Author's Note: The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the writer, merely the opinions of the scholars with whom the writer has been exposed educationally. The purpose of this discussion is to provide an insight into the thoughts of Talmudic and Rabbinical scholars on their own history, and tangentially that of both Judaism and Christianity.
If you have issues with their version of Biblical events, hop on the next El Al flight, and take it up with them.......
Since I have been old enough to really think about it, I have been an (amateur) student of religion and ancient cultures. Frankly I often wished that I had studied these subjects academically, instead of engineering and science, but I could never figure out, how I could make a living doing it.......hence my amateur status.
Back in the late 70's and 80's, my wife and I were assigned by my employer to several positions abroad. We lived in a number of countries for sometimes brief, and sometimes longer periods. We were living in Capetown, SA at the time, and I was having ongoing correspondence with a longtime friend of mine who is a Rabbi in Brooklyn (Hasidim). This Rabbi and myself had many lengthy discussions regarding the "Old Testament", and the history of the Jews. Our discussions were focused, in many cases on Genesis and Exodus.
He finally asked If we were scheduled to be assigned to anywhere in the Middle East. When I advised that our next stop would likely be Saudi Arabia, he asked if I would like to participate in an educational conclave at Yeshiva University in Jerusalem, during one of our vacation periods. Located in Bayit VeGan, this campus houses one of the foremost bodies of Jewish historical knowledge, and scholars in the world. I therefore literally jumped on it........however, there was a catch.......although Gentiles were VERY rare, they could be included under "special appointment".....in order to participate, I had to develop a working knowledge of Hebrew.......at least to the point where I could read the texts.
I contacted a local Rabbi in Capetown, and enrolled in Hebrew classes, which was somewhat humiliating, as I was the only adult in an entire group of six to twelve year-old boys......they had to even find a special desk that I could sit at for study purposes. A further fly in the ointment was that after about six months of classes, we received our transfer to Jeddah. I can't think of a single thing that is harder to find in Saudi than a Hebrew school.......however, I did find through a local Mosque a group of Imams that were working with Hebrew texts, and studying their relationship to the words in the Koran. They agreed to coach me in exchange for my agreement to study the Islamic texts as well (which I will discuss in a different treatis). Since the company had provided Arabic language training, and I was always interested in religious studies, I thought it was an excellent opportunity for additional learning.
To make a very long story short, I managed to develop a rudimentary ability to read Hebrew, and after about a year, embarked on my three-week sabbatical to Jerusalem.
The first few days were primarily devoted to pre-Abrahamic studies, and an overview of early Jewish history. On the fourth day, I was introduced to Kabbalahism. In Judaism, Kabbalah is the study of mysticism essentially. These scholars study the ancient texts in search of "hidden meanings", and alternate theories on the beginnings of their faith. They do this in order to find a further "closeness to G*d", and an attempt to unravel the mysteries of His works. They also attempt to provide human understanding to portions of Scripture, which, when read in context, simply make little practical sense.
With no emotional preparation, they launched right into it on the fourth day, starting with a detailed discussion of the story of Adam and Eve, in the Garden.....as written in Genesis. We were required to read several versions of the story, before a panel of scholars was convened to discuss their interpretation of what actually happened.
The overriding consensus of these scholars and Rabbis was that the "Garden of Eden" never existed........the entire story is an allegory, a metaphor that was conceived by Abraham and his followers because they had a problem......a REALLY BIG problem. Up until this time pagan polytheistic religions abounded. Somehow they had to bridge the gap between polytheism and monotheism, and particularly with the prevalent pagan sects in the area that worshipped trees as female life-giving dieties. Therefore it is no surprise that the Book of Genesis virtually opens with the description of a tree.......a tree from which one must not eat......one that cannot sustain us. This story became monotheism's rebuke of tree worship, and the then-current panoply of pagan beliefs. The story also details the transition from the "easy" idol worship and fertility cults, including tree worship......to the far, far more difficult and abstract personal spirituality that we had to work at in monotheism. One must remember that once "outside the Garden", Adam and Eve had to till the spiritual soil.
They further expounded that there are many Biblical references that appear to be intended to intice pagans into the fold......
A tree from which one must not eat......
A bush that does not burn.....
Leaves that do not wither......
Abraham and his followers understood that the road from polytheism to monotheism was not going to be an easy or a smooth one. The early monotheists began a maturation process, not only providing a path to belief, but incorporation of the early symbols into their religious ceremonies. Transitioning the "tree of life" into something metaphysical........instead of shaping idolatrous images of a tree with seven branches to worship, the early monotheists shaped the tree into a sacred object......the Menorah.
Thus ended day four of my journey.......perhaps more will follow assuming I can recall the details before senility sets in.....
It should be noted that even Christianity has over its evolution co-opted pagan symbols, holidays, and events into Church practices in order to provide a better and easier pathway to conversion and belief. One could argue that the "ends justify the means"........apparently it is far from a new concept.
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