The Chumash (Five Books of Moses)
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Five Books of Moses
Why do we say the Five Books of Moses? How did the division of the Torah into five separate books come about? I don’t see any mention in the Torah itself of such an expression. Were separate scrolls for each…
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Rebellion in the Desert
Why is it implied and taught that those who rebelled against Moses and God wanted to return to their former status as slaves in Egypt so they might sit by the fleshpots etc.? These people were brazen enough to challenge…
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Sarah Related to Abraham
How was Abraham’s wife Sarai related to him? I have heard that she the daughter of his brother Haran. Is it right? That is correct. She was his niece, but raised with him in his father’s home like a sister,…
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Abraham’s Mother
What is the name of Abraham’s Mother? The name of Abraham’s mother is ‘Amasloee’ (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Basra 91a). Yours sincerely, Ari Lobel
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Adam, a Hermaphrodite?
This is a strange question, but I’ve been curious about the syntax of the sentence in Genesis (1:27) where it states that “God created man, in His image he created them; male and female he created them.” Is the Hebrew…
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Worshipping Luminaries
In Deuteronomy 4:19 what does Moses really mean when he says that G-d alloted the sun, moon, and the stars to the non-Jews? I know He is the only true G-d, but does this mean that He tolerated that kind…
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Modern Descendants of Esau
I would like to know who you feel are the descendants of Esau in today’s world? Could they be the Edomites who became the Catholic peoples? The verse in Genesis (25:30) informs us that Esau himself was called Edom: “And…
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Archaeology and the Exodus
I have been asked by a friend about the historicity of the Exodus event (ie: archaelogical evidence) Is there evidence for this event in Egypt or within Israel? I am asking as someone with a sincere interest in this portion…