Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr.

The Torah generally reveals little or no information about women. We are told that Jacob had a daughter named Dinah, but there is no more about her than what is mentioned in the drama. It does not tell us that Jacob had other daughters. It only reveals this in Genesis 37:35, where it states, “All his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him (Jacob),” and 46:15, where it states Leah, Jacob’s wife, bore thirty-three children with Jacob among “his sons and daughters.” [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

Was Rashi correct in thinking Jacob was righteous? Some might argue that, in many ways, he was like other humans. He had good and bad points. He made mistakes, as we all do. But generally speaking, he was not uniformly righteous. They will say that Jacob’s mistakes are recorded in the Bible to teach us that we must avoid mistakes. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

Jacob was silent when his daughter Dinah was held by the prince of Shechem, who asked Jacob for permission to marry her. When his sons agreed on the condition that all the men of Shechem circumcise themselves, he was silent. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

A 500-member jury of Athenians found Socrates guilty of corrupting the city’s youth by asking them questions. They gave him a choice. Either leave Athens or drink the poison hemlock. Socrates felt he was helping the youth think by asking them questions, and he chose to die for his beliefs. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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 in only six sentences in 11:27-32. Shouldn’t the entire story of Abraham, including these early years, be presented together, with 11:27-32 forming part of chapter 12? [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]