Utopian myths were shattered with Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden. A Genesis passage best explains the real world’s realities: “…[t]he ground is cursed on your account. You’ll eat from it with suffering all the days of your life. And it will grow thorn and thistle at you, and you’ll eat theContinue reading “Consequences: Shemini”
Category Archives: torah
Evolution: Tzav
…for I am the Lord Who does kindness, justice and righteousness in the land, for in these is My desire… Jeremiah 9:23 Scripture’s wisdom is partly due to the extended period of time covered. From a political viewpoint, the Hebrew Bible captures a pre-nation’s exuberance and anxiety; it documents both national and theological power strugglesContinue reading “Evolution: Tzav”
Mechanism: Vayikra
Or when he will touch a human’s impurity– for any impurity of his through which he will become impure… Leviticus 5:3 How does society address individuals’ misdeeds? Is there any written code to get them back into the fold? “No” is the answer in modernity. In antiquity, however, a written code existed; it was promulgatedContinue reading “Mechanism: Vayikra”
Sabbath Meaning? Vayakhel: A Ten Commandments’ Moment
And God saw everything that He made, and … it was very good. Genesis 1:31 Why is taking time off of work in the Torah so important? The Portion Vayakhel explains it in human terms. From Exodus version of the Ten Commandments, the Sabbath refrain from labor was tied to the world’s creation. The rationaleContinue reading “Sabbath Meaning? Vayakhel: A Ten Commandments’ Moment”
To Err Is Divine: The Tetzaveh Haftarah
When it’s time to change, you’ve got to rearrange The Brady Bunch Mistakes happen. How do they happen? And when they do, what are the dynamics of change? This Post analyzes these questions in the context of a divine mistake. A massive error threatening the Israelite’s newly enacted political reconfiguration. This miscue required change atContinue reading “To Err Is Divine: The Tetzaveh Haftarah”
In Search of The Ten Commandments
Is it possible that an English translation transformed the Ten Commandments? The answer to these questions suggests that a not so accurate translation significantly impacted theology and contemporary beliefs. To understand how this happened, the initial inquiry is the Hebrew Bible. Before doing so, an understanding of how the Hebrew phrase for the Ten CommandmentsContinue reading “In Search of The Ten Commandments”
The Answer: Mishpatim’s Ten Commandments’ Moment
Why are no punishments listed within the Ten Commandments? This often asked Decalogue question is partially answered in the Torah Portion Mishpatim. The answer is two-pronged, one part is complex while the other is simple. The complex part of the answer pertains to the concept of Community vs. Individual Code of Conduct. Since the DecalogueContinue reading “The Answer: Mishpatim’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”
The Off-the-Books Law
Is it possible to have both a Written and an Oral Law? The answer is yes! While the concept is enigmatic, from a legal standpoint, it makes complete sense. The events in the Torah Portion Yitro reveal that an Israelite legal system existed prior to the Ten Commandments. Beyond that, a body of Oral LawContinue reading “The Off-the-Books Law”
A Brief Moment of Biblical Literacy: Beshalach
The Torah’s contemporaneous composition is a misconception. The Torah itself dispels the assumption that the totality of its passages were crafted in temporal proximity to the events. One of these instances is in the Torah Portion Beshalach. A Beshalach passage illustrates a writing style with a pedagogical purpose. The Passage The Beshalach passage at issueContinue reading “A Brief Moment of Biblical Literacy: Beshalach”
Message’s Multiple Meanings: Beshalach’s Ten Commandments’ Moment
Each according to what he needs Exodus 16:16 Messages produce multiple meanings. Once transmitted, the communicator loses control. It’s the audience that captures, formulates and re-shapes the message. Pandora’s microphone anyone? In essence, one never just communicates a point. Rather, they communicate far more; they ignite a multitude of impressions, concepts or viewpoints. The TorahContinue reading “Message’s Multiple Meanings: Beshalach’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”
The Ten Commandments Project 