
Topics to be Discussed
Part 1: Introduction: The Biblical definition of a 'Messianic' time period ( "reishit tzmichat geulateinu"): The famous Cyrus Declaration- and its historic and prophetic setting, including an brief overview of the Biblical books that discuss the time period of Ezra, Chagai & Zecharya
Part 2: Yeshayahu chapters 40-48: Who's the prophet and who's the audience? Can an Orthodox Jew entertain the possibility of more than one Isaiah, and can a Relgious Zionist deny it?
Part 3: Yirmiyahu's prophecy of "the 70 years" and its ramifications during the time period of "Shivat Tzion"
Part 4: The book of Ezra--why it is often misunderstood (and rarely studied). And why it should become part of the core-curriculum in our Jewish Education
Part 5: Is the Jewish year really 5781? How the Biblical books of shivat tzion became its source (and the reason for the controversy)
Part 6: The book of Chagai, and the Biblical roots of how and when we celebrate Chanuka
Part 7: From the concept of 'House for God' in Sefer Breishit, to the desire to rebuild the Temple in Sefer Zecharya
Part 8: How the book of Chronicles 'sets the stage' for understanding the prophetic purpose of the book of Ezra
Part 9: Zecharya chapters 1-6: The vision of the Menorah and the special relevance of the Haftara for Chanuka, as well as exploring it as the symbol of the modern state of Israel
Part 10: Zecharya chapters 7 & 8: the reason for the 'Four Fasts' commemorating Jerusalem's destruction
Part 11: Chapter 6 & 7 in Sefer Ezra in Light of Chapter 7 & 8 in Sefer Zecharya
Part 12: The 'missing years' of the Second Temple Period & their 'prophetic' Purpose
Jan 17 Part 13: Ezra’s Aliyah, what he found and what he accomplished [Ezra chapters 7-10] :
Jan 24 Nechemya’s Aliyah, what he found and what he accomplished
Jan 31 - Who was Achashverosh of Megillat Esther, and why it makes a difference
Feb 7 Megillat Esther, and its prophetic purpose
Feb. 14th - Was Amalek still around in Second Temple Period
Feb 21 Re-examining Megillat Esther & Shushan Purim in light of Zecharya
Feb 28 Was the Holyland ‘holy’ during the time of Ezra-Nechemya
March 7 The ‘New Deal’ in Nechemya chapters 8 thru 10