Eastern vs. Western Teaching and the Via Del Rosa

Not too much to report here, as I have recently been overwhelmed with schoolwork. One thing that you may not know is that Professors who are from the east teach and operate their class in a far different manner than the western Professors I have known and loved for so many years. Let me give you an example. Most Professors in the west give you a detailed syllabus and schedule (bless their hearts), but out here it is a whole different ballgame. About half of my Professors are from the Middle East and they conduct class far differently. There is no syllabus and no assigned reading. Instead they will just teach the whole class and if they mention a book or person, they automatically expect you to go to the library and read about them after class. Kind of intense, I agree. This style doesn't gel well with my overanalytical, overanxious personality...how much do I read? What do I read? What if its not right? Those of you who know me best can already imagine the anxiousness, I'm sure.

Last night I had my first opportunity to walk down the Via Del Rosa. This is the path many scholars believe that Christ took through the city en route to the crucifixion site (now the Church of the Holy Sepulchre). This was my first time on the Via Del Rosa, as my previous trips there were along a different route. It is quite a special thing to be able to walk down that path..can't really describe it. I was especially struck by one picture along the route that is carved in a stone wall. It is a carving of Christ falling down under the weight of the cross as he was attempting to carry it along this route many years ago. This city is just a constant reminder of his sacrifice so many years ago. As one of my friends put it, "you cannot go to the land of the Bible and come back unchanged."

You Won't Believe Whats Next Door, Shema, and More!

So it was interesting to discover that our campus overlooks a certain valley referenced many times by Jesus in the New Testament. Which beautiful, scenic valley could this be? None other than hell. That's right. Every time Jesus talks about hell in the New Testament he uses the greek word Gehenna. The word Gehenna originally referred to a garbage dump in a valley right outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City (in modern-day Israel) where fires were kept burning to consume the trash and help keep down the smell. It is also the location where bodies of executed criminals, or individuals denied a proper burial, would be dumped. This valley (also known as the Valley of the Sons of Hinnoam) is located directly below our campus. Don't worry though, it is no longer used for any of those pleasant things, and there is no stench anymore. It just looks like an empty valley.

Jesus uses the term Gehenna (in the original greek) in Matthew 23:33

"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to Gehenna (hell)?

Just thought that was kind of an interesting tidbit. And don't worry, there are no little red men with pitchforks down in the valley. At least, I haven't seen any yet.

Onto more pleasant topics of conversation. Last night was pretty interesting. We went out to a restaurant/bar in the evening and they had Israeli (american) idol on TV. It was quite interesting, to say the least. Anyway, it was all in Hebrew and I didn't really understand anything, until the winning band took the stage. The lead singer then proceeded to shout out, "Shema Israel, Adonai Elohenu, Adonai Echad!" The whole crowd joined in with him, it was quite amazing. For those of you who aren't familiar with this phrase, it is one of the central Jewish prayers located in Deutoronomy 6. In Jesus day, this prayer was central to life. Many scholars believe that Jesus and his disciples would've recited these verses at least 4 times a day. The english means, literally, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your might!" It was just cool to see the Shema being recited in that context, and the crowds overwhelming response. It was also cool to hear the only Hebrew I currently understand on TV.

In other news, I bumped into my Hebrew Professor in the Library today. What an awesome dude. He sat down and talked with me for about 30 minutes, and I had never met him. The humility of some of the instructors over here is completely...humbling. They all stress that they are still students (even though they all have Phds, and some are ordained rabbis), and learning is a lifelong process. It is amazing to be able to learn from them. Well, I'm off to the library...the homework is starting to pile up. Feel free to e-mail me at robkol2@gmail.com, I'd love to hear from you!

Blessings,

Rob Kol

First Day of Class at JUC!

Greetings Blog Fans!

