{"title":"Books by Israel Drazin","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDR. ISRAEL DRAZIN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEducation: \u003c\/strong\u003eDr. Drazin, born in 1935, received three rabbinical degrees in 1957, a B.A. in Theology in 1957, an M.Ed. In Psychology in 1966, a JD in Law in 1974, a MA in Hebrew Literature in 1978 and a Ph.D. with honors in Aramaic Literature in 1981.  Thereafter, he completed two years of post-graduate study in both Philosophy and Mysticism and graduated the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College and its War College for generals in 1985.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMilitary\u003c\/strong\u003e: Brigadier General Drazin entered Army Active Duty, at age 21, as the youngest U.S. Chaplain ever to serve on active duty.  He served on active duty from 1957 to 1960 in both Louisiana and Germany, and then joined the active reserves and soldiered, in increasing grades, with half a dozen units.  From 1978 until 1981, he lectured at the US Army Chaplains School on legal subjects.  In March 1981, the Army requested that he take leave from civil service and return to active duty to handle special constitutional issues.  He was responsible for preparing the defense in the trial challenging the constitutionality of the Army Chaplaincy; the military chaplaincies of all the uniformed services, active and reserve, as well as the Veteran’s Administration, were attacked utilizing a constitutional rational and could have been disbanded.  The Government won the action in 1984 and Drazin was awarded the prestigious Legion of Merit.  Drazin returned to civilian life and the active reserves in 1984 as Assistant Chief of Chaplains, the highest reserve officer position available in the Army Chaplaincy, with the rank of Brigadier General.  He was the first Jewish person to serve in this capacity in the U.S. Army.  During his military career, he revolutionized the role of military chaplains making them officers responsible for the free exercise rights of all military personnel; requiring them to provide for the needs of people of all faiths as well as atheists.  General Drazin completed this four-year tour of duty with honors in March 1988, culminating a total of 31 years of military duty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAttorney: \u003c\/strong\u003eIsrael Drazin graduated from law school in 1974 and immediately began a private practice. He handled virtually all manners of suits; including, domestic, criminal, bankruptcy, accident and contract cases.  He joined with his son in 1993 and formed offices in Columbia and Dundalk, Maryland.  Dr. Drazin stopped actively practicing law in 1997, after 23 years, and became “Of Counsel” to the Law Offices of Drazin and Drazin, P.A. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCivil Service: \u003c\/strong\u003eIsrael Drazin joined the U.S. Civil Service in 1962 and remained a civil service employee, with occasional leave for military duty, until retirement in 1990.  At retirement he accumulated 31 years of creditable service.  During his U.S. Civil Service career, he held many positions; including, being an Equal Opportunity Consultant in the 1960s (advising insurance company top executives regarding civil rights and equal employment) and the head of Medicare’s Civil Litigation Staff (supervising a team of lawyers who handled suits filed by and against the government’s Medicare program).  He also served as the director for all Maryland’s Federal Agencies’ relationship with the United Fund.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRabbi: \u003c\/strong\u003eDr. Drazin was ordained as a rabbi in 1957 at Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore, Maryland and subsequently received semichot from two other rabbis. He entered on Army active duty in 1957.  He left active duty in 1960 and officiated as a weekend rabbi at several synagogues, including being the first rabbi in Columbia, Maryland. He continued the uninterrupted weekend rabbinical practice until 1974 and then officiated as a rabbi on an intermittent basis until 1987.  His rabbinical career totaled 30 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhilanthropy: \u003c\/strong\u003eDr. Drazin served as the Executive Director of the Jim Joseph Foundation, a charitable foundation that gives money to support Jewish education, for just over four years, from September 2000 to November 2004.     \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor: \u003c\/strong\u003eIsrael Drazin is the author of eighteen books, more than 200 popular and scholarly articles, and over 1,200 book and movie reviews.  He wrote a book about the case he handled for the US Army, edited a book on legends, and wrote five scholarly books on the Aramaic translation of the Bible.  University Microfilm International published Targumic Studies in 1982.  Ktav Publishing House published Targum Onkelos to Deuteronomy in 1983, Targum Onkelos to Exodus in 1988, Targum Onkelos to Leviticus in 1993, and Targum Onkelos to Numbers in 1998.  Biblical scholars consistently praise the five scholarly volumes as “copious and excellent.”  He edited Legends Worth Living, a book written by his father and published by Ktav in 1991.  He co-wrote For God and Country, which was published by Ktav in 1995.  He and Dr. Stanley Wagner published five books on Targum Onkelos called Onkelos on the Torah. The first four volumes appeared were published and the last will be published in December 2011. His thirteenth book is published by Urim Publications, A Rational Approach to Judaism and Torah Commentary. His fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth books were published by Gefen Publishing House: Maimonides: The Exceptional Mind and Maimonides and the Biblical Prophets and Maimonides: Reason Above All in 2008 and 2009. His seventeenth book is a novel She Wanted to be Jewish. The eighteenth volume Let’s Study Onkelos, written with Dr. Wagner, appears on the website of the Orthodox Union (OU) and the website of Yeshiva University. He writes articles for jewishideas.org and book reviews for thejewisheye.com and other sites. His own website is www.booksnthoughts.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships and Awards: \u003c\/strong\u003eBrigadier General Drazin is admitted to practice law in Maryland, the Federal Court, and before the U.S. Supreme Court.  He is a member of several attorney Bar Associations and the Rabbinical Council of America.  He was honored with a number of military awards, the RCA 1985 Joseph Hoenig Memorial Award, and the JWB 1986 Distinguished Service Award.  Mayor Kurt Schmoke, of Baltimore, Maryland, named February 8, 1988 Israel Drazin Day.  A leading Baltimore Synagogue named him “Man of the Year” in 1990.  He is included in the recent editions of Who's Who in World Jewry, Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in Biblical Studies and Archaeology, and other Who's Who volumes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"what-we-dont-know-about-god-and-people-in-the-bible-deuteronomy","title":"What We Don't Know About God and  People in the Bible - Deuteronomy","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe December 13, 2021 edition of The New Yorker has an article about the famed actress Greta Garbo called “The Retiring Sort” by Margaret Talbot. She reveals that the film director of the 1933 film Queen Christina told Garbo that she must “make her mind and heart a complete blank, empty her face of expression, so that the audience could impose whatever emotion they wanted on it.” The audience\n\u003cbr\u003ewould decide for themselves what her reaction was to the murder of her lover. The Bible is similar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe need to understand that the Bible is obscure, think about what we are reading, decide how we want to interpret events and what people and God are doing, and learn from our thoughts. In the philosopher Plato?’s book Apology, he tells us that his teacher, the great philosopher Socrates, was considered the wisest man because only he admitted being ignorant rather than pretending he knew\n\u003cbr\u003esomething when he did not. As a result, Socrates asked questions, just as we should.