Jewish apologetics attempts to defend Jews, our religion, and our culture from critics. The history of Jewish apologetics reflects a complicated relationship between Jews and Gentiles throughout the millennia. Jewish apologetics formed as a response to the challenges of pagans…
Bereishit יב (Genesis 12) 1 Now the Eternal One said unto Avram: ‘Get out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father’s house, unto the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of…
Returning to Egypt Still another argument for the “Oral Law” is that Uriyyahu returned to Mitzrayim.2 Now there was another man who prophesied in the Name of the Eternal One – Uriyyahu son of Shema’yahu of Qiryat-hayye’arim, He prophesied concerning…
There are many traditions regarding the location of Ur Chasdim including Islam and the classical writer Eusebius. According to Islamic tradition, the birthplace of Abraham – Ur Chasdim – is location not in Mesopotamia but in southern Turkey. Islamic tradition…
Bereishit יא (Genesis 11) 27 Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah begot Avram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begot Lot. 28 And Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in…
Martyrdom Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi points to the prayer of Dani’el and asks why Dani’el would risk his life to pray if there is not a mitzvah in the Torah to actually pray. Without an “Oral Law” to explain martyrdom there…
An Introduction to Karaite Judaism: History, Theology, Practice, and Custom Author: Al-Qirqisani Center for the Promotion of Karaite Studies Publisher: Al-Qirqisani Center Year: 2003 Pages: 245 plus Introduction and Appendix An Introduction to Karaite Judaism is the al-Qirqisani Center’s attempt…
The term “Jew” – Yehudi in Hebrew – can mean various things depending upon the context and the time period the term is used. Originally a Yehudi would have been a member of the Tribe of Yehuda. The original Yehudim…
Instructions Rabbi Shimon ben-Tzemach Duran points out the following passage as proof of an “Oral Law.” You should make clear to them the laws and the instructions, you should make known to them the way they should go, and the…
Rabbinic Judaism (specifically Orthodox and Conservative) offers to the world the idea that the “Oral Law” – as enthroned in the Talmud – was given to Moshe at Har Sinai along with the Written Torah. Orthodox and Conservative Jews claim…
