Jewish Nucleus

When the chips are down every couple generations, and that is too often, we inevitably cry out to G-d. This may be as despair " Why me G-d ? " or it may be in the battlefield, " G-d, i hope that you have my back. " G-d and His Torah are One. It is up to us to buy into it as in absolute faith.

Given the books of 1st and 2nd Chronicles it does appear to list patriarchal lineages of kings, and their governments. For example, those books primarily only list men, and the men that they list have no mother asociable with them. They are Hashem's children.
To correct you, I would have to say that Judaism is, "All the above and more."

Every letter, every soul.

For clarification, there are major differences between a "working Bible" (textbook one reads, marks, and footnotes) and veiled sacred scroll (symbolic temple object). The latter is revered and respected as a true gift from G-D reflecting HIS presence. Although, contents of both forms are similar.

Prior comments regarding the "Book" pertained to the former.

As additional observations, the same Book is used by Christians, as well as Muslims and Mormons. It is not the Book per se, but rather in whose hands it is placed.

G-D deliberately placed this Book in our hands for a reason as part of HIS covenant with Abraham in 2,000 BC, commandments to Moses circa 1,400 BC, and for necessary codification after the fall of the Temple in 586 BC.

Written text regardless of subject matter is an instrumentation and convention to enhance our understanding. As mentioned this morning, this Book provides the highest essential information "important for codification, reflection, and recollection" in order to attempt to "understand and appreciate HIS intentions."

If one prefers, it's our user's manual.

With all due respect, I beg to differ. From what I understand, we were a nation far before we ever accepted the Torah. That which holds us together is all of the above: Torah, national identity, and the Land of Israel. Without any one of these components the Jewish people cannot fulfill their destiny on Earth.

All that bonds us is the Torah. I am not Jewish, a foreigner but truly believe in G-d of Abraham, dare say that truth for this human race.

The unbreakable connection is spiritual and genetic and that extends beyond written words (which within our realm of understanding are important for codification, reflection, and recollection). However, G-D expresses himself well beyond human language.

We have been chosen for unique purposes as first represented in the Abrahamic Covenant, but this too was written as a Suzerain Vassal treaty because of our physical communication limitations. How else could we even begin to understand and appreciate HIS intentions?

The nuclear glue which holds us together is ONE beyond our perceptions...

Rabbi Freeman,
can you explain more about matrinieal descent? I am quite ignorant about this subject.

way back i majored in Literature and Philosophy. those majors have served me well, gracefully mothering me and providing solid spiritual and aesthetic guidance for my future. The Torah and Shakepseare (and Proust, and Dante, and Dickens, and Talmud, and Austen, and The Song of Songs, and Tolstoy, and Amos Oz, and...). all expressions of poetic beauty lead me back, ultimately, to The Torah and to David. love and gratitude for the Almighty's innumerable gifts surrounding us -- each leaf, each ray of sun, and all the words written by all those who've been divinely inspired. thank you, dear G-d, for the nurturing of our natural world. and thank you, dear G-d, for "The Iliad" -- and Austen, and Agnon, and Bellow, and Roth, and Ozick, and Morrison, and Chaucer, and Dorothy Parker, and...for all of our fellow creatures, sparrows, dogs, family. most of all perhaps, after family, the gift of apprehending and appreciating all of these -- and thanks to all of you who took the time to read this