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePointing out the obscurities in scripture should not be understood as being critical. It emphasizes that the Bible is prompting us to think.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Israel Drazin offers readers comprehensive, eye-opening, easy-to-read revelations that\n\u003cbr\u003eshow that the Bible purposely avoids presenting clear descriptions of the thinking and behaviors\n\u003cbr\u003eof God and biblical people. Ambiguities and obscurities are present in virtually every situation and allow readers to imagine their own details. The narratives become like fascinating parables designed to attract readers using the startling unclear details that prompt thought about why the biblical character acted thus, and learn from their interpretations of these thoughts and\n\u003cbr\u003eacts how to behave. Dr. Drazin emphasizes that proper understanding can only be attained by\n\u003cbr\u003easking questions and shows that contrary to what many think, the Hebrew Bible offers almost\n\u003cbr\u003enothing about God, what God did, and what the founding patriarchs thought and did. With\n\u003cbr\u003ethis understanding, readers will not be surprised that ancient and modern Bible commentators, religious and non-religious, have different interpretations of the Torah.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard cover","offer_id":49503215583552,"sku":"7801-63","price":88.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657801635_500w_710h.jpg?v=1723353312"},{"product_id":"what-we-dont-know-about-god-and-people-in-the-bible-genesis","title":"What We Don't Know About God and  People in the Bible - Genesis","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe December 13, 2021 edition of The New Yorker has an article about the famed actress Greta Garbo called “The Retiring Sort” by\n\u003cbr\u003eMargaret Talbot. She reveals that the film director of the 1933 film Queen Christina told Garbo that she must “make her mind and heart a complete blank, empty her face of expression, so that the audience could impose whatever emotion they wanted on it.” The audience would decide for themselves what her reaction was to the murder of her lover. The Bible is similar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe need to understand that the Bible is obscure, think about what we are reading, decide how we want to interpret events and what people and God are doing, and learn from our thoughts. In the philosopher Plato’s book Apology, he tells us that his teacher,\n\u003cbr\u003ethe great philosopher Socrates, was considered the wisest man because only he admitted being ignorant rather than pretending he knew something when he did not. As a result, Socrates asked questions, just as we should. Pointing out the obscurities in scripture should not be understood as being critical. It emphasizes that the Bible is prompting us to think\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Israel Drazin offers readers comprehensive, eye-opening, easy-to-read revelations that show that the Bible purposely\n\u003cbr\u003eavoids presenting clear descriptions of the thinking and behaviors of God and biblical people.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmbiguities and obscurities are present in virtually every situation and allow readers to imagine their own details. The narratives\n\u003cbr\u003ebecome like fascinating parables designed to attract readers using the startling unclear details that prompt thought about why\n\u003cbr\u003ethe biblical character acted thus, and learn from their interpretations of these thoughts and acts how to behave. Dr. Drazin\n\u003cbr\u003eemphasizes that proper understanding can only be attained by asking questions and shows that\n\u003cbr\u003econtrary to what many think, the Hebrew Bible offers almost nothing about God, what God did, and what the founding patriarchs\n\u003cbr\u003ethought and did. With this understanding, readers will not be surprised that ancient and modern Bible commentators, religious\n\u003cbr\u003eand non-religious, have different interpretations of the Torah.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard cover","offer_id":49503215616320,"sku":"7801-22","price":88.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657801222_500w_710h.jpg?v=1723353357"},{"product_id":"what-we-dont-know-about-god-and-people-in-the-bible-leviticus","title":"What We Don't Know About God and People in the Bible: Leviticus","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe December 13, 2021 edition of The New Yorker has an article about the famed actress Greta Garbo called “The Retiring Sort” by Margaret Talbot. She reveals that the film director of the 1933 film Queen Christina told Garbo that she must “make her mind and heart a complete blank, empty her face of expression, so that the audience could impose whatever emotion they wanted on it.” The audience\n\u003cbr\u003ewould decide for themselves what her reaction was to the murder of her lover. The Bible is similar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe need to understand that the Bible is obscure, think about what we are reading, decide how we want to interpret events and what people and God are doing, and learn from our thoughts. In the philosopher Plato?’s book Apology, he tells us that his teacher, the great philosopher Socrates, was considered the wisest man because only he admitted being ignorant rather than pretending he knew\n\u003cbr\u003esomething when he did not. As a result, Socrates asked questions, just as we should.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePointing out the obscurities in scripture should not be understood as being critical. It emphasizes that the Bible is prompting us to think.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Israel Drazin offers readers comprehensive, eye-opening, easy-to-read revelations that\n\u003cbr\u003eshow that the Bible purposely avoids presenting clear descriptions of the thinking and behaviors\n\u003cbr\u003eof God and biblical people. Ambiguities and obscurities are present in virtually every situation and allow readers to imagine their own details. The narratives become like fascinating parables designed to attract readers using the startling unclear details that prompt thought about why the biblical character acted thus, and learn from their interpretations of these thoughts and\n\u003cbr\u003eacts how to behave. Dr. Drazin emphasizes that proper understanding can only be attained by\n\u003cbr\u003easking questions and shows that contrary to what many think, the Hebrew Bible offers almost\n\u003cbr\u003enothing about God, what God did, and what the founding patriarchs thought and did. With\n\u003cbr\u003ethis understanding, readers will not be surprised that ancient and modern Bible commentators, religious and non-religious, have different interpretations of the Torah\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard cover","offer_id":49503215681856,"sku":"7801-53","price":88.