Jewish Texts
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Was Adam Androgynous?
Is Adam known to have been created androgynous (… male and female He created them), or was Eve literally created ‘out of’ a complete, male Adam ? Correct me if I am wrong, but does the Zohar say Adam was…
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King David’s Census
Why did G-d punish David for taking a census? (2 Samuel 24) Answer: In Exodus 30:12 the Torah commands us not to count Jews without using a device (such as money or sheep). If we isolate each Jew by counting…
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The Book of Esther and the Purim Celebration
I am currently involved in a Bible study of the book of Esther. Would you please tell me when this particular writing became part of the sacred scripture for the Hebrew people? Was the Feast of Purim begun because of…
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Jewish Mythology
Can you give me examples of Jewish mythology, like Lilith and Samson? Answer: The expression “mythology” has a rather wide range of possible meanings. If you mean, “examples of events and individuals in Jewish literature which likely never existed” then…
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Aaron and the Golden Calf
In the story of the Golden Calf, why did Aaron tell the Israelites that tomorrow they would have a festival unto the Lord with the Golden Calf when in fact it would be an idolatrous worship? Answer: Aaron was trying…
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The Golden Calf: Did they not believe?
After the Israelites saw Moses part an entire sea and have it stay that way while the slaves escaped, how can they possibly doubt G-d and build the idol of the Golden Calf? Wasn’t it obvious that G-d was with…
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Egyptian Neighbors
The Torah states that before departing from Egypt, God instructed that everyone borrow jewelry from their neighbor. How are the Egyptians referred to as ‘neighbors’? Were the Israelites by then mixed with Egyptians in their living arrangements? Answer: You ask…
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What is Torah?
Is the Torah the first five books in the Old Testament of the bible or is there more? Answer: The word Torah shares the same grammatical root as the word “morah”, which is an instructor or a teacher. Therefore, Torah…
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Did an idol cross the Red Sea?
Did the Israelites carry idols with them across the Red Sea? What’s the source for that? Answer: Thank you for your excellent question. There is some disagreement. If there was any idol, it was certainly only one. There are several…