the controversy surrounding jacob’s theft of esau’s blessing from isaac should not be taken in isolation. generational blessing controversies tell us much about the character of those making the blessings. in chayeih sarah, there is the first generational blessing genesis 25:5 has abraham giving all of his possessions to isaac. abraham also gave gifts toContinue reading “Blessings In Perspective; Toldot”
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Toldot’s Ten Commandments’ Moment
the ten commandments didn’t drop down from mt. sinai as a totally unique set of laws. other ancient societies possessed value systems. the torah portion toldot offers a moment of shared societal values. toldot also sheds light on two puzzling passages in genesis. prior to the portion toldot, abraham and sarah-while in egypt- represented themselvesContinue reading “Toldot’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”
The Jewish Apocrypha & The Ten Commandments: The Book of Judith
scholars date the book of judith’s authorship to approximately 100 bce. the jewish annotated apocrypha, new revised standard edition. despite judith being fictional and excluded from the bible, the text, however, may provide insight into the ten commandments’ reception during this particular period at which the macabees ruled and the temple in jerusalem was operational.Continue reading “The Jewish Apocrypha & The Ten Commandments: The Book of Judith”
Chayeh Sarah, A Ten Commandments’ Teaching Moment
You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain, for the Lord will not hold blameless anyone who takes His name in vain. exodus 20:7 the prohibition of using god’s name in vain is one of the most puzzling of the ten commandments. the torah portion chayeh sarah, however, may assistContinue reading “Chayeh Sarah, A Ten Commandments’ Teaching Moment”
On Righteousness: The Portion Vayeira
in the fourth verse of genesis chapter nineteen we are told that the entire populace, both young and old, sought to commit immoral acts upon strangers who had been taken in by abraham’s nephew, lot. “when they had not yet retired, and the people of the city, the people of sodom, surrounded the house, bothContinue reading “On Righteousness: The Portion Vayeira”
In Passing
my father just passed. in his nineties, he took his last breath, at home, in a room with his loving wife, some of his children, a grandson and his caretaker. he apparently decided it was his time to go. while it was sad to see a loved one passing, there was a consensus that heContinue reading “In Passing”
3-D Righteousness: Lech Lecha
the phrase “3-D chess” connotes a higher intellect. the original star trek television series’ introduced 3-D chess as a futuristic recreational activity. the fact that mr. spock took his time to play it logically implied that the game was for those with great intellect and reason. the term “3-D chess” has two components. first, thereContinue reading “3-D Righteousness: Lech Lecha”
Who Do You Think You Are?
my brother and i got into a fight and stopped talking. while i have no recollection as to what started the conflict, i remember its end; my brother asked “who do you think you are?” i confessed to him that i was a horrible person. he was disarmed. he believed that my offending actions wereContinue reading “Who Do You Think You Are?”
A Ten Commandments’ Hero?
unwillingness to accept ignorance is a horrible human trait. we should all be able to accept the fact that we are not all knowing. the world contains much enlightening information that could either prove us wrong or supplement our understanding. as such, we need courage to either open up our smart phones and “google” toContinue reading “A Ten Commandments’ Hero?”
The City of Babel? The Torah Portion Noah
the city? yes, the city. while the “tower of babel” story is referred to as the “tower of babel”, the torah portion also references the “city of babel”. why is the “city of babel” also included? the reason is that cities play a unique role in the torah. in the “city and tower of babel”Continue reading “The City of Babel? The Torah Portion Noah”
The Ten Commandments Project 