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657801536_500w_710h.jpg?v=1723353408"},{"product_id":"what-we-dont-know-about-god-and-people-in-the-bible-exodus","title":"What We Don't know About God and People in the Bible - Exodus","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe December 13, 2021 edition of The New Yorker has an article about the famed actress Greta Garbo called “The Retiring Sort” by Margaret Talbot. She reveals that the film director of the 1933 film Queen Christina told Garbo that she must “make her mind and heart a complete blank, empty her face of expression, so that the audience could impose whatever emotion they wanted on it.” The audience\n\u003cbr\u003ewould decide for themselves what her reaction was to the murder of her lover. The Bible is similar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe need to understand that the Bible is obscure, think about what we are reading, decide how we want to interpret events and what people and God are doing, and learn from our thoughts. In the philosopher Plato?’s book Apology, he tells us that his teacher, the great philosopher Socrates, was considered the wisest man because only he admitted being ignorant rather than pretending he knew\n\u003cbr\u003esomething when he did not. As a result, Socrates asked questions, just as we should.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePointing out the obscurities in scripture should not be understood as being critical. It emphasizes that the Bible is prompting us to think.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Israel Drazin offers readers comprehensive, eye-opening, easy-to-read revelations that\n\u003cbr\u003eshow that the Bible purposely avoids presenting clear descriptions of the thinking and behaviors\n\u003cbr\u003eof God and biblical people. Ambiguities and obscurities are present in virtually every situation and allow readers to imagine their own details. The narratives become like fascinating parables designed to attract readers using the startling unclear details that prompt thought about why the biblical character acted thus, and learn from their interpretations of these thoughts and\n\u003cbr\u003eacts how to behave. 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With\n\u003cbr\u003ethis understanding, readers will not be surprised that ancient and modern Bible commentators, religious and non-religious, have different interpretations of the Torah\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard cover","offer_id":49503215747392,"sku":"","price":88.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657801611_500w_710h.jpg?v=1723353382"},{"product_id":"what-we-dont-know-about-god-and-people-in-the-bible-numbers","title":"What We Don't Know About God and People in the Bible: Numbers","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe December 13, 2021 edition of The New Yorker has an article about the famed actress Greta Garbo called “The Retiring Sort” by Margaret Talbot. She reveals that the film director of the 1933 film Queen Christina told Garbo that she must “make her mind and heart a complete blank, empty her face of expression, so that the audience could impose whatever emotion they wanted on it.” The audience\n\u003cbr\u003ewould decide for themselves what her reaction was to the murder of her lover. The Bible is similar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe need to understand that the Bible is obscure, think about what we are reading, decide how we want to interpret events and what people and God are doing, and learn from our thoughts. In the philosopher Plato?’s book Apology, he tells us that his teacher, the great philosopher Socrates, was considered the wisest man because only he admitted being ignorant rather than pretending he knew\n\u003cbr\u003esomething when he did not. As a result, Socrates asked questions, just as we should.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePointing out the obscurities in scripture should not be understood as being critical. It emphasizes that the Bible is prompting us to think.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Israel Drazin offers readers comprehensive, eye-opening, easy-to-read revelations that\n\u003cbr\u003eshow that the Bible purposely avoids presenting clear descriptions of the thinking and behaviors\n\u003cbr\u003eof God and biblical people. Ambiguities and obscurities are present in virtually every situation and allow readers to imagine their own details. The narratives become like fascinating parables designed to attract readers using the startling unclear details that prompt thought about why the biblical character acted thus, and learn from their interpretations of these thoughts and\n\u003cbr\u003eacts how to behave. Dr. Drazin emphasizes that proper understanding can only be attained by\n\u003cbr\u003easking questions and shows that contrary to what many think, the Hebrew Bible offers almost\n\u003cbr\u003enothing about God, what God did, and what the founding patriarchs thought and did. With\n\u003cbr\u003ethis understanding, readers will not be surprised that ancient and modern Bible commentators, religious and non-religious, have different interpretations of the Torah\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard cover","offer_id":49503215812928,"sku":"7801-62","price":88.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657801628_500w_710h.jpg?v=1723353433"},{"product_id":"onkelos-on-the-torah-boxed-set-5-volume-set","title":"Onkelos On the Torah Boxed Set 5 volume set","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe legendary Onkelos translated the Hebrew Bible into Aramaic similar to that spoken by the population of Israel around 2000 years ago.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOnkelos on the Torah features highlighted English translation of the Targum (Aramaic Translation)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOnkelos On the Torah: Understanding the Bible Text is a unique and remarkable translation and English commentary of the Targum Onkelos, the first and only rabbinically authorized translation of the Torah.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe books of Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus are the first three of this five - volume set to be published. This deluxe edition, which contains the Hebrew Massoretic text, a vocalized text of Onkelos and Rashi, Haphtarot in Hebrew with an English translation from the Aramaic Targumim, a scholarly appendix, and a “Beyond the Text” exploration of biblical themes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner","offers":[{"title":"Hard cover","offer_id":49982771921216,"sku":"521-7","price":598.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652295217.jpg?v=1732517842"},{"product_id":"humorous-serious-and-thoughtful-ideas","title":"Humorous, Serious, and Thoughtful Ideas","description":"\u003cp\u003ePeople should strive to learn how to improve themselves and act intelligently. Maimonides said that human intelligence is a gift from God to help them make decisions in life, and not that God directly helps people. It is their God-given intelligence that can help them. Maimonides also said that we can learn from everything God created, to which I agree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe can learn from our own body. As we will see later in this book, Elias Canetti taught that even the human body teaches lessons. Humans learned how to make a knife, spears, and arrows from the nails on their index fingers, and bows for arrows from their thumbs. The earlier rabbis taught that we can learn much from animals, even ethics from ants. Maimonides said. “The truth is the truth no matter what its source.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI am convinced that we can learn from all writings, even jokes, a few of which I have I included in this book. If people took a little time after hearing a joke to wonder why we laugh, what is it about a particular joke that provokes laughter, what we can learn from it, and its lesson may apply at other times, I firmly believe that in this way people can bring about improvement in ourselves and society.