The Latest From Mark
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Take the Torah Seriously, But Not Literally!
Many Jews give up on their faith because they have been taught that authentic Judaism takes the Bible literally and that any other approach gravely diminishes its majesty and authority. I wrote “Come Now, Let Us Reason Together: Uncovering the Torah’s Liberal Values,” in large part to rebut this view. I contend that regarding the
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The Torah Describes Many Capital Crimes But Permits Almost No Executions!
The Torah is grievously misunderstood in many ways. One prominent example is with regard to capital punishment. Because it prescribes the death penalty for a wide variety of what we now see as victimless crimes, it is perceived as harsh, unduly retributive, and unjust. However, from a careful review of the text it seems clear
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The Almighty Defers to Rabba bar Nahmani on a Question of Jewish Law!
In my book I point to many instances where biblical figures challenge or argue with God, including Avraham, Moses, Job, and Jonah. None of these men are punished for their effrontery, although Jonah is taught a somewhat painful moral lesson. Similarly, the Talmud includes a number of stories in which the rabbis argue with or