The Role of Moses
My riveting book that explains our current world
"The Struggle for Utopia - A History of Jewish, Christian and Islamic Messianism" by Arnold Slyper. Wonderful reviews. Available on Amazon, at US bookstores, and at Pomeranz Bookseller in Jerusalem (with courier service available). " Brilliant and thought-provoking."
God's two speeches of redemption
The account of the Burning Bush depicts Moses encountering a miraculous phenomenon — a bush engulfed in flames yet not consumed—where God, through both YHWH and Elohim aspects, reveals Himself and calls Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. In the Book of Exodus both names are now subsumed under the name YHWH. This is the God who “will be” with the Israelites throughout history. The narrative emphasizes God’s appreciation of the Israelites' suffering, and His promise to rescue them, and offers to Moses assurance and signs to validate his mission. The format of God's speech highlights past covenants with Abraham and their future promises to Israel, focusing on God's active role in its redemption.
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The Egyptian Exodus and Canaanite conquest – facts or fiction?
​This article argues that while direct archaeological proof of the Exodus is unlikely, a substantial body of indirect evidence supports the biblical account and points to an Exodus date around 1446 BCE rather than the commonly accepted 13th-century BCE date. It critiques the identification of Ramesses II as the Pharaoh of the Exodus, citing both biblical chronology and archaeological evidence from sites such as Hazor and Jericho, which the author believes better fit an earlier conquest of Canaan. Using the biblical statement that Solomon began building the Temple 480 years after the Exodus, the author calculates a date of 1446 BCE and suggests Amenhotep II as the most likely Pharaoh of the Exodus, arguing that his relatively weak military and building record fits the biblical narrative. The article further proposes that the oppression of the Israelites began under Ahmose I after the expulsion of the Hyksos and speculates that Hatshepsut may have been the princess who rescued Moses. The author concludes that although definitive proof remains elusive, Egyptian history, biblical chronology, and archaeological findings together make the Exodus and conquest of Canaan historically plausible.
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What script did God use to write the Ten Commandments?
This chapter discusses the script used to write the Ten Commandments and the Book of the Covenant, leading to an exploration of biblical ambiguities and historical controversies. It examines the appearance of the proto-Sinaitic script in ancient Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula. It describes the evolution of Egyptian hieroglyphics from its earliest forms around 3200 BCE to its full development during the Old Kingdom. The discussion challenges conventional wisdom that this script was brought to Canaan by the Canaanites and notes the impact of this script on early Judaism.
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Is there a mandate nowadays to hate and destroy Amalek?
This article explores the paradox of hate in Judaism through the biblical command to destroy Amalek. It explains that while Judaism is fundamentally a religion of love, it allows hate and vengeance in very limited circumstances, as seen in the divine command to obliterate Amalek for its unprovoked attack on Israel. The Amalekites are portrayed as violent, godless aggressors whose war against Israel symbolized evil itself. Later commentators interpret Amalek as representing ongoing forces of hatred and cruelty throughout history. The narrative of Moses’ raised hands in battle emphasizes faith, divine partnership, and the shift from miraculous to natural warfare aided by belief. Ultimately, the text concludes that although Judaism promotes love, it recognizes the necessity of hate when confronting evil that threatens life and morality, a lesson symbolized by the eternal war against Amalek.
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The Golden Calf and God’s Thirteen Attributes of Mercy
​This essay contrasts two moments in the Torah when YHWH changes direction — the Flood and the Golden Calf. In the Flood narrative, YHWH “regrets” creating humanity, while Elohim remains unchanging and focused on moral order; yet Noah’s righteousness allows renewal. In the Golden Calf episode, Moses’ intercession causes God to relent from destroying Israel, and introduces a new divine relationship in relation to His covenant based on mercy rather than pure justice. This change is expressed through the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, which establish a permanent covenantal path to forgiveness through repentance (teshuva). From this point onward, Judaism recognizes that while divine justice remains, it is tempered by compassion, making repentance and renewal possible for all generations.
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Bilaam the magician
This essay argues that Balaam was originally a renowned pagan magician rather than a true prophet, and that God temporarily elevated him to genuine prophecy solely to proclaim Israel's destiny and demonstrate the futility of magic against God's will. It contrasts biblical prophecy with ancient Near Eastern magic, emphasizing that while magicians sought to manipulate divine powers through incantations and divination, the Torah insists that only God controls the future and that prophecy is granted solely by Him. The author further suggests that the episode of Balaam's talking donkey is best understood as satire or allegory rather than literal history, with every aspect of Balaam's mission being turned upside down: the curser becomes the blesser, the self-proclaimed seer is outshone by his donkey, and Israel's enemies end up hearing promises of Israel's enduring success. Balaam's seven prophecies are presented as a coherent progression describing Israel's unique covenant with God, immunity from magical curses, future military victories, enduring nationhood, and the downfall of those who oppose it, while reaffirming the Abrahamic promise that "those who bless you are blessed and those who curse you are accursed." The essay concludes that the enduring message of the Balaam narrative is not about magic itself but about God's ongoing protection of Israel, the permanence of the Jewish people, the certainty of divine promises, and the Torah's revolutionary vision of a hopeful future for humanity.
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