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes, after these jokes I suggest thoughts to ponder, which hopefully might encourage the reader to think of an idea.\n\u003cbr\u003eIn addition to jokes, I included other essays to make us think and improve ourselves, some serious, and others humorous. Chapters at the outset of the book are concise. Later chapters are more extended. For example, I have several chapters in which I address the subject of statistics in a somewhat humorous fashion. All science is based on statistics. Our lives are based on statistics. However, statistics only tell us the possibility of the truth, not the certainty of it. What should we learn from this? What causes us to laugh?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrequently, laughing shows our joy or happiness in overcoming an embarrassment, confusion, or an obvious conclusion. Why would a joke such as, “Why did the chicken cross the street? To get to the other side” trigger us to laugh? Is it because we did not know the answer before it was given and were surprised in its simplicity?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat does that teach us?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLaughter is also considered an evolutionary mechanism that helps build social bonds and regulate human relationships. What does that teach us that we can apply to other occasions?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA laugh or a smile can make you feel better in difficult times. I found that in the rare times that I am sad, if I force myself to smile, my body may respond in kind to the point that I have a brighter outlook.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe above is from the introduction\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard cover","offer_id":50165950742848,"sku":"7801-74","price":88.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657801741.jpg?v=1738247627"},{"product_id":"who-was-the-prophet-elisha","title":"Who Was the Prophet Elisha","description":null,"brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard cover","offer_id":50165960802624,"sku":"7801-60","price":88.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657801604.jpg?v=1738683181"},{"product_id":"mysteries-of-judaism-v","title":"Mysteries of Judaism V","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Bible doesn’t offer its readers clear answers to the problems that humans face. 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We should constantly be asking questions about what the Bible is trying to tell us.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis book is for you if you are;\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003ea critical thinker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003einterested in debating topics within Judaism\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eappreciate the bringing to bear vast knowledge of other cultures and customs on the discussions about the Bible and Judaism\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard Cover","offer_id":50582168764736,"sku":"7023-96","price":80.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657023969_500h.jpg?v=1745840768"},{"product_id":"onkelos-on-the-torah-genesis","title":"Onkelos On the Torah Genesis","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOnkelos On the Torah: Understanding the Bible Text is a unique and remarkable translation and English commentary of the Targum Onkelos, the first and only rabbinically authorized translation of the Torah. The Book of Exodus, the first of this five-volume set to be published. is a deluxe edition, which contains the Hebrew Massoretic text, a vocalized text of Onkelos and Rashi, Haphtarot in Hebrew with an English translation from the Aramaic Targumim, a scholarly appendix, and a “Beyond the Text” exploration of biblical themes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50619346288960,"sku":"342-8","price":110.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652293428_500h.jpg?v=1746714444"},{"product_id":"onkelos-on-the-torah-numbers","title":"Onkelos On the Torah Numbers","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBamidbar, The Book of Numbers, the fourth out of five- volume, is a deluxe edition, which contains the Hebrew Massoretic text, a vocalized text of Onkelos and Rashi, Haphtarot in Hebrew with an English translation from the Aramaic Targumim, a scholarly appendix, and a \"Beyond the Text\" exploration of biblical themes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner","offers":[{"title":"Hardcomver","offer_id":50619450294592,"sku":"461-6","price":150.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652294616-500h.jpg?v=1746716837"},{"product_id":"onkelos-on-the-torah-deuteronomy","title":"Onkelos On the Torah Deuteronomy","description":"\u003cdiv id=\"bookDescription_feature_div\" class=\"celwidget\" data-feature-name=\"bookDescription\" data-csa-c-type=\"widget\" data-csa-c-content-id=\"bookDescription\" data-csa-c-slot-id=\"bookDescription_feature_div\" data-csa-c-asin=\"965229473X\" data-csa-c-is-in-initial-active-row=\"false\" data-csa-c-id=\"vl276p-qiel5b-s7r449-o3y0br\" data-cel-widget=\"bookDescription_feature_div\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-a-expander-name=\"book_description_expander\" data-a-expander-collapsed-height=\"280\" class=\"a-expander-collapsed-height a-row a-expander-container a-spacing-base a-expander-partial-collapse-container\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-expanded=\"false\" class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOnkelos On the Torah: Understanding the Bible Text is a unique and remarkable translation and English commentary of the Targum Onkelos, the first and only rabbinically authorized translation of the Torah. Devarim, The Book of Deuteronomy, the fifth of the five- volume set is a deluxe edition, which contains the Hebrew Massoretic text, a vocalized text of Onkelos and Rashi, Haphtarot in Hebrew with an English translation from the Aramaic Targumim, a scholarly appendix, and a \"Beyond the Text exploration of biblical themes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"globalStoreInfoBullets_feature_div\" class=\"celwidget\" data-feature-name=\"globalStoreInfoBullets\" data-csa-c-type=\"widget\" data-csa-c-content-id=\"globalStoreInfoBullets\" data-csa-c-slot-id=\"globalStoreInfoBullets_feature_div\" data-csa-c-asin=\"965229473X\" data-csa-c-is-in-initial-active-row=\"false\" data-csa-c-id=\"59l54z-ivyept-hnj48c-om7v7d\" data-cel-widget=\"globalStoreInfoBullets_feature_div\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"buyingOptionNostosBadge_feature_div\" class=\"celwidget\" data-feature-name=\"buyingOptionNostosBadge\" data-csa-c-type=\"widget\" data-csa-c-content-id=\"buyingOptionNostosBadge\" data-csa-c-slot-id=\"buyingOptionNostosBadge_feature_div\" data-csa-c-asin=\"965229473X\" data-csa-c-is-in-initial-active-row=\"false\" data-csa-c-id=\"xzts1o-ko78z2-mro6rf-xtlebo\" data-cel-widget=\"buyingOptionNostosBadge_feature_div\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"tellAmazon_feature_div\" class=\"celwidget\" data-feature-name=\"tellAmazon\" data-csa-c-type=\"widget\" data-csa-c-content-id=\"tellAmazon\" data-csa-c-slot-id=\"tellAmazon_feature_div\" data-csa-c-asin=\"965229473X\" data-csa-c-is-in-initial-active-row=\"false\" data-csa-c-id=\"4meo3v-lldqh4-bp8jdd-y47jgb\" data-cel-widget=\"tellAmazon_feature_div\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"celwidget c-f\" data-csa-op-log-render=\"\" data-csa-c-content-id=\"DsUnknown\" data-csa-c-slot-id=\"DsUnknown-6\" data-csa-c-type=\"widget\" data-csa-c-painter=\"tell-amazon-desktop-cards\" data-csa-c-id=\"t77j4b-wfqv5d-i3tjg8-3bzb79\" data-cel-widget=\"tell-amazon-desktop_DetailPage_5\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"CardInstancenUwc7XPwz63LqOkY3VJUQw\" data-card-metrics-id=\"tell-amazon-desktop_DetailPage_5\" data-acp-tracking=\"{}\" data-mix-claimed=\"true\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-asin=\"965229473X\" data-marketplace=\"ATVPDKIKX0DER\" data-logged-in=\"true\" class=\"_tell-amazon-desktop_style_tell_amazon_div__1YDZk\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50619483947328,"sku":"473-9","price":110.