After 22 years, a synagogue study group finishes reading the Torah from beginning to end

[yallerdawg]

Source: Washington Post, by Julie Zauzmer

*****

They began reading Genesis in 1996. “I wanted to take my time with it, go slowly with it, so we could really just soak in and absorb the wisdom of the text,” Weinblatt said. “Like those people who like to take their time with a fine cigar or a fine glass of wine, we took our time with a fine work of literature.”

*****

(Amanda Bergman says)...“Over the course of these last 20 or so years, my concept of God has changed,” she said. “That truly is from studying the Torah and learning about all the different attributes of God and the different, if you will, personalities of God.”

When she joined, in her early 30s, she thought of God as “a person up in the heavens.” Now, she considers God to be a spiritual force present in nature and in people. “I’ve been able to look at God, I think, without blinders,” she said.

*****

Weinblatt says he doesn’t encourage anyone to take the Bible literally, saying that’s not a “Jewish way” to read scripture. In the study group, there’s a wide variety of views about the divine inspiration of the text, and he encourages everyone to keep an open mind. “If you believe the Torah is the product of human beings, you have to be open to the possibility that also the hand of God is involved here,” he tells them. “Conversely, if you believe that the Torah comes from God, you have to recognize that the hand of human beings was in here as well.”

*****

Read it all at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2018/02/01/after-22-years-a-synagogue-study-group-finishes-reading-the-torah-from-beginning-to-end/

[gibraltar72]

1. Time to

start over.

[guillaumeb]

2. Recommended.

And this:

In the study group, there’s a wide variety of views about the divine inspiration of the text, and he encourages everyone to keep an open mind.

I agree, but the literalists among theists and non-theists might disagree.

[edhopper]

4. what parts are true

I am open to know.

Adam? Noah? Abraham? Moses? David?

What stories happened at all?

Where do we look for Gods hand.

[yallerdawg]

6. You sound like you could use a study group!

There is a LOT to work through!

[muriel_volestrangler]

23. No, in the case of the Torah, it's very simple - it's all fiction

It has no backing at all in any archaeology or any written records from any other country or religion. It relies on endless miracles for the plot to proceed. It's all made-up stories, to explain the religious rules they had 500 or 1000 years later (I suppose you can say the listing of the rules was real).

Taking 22 years to read through the Torah is even worse than making The Hobbit into 3 films ...

[yallerdawg]

24. Well, you'd certainly be a joy in a study group!

Here's one very popular, entertaining reference book (free pdf in it's entirety!)

Asimov's Guide to the Bible

[struggle4progress]

7. Rabbi Eliezer said: The carob tree will prove my opinion correct.

And the carob tree moved one hundred cubits. Some say four hundred. They answered: You cannot prove this with a carob tree. Eliezer then said: The brook will prove my opinion correct. And the brook began to flow backwards. They answered: You cannot prove this from a brook. So Eliezer said: The study house walls will prove my opinion correct. And the walls began to fall. But Rabbi Yehoshua rebuked the walls: Why are you involved when scholars contend? So in deference to Yehoshua, the walls have not fallen; but they still lean in deference to Eliezer. Finally Eliezer said: Heaven will prove my opinion correct. And a Divine Voice from Heaven said: How can you disagree with Eliezer, when his opinion is always correct? Yehoshua stood and answered: It is written, "It is not in heaven"! What is the relevance? Rabbi Yirmeya says: The Law already being given at Sinai, we need not regard a Divine Voice. And since the majority disagreed with Eliezer's opinion, it was not found to be correct. Many years later, Rabbi Natan asked Elijah the prophet: What did the Holy One do when Yehoshua made his declaration? Elijah answered: The Holy One smiled ...

Bava Metzia 59a–b

[edhopper]

12. and one wonders

why I am no longer Jewish.

Too many Saturdays with this kind of stuff.

It is faux questions meant to reinforce the idea of the Hebrew God.

[struggle4progress]

14. Well, I'm not Jewish, but I find such stories worth thinking about

[edhopper]

16. Why

it sounds so much like the dribble Fundies spout when the facts don't align with their Bible.

Trying to make doubters look foolish. Of course in this story God is real, it's like Council Of Elrond discussing the Ring. It all works al long as you accept Elves and Orcs.

[guillaumeb]

8. I am no one's teacher.

As the article makes clear, it is up to the reader to decide.

But as one example, what is the meaning of the word/name Adam?

Personally, I see the Creator everywhere that I look.

[Cartoonist]

3. Now you say that.

Weinblatt says he doesn’t encourage anyone to take the Bible literally, saying that’s not a “Jewish way” to read scripture.
---

I'm calling BS on this relatively new tactic of dissing the Bible by saying it shouldn't be taken literally. No one told me that as a kid. I was told this was the word of God himself. This is clearly a way of distancing themselves from the evil that is rampant in the Old Testament.

