How to Assess Chronologies

A comment by Lisa Liel responding to a challenge to her belief in the historical veracity of the Mabul:

See, this is an example of where you don't understand how things are done in the relevant fields and I do. Let me show you how that is.

When you read an article that talks about a jug from the period of David being found at Megiddo (for example), that doesn't actually mean that it was from the period of David. After all, jugs didn't have dates stamped on them. Rather, it's a shortcut for saying, "We found a jug in a layer corresponding to an early phase of the Iron Age, which we currently date to the 11th century BCE." Then again Israel Finkelstein's Low Chronology dates that same level to the time of Omri and Jehoshaphat, a generation later, so he wouldn't regard it as dating to the period of David at all. Even if he thought David existed.

When you read about an archaeological find dating to the 8th century BCE in Israel, what they really mean is, "it dates to the late Iron Age".

It would be a lot easier on everyone if they would simply say what layer they found it in, rather than add in an assumption about when that layer dates to. But then, it wouldn't be very readable to the average person, would it?

The same thing applies going further back. Currently, 2000 BCE is considered according to consensus to be the Old Kingdom in Egypt. There was a time, not so long ago (a century and a bit) when the Old Kingdom was dated 4000 years earlier than that. At that time, you wouldn't have looked for evidence of the flood in Old Kingdom remains, but today you do. These things change, because they are not fact It's a fact that there's no evidence of the flood in Egyptian Old Kingdom remains. No one argues with that. It isn't a fact that 4000 years ago it was the time of the Old Kingdom in Egypt. That's consensus; not fact. You understand the difference, right? History isn't physics. It relies on some conclusions of science at times, but it is not itself science. The same applies to paleontology.

Special Shiur this Shabbos by my brother, Rabbi Yochanan Meir Bechhofer

My brother, Rabbi Yochanan Meir Bechhofer, shlita, a renowned talmid chacham and a very popular and dynamic speaker, Ba'al Mechaber Sefer Even Shesiyah, will be giving a shiur on Inyanei Shavuos this Shabbos, Parashas Naso, at 5:00 pm, at our house, 3 Zabriskie Terrace, Monsey. 

All are welcome!

Kol Tuv and Good Shabbos,

Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer

Dome of the Spirits at the Temple Mount

A succinct synopsis of the argument that the Dome of the Spirits is the actual site of the Kodesh HaKodashim, not the Dome of the Rock:

Yerushalmi Megillah 2 video and audio

Audio Link

 

Audio Link

Avodas Hashem for Grownups part 7: Cruelty and Compassion

Audio Link

Postponed Interactive Yerushalmi Megillah 2 Shiur This Sunday

The second shiur (Megillah daf 2) 

will be

Sunday night May 25th

9:00 pm- 9:45 pm EST

8:00-8:45 pm CST, 6:00-6:45 pm PST

(The shiur was supposed on Daf 2 was supposed to

 take place last Sunday, but due to technical

difficulties was postponed.)

A weekly interactive shiur via Google Hangouts  and youtube.com

 Talmud Yerushalmi

Maseches Megillah 

Participate interactively through Google Hangout

Invitations to the Hangout will go out 

shortly before the shiur by prior request and via Google+.

or

Watch the live Simulcast at youtube.com/mtajt

The text is available at:

http://www.hebrewbooks.org/14138

Avodas Hashem for Grownup Shiur no. 7 Tonight!

The seventh shiur will be tonight

Thursday night May 22nd

11:00 pm- 11:20 pm EST

10:00-10:20 pm CST, 8:00-8:20 pm PST

A weekly va'ad via Google Hangouts  and youtube.com

 Avodas Hashem for Grownups 

 HaMaspik l'Ovdei Hashem 

 by Rabbeinu Avraham ben HaRambam 

Participate interactively through Google Hangout

Invitations to the Hangout will go out 

shortly before the shiur by prior request and via Google+.

or

Watch the live Simulcast at youtube.com/mtajt

The text is available at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/brswmfxlpqvl4ri/HaMaspik%20pt%201.pdf

The Great International Dateline Controversy: Video and Audio Shiur

A brief overview of the issues surrounding the 

Halachic International Dateline:

Where it is? 

