Israel Drazin

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Jan 5, 2025, 11:46 PM

Benefits Derived from Questioning the Bible

The biblical portion of Vay’hi, Genesis 47:28-50:26, the final portion of Genesis, allows us to see the benefits of questioning the Bible. Questioning the Bible leads the questioner to consider possible solutions. This, in turn, can lead to learning, prompting...

Dec 30, 2024, 6:14 PM

Judah personified what Jews should be

Judah steps forward in the biblical portion of Vayyiggash, Genesis 44:18-47:31, which means “steps forward, “Judah stepped forward near him (Joseph)” to defend his younger brother Benjamin, whom Joseph was threatening. Whereas Isaac mistakenly preferred Esau and Jacob preferred Joseph,...

Dec 27, 2024, 6:48 PM

The Scroll of Antiochus, a Fiction about Hannukah

People of all religions frequently describe some things as holy and devise sacred ceremonies that involve them without realizing they are false. They do so because others thought they were holy or because of superstition or flawed reasoning. The...

Dec 23, 2024, 12:50 AM

Interpreting Joseph

The biblical portion Mikkets, Genesis 41:1-44:17, is fascinating. It reveals some different, more mature, and intelligent acts by Jacob’s son Joseph than the 17-year-old youngster who tormented his brothers who sold him into slavery. Still, there are some questionable,...

Dec 17, 2024, 6:36 PM

Comparing Dinah and Joseph

The biblical portion Vayyeshev is the first of four portions that deal with Jacob’s son Joseph. It begins in Genesis 37:1 and ends in 40:23. In the past, I raised questions that seemed to indicate that Jacob was a very...

Nov 17, 2024, 5:01 PM

Five Biblical Portraits

The Bible tells stories about many men and women to delight readers, inspire them to act as God desires, help them learn from the lives described, and improve themselves and all of creation. Many commentaries were composed to highlight and...

Nov 4, 2024, 11:56 PM

What don’t we know about Abraham?

Numerous questions arise when we delve into the biblical portion concerning Abraham in Lekh Lekha, Genesis 12:1-17:27. One such question is the apparent mistake in narrating Abraham’s story, which begins when he is 75. His early life is briefly noted...

Oct 30, 2024, 8:36 PM

Was Aristotle Always Right?

The highly respected Greek philosopher Aristotle, born in 384 BCE and died at age 62 in 322, was a student of Plato and a teacher of Alexander the Great. In his Poetics. he states that the principal effect of good...

Oct 8, 2024, 6:29 PM

Women’s Role in Jewish Law

Under current Jewish Law, as understood by most Orthodox Jews, women have different obligations than men. With just a few exceptions, they do not have to observe positive commands limited to specific times. Wearing tefillin exemplifies this leniency because...

Oct 6, 2024, 6:18 PM

The origin of Hasidim

Before the birth of Israel Baal Shem Tov in 1700, different groups of Jews were called Hasidim, meaning “pious ones. " For example, in the 1st century BCE, there were Hasidim, men and women who were uncompromising observers of Jewish law....

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About Me

Dr. Israel Drazin served for 31 years in the US military and attained the rank of brigadier general. He is an attorney and a rabbi, with master’s degrees in both psychology and Hebrew literature and a PhD in Judaic studies. As a lawyer, he developed the legal strategy that saved the military chaplaincy when its constitutionality was attacked in court, and he received the Legion of Merit for his service. Dr. Drazin is the author of more than 50 books on the Bible, philosophy, and other subjects.