How David Ben-Gurion Sowed the Seeds of the Start-Up Nation
And the drawbacks of a tech-focused military.
September 11, 2023
The Benefits, and Dangers, of Rational Religion
“It is not in heaven.”
On the Sabbath before Rosh Hashanah, synagogues traditional read the section of the Torah known as Nitsavim (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20), which includes Moses’ admonition, “For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?” Thanks to its use in a famous talmudic discussion, the phrase “it is not in the heavens” has come to signify the principal that Scriptural interpretation is a task for human reason. Moshe Taragin examines the power of this rationalist strain in Judaism, as well as its pitfalls:
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Login or SubscribeSeptember 11, 2023
The Biden Administration’s Ransom Payment to Iran, and the Unnamed Nuclear Deal It Is Part Of
The average price of an American hostage has increased steeply.
September 11 as Viewed from the Israeli Embassy
“You don’t understand, there isn’t going to be a visit.”
How a Jewish Composer Inspired an Unusual Poem by Lord Byron
“The Destruction of Sennacherib.”
The Benefits, and Dangers, of Rational Religion
“It is not in heaven.”