Were the five books of Moses revealed to the Israelites by God during the Israelite sojourn in the Sinai desert for forty years? Is the text of these five books that we have today the same as the one that was revealed by God, or, if not revealed, the same as the one that existed in ancient times? Were the biblical passages garbled over time? These questions, and many more like them, have troubled people since antiquity. Even the rabbis who wrote the Talmuds recognized that there are many seeming difficulties in the Bible.
For example, the first chapter of Genesis appears to state that God created a man and a woman simultaneously. In contrast, the second chapter indicates that the woman was made later, from the man’s side. The book of Exodus presents one version of the Ten Commandments, while the book of Deuteronomy has the same commands but with different wording and spelling. The book of Genesis recounts two tales of Abraham leaving Canaan and deceiving the residents of the places he visited by claiming his wife was his sister, thereby saving himself from being killed. His plan backfires both times. Didn’t he learn from the first incident and not repeat his mistake? Then the story is repeated with his son, Isaac. Was there originally only one story?[1]
The talmudic rabbis offered solutions. For example, they explain that the first chapter of Genesis is a general statement that God created a man and a woman, while the second chapter has the details that the creation was performed in two stages. This is the biblical style, as when it states that Noah brought two of every kind of animal into his ark, and later explains that he got more of certain animals. They say that the Exodus version of the Ten Commandments is the divine revelation. In contrast, the version in Deuteronomy is Moses’s explanation of the original with additions and changes made to emphasize specific points.
These explanations did not satisfy everyone. By the eighteenth century, “biblical criticism” became rampant, a multitude of biblical difficulties were pointed out, and the “documentary hypothesis” was developed. It dismissed the idea of a divine revelation out of hand. It contended that the five books of Moses are a collection of disparate documents that the biblical Ezra probably compiled in the fifth or fourth century B.C.E.
The scholars suggest that Ezra and his cohorts collected a large assortment of diverse fragments that had been considered essential or holy by Jews in the past. They stitched the documents together with little or no editing; for who would dare change a sacred document? Since the writings came from different sources with dissimilar versions of ancient tales, and since Ezra felt that he could make no or few alterations or corrections, the scholars contend that the text that he assembled retained the different versions, discrepancies, and other difficulties.
Professor David Weiss Halivni developed his original idea on this subject in his book Revelation Restored, which was the 1997 winner of the National Jewish Book Award for Scholarship.
Halivni insisted on the correctness of the traditional view that God interfered with natural law some three thousand years ago and revealed the Torah, the five books of Moses, to the Israelites after they escaped Egyptian bondage. This Torah, Halivni states, was perfect. God revealed it because he wanted to give humanity a gift of perfect knowledge that would teach them how to behave.[2]
Halivni wrote that a problem arose following the revelation when God stopped interfering with the laws of nature that He created and ceased to involve Himself in human affairs. He gave humanity the perfect Torah to help them, but people, being human, ignored it, and it fell into disuse.
Fragments remained here and there, but no one guarded the divine treasure. Along with the ancient pieces were ancient human versions of the lost and disused Torah, frequently distorted memories of what people thought the Torah had said. Some recalled that God told Noah to save a pair of each animal, others that it was seven of each. As a result, both versions are in Genesis.
In short, Halivni maintained the traditional belief in divine revelation while agreeing with biblical criticism that Ezra compiled fragments and constructed the Torah we have today.
But there is a problem with his idea. Why would the all-knowing deity bother to reveal a Torah when he knows that humans will corrupt it?
I do not accept Halivni’s idea. I told him so. He gave me no solution to the problem. He may have been more intelligent than I, but I am not as sure as he is that God dictated a perfect Torah. I would like to think this is true, but I recognize that the Torah, despite what I like to think, may be a human document. What I am sure of is that the Torah is sacred because, whatever its source, it contains wisdom that teaches all people how to behave, provided they recognize that it was written for primitive people with laws such as slavery and sacrifices along with multiple hints on how to identify what is more rational and proper, which the rabbis recognized and taught us.
Regarding the problem I raised, assuming God gave us a perfect Torah and assuming God is all-knowing, why did He give the Israelites a perfect Torah when He knew they would ruin it?