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652294739_500h.jpg?v=1746717605"},{"product_id":"onkelos-on-the-torah-exodus","title":"Onkelos On the Torah Exodus","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOnkelos On the Torah: Understanding the Bible Text is a unique and remarkable translation and English commentary of the Targum Onkelos, the first and only rabbinically authorized translation of the Torah. The Book of Exodus, the first of this five-volume set to be published. is a deluxe edition, which contains the Hebrew Massoretic text, a vocalized text of Onkelos and Rashi, Haphtarot in Hebrew with an English translation from the Aramaic Targumim, a scholarly appendix, and a “Beyond the Text” exploration of biblical themes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50619504525632,"sku":"9789652293411","price":150.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652293411_500h.jpg?v=1746718274"},{"product_id":"onkelos-on-the-torah-leviticus","title":"Onkelos on the Torah Leviticus","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOnkelos On the Torah: Understanding the Bible Text is a unique and remarkable translation and English commentary of the Targum Onkelos, the first and only rabbinically authorized translation of the Torah. The Book of Leviticus, the first of this five-volume set to be published, is a deluxe edition, which contains the Hebrew Massoretic text, a vocalized text of Onkelos and Rashi, Haphtarot in Hebrew with an English translation from the Aramaic Targumim, a scholarly appendix, and a Beyond the Text” exploration of biblical themes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50619585102144,"sku":"425-8","price":110.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652294258_500h.jpg?v=1746718685"},{"product_id":"mysteries-of-judaism","title":"Mysteries of Judaism","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJudaism today \u003c\/strong\u003eis radically different from the Judaism described and mandated in the Torah, writes Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin, a noted authority on Jewish life, history and thought. For example, around the time of the destruction of the Temple, rabbinic reinterpretation changed both the observance and the religious significance attributed to the festivals. Thus, the biblical day of Passover on Nissan 14 was totally eliminated and the seven-day holiday called the Festival of Matzot, beginning Nissan 15, was\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003erenamed Passover. Likewise, the biblical holidays Yom Teruah and Yom Habikurim were transformed into Rosh Hashanah and Shavuot. The practice of building huts during Sukkot is likely more tied to the lack of lodging space in Jerusalem during the harvest festival than any biblical origin, says the rabbi.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis book challenges some of the basic assumptions about Judaism, showing how many of them are nowhere to be found in the Hebrew Bible, and some even have their origins in pagan cultures. It will surprise readers to hear, for example, about bizarre wedding practices, the Queen of Sheba myths, or the fact that classical religious sources are not always right. At its core, the book strongly challenges discriminatory practices against women, such as the seclusion of women during religious services and the problem of the agunah, women held in failed marriages by husbands who will not provide a religious divorce.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith topics spanning the range of religious practice, Mysteries of Judaism will astonish and enlighten readers as it reveals the complex relationship between biblical and rabbinic Judaism.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard Cover","offer_id":50692786422080,"sku":"651-1","price":68.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652296511_500h.jpg?v=1748331686"},{"product_id":"mysteries-of-judaism-iv","title":"Mysteries of Judaism IV","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Bible has a style that most people do not know and as a result they fail to understand what the Bible is saying. In many cases this causes them to misunderstand Judaism. Below are some examples.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Torah does not tell us everything and leaves much to the reader’s imagination.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStories often have other, unrelated stories mixed in regardless of the insertion not having any relationship to the main tale.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScripture frequently repeats itself.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMost numbers in the Torah are arguably exaggerated to highlight the event.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRepetition often seems to conflict with a prior description in a significant manner.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDifferences in spelling occur frequently. A good example is in the two versions of the Decalogue.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe can only guess at the meaning of many biblical words.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Torah was divided into chapters by Christians. The Jews accepted most of these divisions even though they are not always rational.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRabbi Akiva, Rashi, most synagogue sermons, and others insist that the Torah is in divine language, with God saying exactly what God wants said. Rabbi Ishmael, Maimonides, ibn Ezra, and many others take the view of the Torah speaking in human language, with repetitions not teaching new lessons, but only repeated for emphasis or a similar reason.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome commentators, such as Nachmanides, are convinced that the Torah is composed in a mystical code.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScripture frequently, yet briefly describes an event, leaving out details, which it later adds when the story of the event is repeated.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoth rabbis and scholars differ among themselves whether certain biblical stories or events are actually history or a dream or parable.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne can better understand Biblical stories by comparing them with other similar tales in the Bible and outside the Bible.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eThe numbers 3, 7, and 10 (being a combination of the first two), occur frequently.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard Cover","offer_id":50692788715840,"sku":"7023-45","price":80.