Just wanted to give you another update. First, I just wanted to let you know where the title of this blog comes from. There is a phrase in an ancient Jewish source called "The Mishnah" that instructs the reader to "be covered in the dust of the Rabbi, and drink in his words." The idea was that you would find a Rabbi, and follow that Rabbis way of life so closely that you would be covered in his dust as you walked behind him. That is where the first part of the title originates from. The second part of the title, "Yeshua" is the name "Jesus" in Hebrew. This name Yeshua literally means, "God Saves." My goal in life and while I'm over here, is to follow Jesus (who was a 1st century Jewish Rabbi) so closely that I am "covered in the dust of the rabbi."

Anyway, on to the events of the day. Although we had an extensive field trip yesterday, today was our first official day of classes. I had a 2 hour class this morning called, "Rabbinic Thought and Literature." Whats interesting about this class is that it is taught by an ordained Orthodox Jewish Rabbi. And believe me, this man knows his Bible backwards and forwards, it is quite amazing. So the Rabbi who teaches this class is Rabbi Moshe (Moses) Silberschein, and he is an amazing teacher. Today we walked through Genesis 2, and attempted to study the text through eastern eyes. Eastern thinkers look at the text in different ways than we do as westerners. The Rabbis believed that each scripture was like a gem, and each time you turned it, the light refracted in a different, beautiful way. So today we looked at Genesis 2, and performed "Midrash" (close examination) on this text. We asked a lot of questions, and discovered what light could shine from this gem of text. It was very interesting.

Well I have the rest of the afternoon to explore and study. I'm thinking of heading back to the Old City this afternoon. I want to return to the "Upper Room" and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and spend some more time exploring there. I hope everyone is doing well. I look forward to hearing from you!

Staying Dusty,

Rob Kol
robkol2@gmail.com

Arrival in Israel

Well, I arrived in Jerusalem safe and sound (and on time.) My flights went extremely well with minimal delays. The trip to campus from the airport was quite scenic and very adventurous. For most of the ride I was unsure if my Sherut (taxi) driver:

a) spoke any english at all
b) knew where he was going

Thankfully, he eventually spoke english and he did know where he was going, so that worked out well. I arrived on campus and it is beautiful. The gigantic main building is somewhat similar to a castle, and there are lots of stairs. The last use of this building was as the Israeli military outpost overlooking the Old City prior to the 6 days war. Anyway, campus is gorgeous, and my room window looks out to a beautiful courtyard.

Last night was a really cool experience. A few of us students went into the new city for dinner. Afterwards we were hanging out in the Jewish quarter and talking about the Bible. This attracted the attention of one very curious Orthodox Jew. He asked if he could sit down and discuss the scriptures with us. We ended up talking with him about the Bible until 4 AM! He knew so much about the Bible and was very appreciative that we had some knowledge of the Mishnah and the Talmud (2 ancient Jewish sources). We exchanged e-mail addresses, and hes going to show us around the city at some point.

Today (Sunday) we began classes with an amazing field trip. We began the day in the "Upper Room," which is where Jesus and the Disciples celebrated the last supper. Scholars are fairly certain that this is the location for a variety of reasons. It was unbelievable to be in that room, I can't explain the feeling.

Next up we moved on to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This is the most likely location for the crucifixion of Jesus. Not only does the church contain the original bedrock that the cross was planted in, it also houses the tomb of Joseph of Arimethea, which is where the Bible tells us that Jesus was buried. I cannot explain the overwhelming displays of emotion that were taking place inside the church. People were crying, falling flat on their face in front of the bedrock (where the cross was), praying, and singing worship songs. It was amazing. Every day I've been waking up thinking, "I cannot believe I get to wake up everyday and do this." This has been a life changing experience, and I'm only 2 days into it!

Now on to the first week of classes. I have volunteered to lead a mens small group and I will also most likely be volunteering as an English tutor or assistant teacher at a local elementary school. I'll keep everyone posted once I receive more info.

Well, just wanted to post a first blog. I'm trying to do at least one of these a week so make sure to check back often! Thanks again to everyone who has and continues to support me, I could not do it without you. I bless God for you!

Serving Him,

Rob Kol