At that time many who sought righteousness and justice went out into the wilderness… 1 Maccabees 2:29 Do societies have breaking points? Can there be immovable cries of ‘enough is enough!’? If so, are leaders involved? Do these leaders possess unique capacities and characteristics? The answers to these questions begin with the Torah Portion Vayishlach.Continue reading “Vayishlach:The Line”
Tag Archives: religion
Shoftim: A Ten Commandments’ Modification?
“Appoint a man over the congregation who will go out in front of them and who will come in in front of them and who will bring them out and who will bring them in, so the Lord’s congregation won’t be a sheep that don’t have a shepherd.” Numbers 27:16-17 The Torah Portion Shoftim illustratesContinue reading “Shoftim: A Ten Commandments’ Modification?”
The Secular Ten Commandments: Core Community Values
Out of a fiery Mt. Sinai, the Ten Commandments forged a covenant set in stone. At the moment, there was an accord. After that moment, it became something else. Since Mt. Sinai to the present, the Decalogue has become valued as an individual’s code of conduct. It remains, however, serving a greater purpose. The covenantContinue reading “The Secular Ten Commandments: Core Community Values”
Climate Change 2025, R.I.P.
Hollywood’s Elite Climate Activist Ed Begley Jr once made headlines rolling his Prius Hybrid up to posh Tinseltown events. The Climate Change High Prophet’s alchemy transformed the ugly and economically affordable automobile into a status symbol and religious relic. This relic even had powers. Prius drivers could solo drive in the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)Continue reading “Climate Change 2025, R.I.P.”
Going Postal For December
writer’s block or blocked writing? With apologies to the poetry blog Skeptic’s Kaddish for the pun, we must tackle December. Personally, there were trying moments. A serious family issue consumed the month. This later was compounded by a hip problem. And then, with the little other time to write, software gremlins ran amok in myContinue reading “Going Postal For December”
Should the Chanukah Candles Be On A Birthday Cake?
Yonatan Adler’s The Origins of Judaism, an Archeological-Historical Reappraisal asked the question as to when “strict adherence” to Torah practices first took place. His conclusion suggests that Chanukah could be the moment to celebrate the birth date of the widespread practice of Judaism. Professor Adlers’ archeological data suggests that the societal Torah adherence first occurredContinue reading “Should the Chanukah Candles Be On A Birthday Cake?”
Who Actually Wrote the Bible? Questions and Answers From Prof. William M. Schniedewind
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”
The Ten Commandments in Secular Terms
With the most recent Ten Commandments’ skirmish across America, I wish to fire a volley on behalf of the Decalogue. The Ten Commandments is full of secular value. Thus, “open minded” people should take the time to read this argument. Public School Education, especially related to the notion of Government Studies, would benefit. This Blog,Continue reading “The Ten Commandments in Secular Terms”
Louisiana’s Ten Commandments Law
In the United States, the State of Louisiana just enacted a law for the public display of thee Ten Commandments in public school classrooms beginning in 2025. The backlash was immediate. There are those crying violations of the First Amendment Establishment Clause while the law supporters are contending that it is a foundational document forContinue reading “Louisiana’s Ten Commandments Law”
In All Fairness
Unfairness may be the one word that most depicts the Human Condition. The Torah Portion Emor addresses fairness within a multitude of dimensions. It is a deity’s solution towards addressing inequity. Emor, however, begins with directives and restrictions to those of the Israelite Priestly class. The sons of Aaron had limits like no other Israelite.Continue reading “In All Fairness”
The Ten Commandments Project 