I'm willing to walk with them so far as long as they come out and say which parts of the Bible are BS and not to be taken literally, but they don't do that.

And enough of this metaphorical BS while we're at it. It's one thing to sheepishly say that, of course, the story of Noah is so preposterous that no sane person can take it literally, but give us apologists a break, there's a lesson to be learned here. It's another thing to point to Leviticus and his rules and try to dismiss them as anything but literal laws.

And don't give me any BS about how something like slavery was more acceptable back in the day. At no time in the history of civilization has anyone found it acceptable to be a slave.

[yallerdawg]

5. It's a lifelong relationship with your faith.

I'm sure you don't still believe everything you were told as a child. Duh.

And the Jewish faith has a long record of 'interpreting' the Torah and other "Biblical" stories. It's part of their commentaries!

Countless Christian study groups reflect the ongoing process of understanding our relationship with God as we add to our experience and knowledge. We never stop learning - about anything!

[guillaumeb]

10. Well put.

Far too many are unaware of this concept. But some atheists seem to prefer/need to reduce religion to a literal interpretation.

[guillaumeb]

9. It may be new to you, but Biblical exegesis is not a new field.

Perhaps you should do some exploration into the field of Biblical analysis. You might be surprised at what you find.

[Voltaire2]

13. Its a temple that practices Conservative Judaism,

Which, despite the term “conservative” means that they do not think the Torah is the inerrant word of god at all, support pluralistic views within their constituency, change their positions on issues, etc.

Orthodox Judaism generally views the Torah as the inerrant word of god.

[struggle4progress]

15. The willingness to consider that the stories might sometimes be read most profitably,

in a manner other than as literal history, is not at all new: it has an ancient origin

Since I cannot make much sense of readings of the old texts as "literal history," I do not concern myself with them much: having a mind, I try my best to use it, so far as I can, without wandering into pointless cul-de-sacs. And debating, whether the texts might be "literal history," seems to me such a cul-de-sac. Since I find I sometimes profit from other interpretations of the old texts, I continue to read them, looking for interpretations that seem informative

[edhopper]

17. Does that include

God being an absolute evil monster in much of the Old Testament.

[Voltaire2]

18. Its metaphor is used to dismiss these questions.

It is as if “metaphor” eliminates all meaning, reducing the text to a blank slate upon which humans can project any meaning they choose.

[edhopper]

19. And then one must ask

Is there one interpretation of these myths that is the correct one?

Which believers follow the right one?

Or if you see a God that is ruthless, jealous and evil are you reading the text wrong?

[Voltaire2]

20. And also, if we project our meaning onto these texts,

what does that say about religion in general? To those who are not on the "inerrant word of gods" side of the theistic equation, isn't it clear that religion is a human invention? But then again as far as I can tell the "not the inerrant word of gods" people do claim certain parts of their holy book to be literal, to be the divinely transmitted truth. Trying to pin them down on which sections those are, is fabulously difficult.

[edhopper]

21. Almost impossible

just ask what parts of Jesus' story are true?

Nativity, miracles, actual words....

[Mariana]

34. I think every believer makes up his own religion.

That couldn't be more obvious. All this bullshit about how everyone has to "interpret" the book or the teachings or whatever for themselves makes it clear.

One of the more ridiculous things I've seen is a religious poster who consistently refuses to say what he believes, who then complained because he felt his deeply held beliefs were being denigrated. What beliefs are those? Who the fuck knows, he won't say, but they shouldn't be denigrated!

[guillaumeb]

11. I have been a Christian for many years.

If I live another 10,000 years or so, I might have a better understanding of Jesus' example.

[edhopper]

22. What example?

Last edited Sat Feb 3, 2018, 06:21 PM - Edit history (1)

his death was pre-ordained. He did not suffer as much as most who were crucified. He came back and went to heaven.

What example did Jesus give that is more than thousands of others.

I particularly think Hypatia's stand against your Church and her death as more noble.

[Voltaire2]

25. Socrates.

He sacrificed himself as an example for others without any voodoo magic mumbo jumbo get out of death free card.

[guillaumeb]

26. The example of His entire life.

[edhopper]

27. How much of his entire life

is accurately portrayed in the New Testament?

What is true? the nativity? The miracles? the text of his words? The resurrection?

What part of his entire life do you find so superior to any other?

[guillaumeb]

28. His message, and His example in living that message.

[edhopper]

29. You are not under any obligation to answer

but what of my question about the Gospels?

[guillaumeb]

30. I have previously stated that I find much of the Bible to be metaphoric.

Having said that, I will not provide specifics other than those I already provided.

[edhopper]

33. fair enough

[Mariana]

31. How can you know anything at all about his life?

All that is known about Jesus is what the stories in the Bible say, and as we've been told time and time again, including in this thread, stories in the Bible aren't to be taken literally.

[guillaumeb]

32. Stories versus message.