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  1. LAGoff

    Looking for feedback on this interview with Russell Gmirkin

    Gmirkin bemoans that it has been (and still is) widely accepted that 'Moses', the Tora, the Hebrew Scriptures influenced Plato and other Greek authors.
  2. LAGoff

    Looking for feedback on this interview with Russell Gmirkin

    Too lazy, but I added an edit to my OP that says: From Russell Gmirkin - Wikipedia: "... the Pentateuch was written in its entirety by a team of Jewish scholars working in the Library of Alexandria in 273-272 BCE, who also published the Septuagint Greek translation of the Torah around the same...
  3. LAGoff

    Looking for feedback on this interview with Russell Gmirkin

    It's a 2 hr interview, so if you want you can skip to the part that most interested me, that starts at 53:00. Russell Gmirkin is being interviewed. He is a scholar who writes books about how the Tanakh is [to a large extent] a recent 'production' (cf. biblical minimalism; aka, the Copenhagen...
  4. LAGoff

    Problem with Wisdom of Proverbs

    After spending the week delving into Proverbs, I can approach it more positively. I no longer see wisdom as competing for my affections with God. I see it only symbolically. Solomon asked only for a [wise and] understanding heart. (1 Kings) God granted it to him. I want this -- above all...
  5. LAGoff

    Problem with Wisdom of Proverbs

    Proverbs, Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes are pretty secular in content. Are the secular terms (wisdom, understanding and knowledge) the building blocks of the Tabernacle (Ex.31:3;35:31) or even of the Tora? Why does it do it this way? Is it perhaps for the same reason the Tora doesn't say let...
  6. LAGoff

    Problem with Wisdom of Proverbs

    jayhawker Soule says to give an example: Chapter 2 verse 3 in relation to verse 6 is confusing. It says to call to understanding and cry aloud to it, but then verse 6 says that the Lord grants wisdom [and understanding]. So what do I do? It seems to be telling me not to call to God for it, but...
  7. LAGoff

    Problem with Wisdom of Proverbs

    That Rashi does help. I am attached to the Tora.
  8. LAGoff

    JjJjJ

    JjJjJ
    • LAGoff
    • Profile post
  9. LAGoff

    Problem with Wisdom of Proverbs

    I never liked Proverbs, but I have a real problem with 'Wisdom' and 'Understanding' in it. The personalization /personification / hypostasization of these two (Two) is unsettling for me because my Jewish instincts want to look to God for wisdom and understanding, but Proverbs seems to be nudging...
  10. LAGoff

    For Jews: what is the Soul?

    I see a 'problem' indeed. Some animals are said to be nefesh chaya (1:20, 24), and so is Man. (2:7) You would think that after God breathed the nishmat chayyim (2:7) into Man, 'he'd' become something more than a nefesh haya-- maybe a nishmat chaya? But no. It just says 'he' became a nefesh...
  11. LAGoff

    For Jews: what is the Soul?

    Unlike animals -- who go back to the earth from which they came -- God breathed something of Himself into Man that is -- logically -- Godly. So one can say that it is eternal, so to speak. But the fact that you can seriously question this shows me that the Hebrew Scriptures are doing their...
  12. LAGoff

    For Jews: what is the Soul?

    It seems to me that this breathing [by God] into Man's countenance the breath of life is another way of saying that we are made in the image and likeness of God-- meaning that I have free will and so am not -- if I choose to exercise it -- subject to 'unfreedom'. The Tora would then be an...
  13. LAGoff

    President Trump issues Hanukkah message

    That many Jews after 2000 more years of 'Hellenization' haven't used the 'defiled oil' to 'light' our 'lamps' is a 'miracle' I can relate to.
  14. LAGoff

    Interesting correlation between God and light in major world religions...

    God speaks 'light' into existence on 'day' one. You can say this 'light' is to reveal God's plan and purpose to us, since light as we know (the sun, moon and stars) weren't spoken into existence until the fourth 'day'. (Genesis, chapter 1) Perhaps Proverbs chapter 8:1 to 9:6 is a hymn about this.
  15. LAGoff

    New American Judaism

    What's 'conservo'? I listened to all 30 minutes of it. I never read Kaplan. I tried, but I stopped for the same reason I don't belong or identify with 'reform' movements anymore. Rabbi Cosgrove ends more 'conservative'-- pushing back at Kaplan. I appreciate that. Maybe this indicates a...
  16. LAGoff

    Top 9 Biggest Fears of Orthodox Jews

    "Don't let them see you do 'melachot' (forbidden actions) on Shabbos." This is the only thing I was taught growing up (I lived/live in a frum area), so I fear this much more than any other religious fear. I've come to appreciate this 'teaching' because it's a tiny seed [of 'Yidishkite'] out of...
  17. LAGoff

    Ecclesiastes 12:1

    There's a JPS Bible Commentary that goes into this a little. See here (last post): Interlinear question about Ecc.12:1..."Creator" plural or singular? - Logos Bible Software Forums The relevant passage from this commentary is: "12:1 appreciate your vigor Hebrew zekhor ʾet borʾeykha; its plain...
  18. LAGoff

    Ecclesiastes 12:1

    I went to a Hebrew school from 1st to 6th grade; so I learned how to read and write Hebrew (but not understand it). It's taken me about 30 years of self study (I'm 58) of Tanakh to get to where I can push back at someone's translation. Languages don't come easy to me. If someone spoke ancient...
  19. LAGoff

    Ecclesiastes 12:1

    How 'z'khor' and 'boray' are translated by JPS is a head scratcher to me. It doesn't surprise me though. I love JPS's modern translation only because it's easy to read and flows for the modern 'rock and roller'. But I take it's translations with a grain of salt (thank God I know Tanakh...
  20. LAGoff

    Simple Reasons Why Jews Don't Believe in Jesus and Christianity

    Responding to your title "Simple Reasons...", I'll begin and end at the ['simple'] existential level: "Hashem is 1[, not 3]." The Trinity is an affront to our relationship with Hashem. Hashem gets j/zealous because of this 'Association', and so a Jew does too.
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