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657023457_500h.jpg?v=1748331200"},{"product_id":"mysteries-of-judaism-ii","title":"Mysteries of Judaism II","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom kindergarten on, Jewish children are taught that the Torah as observed today is identical to the Torah given at Sinai. Unfortunately, many adults today, even those at the highest institutions of Torah learning, never develop a more nuanced and complex view of the evolution of the Torah. In another fascinating book, Israel Drazin shows how the Torah has been adapting to and adopting from its surrounding cultures, from the time of the Canaanites, through the Talmudic period, and until today.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough challenging to some preconceived notions, and perhaps even threatening to some dogmatic elements, this richer view of Judaism reveals how a breathing, flexible religion has been essential in upholding the unity of the Jewish people throughout the centuries.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard Cover","offer_id":50692788846912,"sku":"886-7","price":68.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652298867_500h.jpg?v=1748331317"},{"product_id":"mysteries-of-judaism-iii","title":"Mysteries of Judaism III","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis eye-opening and thought-provoking book covers what the Torah states about life after death, the soul, the world to come, sin, repentance, rational and mystical views on immortality, resurrection, and the age of the universe, what if anything we must believe, changes that occurred in our concept of God, multiple violations of Torah laws by biblical persons (even prophets), misunderstandings about the Ten Commandments, prophecies that were not fulfilled, biblical and other ancient Jewish books that were neglected or rejected, humor in the Bible, the portrayal of biblical figures with their faults, and changing biblical laws and rabbinical customs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt explains that the siddur is not what people think it is and contains mystical additions, and it offers different views about the value of prayer. It talks about Judaism’s first philosopher, contacts with non-Jewish cultures that changed Judaism, surprising elements in Ecclesiastes, and the nontraditional views of Orthodox thinkers such as Rashbam, Nachman Krochmal, J. B. Soloveitchik, David Hartman, Nathan Lopes Cardozo, and others.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt describes what most people do not know about Maimonides and clarifies his view on Midrashim, why they were written and their value today. It reveals that people are punished despite repentance and that false prophets can still prophesy. It examines the Torah and holy books, conversion, and intermarriage, and the impact of foreign cultures on Jewish practices and halakha. It analyses mysticism and atheism; the values of secular culture; the views of Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and his Mesillat Yesharim, and of Arnold Ehrlich; and it explores Nietzsche, Gersonides, and Maimonides’ views on faith and the Bible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hard Cover","offer_id":50692793073984,"sku":"7023-10","price":78.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657023105_500h.jpg?v=1748332292"},{"product_id":"who-really-was-the-biblical-elijah","title":"Who Really Was the Biblical Elijah","description":"\u003cdiv data-expanded=\"true\" class=\"a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content a-expander-content-expanded\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDr. Israel Drazin reveals fascinating information about Elijah. Among much else, he reveals that the Bible depicts him as being overzealous, hardly ever showing an interest in helping people, and totally different than the Elijah who appears in the legends of post-biblical literature. In these he is kind, and generally very friendly to people. God was not satisfied with the biblical Elijah and God criticized and punished him. Were the fifteen events in which Elijah was involved miracles or natural events? Most are easy to explain as natural events; some are more difficult to do so. Did God order Elijah to perform the acts? The Bible does not say so. The only times that Elijah was ordered by an angel or God to do something was when he was told to go somewhere, and these instructions could be understood as Elijah having the idea. Nearly all Elijah s acts were done because of his overzealous love of God and his abhorrence of idol worship, and apparently show no warm feelings toward people. Yet, the Biblical book Malachi is held by many to prophesy the coming of the prophet Elijah centuries after his death or ascension to heaven. This, despite the fact, as Dr. Drazin shows, Malachi s prophecy does not seem to deal with the messianic age, but with a resolution of the problems caused by intermarriage. Malachi states, \"Behold, I will send to you Eliyah the prophet before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the heart of fathers to children, and the heart of children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.\" These words have nothing to do with a messianic age and the legendary Elijah who generally helps people in distress is totally different from the overzealous biblical Elijah with whom God was displeased.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"a-expander-header a-expander-partial-collapse-header\"\u003e\n\u003ca role=\"button\" data-action=\"a-expander-toggle\" class=\"a-declarative\" data-a-expander-toggle='{\"allowLinkDefault\":true, \"expand_prompt\":\"Read more\", \"collapse_prompt\":\"Read less\"}'\u003e\u003ci class=\"a-icon a-icon-extender-collapse\"\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50811884765504,"sku":"7023-28","price":72.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657023280_500h.jpg?v=1750815873"},{"product_id":"unusual-bible-interpretations-jonah-and-amos","title":"Unusual Bible Interpretations:: Jonah and Amos","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis fifth volume of the Unusual Bible Interpretations series explores the books of Jonah and Amos. The books of these two prophets are filled with obscurities, generating hundreds of questions, which have provoked misunderstandings and made it difficult to understand the prophets intentions. Noted biblical scholar Dr. Israel Drazin has prepared new translations of Jonah and Amos, included an extensive easy-to-read commentary, and related eye-opening discourses through which he uncovers and explores the books ambiguities:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-Is the story of Jonah true, or a parable? What is the significance of Jonah being saved by a large fish, and why was a miracle even necessary? Why does the word repentance, which many assume to be the message of the book, not appear in it even once? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-Amos prophesies to the Israelites that the Ethiopians are as loved by God as God loves the Israelites. He states that God performed miracles for other nations comparable to the exodus from Egypt. What is he teaching?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCiting dozens of sources as well as his own views, in a clear and logical manner, the author presents a compelling case for a new understanding of Jonah and Amos, and moreover, that contrary to popular assumption the message of these prophets is that God is interested in the proper treatment of our fellow man above all other forms of worship, even sacrifices, festivals, and prayers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDr. Israel Drazin, a noted biblical scholar, answers these and over a hundred other questions in this in-depth, easy to read, fascinating volume\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50822292078912,"sku":"885-0","price":84.