Why the Torah Isn’t a Law Book

Jan. 17 2022

The Pentateuch contains hundreds of laws, which today still govern the lives of Jews around the world. Nonetheless, explains Jeremiah Unterman, comparison to the legal codes of the ancient Near East—of which thousands have been uncovered by archaeologists—show various ways in which the Torah is entirely unlike these works. Above all, it is the only one where laws are embedded in narrative. The Torah is also unique in presenting law as something given by God rather than a human ruler; in telling of the law being delivered to the people and regularly read publicly, rather than being the sole domain of royal scribes and officials; and showing concern for the poor. (Interview by Dru Johnson. Audio, 34 minutes.)

Read more at Biblical Mind

More about: Ancient Near East, Jewish law, Torah

As the IDF Grinds Closer to Victory in Gaza, the Politicians Will Soon Have to Step In

July 16 2025

Ron Ben-Yishai, reporting from a visit to IDF forces in the Gaza Strip, analyzes the state of the fighting, and “the persistent challenge of eradicating an entrenched enemy in a complex urban terrain.”

Hamas, sensing the war’s end, is mounting a final effort to inflict casualties. The IDF now controls 65 percent of Gaza’s territory operationally, with observation, fire dominance, and relative freedom of movement, alongside systematic tunnel destruction. . . . Major P, a reserve company commander, says, “It’s frustrating to hear at home that we’re stagnating. The public doesn’t get that if we stop, Hamas will recover.”

Senior IDF officers cite two reasons for the slow progress: meticulous care to protect hostages, requiring cautious movement and constant intelligence gathering, and avoiding heavy losses, with 22 soldiers killed since June.

Two-and-a-half of Hamas’s five brigades have been dismantled, yet a new hostage deal and IDF withdrawal could allow Hamas to regroup. . . . Hamas is at its lowest military and governing point since its founding, reduced to a fragmented guerrilla force. Yet, without complete disarmament and infrastructure destruction, it could resurge as a threat in years.

At the same time, Ben-Yishai observes, not everything hangs on the IDF:

According to the Southern Command chief Major General Yaron Finkelman, the IDF is close to completing its objectives. In classical military terms, “defeat” means the enemy surrenders—but with a jihadist organization, the benchmark is its ability to operate against Israel.

Despite [the IDF’s] battlefield successes, the broader strategic outcome—especially regarding the hostages—now hinges on decisions from the political leadership. “We’ve done our part,” said a senior officer. “We’ve reached a crossroads where the government must decide where it wants to go—both on the hostage issue and on Gaza’s future.”

Read more at Ynet

More about: Gaza War 2023, IDF