 This page contains the schedule for both upcoming talks as well as recordings of talks that have already taken place. For talks that have already taken place If the talk was recorded, a link to the recording is included with the talk's description. - To listen directly in your browser, left-click on the link. - To download the recording, right-click on the link. |
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Online Schedule
What is the True Location of King David's Tomb?
Date: Saturday 30 March 2013 Time: 2:00PM EST (1:00PM CST, 8:00PM Jerusalem time) Place: TorahTruthSeekers1 room on PalTalk (in the Religion & Spirituality > Judaism section. If you do not have PalTalk, you may download it at www.paltalk.com.) Speaker: Hakham Melech ben Ya'aqov Description: If you visit Jerusalem's Old City as a tourist, you might be whisked off to a place called "Mount Zion" to see "King David's Tomb". As it turns out, this is not the real tomb of King David. So where is King David really buried? In this fascinating talk, based on a recent article in Biblical Archaeology Review (http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/king-davids-tomb-a-closer-look), we will explore the probability that King David's tomb is in the southeastern portion of the City of David, near the bottom of the mountain slope that runs down from the Temple Mount on its southern side. In exploring this possibility, we will be transported back to the time of the Biblical Nehemia, as he makes his journey from Persia back to his ancient homeland with a singular vision in mind: to rebuild the broken walls of Jerusalem. Talk Recorded: Yes Link to Recording: http://www.karaiteinsights.com/aud/King-David-Tomb-Location.wav |
The Ancient City Wall, Part 5: Nehemia's Rebuilding of the Jerusalem City Wall
Date: Saturday 23 March 2013 Time: 2:00PM EST (1:00PM CST, 8:00PM Jerusalem time) Place: TorahTruthSeekers1 room on PalTalk (in the Religion & Spirituality > Judaism section. If you do not have PalTalk, you may download it at www.paltalk.com.) Speaker: Hakham Melech ben Ya'aqov Description: This time we will talk about the rebuilding of the Jerusalem City walls by Nehemia upon the Judahites' return from the Persian exile. We will consider the Letter of Aristeas, written in the second century BCE, which describes, in detail, the city of Jerusalem including its walls. Time permitting, we will study the verses related to Hag HaMazoth, in preparation for the upcoming holiday which begins this Wednesday night into Thursday according to the Karaites. Talk Recorded: Yes Link to Recording: http://www.karaiteinsights.com/aud/Ancient-City-Wall-Part-5.wav |
The Ancient City Wall, Part 4
Date: Saturday 16 March 2013 Time: 2:00PM EST (1:00PM CST, 8:00PM Jerusalem time) Place: TorahTruthSeekers1 room on PalTalk (in the Religion & Spirituality > Judaism section. If you do not have PalTalk, you may download it at www.paltalk.com.) Speaker: Hakham Melech ben Ya'aqov Description: Join us for Part 4 in this series of talks about the ancient city wall. So far, it has turned out to be an absolutely fascinating subject. All are welcome to join us. Talk Recorded: Yes Link to Recording: http://www.karaiteinsights.com/aud/Ancient-City-Wall-Part-4.wav |
The Ancient City Wall, Part 3
Date: Saturday 9 March 2013 Time: 2:00PM EST (1:00PM CST, 9:00PM Jerusalem time) Place: TorahTruthSeekers1 room on PalTalk (in the Religion & Spirituality > Judaism section. If you do not have PalTalk, you may download it at www.paltalk.com.) Speaker: Hakham Melech ben Ya'aqov Description: Join us for the next part in this fascinating series about the ancient city wall. We will continue our archaeological survey of the different walls which surrounded Jerusalem at different periods during its history. We will continue to examine the significance of the city wall in the Tanach, both historical and figurative. This time, our focus will be on Uriyah the Hittite, who was deliberately abandoned close to the city wall of Rabbah. Talk Recorded: Yes Link to Recording: http://www.karaiteinsights.com/aud/Ancient-City-Wall-Part-3.wav |
The Ancient City Wall, Part 2
Date: Saturday 2 March 2013 Time: 2:00PM EST (1:00PM CST, 9:00PM Jerusalem time) Place: TorahTruthSeekers1 room on PalTalk (in the Religion & Spirituality > Judaism section. If you do not have PalTalk, you may download it at www.paltalk.com.) Speaker: Hakham Melech ben Ya'aqov Description: We will continue our talk about the fascinating subject of walls around ancient cities: their archaeology, as well as their mention and meaning in the Tanach. The walls of Jericho, the walls around Jerusalem, and even the walls around Shushan, the capital of the ancient Persian empire, will be some of the topics we will cover. Join us as we continue our journey back to ancient Israel, back to its ancient cities, and for a walk around its walls. Talk Recorded: Yes Link to Recording: http://www.karaiteinsights.com/aud/Ancient-City-Wall-Part-2.mp3 |