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652298850.jpg?v=1750980494"},{"product_id":"unusual-bible-interpretations-judges","title":"Unusual Bible Interpretations: Judges","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMost people suppose that the book of Judges is filled with tales of pious leaders called judges who performed acts that protected the Israelites and helped form them into a praiseworthy nation. A close reading of the book shows that the early history of Israel was just the opposite.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBy examining the biblical book of Judges with references to many classical, traditional, as well as modern scholarly sources, Dr. Israel Drazin reveals insights that many readers will consider unusual. His objective analysis of the book confronts challenging questions, such as: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat does the story of Deborah reveal about the Bible's attitude to female leadership? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhy didn't Jephthah annul his vow? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWas Samson's act of martyrdom appropriate?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlways open-minded, Dr. Drazin reveals a perspective on Judges that will enlighten and astonish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"hardcover","offer_id":50822611075392,"sku":"710-5","price":84.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652297105.jpg?v=1750986261"},{"product_id":"unusual-bible-interpretations-joshua","title":"Unusual Bible Interpretations: Joshua","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis second volume of the Unusual Bible Interpretations series offers a thought-provoking exploration of the book of Joshua. Noted Bible scholar Dr. Israel Drazin asks the question: What does the book of Joshua actually tell us about the Israelites and their leader Joshua? With common sense close in hand, Dr. Drazin presents clear, logical explanations to issues that have perplexed readers of Joshua for centuries. Paying close attention to the biblical writing style and sensitive to ancient Near East culture, Dr. Drazin not only enhances our understanding of Joshua, but provides a blueprint for approaching the entirety of Scripture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBy examining the biblical book of Joshua with references to many classical, traditional, as well as modern scholarly sources, Dr. Israel Drazin interprets the biblical text in ways that many readers will consider unusual. His objective analysis of the book confronts such challenging questions as:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHow much of the land of Canaan was actually conquered in Joshuas time?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen was the book of Joshua composed?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat scribal errors does the book contain?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf God assured Joshua of victory, why did Joshua use surprise tactics rather than direct frontal assaults?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat does the book tell us of the tensions between the tribes of Judah and the tribes of Joseph?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIs Shiloh, rather than Jerusalem, the place God chose for the center of Israelite worship?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn his well-written, informative, and always insightful work, Israel Drazin is sure to astonish you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50822632636736,"sku":"709-9","price":82.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652297099.jpg?v=1750986542"},{"product_id":"unusual-bible-interpretations-ruth-esther-judith","title":"Unusual Bible Interpretations: Ruth, Esther, Judith","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis fourth volume of the Unusual Bible Interpretations series explores the biblical books Ruth and Esther and the apocryphal book Judith, which Jews and Protestants did not include in the Bible. Similar to Joshua and Judges, neither Ruth nor Esther shows any familiarity with the laws in the Five Books of Moses. Remarkably, Judith contains more religious expressions than either Ruth or Esther. Why, then, did the rabbis exclude it from the Bible? After a detailed analysis of the story, this book offers an answer to this age-old question. The volume contains a plethora of unexpected and thought-provoking facts, such as: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"a-unordered-list a-vertical\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough many rabbis suggest that Ruth converted to Judaism, the story stresses repeatedly even at the end that Ruth is a Moabite. No mention is made that she converted. Indeed, the practice of conversion most likely did not exist prior to 125 BCE. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMordecai is the hero of Purim. It is he, not Esther, whom the book praises in its conclusion. According to II Maccabees 15:36, Adar 14 was called the Day of Mordecai. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBoth Esther's and Mordecai's names, although considered Jewish names today, are Persian names most likely based on the idols Ishtar and Marduk. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-list-item\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the book of Judith, the Judeans prayerfully wait for God to save them from the Assyrian siege. In contrast, Judith devises a plan to kill the general and save her people.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50843697971520,"sku":"879-9","price":84.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652298799.jpg?v=1751570182"},{"product_id":"samson","title":"Samson","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eWho Was the Biblical Samson\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003e explored in this critical and thoughtful exploration of Samson as presented in the Book of Judges. Israel Drazin applies a rationalist approach, examining traditional interpretations, scholarly critiques, and archaeological findings. He questions common assumptions, contrasts Samson with other biblical figures and ancient heroes like Hercules, and considers both literal and allegorical readings. The book avoids dogmatic assertions, instead offering readers a framework to draw their own conclusions about Samson’s character, role, and significance in the biblical narrative.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255); text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eQuote\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003e“Most people, even scholars, do not understand the Hebrew Bible correctly... Virtually every significant person mentioned in the Torah had faults like other humans, and like Samson in this book.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eOffers Readers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eRational analysis, challenges conventional assumptions and invites readers to think critically about the text.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eComparative interpretations exploring how the story of Samson has been understood and reinterpreted across time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eEvidence without dogma, empowering readers to draw their own informed conclusions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eProfound insights into human nature, personal responsibility, and the potential for growth through failure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50901287567680,"sku":"7864-03","price":84.