Kosofsky on Jewish Customs in the context of the Old Testament

From the radio program Speaking of Faith:

When Scott-Martin Kosofsky rediscovered The Book of Customs in the late 20th century, he did so not as a rabbi or a scholar, nor as a passionately devout adherent of any strand of Judaism. For him, the different branches of Judaism seemed still to have more in common than apart, so he set out to recreate a Book of Customs, in English, for modern people. He delved into the structure of Jewish practice, the ancient stories behind its teachings, the rituals and symbols that had seemed dead to him for most of his life. He added historical detail and notes on contemporary application. Jewish life is really all about moments, he realized anew — moments that are set aside to honor God. To his own surprise he found himself not only chronicling this sensibility, but participating in its power.

A fascinating conversation with Kosofsky that draws on his experience of the Old Testament and history can be found here. In Judaism, "What you believe follows only after what you do," says Kosofsky. "So Judaism is very much about doing God's commandments and doing the right thing rather than believing a specific credo."

The Real Audio file is here. Near the end, he ponders whether we, the modern readers of the Old Testament, are dealing "with God or with the memory of God." Kosofsky is the author of The Book of Customs: A Complete Handbook for the Jewish Year

Not the Da Vinci Code

Interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal:

Did Michelangelo Have a Hidden Agenda?

Mr. Doliner believes that Michelangelo, whose unconventional education at the court of Lorenzo de Medici included the study of Judaic and Kabbalistic texts, meant the 1,100-square-meter ceiling of the chapel as a mystical message of universal love -- a bridge of understanding between the two faiths.

Open Yale Courses

Here's a resource some might wish to know about: lecture courses from Yale faculty, online and free. Currently on offer:

Introduction to Ancient Greek History with Professor Donald Kagan

Introduction to the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) with Professor Christine Hayes

Entire course list

The documents behind the Old Testament

Lola has kindly lent me her copy of Who Wrote the Bible?
by Richard E. Friedman. It's a well-told tale of the puzzle of how the early parts of the Bible were pieced together, with helpful context on when, where, why, and by whom. By no means a dry academic tome!

I'm hoping to finish it by Wednesday - you can take a peek by clicking on the image:

Dead Sea Scroll on Stone

JERUSALEM — A three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles, especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the dead after three days.
...

Much of the text, a vision of the apocalypse transmitted by the angel Gabriel, draws on the Old Testament, especially the prophets Daniel, Zechariah and Haggai. New York Times.