good – The Ten Commandments Project

Bereshit: The Origin of Evil?

The same anime-style snake reading the Book of Genesis, with all human hands completely removed. Preserve the snake, book, pose, setting, composition, colors, and anime aesthetic. Fill the areas where the hands were with natural, coherent background and body details. No hands, arms, or human limbs visible.

Does the Torah Portion Bereshit explain evil’s origin? The creation narrative certainly offers clues. The results, for some, may be surprising. In the Beginning There Were Grades In Genesis Chapter 1, God grades his creations. Land and sea: good. Genesis 1:10. Plants and vegetation: good: Genesis 1:12. Night and day: good: Genesis 1:18. Sea animals,Continue reading “Bereshit: The Origin of Evil?”

Forbidden Fruit? Ki Tavo

Two women carry a fruit basket while villagers celebrate in a rural valley.

Deuteronomy’s Garden of Eden connection is undeniable. The Torah’s beginning and ending theologically converge in Ki Tavo’s fruit-filled moment. A particular Ki Tavo commandment addresses an ultimate Torah issue. It brings a greater understanding of God’s role with humanity. In the end, Ki Tavo breathes new understanding into the Tree of Knowledge of Good andContinue reading “Forbidden Fruit? Ki Tavo”

Of Good & Evil

A friend asked me “why are houses get broken into?” I explained to them that houses, by their design, are meant to be entered into. Likewise, I added, homes are meant to be a place for people to store their possessions. I said that since houses have doors and windows were built they are placesContinue reading “Of Good & Evil”

The Ten Commandments Further Defined

In Law, each and every word matters. Often, traditional dictionary’s definitions do not match legal definitions; sometimes, even Black’s Law Dictionary does not suffice. With each and every word being important for both interpretation and application of any particular law, legislators often will include a section in a particular statute or regulation that specifically definesContinue reading “The Ten Commandments Further Defined”

The Mathematical Formula of the Sabbath

[[(creation=good)+(creation=good)+(creation=good)+(creation=good)+(creation=good)+(creation=good)=very good]]=Sabbath This formula show that a day of rest, the Sabbath, is quite complicated. It represents the culmination of a week of productive positive acts which result in an overall positivity of a higher degree. The Sabbath is as much about how we conduct ourselves during the work week as how much we restContinue reading “The Mathematical Formula of the Sabbath”