What happens when you cross it?

Audio Link

New Acronym for use in assessing all sorts of phenomena!

In light of the many recent statements of dubious validity, I would suggest a good barometer:

WWRYSS?

What Would Reb Yisroel Salanter Say?

This reflects a very biting comment made to me many years ago by a friend (yes, he is still a friend) of mine about a certain incident:

WWRAEKHD?

What Would Reb Avrohom Eliyahu Kaplan Have Done?

Online Yerushalmi Shiur Megillah 2 Sunday Night!

The second shiur (Megillah daf 2) 

will be tomorrow,

Sunday night May 18th

9:00 pm- 9:45 pm EST

8:00-8:45 pm CST, 6:00-6:45 pm PST

A weekly interactive shiur via Google Hangouts  and youtube.com

 Talmud Yerushalmi

Maseches Megillah 

Participate interactively through Google Hangout

Invitations to the Hangout will go out 

shortly before the shiur by prior request and via Google+.

or

Watch the live Simulcast at youtube.com/mtajt

The text is available at:

http://www.hebrewbooks.org/14138

Avodas Hashem for Grownups pt 6: Ahavah, Kavod, Yirad HaOnesh, Rachmanus

Audio Link

Avodas Hashem for Grownups: Video Shiur Tonight!

The sixth shiur will be tonight

Thursday night May 15th

11:00 pm- 11:20 pm EST

10:00-10:20 pm CST, 8:00-8:20 pm PST

A weekly va'ad via Google Hangouts  and youtube.com

 Avodas Hashem for Grownups 

 HaMaspik l'Ovdei Hashem 

 by Rabbeinu Avraham ben HaRambam 

Participate interactively through Google Hangout

Invitations to the Hangout will go out 

shortly before the shiur by prior request and via Google+.

or

Watch the live Simulcast at youtube.com/mtajt

The text is available at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/brswmfxlpqvl4ri/HaMaspik%20pt%201.pdf

Yerushalmi Megillah shiur 1, 1a-b

The Magrefah and Yir’as Hashem | Aspaqlaria

The Magrefah and Yir’as Hashem | Aspaqlaria



Nice idea, based on RAEK.

Weekly Interactive Yerushalmi Shiur to begin this Sunday!

The inaugural shiur will be

Sunday night May 11th

9:00 pm- 9:45 pm EST

8:00-8:45 pm CST, 6:00-6:45 pm PST

A weekly interactive shiur via Google Hangouts  and youtube.com

 Talmud Yerushalmi

Maseches Megillah 

Participate interactively through Google Hangout

Invitations to the Hangout will go out 

shortly before the shiur by prior request and via Google+.

or

Watch the live Simulcast at youtube.com/mtajt

The text is available at:

http://www.hebrewbooks.org/14138

The Next Avodas Hashem for Grownups Shiur will be held IYH next Thursday, May 15th

The sixth shiur will be next

Thursday night May 15th

1:00 pm- 11:20 pm EST

10:00-10:20 pm CST, 8:00-8:20 pm PST

A weekly va'ad via Google Hangouts  and youtube.com

 Avodas Hashem for Grownups 

 HaMaspik l'Ovdei Hashem 

 by Rabbeinu Avraham ben HaRambam 

Participate interactively through Google Hangout

Invitations to the Hangout will go out 

shortly before the shiur by prior request and via Google+.

or

Watch the live Simulcast at youtube.com/mtajt

The text is available at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/brswmfxlpqvl4ri/HaMaspik%20pt%201.pdf

Invitation to a weekly online, interactive Yerushalmi shiur

I invite you to comment here or email me so together we can inaugurate the weekly Yerushalmi shiur. I would like to suggest that we begin with a moderate mesechta. I am thinking of Sanhedrin. I am thinking about 9:00-9:45 pm EST. The shiur would be on Google Hangouts, simulcast over youtube, and archived there - and, if it is plausible - on the the two Yerushalmi websites.

If we get at least three positive responses, it's a go!

Thanks!

KT,

YGB

Avodas Hashem for Grownups part 5: Video and Audio

Beginning Chap. 3: Taharas HaMa'asim

Audio