The Role of Moses
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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?
​A verse from the Book of Kings states that there were 480 years between the Exodus from Egypt and the beginning of building of Solomon’s Temple which dates the Exodus to 1446 BCE. This period of 480 years is internally consistent with the rest of the Bible. The story of the Exodus told in the Torah fits in well with the pharaohs of Israelite slavery belonging to the 18th Dynasty. It is likely that Ahmenhotep II was the Pharaoh of the Exodus in that his military expeditions and Temple building activity were much less than his predecessors, indications that he lost his slaves at the Exodus and his chariots at the Reed Sea. It is speculated on the basis of Egyptian archeology that Ahmenhotep II’s stepmother Hatsheput was the foster mother of Moses. The commonly held time of the conquest of Canaan as the end of the 13th century BCE and beginning of the Iron Age fits poorly into the archeological record. A conquest during the Late Bronze Age in about 1400 BCE fits archeological findings at Jericho and inscriptions found in Egypt. ​
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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 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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