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The Akivian methodology suggests that what G-d "says" and "thinks" are two different things. Whenever the Bible repeats or adds a word, it must be there to teach a lesson. Rabbi Ishmael disagreed. He …

In Exodus 6:3, Moses learns that G-d appeared to the patriarchs “as El Shaddai, but I did not make myself known to them by my name y-h-v-h.” In the Bible G-d is called Y-h-v-h, “the Tetragrammaton,” a …

When Jacob met Esau he provided him with gifts. According to Abarbanel (Gen. 33: 1-17), these gifts served as Jacob's blessings. Although Jacob took Esau's blessing from Isaac, he was now bestowing hi …

It is possible, and this is only speculation, that Jacob wanted the blessing instead. Just as a prince might deceive his father in order to steal the title of a king from the rightful heir. True, Rebe …

The High Holiday services – Avinu Malkeinu, “Our Father, Our King”, is a legend. Yet it is inspiring like the Kol Nidre prayer probably because of the music associated with it. But is the prayer ratio …

How to read the Bible Maimonides says in his Guide of the Perplexed 2:48 – that all things ascribed to G-d do not mean that G-d was directly involved; it happened according to the laws of nature. Lo …

The image (selem) and likeness (debut) “Leu us make man in our image after our likeness (Gen 1:26) seem to be expressing the opinion that G-d has a shape. Selem does not mean a shape because G-d does …

Good question. And I have asked that question a dozen times. When Isaac realized it was Jacob, why couldn't he retract the blessing? Aren't blessing allowed to be nullified? What is a blessing? Do ble …

Interestingly, there is a tradition that in addition to the suffering of the Egyptians, 15m Jews were killed during the plagues, probably because they did not fully observe Judaism or at least what wa …

Actually, G-d does not need helpers. Angels are anything that provides the Divine Will of G-d, for example, the rain, wind, and snow are angels. Even good people can be called angels, for example, the …

Ibn Ezra wrote to Exodus 23:25 (commentary) that the soul (the intellect) is housed in the brain. Although the ruach resides in the heart. The term "heart" in the Bible is a metaphor for the mind. Whe …

The correct view of the Rambam is that we cannot know anything abut G-d except for what G-d is not. G-d does not listen to prayers because He already knows them in advance (Gd knows everything). The …

To fully grasp why Lot married the woman he married we must first understand Lot. G-d tells Abraham that He will destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. We read in chapter 19, that Lot shows the visitors (angels …

The Bible calculates years by lunar cycles. According to the Biblical calendar, Abraham died at 87 (175 biblical years). Thus Abraham was 37 when he left for Israel.

I found that the biblical style is to exaggerate numbers to make a point. I do not agree with Rabbi Akiva’s belief. I agree with Rabbi Ishmael that “the Torah (which is intended for humans) speaks in …