адэм’s Reviews > Abraham Fulfilled: A Biblical Study of God's Plan for Ishmael and Arabia > Status Update
адэм
is on page 343 of 447
"How do rabbis justify such a mishandling of scripture? Again, it is by means of scriptural misinterpretation: the phrase "It [the Torah's commandments] is not in heaven" as found in Deuteronomy 30:12 is taken to mean that the Torah was given for human beings on earth, not angels in heaven, and therefore it is their interpretation, and theirs alone, that is authoritative."
See Baba Metzia 59a-59b Babylonian Talmud
— May 17, 2026 01:29PM
See Baba Metzia 59a-59b Babylonian Talmud
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адэм
is on page 299 of 447
"Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming," says the Lord of Heaven's Armies. [Malachi 3:1]
— May 17, 2026 10:17AM
адэм
is on page 118 of 447
If approached correctly, combining Deuteronomy 18 + 33 could prove formidable. The main issue is the argumentation is ultimately speculative and assumes univocality/internal consistency throughout the Bible for certain points. Intertext seems most effective when taken wholistically. Regardless, extensive patience and effort is necessary to reach a reasonable verdict on this issue for both promoter & skeptic.
— Apr 29, 2026 07:53PM
адэм
is on page 81 of 447
Deuteronomy 18:18 seems like a good case for intertext after finishing chapter 2, will need to see more in chapter 3.
— Apr 25, 2026 12:17PM
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"We must therefore acknowledge the fact that there have been rabbis who were critical of such misinterpretations and sought to prioritise the literal and contextual reading of scripture. One such example is Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus (second half of the first century CE) who was distinguished by his ultra-conservative tendencies and was known to oppose the majority of rabbis on the grounds that certain rabbinic innovations had no support or precedent in tradition. Rabbi David Ben Gurion (1886 - 1973) is a more contemporary example. However, this does not change the fact that such misinterpretations are commonplace among rabbis. The examples that we have covered are not from fringe or unorthodox sources, rather they come from mainstream, primary sources of Jewish law such as the Mishna and Babylonian Talmud." pg 340
Rabbi Yehoshua stood on his feet and said: It is written: “It is not in heaven” (Deuteronomy 30:12). The Gemara asks: What is the relevance of the phrase “It is not in heaven” in this context? Rabbi Yirmeya says: Since the Torah was already given at Mount Sinai, we do not regard a Divine Voice, as You already wrote at Mount Sinai, in the Torah: “After a majority to incline” (Exodus 23:2). Since the majority of Rabbis disagreed with Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion, the halakha is not ruled in accordance with his opinion. The Gemara relates: Years after, Rabbi Natan encountered Elijah the prophet and said to him: What did the Holy One, Blessed be He, do at that time, when Rabbi Yehoshua issued his declaration? Elijah said to him: The Holy One, Blessed be He, smiled and said: My children have triumphed over Me; My children have triumphed over Me.
Bava Metzia 59b