By Chaya Shuchat
 | Why does she take the word of an archeologist at face value while rejecting the historic testimony of an entire nation? Why do I accept an ancient document filled with puzzling statements as my guide for 21st century living?
5 Comments Posted
Great read!
The fact is that many historians have agreed on the Torah/Pentateuch's historicity as fitting the objective standards needed for proving its authenticity. But the less complicated credo to follow is: what messages are these aphorisms, stories, poems, perceptively impossible events etc. trying to convey? Ascribe to the ridiculous outdated JDEP hypothesis or, call the TaNaK a treatise written by folklorists, mythologists, romanticists. But ultimately what matters most is the positive message it sends of behooving individuals/societies towards improving the world around them. Why debate it? Mice it and dice it the way you'd like but the message remains the same!
Some might call this an oversimplification, however.
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Thank you for writing this, Mrs. Shuchat. You wrote about the love Jews have for Jews, about the love ( even if not quite awake ) that Jews have for Torah. And you wrote about the love within friendship. All combined in one story.
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One does not " mice and dice " to one's liking what was given by G-d at Sinai. G-d didn't give the Book, saying: " Edit it and -or view it however you like, as long as you do good deeds. "
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To Anonymous: You're definitely right -- individuals shouldnt contort the meaning of the Book to suite their predetermined subjective opinions. That was precisely my point when I stated, mince and dice it the way youd like but THE MESSAGE REMAINS THE SAME. Namely, the original message needs to remain the same, irrespective of how one reaches that conclusion. Moreover, Chassdis teaches that every person has their own personalized approach of living Jewishly. Obviously, and ideally, this individualized approach should fit into the parameters set forth by Halacha (Code of Jewish Law).
I'll stop ranting, but thanks for helping me clarify my point!
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This brings to mind "Fiddler on the Roof". When deciding something, he goes through the left and right hands with various options. I see our Jewish law in that way. On the one hand, it is law. On the other hand, we must use wisdom. On one hand, there are 10 commandments set in stone. On the other hand, the others weren't put on stone. On one hand, the Holy Scriptures are God's. On the other hand, they are ours to study.
"My people die for lack of knowledge" doesn't specifically refer to the Holy Scriptures; it could also refer to science. That's why Jewish people love to be educated.
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