A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Micah Part II

With Part I of Micah’s saga, thanks to his mother, he came to possess a graven image of the Lord. Judges’ Chapter 17, continues Micah’s tale.  Micah was reported to have a house of idolatry. There, he made ephods [religious garments] and icons. He even installed one of his sons to be his priest. [note: Micah, in Judges, wasContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Micah Part II”

A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Micah’s Graven Image Part I

While reading the Book of Judges, one will pull their hair out. The scripture’s outrageousness never disappoints. Even one brief passage is sufficient to make one go bald. Micah’s Graven Image Tale is an overflowing fountain of meshugas. Micah and his mother are barely digestible in one sitting.  Accordingly, Micah’s tales are the subject of two posts.Continue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Micah’s Graven Image Part I”

Marking Time By Yitro

There are many ways to date or mark time. With Christianity, the world’s current calendaring is based upon belief. As a result, look at the world with pre-Jesus and post-Jesus periods. With Judaism, time moved forward from “in the beginning” when the Universe. The Torah portion Yitro also dermacates time; there is a pre and post Mt. Sinai. ThisContinue reading “Marking Time By Yitro”

A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Jephthah

Of all the Book of Judges’ gut wrenching episodes. Jephthah’s is one of the most problematic. He is a mighty warrior of valor who has acceptance issues. Judges, in providing his background story, alludes that he most likely carried with him emotional insecurity; The tale unfolds with his estrangement from his father’s family. The story takes off with theContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Jephthah”

Yitro’s Ten Commandments’ (Truman Show) Moment

Years ago, my Brother and I were watching the Superbowl. At Halftime, I suggested that we visit a sick relative who was at the nearby hospital. With everyone pre-occupied with watching the bloated halftime performance of some aging music group, the streets were clear; we made it to his hospital room in record time.  When we arrived, heContinue reading “Yitro’s Ten Commandments’ (Truman Show) Moment”

Yitro’s Ten Commandments’ Moment

My wife and I tried to recall the date of a past trip. We remembered being stunned, on the way home, to hear on the radio that Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and others tragically died in a helicopter crash.  Having lived in Los Angeles since the days when Sabre Tooth Tigers and Whooly Mammoths cruised WilshireContinue reading “Yitro’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”

A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Samson

Samson’s tale of martyrdom has a few Ten Commandments’ moments. While his beginnings are quite promising, his life devolves into an endless cycle of suffering and vengeance. At the beginning, his barren mother encounters an angel who promises her a special son. She is instructed that the child would be raised as a Nazarite and thatContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Samson”

A Book of Joshua Ten Commandments’ Moment: Mt. Ebal

Ten Commandments’ moments aren’t simply the words carved into the two tablets.  The words themselves do not entirely capture the Ten Commandments’ meaning. The events surrounding the transmission of the commandments are also integral to Ten Commandments’ values. The Mt. Ebal ceremony in the Book of Joshua evidences this assertion.   The Book of Joshua chronologically presents itselfContinue reading “A Book of Joshua Ten Commandments’ Moment: Mt. Ebal”

The Psychic Cat Meets Sun Tzu

it is wise to know in advance a fight’s outcome. when victory is uncertain, it is brave to battle. this makes to most interesting of a cat fight. meow, baby! a nordic fahrenheit 613- a torah burning-was green lit by swedish authorities and scheduled for last saturday. the psychic cat purrrfectly opined concerning the shareholdersContinue reading “The Psychic Cat Meets Sun Tzu”

Was The Greatest Find A Blessing? The Portion Naso: A Ten Commandments’ Tale

what was the most significant biblical archeological find? the dead sea scrolls? others may argue that another discovery evidencing the torah portion naso brings us historically closer to mt. sinai. in 1979, israeli archaeologist mr. gabriel barkay, with the help of one of his young workers, found a silver amulet in a jerusalem burial tomb.Continue reading “Was The Greatest Find A Blessing? The Portion Naso: A Ten Commandments’ Tale”