I am convinced, based on Exodus 33:18-23, where God tells Moses that humans can know nothing about God but can gain some knowledge of God by seeing what God created or formed, that we cannot be certain that God is all-knowing, and even if God knows us. I like to think so, but I cannot prove it.
I also agree with the view of the Greek philosopher Plato (427-347 BCE), who told us that humans are incapable of knowing anything fully. In Plato’s Apology, Socrates says that his friend Chaerephon asked the Oracle of Delphi if anyone was wiser than him. The Oracle answered that no one was smarter than Socrates. Socrates understood that he was the wisest human because he realized he did not fully know anything, while others were sure they possessed knowledge.
Leaving this aside, how would we answer the problem I presented to Halivni?
I suggest that God does not want humans who are puppets, creatures who are unable to make decisions and act on those decisions. God created humans with intelligence and free will. God does not want to control people. God wants humans to use their intelligence and free will to better themselves and the world.
Even if the Torah was perfect and sometimes distorted, which I am not able to know if this is true, the Torah is still, as I said previously, filled with wisdom. We should learn from it and incorporate its lessons into our lives to improve ourselves and the world.
[1] Perhaps it did recur three times. Possibly, there is a lesson here: people don’t seem to learn from past mistakes, even the brilliant ones.
[2] This traditional view that God revealed the Torah to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, along with the Decalogue, is not stated in the Torah. It only mentions the Decalogue, which most people call The Ten Commandments, despite the Torah calling it Ten Statements, Decalogue in Greek, and despite it having more than ten commands. Additionally, the travels and events of the Israelites that followed the Decalogue revelation are in the Torah, showing that the Torah would not have included them if it were revealed at Sinai.
I believe the Torah is divine and could not have been authored by humans, because people wouldn’t choose to depict themselves in such a negative light.
Indeed, the Torah’s unflinching portrayal of the Jewish people’s flaws and mistakes is a powerful testament to its divine origin.
If the Torah were a human invention, it is unlikely that its authors would have chosen to highlight the mistakes and weaknesses of their own people. Instead, they would have likely sought to present a more flattering and sanitized account of their history.
But the Torah does not shy away from revealing the flaws and sins of even the greatest figures of our tradition, from the patriarchs to the kings and prophets. It presents a nuanced and multifaceted portrait of human nature, with all its strengths and weaknesses. This, to me, is a clear indication that the Torah is a divine text, one that reflects the wisdom and insight of the Creator rather than the biases and agendas of human authors. The Torah’s willingness to confront and criticize the Jewish people’s mistakes serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of humility, self-reflection, and moral accountability. By acknowledging and learning from our errors, we can grow and improve, and strive to become the kind of people that God intends us to be.
You are a hundred percent correct, my friend, perfectly said.
While I respect your view, I disagree that the Torah could not have been authored by humans. We know that men could make books. Doesn’t this possibility allow that it may be the works of man’s hands?
I believe the Torah is divine because it speaks candidly about the failures and shortcomings of the Jewish people throughout history—something unlikely to be written by human authors about their own nation.
Very good idea. I like it. It makes a lot of sense.
I agree with your analysis that, assuming God is all-knowing, why would He give the Israelites a perfect Torah when He knew it would be corrupted later? This is also the Muslim view that God revealed the Torah, but that it became corrupt; therefore, he revealed the Koran later. But this makes no sense. Does God make mistakes? And who is to say that the Koran is not corrupt nowadays? If the Torah became corrupt, then the means (the Torah) is not meeting the end (disseminating divine wisdom to all). whereas the means must be equal to the accomplishment of the end, or the end cannot be accomplished. Man frequently fails in accomplishing his end, from a natural inability of the power and the want of wisdom to apply power properly. But it is impossible for infinite power and wisdom to fail as man fails. The means it uses are always equal to the end. Thus, I cannot agree with Professor Halivni or the Muslim view that the Torah was perfect but later became corrupt.
PS Like you, I like to think that God is all-knowing, even though we cannot be certain that God is all-knowing. A rabbi who is a friend of mine says that aside from the fact that the Torah itself does not present God as perfectly all-knowing, it is possible that God is only all-knowing compared to humanity. What do you think of his view?
I think we cannot even know that God is only all-knowing compared to humans.
