For Hebrew Bible lovers, Richard Elliott Friedman’s Who Wrote The Bible and Jacob Wright’s Why the Bible Began: An Alternative History of Scripture and Its Origins are popular reads. While both scholars- in both text and interviews- speak of scribes’ role in the Bible’s development, they do not elaborate too much on these mostly unknownContinue reading “Who Actually Wrote the Bible? Questions and Answers From Prof. William M. Schniedewind”
Tag Archives: god
Culture Collision: Vayera
And an angel of the Lord called to him from the skies and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” And he said, “I’m here.” And he said, “Don’t put your hand out toward the boy and don’t do anything to him, because now I know that you fear God.” Genesis 22:12 The Torah Portion Vayera’s polemic against childContinue reading “Culture Collision: Vayera”
A Father’s Plan: A Lech Lecha Ten Commandments’ Moment?
The Lech Lecha Torah Portion cannot be read in isolation. Immediately prior to it, the Torah passages provide a contextual dimension to Abraham. These pre-Lech Lecha facts are often not addressed in extra-biblical renditions of the story. They may, however, reveal Lech Lecha’s Ten Commandments’ connection like other Book of Genesis passages. Before “Lech Lecha”,Continue reading “A Father’s Plan: A Lech Lecha Ten Commandments’ Moment?”
Seven? Noah’s Ten Commandments’ Moment
Before the Ten Commandments, there were the Seven Noahide laws. We learn of them in the Torah Portion Noah. The Portion Noah richly chronicles the tale of the famous ark builder and animal wrangler. The passages include the famous flood story, a dove with an olive branch, and an amazing rainbow. The rainbow, in thatContinue reading “Seven? Noah’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”
In The Beginning, There Was Separation: Breisheit’s Ten Commandments’ Moment
Most recently, the “work ethic” value is on life support. Societal figures along with their social policy agenda are standing at the bedside in the ICU of the long held belief. There appears to be some excitement to finally pull the plug on this ancient core value. The signs of the decline is evidenced byContinue reading “In The Beginning, There Was Separation: Breisheit’s Ten Commandments’ Moment”
A Very Ten Commandments’ Moment: This Sukkot’s Saturday Torah Portion
An epic Ten Commandments’ moment occurred in last Saturday’s Sukkot Torah Portion reading. While the entire Portion is an essential scriptural read (Exodus 33:12-34:26), there is one revealing Decalogue-related passage. Words Alone? Is the Ten Commandments just simply about the words? Or, is there something about the commandments that is beyond the words? The SukkotContinue reading “A Very Ten Commandments’ Moment: This Sukkot’s Saturday Torah Portion”
Sabbath Morning Quarterback
On Yom Kippur, I came across an article discussing commandment fulfillment. It addressed how the changing world plays a role. The impetus for these thoughts was the chaotic period of post-World War I. It noted that “[i]n such times, even imperfect mitzvos [commandments] are of relatively great value before God, because they come at suchContinue reading “Sabbath Morning Quarterback”
The Scriptural Root of Zionism: The New Year’s Second Day Haftarah
Arise, Let us ascend to Zion Jeremiah 31:5 Operation Solomon-a mass migration event- made history in 1991. Approximately 2400 years before this event, the Prophet Jeremiah recorded prophetic words which became part of the Hebrew Bible. Are these distant temporal events connected? Can an ancient Prophet be intimately tied to the 20th Century Beta IsraelContinue reading “The Scriptural Root of Zionism: The New Year’s Second Day Haftarah”
The Most Important Parental Advice? Rosh Hashonah’s First Day Reading
Is there one piece of parental advice that reigns over all others? The answer is emphatically “yes”. This masterful advice emanates from the Book of Genesis. The specific passage is part of the Torah portion read on the first day of the Jewish New Year. In it, the Jewish People’s first Matriarch, Sarah, initiates aContinue reading “The Most Important Parental Advice? Rosh Hashonah’s First Day Reading”
The Societal Literacy Project: Vayelech
Societal literacy? Is it possible to instill a nation’s rules, morals and values upon all residents? Why do it? The Torah Portion Vayelech offers insight into the how and why? The Setting Vayelech’s events occur while the Children of Israel camped out on the other side of the Jordan River. They are awaiting entry intoContinue reading “The Societal Literacy Project: Vayelech”
The Ten Commandments Project 