Unusual Bible Interpretations Quotes

“Another more significant and more helpful reflexive form is l’hitpaleil, usually translated “to pray.” The root is p-l-l, “judge”; the reflexive is “judge oneself ” or “inner reflection,” making what people call “prayer”31 a time of inner self-judgment, not a petition. The true meaning encourages people to examine their thoughts, actions, goals, and possibilities during “prayer” and not use the time passively seeking outside help.”
― Israel Drazin, Unusual Bible Interpretations: Five Books of Moses

“Jews know that although they may make a vow to do something or to refrain from something, they can annul their vow. What most Jews do not know is that, as stated previously, biblical law forbids nullification: once a person makes a vow the person must keep it. It was only in post-biblical times that the rabbis changed the law to allow vow repeals.”
― Israel Drazin, Unusual Bible Interpretations: Five Books of Moses

“Many Jews are convinced that the “oral law” is comprised of interpretations and additions to what is written in the Torah and that both were revealed by God to the Israelites at Mount Sinai through Moses. Numbers 15:32–36 as well as many other biblical sources show that this is not true.”
― Israel Drazin, Unusual Bible Interpretations: Five Books of Moses

“Many Jews are convinced that the “oral law” is comprised of interpretations and additions to what is written in the Torah and that both were revealed by God to the Israelites at Mount Sinai through Moses.”
― Israel Drazin, Unusual Bible Interpretations: Five Books of Moses

“Ehrlich does not believe that the Israelites were ever slaves in Egypt. He feels that he could support his view with: (1) None of the prophets, except Micah 6:5, mention the enslavement. (2) Micah 6:5 has a different version than the Five Books of Moses. It states that God sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to redeem the Israelites. The Five Books state that only Moses was sent, Aaron was only an assistant to Moses, and Miriam had no role in the redemption other than gathering the women to sing praises that the Israelites were saved at the Red Sea. (3) Scholars say that the song in Deuteronomy 32 is a very old composition.”
― Israel Drazin, Unusual Bible Interpretations: Five Books of Moses

“Verse 3:1 seems to be an anachronism. It describes Moses traveling to the “mountain of God.” Mount Sinai did not become the “mountain of God” until the Ten Commandments were revealed there. Ehrlich: Even before the Decalogue was revealed, the Israelites thought that this was God’s mountain because God lived there. (This is similar to the Greek notion that the gods dwelt on Olympus. Similarly, some scholars translate God’s name El Shaddai as “Mountain God,” referring to Sinai. El Shaddai was also the name of a Mesopotamian god.) Rashi writes: The Torah calls it “mountain of God” even though this name was only appropriate later, because it would be called so later. (By using the name now, Bible readers would understand the events better. Anachronistic usages are not unusual in the Bible.)”
― Israel Drazin, Unusual Bible Interpretations: Five Books of Moses