The Latest From Mark
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Feminism and the Sin of the Golden Calf
The grave sin of the Golden Calf is one of the best-known stories in the entire Jewish Bible [1]. However, one of the most important and lesser-known aspects of this narrative is the respective roles of the Israelite men and women. When the Jewish people miscalculate the forty days Moses is to spend learning the…
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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…