions of what being a "real man" means. Advertising and professional sports in particular bombard us with images of males with rippling muscles smashing and crashing into one another -- on a field, slab of ice, etc . Real men smash & crash into others! But, it is very disturbing to see so many reports of domestic violence committed by professional athletes.  Read Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor’s blog at -- http://tovcenter.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-real-man-doesnt-hit-women-or-children.html