The Torah of Mozeson – Terumah
D R. I S A A C M O Z E S O N
Dr. Isaac Mozeson on the Weekly Torah Portion – Terumah, Exodus 25:1-27:19
פרשת השבוע מאת דר׳ יצחק מוזסון – תרומה, שמות כה:א – כז:יט
Our parsha opens with a seeming absurdity: that the ragged ex-slaves will be able to donate precious metals, gems and other materials for a wilderness Tabernacle, a portable pre-temple.
But wait. Abraham is told as early as Genesis 15:14 that his descendants would be enslaved and oppressed in Egypt, but would eventually leave “with great wealth.” At the burning bush, Moses receives more details: that the freed slaves would get reparations like silver, gold and clothing.
The Egyptians Are Destroyed, 1902 (Gouache on board), by James Tissot
Outside of the Bible, ignored by the majority haters in Biblical Archeology and Egyptology, are diary entries of an Egyptian priest giving eyewitness testimony to the plagues and to the disturbing sights of slaves now wearing rich jewelry. (See The Riddle of the Exodus book or video by James D. Long.) Besides gifts from their terrified slave drivers, the “unnecessary” detail of the drowned charioteers being washed up “dead on shore” (Exodus 14:30) lets us know that tons of jewelry were available for שלל [SHaLaL] (looting, literally loosening, as של [SHahL], loosen, in Exodus 3:5). In antiquity, as in the New York City subways, huge warriors wear all their bling to say: “See if you can get this from me, suckah.”
In antiquity, as in the New York City subways, huge warriors wear all their bling to say: “See if you can get this from me, suckah.”
Any current events vibes? Perhaps. Israel is suffering oppressive captivity near Egypt, but is showing redemptive promise. The Gaza war has cost billions. Realistically, Israel faces more than a Moody financial downgrade for decades. But realism doesn’t exist in a returned homeland with a revived language. There are Joseph-like rags-to-riches possibilities that include much offshore oil income, a better-than-Suez canal, a safe and luxurious Gold Coast rising in Gaza, and new hi-tech and defense innovations that even Germany pays billions for. Only the tragedy of war can bring peace, making an upgraded Islam look like Dubai, and a Jihadi Islamism look like the rubble of Damascus and Gaza.
Dr. Isaac Mozeson is an innovator in exploring the connection between the ancient Hebrew language and the other languages of the world. The author of many books including The Origin Of Speeches: Intelligent Design in Language and Wars of the Jews: A Military History from Biblical to Modern Times, Dr. Mozeson founded the discipline of Edenics (edenics.org), the theory that ancient Hebrew was the original common language of all mankind.
Dr. Mozeson may be contacted at mozeson72@gmail.com.