As you so aptly put it, dear Rabbi Israel Drazin, God does not desire puppets or automatons, but rather beings who are capable of making choices and acting with intention and purpose. This is why the Torah, despite its occasional obscurities or ambiguities, is a guide for human behavior, rather than a set of rigid commandments that must be followed without question or reflection.
I must say that I am in complete agreement with your assertion that the Torah is filled with wisdom, and that its lessons can be incorporated into our lives in meaningful ways. As a scientist and a philosopher, I have always believed that the pursuit of knowledge and understanding is essential to human flourishing, and that the Torah provides a rich and nuanced framework for exploring the complexities of human nature and the world around us. Best, stephen
We are in full agreement.
I agree with your analysis that the Torah is entirely a human document, inspired by all that God created or formed, but it is not of divine origin. Some rabbis actually believed the entire Torah was given at Sinai. For example, as you point out, Halivni states that the Torah was perfect but the Bible isn’t perfect; it was written by imperfect humans. God didn’t write the Bible because its written by man. We hope he helped with it. We hope he had some influence but I think mostly they wrote what they saw. I don’t think God wrote it himself.
Yes. It is possible that humans wrote the Torah, but I like to think it is from God, either directly from God or inspired by God.
I also like to think that it is inspired by God, but not from God.
This traditional view that God revealed the Torah to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, along with the Decalogue, is not stated in the Torah.
This show that God can use magic and reverse time and make a timeline.
i am kidding 🙂
Good joke.
Even if the Torah was perfect and sometimes distorted, which I am not able to know if this is true, the Torah is still, as I said previously, filled with wisdom. We should learn from it and incorporate its lessons into our lives to improve ourselves and the world.
I agree with you the torah is a treasure of wisdom.
God does not want to control people. God wants humans to use their intelligence and free will to better themselves and the world.
This is an interesting axiom.
Doesn’t our limited existence influence our behavior?
If we grow up with gangs we become gangster.
if we live in a rural area we don’t have access to books?
How are we not influenced by God? His entirely creation
influenced where we live, who we talk to, what we do at certain time
Our behavior is influenced by our enviroment which God created?
I think you and I agree.
Dearest Rabbi,
Great informed article.
I agree with you on all aspects.
But, i do believe God influences people not sure why i do.
I believe the Ezra did collect the documents.
For me, a document as great as the Torah, couldn’t have been written by man alone.
It speaks to the heart of what morals is its beautiful narrative.
I believe God played a role, but we don’t know what role.
Hi Steve, I like what you write but I do not agree that the Torah couldn’t have been written by man. On the contrary, I think it was written by imperfect humans. God didn’t write the Bible because its written by man. Of course we hope he helped with it or had some influence but I don’t think God wrote it himself. I am not even convinced anymore that God is the author of the Decalogue, the commandments carrying no internal evidence of divinity with them. They contain some good moral precepts which any man qualified to be a lawgiver or a legislator could produce himself, without having recourse to supernatural intervention.
Here is my method of determining what item is a revelation and which is not. Briefly stated, we know that men could make books. Man has the power of making books. Thus, they are the works of man’s hands, and carry no evidence in themselves that God is the Author of any of them. Books, whether Bibles or Korans, carry no evidence of being the work of any other power than man. It is only that which man could not make that we see evidence of being the work of a superior power, and that something is the universe. Man could not invent and make a universe — thus, nature is of divine origin.
With that said, I agree with the rabbi that the Torah is filled with wisdom. Thus, it is still sacred in my eyes. It was inspired by God’s divine revelation of nature, and in this sense, is holy. But as Rabbi Drazin wisely says, if the Torah is a revelation, why is it that it contains the travels and events of the early Israelites after Sinai? The Torah would not include them if it were revealed at Sinai. This makes sense.
Thank you Turk Hill,
I understand ur position on the matter.
IT does really help inform me on what the Torah really is.
I still am skeptical about the Torah’s divine wisdom.
The more you understand the Torah teachings the better you see its profound wisdom.
Israel,
is the torah a behavioral book, and one of psychology and metaphysical thought on Monotheism and God?
It is mostly a book that teaches us how to behave. It addressed people who had just been freed from slavery and needed to learn much. It could not teach all to such people, but it gives multiple hints to change behaviors such as sacrifices and to learn to treat all people as you want to be treated and to always work to improve yourself and the world.