The Ancient City Wall, Part 1
Date: Saturday 23 February 2013 Time: 2:00PM EST (1:00PM CST, 9:00PM Jerusalem time) Place: TorahTruthSeekers1 room on PalTalk (in the Religion & Spirituality > Judaism section. If you do not have PalTalk, you may download it at www.paltalk.com.) Speaker: Hakham Melech ben Ya'aqov Description: In order to understand the Tanach, it is essential to understand the lifestyle of our ancient Israelite ancestors, since the Tanach constantly draws on this for its laws, as well as for its poetry and prose. While most ancient Israelites were farmers or shepherds living on their own plots of land, not an insignificant number lived in cities, and the city became a central part of ancient Israelite culture. In this first part of our series on the ancient Israelite city, we will focus on one of its most essential elements: the city wall. Just about every ancient city of renown had a wall around it, and while the wall was used primarily as a means of security and defense, this was not always the case. Rahav the prostitute lived in the wall of the city of Jericho (Joshua 2:15), and the Philistines fastened King Shaul's corpse to the wall of Beit She'an as a display of their victory and Shaul's disgrace (I Samuel 31:10). As we shall see, the city wall also has great relevance to the upcoming holiday of Purim. Join us as we take a journey back to ancient Israel, back to its ancient cities, and for a walk around its walls. Talk Recorded: Yes Link to Recording: http://www.karaiteinsights.com/aud/Ancient-City-Wall-Part-1.wav |
Disturbing Stories in the Tanach, Part 5 -- Tribe of Benjamin
Date: Saturday 28 July 2012 Time: 3:00PM EDT (2:00PM CDT, 10:00PM Jerusalem time) Place: TorahTruthSeekers1 room on PalTalk (in the Religion & Spirituality > Judaism section. If you do not have PalTalk, you may download it at www.paltalk.com.) Speaker: Hakham Melech ben Ya'aqov Description: Rape, murder, and an entire tribe almost completely wiped out. It is on this somber note that the Book of Judges concludes, reminding us -- all too well -- that "in those days there was no king in Israel". How could such a hideous crime occur in Israel? Why was an entire tribe brought to the edge of destruction for the actions of just a few? Why were all the men of Yavesh Gil'ad killed in order to provide wives for the few remaining Benjaminites? We will tackle these and other difficult questions when we continue our series on disturbing stories in the Tanach. Talk Recorded: Yes Link to Recording: http://www.KaraiteInsights.com/aud/Disturbing-Stories-5-Tribe-of-Benjamin.mp3 |
Disturbing Stories in the Tanach, Part 4 -- Wrapping Up Loose Ends
Date: Saturday 21 July 2012 Time: 3:00PM EDT (2:00PM CDT, 10:00PM Jerusalem time) Place: TorahTruthSeekers1 room on PalTalk (in the Religion & Spirituality > Judaism section. If you do not have PalTalk, you may download it at www.paltalk.com.) Speaker: Hakham Melech ben Ya'aqov Description: In this talk, we will wrap up some loose ends which remain from the first three parts of the series. We will finish off discussing the story of Naval, will try to answer the question, "Why was David not put to death for committing adultery with Bathsheva," and we will start off the talk with a special surprise. Talk Recorded: Yes Link to Recording: http://www.KaraiteInsights.com/aud/Disturbing-Stories-4-Loose-Ends.mp3 |
Disturbing Stories in the Tanach, Part 3 -- David and Batsheva
Date: Saturday 14 July 2012 Time: 3:00PM EDT (2:00PM CDT, 10:00PM Jerusalem time) Place: TorahTruthSeekers1 room on PalTalk (in the Religion & Spirituality > Judaism section. If you do not have PalTalk, you may download it at www.paltalk.com.) Speaker: Hakham Melech ben Ya'aqov Description: This time we will tackle what is perhaps the mother of all disturbing stories in the Tanach, that of David and Batsheva. David, after seeing a beautiful woman bathing on the rooftop, sends her husband, Urriyah, to the front lines with instructions to abandon him to the enemy. Once dead, David marries Urriyah's widow, Batsheva. Out of this marriage eventually comes King Solomon. We are all familiar with this story. Was David guilty of murder? If so, why was he himself not put to death? We will tackle this and other fascinating issues in the next installment of "Disturbing Stories in the Tanach". Talk Recorded: Yes Link to Recording: http://www.KaraiteInsights.com/aud/Disturbing-Stories-3-David-Bathsheva.wav |
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