24 03, 2014

The origin of reading a portion from the prophets in synagogues

By |2014-03-24T06:50:18-07:00March 24th, 2014|Thoughts|

                              The origin of reading a portion from the prophets in synagogues[1]     The Shabbat and holiday Torah reading service in synagogues is followed by a recitation from one of the books of the prophets and is called the haphtarah, or haphtarot in the plural. The name means conclusion,” and is so called because [...]

12 03, 2013

The biblical books of the prophets

By |2013-03-12T06:41:13-07:00March 12th, 2013|Book Reviews|

Review by Israel Drazin   Vision from the Prophet and Counsel from the Elders By Rabbi Hayyim Angel OU Press, 2013, 368 pages   This scholarly, very readable, and informative book by a teacher of rabbinical students and advanced undergraduates at Yeshiva University is a superb book for anyone of any religion who wants to [...]

9 11, 2011

What is the Messiah?

By |2011-11-09T05:17:44-07:00November 9th, 2011|Thoughts|

By Israel Drazin I think that the messianic age is not a miraculous affair and the messiah is not a supernatural figure. There will be a gradual evolutionary and educative process that will improve people and encourage everyone, or nearly everyone, to live in harmony and work together to improve every individual and society. I [...]

30 10, 2011

On prophets and miracles

By |2011-10-30T07:20:37-07:00October 30th, 2011|Thoughts|

By Israel Drazin   As I wrote in my discussion about the origin of evil, I am convinced that God created the world out of nothing or formed it out of preexisting and eternal matter, set the laws of nature in it, and then stopped being involved in the earth and its people. God is [...]

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