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657864036_500h.jpg?v=1753183191"},{"product_id":"rational-ideas-book-one","title":"Rational Ideas: Book One","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Aptos;\"\u003eRational Ideas: Book One\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e is a collection of essays that challenge traditional religious assumptions and promote a rational, evolving approach to Judaism. Drawing from philosophy, biblical interpretation, history, and literature, Drazin critiques dogmatic beliefs and explores how Jewish law, holidays, ethics, and concepts have changed over time. He juxtaposes thinkers like Maimonides and Spinoza, uses literature to reveal philosophical insights, and advocates for open-minded inquiry, moral responsibility, and continual personal and societal improvement. The book encourages readers to think critically, favor a thoughtful, reasoned approach over unquestioning acceptance or mystical speculation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50901606629696,"sku":"7801-92","price":86.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657801925_500h.jpg?v=1753193602"},{"product_id":"who-was-the-biblical-prophet-samuel","title":"Who Was the Biblical Prophet Samuel?","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis volume explores the biblical prophet Samuel as presented in the eponymous scriptural book. Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin examines the scriptural verses dealing with Samuel and refers to traditional and scholarly sources in ways that many readers will consider unusual and insightful. His objective analysis raises challenging questions. He presents logical explanations to issues that have perplexed readers of the Bible for centuries and discloses insights that will astonish readers, such as:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough the scriptural book of Samuel contains 1506 verses, only about 200 speak about the prophet Samuel.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book repeatedly portrays him during his old age in an unattractive, belligerent, outspoken, and vindictive manner.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLike many of the other biblical books, Samuel shows no familiarity with the laws in the Five Books of Moses.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDespite the Torah allowing the crowning of a king, Samuel does not want to do so, because the people's demand for a king represents their rejection of Samuel's service to his people, and the service of his sons whom he hoped would carry on his legacy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eScholars stress that it was Samuel's personal enmity to Saul, not Saul's behavior, that was the real reason why he declared so violently that Saul's kingdom would end and the monarchy transfer to another, better person not of Saul's family.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book presents differing accounts of the same events, including the manner in which Saul becomes king, the reason Samuel tells Saul his kingdom will end, David's introduction to the history, and the slaying of Goliath.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book of Samuel is one of the most well-liked books of the prophets and is frequently taught to children in Jewish day schools, yet despite its importance as a biblical book it is generally misunderstood. Readers will enjoy Dr. Drazin's analysis of Samuel and learn much from it, not only about Samuel but also about how the Bible tells its tales.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50969204293952,"sku":"895-9","price":78.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789652298959_500h.jpg?v=1755171871"},{"product_id":"rational-ideas-book-three","title":"Rational Ideas: Book Three","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis book provides examples of how Judaism has evolved from the time of Moses. These examples of change teach significant lessons.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAccording to Exodus 33:18–23, when Moses requested that God reveal what God is, God replied, “You can only see My back, but you cannot see My face.” This means we can only understand some aspects\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eof what God is by seeing and understanding what God has created.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThus, by studying, understanding, and applying science, we gain knowledge about God, enhance our capabilities, and help humans, animals, plants, and all inanimate objects reach their full potential.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe do this by using the “image of God” that the opening chapter of the Torah states God placed in humans. Maimonides explained in his Guide for the Perplexed that this “image” is human intelligence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe examples of change in Judaism should also prompt us to consider that God requires people to change positively by improving and becoming all they can be, to change others by treating even strangers as we would like to be treated, and to change all creation to enhance it and make it a paradise for all people.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":51245398196544,"sku":"7801-94","price":86.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657801949_500h.jpg?v=1762262265"},{"product_id":"rational-ideas-book-two","title":"Rational Ideas Book Two","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis book provides examples of how Judaism has evolved from the time of Moses. These examples of change teach significant lessons.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAccording to Exodus 33:18–23, when Moses requested that God reveal what God is, God replied, “You can only see My back, but you cannot see My face.” This means we can only understand some aspects\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eof what God is by seeing and understanding what God has created.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThus, by studying, understanding, and applying science, we gain knowledge about God, enhance our capabilities, and help humans, animals, plants, and all inanimate objects reach their full potential.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe do this by using the “image of God” that the opening chapter of the Torah states God placed in humans. Maimonides explained in his Guide for the Perplexed that this “image” is human intelligence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe examples of change in Judaism should also prompt us to consider that God requires people to change positively by improving and becoming all they can be, to change others by treating even strangers as we would like to be treated, and to change all creation to enhance it and make it a paradise for all people.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":51245461963072,"sku":"7801-93","price":86.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/9789657801932_500h.jpg?v=1762266913"},{"product_id":"rational-ideas-the-first-three-books-out-of-the-five-book-set","title":"Rational Ideas The First Three Books (out of the five book set)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRational Ideas Book One, Rational Ideas Book Two and Rational Ideas Book Three \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBuy all three together at a special price!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Israel Drazin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51245714506048,"sku":null,"price":210.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/files\/rationalIdeasDrazin_3of5_22072f3d-7ca8-4688-a5a3-3b9ea9076764.jpg?v=1762268035"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/3340\/4992\/collections\/drazinH.jpg?v=1723451098","url":"https:\/\/israelbooks.com\/collections\/israel-drazin.oembed","provider":"Gefen Publishing","version":"1.0","type":"link"}