Grappling with faith, rationalism, bible criticism, and sacred myths
Overview: A ten-point analysis of the historical, theological, and moral nature surrounding the fascinating book of Esther and its enduring legacy, as well as the fast day of Esther. ...
Overview: An increasingly popular myth among antisemites, claiming that Ashkenazim descend from the Khazar kingdom. We will debunk this myth using literary evidence, historical records, genetic studies, linguistics and onomastics,...
Overview: A summary of what we know about early Israelite history, starting from its conception down to its destruction and rebirth. Discusses genetics, the Exodus, the twelve tribes of Israel,...
Overview: Evidence to demonstrate the antiquity of much of Torah yet showing how Moses couldn’t have been the only author of the Torah, as proven by a number of rabbinic...
Overview: Exploring various elements in the dating of Deuteronomy. Showing both sides of the aisle in the research of Deuteronomy’s laws, language, and theology in attempt to date the book....
Overview: In this article we discuss various elements of the Hebrew Bible’s text. It’s original script, the rabbinic invention of Safrut, the amendments made to it, the scribal errors, and...
Overview: A brief history of the Dreidel, originating in the Near East and becoming popular in Europe in the 16th-century, eventually seeping into Jewish culture, and now a popular Chanukah...
Overview: The earliest Menorahs in the archaeological record, Josephus on the Menorah’s shape, the rabbinic and Maimonidean view, and the Chabad movement. “And six branches coming out of its sides:...
Overview: A general outline of the arguments for and against the historical credibility of Patriarchal Genesis, the responses of each side, by comparing it to ancient documents from that time....
Overview: The history of Chanukah and what the celebration is really all about. The civil war, religious oppression, and the victories. Nowadays, the holiday of Chanukah is often celebrated as...
Overview: the lack of the oil miracle in early sources, possible solutions, and perhaps the true reason for lighting the Menorah candles. “What is Chanukah? The sages taught that on...
Overview: The differences of deity worshipping in the ancient world, the biblical conception of God, the inferior gods in Tanakh, and what makes Judaism unique as a monotheist belief system....
Overview: How we got to the year 5781 and how the traditional Jewish year is based on several questionable assumptions, each assumption making it less and less likely. Religious Jews...
Overview: An overview of the arguments concerning the legality of worship outside of Jerusalem in ancient Israel. The arguments for and against as well as the possible responses. Before...
Overview: There’s a common misconception that turns the rabbis into supermen who can never make a mistake in science or Halacha. This article will bring sources and proofs to demonstrate...
Overview: The dispute between Rashi and Rabeinu Tam regarding the order of the Tefillin. How can there be arguments on commandments from Sinai. Giving a historical perspective to the dispute....
Overview: Narrowing down the various ‘yeridas hadoros’ misconceptions to the few possibilities of its true meaning, from a rational and empirical perspective with rabbinic texts to support the conclusions. ...
Overview: Patrilineality in biblical times, Ezra’s reforms, the reasons why later rabbis changed the status quo, and the fringe rabbinic views eventually blurred out. This question has theological implications, political...
Overview: The classical argument explained, but then deconstructed with an understanding of myth-formation in the ancient world. While I do believe there is evidence that can support the idea...
Overview: Deconstructing the non-sensical attributes associated with God, such as God being a nice guy or mean guy in Heaven. The absurdity of judging God by human constructs of morality....
Overview: The theory can only explain the complete forms of the world. It does not answer, though, the evidence from the Geological Column and the various dating methods that yield...
Overview: 10 basic arguments for evolution and how it works with Torah. Arguments from geology, biology, geography, physics, DNA, and Genesis itself. Following that are 10 arguments that anti-evolutionists make...
The Local Great Flood theory would suggest that the flood in Noah’s days was indeed historical. However it was a localized flood primarily in the Mesopotamian area that completely wiped...
Overview: When he wrote, what he wrote, on what he wrote, what script he used, were there in-between word spaces, and more. This discussion comes with the premise that Moses...
Overview: The evidence for late Zohar authorship, Moshe DeLeon as the prime candidate, responses to the issues raised, and why it’s all irrelevant to the authenticity of Zohar. Many...
Overview: The Orthodox obsession with Rashi, the rabbis who criticized his approach, his unwavering commitment to Midrash, and the overall approach of Rashi in his commentary. The historical obsession...
Overview: A rational approach to the supernatural elements mentioned in the Talmud, including the “Evil Eye,” the existence of demons, and alleged superstitions, and whether they are real and why...
Overview: Some Talmudic and Midrashic legends are so wild that they are rightfully disregarded as factual by the rational thinker. Were the rabbis so naïve to believe these stories and...
Overview: The popular shield from questions that threaten Orthodox belief, the absurdity of blindly following religious dogma, the great rabbis who weren’t afraid to address the issues, and the 13...
Overview: Origins of the main Torah laws, its influence from other cultures, and the areas where Torah advanced novel revolutionary ideas to the world. Torah is definitely the most influential...
The concept of Moshiach (Heb. for messiah) is an iconic Jewish innovation that plays a major role in Jewish thought, as well as the other Abrahamic religions. It takes on...
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