Matan Torah, God giving the Torah to the entire Jewish nation at Mount Sinai in Parshas Yisro, was the culmination of the miraculous events in Mitzraim, at the Yam Suf, and during the war against Amalek, that transformed the world by causing the recognition of God and adoption of Divine values. The Jewish people notwithstanding, even today, over fifty percent of the world’s population, 3.4 billion people, predicate their theologies on Torah M’Sinai. Matan Torah at Har Sinai was clearly the most dramatic public demonstration of God’s eternal covenant with the Jewish people, but it was not the only revelation of God’s Torah. Beginning with Adam HaRishon and ending with the Prophets at the start of the Second Temple Period, God communicated His laws and Divine values for over three thousand years.
There are three NLE Morasha shiurim highlighted for Parshas Yisro teaching the nature of Divine revelation throughout world history as well as providing evidence for Torah M’Sinai.
The System of Halachah – Jewish Law: I
The NLE Morasha shiur on The Revelation of the Torah addresses the following questions:
- Who were the first people cognizant of God’s will for mankind?
- Did our Forefathers practice what we call Judaism?
- How was the Torah revealed to the Jewish people and to Moshe?
- How is the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) different from the rest of the Torah?
- What role did the Prophets that followed Moshe play in revealing Jewish law?
Evidence for Torah M’Sinai I:
Historical Approaches for Providing Evidence for National Revelation
The NLE Morasha shiur on Historical Approaches for Providing Evidence for National Revelation examines the following issues:
- How much evidence must be presented to prove Torah M’Sinai?
- Which major world religions support the Jewish claim of Torah M’Sinai?
- What is the Kuzari’s approach to substantiate the Exodus from Egypt and Divine revelation?
- How is Torah M’Sinai a historical event and not a legend?
- Which unique Jewish traditions corroborate Divine revelation?
Evidence for Torah M’Sinai II:
Witnesses, Prophecy, Jewish Survival, Mitzvot, Torah Scrolls
The NLE Morasha shiur on Witnesses, Prophecy, Jewish Survival, Mitzvot, Torah Scrolls
explores the following questions:
- How can we rely on generations of descendants of the original witnesses to national revelation?
- Which unpredictable Torah prophecies have been fulfilled indicating Divine foresight?
- Which mitzvot demonstrate Divine control of nature and history?
- How is the Torah uniquely honest and self-critical?
- What accounts for the miraculous survival of the Jewish people?
- How compatible are Torah scrolls found over the centuries throughout the world?
