The Koren Ethiopian Haggada Journey to Freedom Edited by Rabbi Menachem Waldman Koren Publishers, 2011, 229pages ISBN 978-965-301-292-9 This is an interesting book that introduces readers to the history of Ethiopian Jews,[1] the brutal treatment they endured for centuries, their culture, and the remarkable fact that they maintained the Jewish religion as mandated by [...]
By Israel Drazin The Oral Torah is made up of laws that were developed after the Hebrew Bible, the Torah, was completed. The changes were made by Pharisees and later by rabbis. These changes are called Oral Torah.[1] So many changes were made that Judaism today is not Torah Judaism [...]
By Israel Drazin The following are more surprising interpretations of the biblical portion Shelach (Numbers 13:1-15:41) that raise interesting ideas concerning interpreting the Torah. Why does the Bible change people’s names? Why does the Bible state that Moses changed Hosea’s name to Yehoshua, the only change in Hebrew is an [...]
The Sages Character, Context & Creativity Volume 3: The Galilean Period Translated by Ilana Kurshan By Rabbi Binyamin Lau Maggid Books, 2013, 387 pages In three very well-written, comprehensive, informative, and engrossing volumes, Binyamin Lau, a highly respected Orthodox rabbi with a PhD, introduces his readers to the history of rabbinic Judaism, and the [...]
The Sages Character, Context & Creativity Volume 1: The Second Temple Period Translated by Michael Prawer By Rabbi Binyamin Lau Maggid Books, 2010, 383 pages Reviewed by Israel Drazin There is a tradition that God commanded the Oral Law at Sinai. Some Jews take the statement literally. Others understand that it says that [...]
