Dr. Israel Drazin served for 31 years in the US military and attained the rank of Brigadier General. He has a PhD in Judaic Studies and a Masters Degree in psychology and a Masters Degree in Jewish Literature. He is an attorney and a rabbi.
He developed the legal strategy that saved the military chaplaincies when its constitutionality was attacked in court, and received the Legion of Merit for his service.
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He was the scholar who recognized that the Aramaic translation Targum Onkelos took hundreds of items from the Tannaitic Midrashim, which were edited around 400 CE; therefore, the Targum must have been composed after that date, a period much later than had been widely accepted.
He is the author of more than 50 books, including a series of five volumes on the Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Bible, and a series of books on the twelfth century philosopher Moses Maimonides, a history of the legal case he handled, and dozens of books on the Bible.
His works, available on Amazon, include:
*A Rational Approach to Judaism and Torah Commentary
*Can’t Start Passover Without the Bread (Children’s Literature) ***
*For God and Country: The History of a Constitutional Challenge to the Army Chaplaincy
*Maimonides and the Biblical Prophets
*Maimonides: Reason Above All
*Maimonides: The Exceptional Mind
*Mysteries of Judaism (Maimonides and Rational)
*Mysteries of Judaism II: How the Rabbis and Others Changed Judaism
*Nachmanides: An Unusual Thinker
*Onkelos on the Torah Understanding the Bible Text (5 Volume Set)**
*Onkelos on the Torah (Book 1: Genesis) **
*Onkelos on the Torah (Book 2: Exodus) **
*Onkelos on the Torah (Book 3: Leviticus) **
*Onkelos on the Torah (Book 4: Numbers) **
*Onkelos on the Torah (Book 5: Deuteronomy) **
*Sailing on Moti’s Ark on Sukkoth (Children’s Literature) ***
*Stories that Teach the Truth: Ecclesiastes, Tobit, Susanna, and Other Stories.
*Studies in Onkelos (Hebrew edition)
*Targum Onkelos to Exodus [2]: An English Translation of the Text with Analysis and Commentary
*Targum Onkelos to Leviticus [3]: An English Translation of the Text with Analysis and Commentary
*Targum Onkelos to Numbers [4]: An English Translation of the Text with Analysis and Commentary
Targum Onkelos to Deuteronomy [5]: An English Translation of the Text with Analysis and Commentary
*The Authentic King Solomon
*The Tragedies of King David
*Understanding Onkelos
*Unusual Bible Interpretations: Five Books of Moses (Maimonides and Rational)
*Unusual Bible Interpretations: Hosea
*Unusual Bible Interpretations: Jonah and Amos
*Unusual Bible Interpretations: Joshua
*Unusual Bible Interpretations: Judges
*Unusual Bible Interpretations: Ruth, Esther, Judith
*What’s Beyond the Biblical Text? **
*Who Really Was the Biblical David?
*Who Was the Biblical Prophet Samuel?
** Co-Authored with Stanley Wagner
** Co-Authored with Leba Lieder
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The two words of the Friday night poem/song “Shalom Aleichem” are a traditional Jewish greeting, meaning “may you have peace.” The poem has the reciters and singers greet angels and ask them for blessings of peace and protection. [Rabbu Dr. Israel Drazin]
A New Translation of the ‘Shalom Aleichem’ Prayer Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined ContributorsThe Shema is central to Judaism. Although a divine command and not a prayer, it is the main reading in the morning and evening services, Shacharit and Maariv. It is one of many biblical sections that contains wording that was not intended to be taken literally. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
A Modern Translation of the Shema Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined ContributorsThe word Hatikvah means “The Hope.” It is the first stanza of a poem written by Naphtali Herz Imber (1856-1909), a Jewish Hebrew-language poet from Złoczów, now called Zolochiv, Ukraine, then part of Austrian Galicia, in 1878. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
The Meaning of ‘Hatikvah’ Read More »
Israel, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined ContributorsHe tells us that the “idea of ending one’s profession or work due to old age seems to be antithetical to Jewish thought.” The Talmud Kinim 25a states that Torah scholars’ minds hold firm as they age, and the Talmud Shabbat 152a states that the brains of Jewish scholars grow stronger as they grow older. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Jewish Values in the Torah Portion Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
In We are Black Jews: Ethiopian Jewry and the Journey to Equality in Israel, Roni Fantanesh Malkai provides eye-opening, need-to-know information about the history and difficulties of Ethiopian Jews. We should read it and do our best to get people to treat others as they want others to treat them. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Author Chronicles Israeli Discrimination against Ethiopian Jews Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Israel, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Opinion, Shanda File, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Each tale dramatizes Israelis’ positive reactions to one of the darkest days in Jewish history, the savage attack upon their land and people on October 7, 2023, and the rape and murder of many people. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Author Documents Heartwarming Israeli Responses to Oct. 7 Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined ContributorsThe Torah frequently teaches respect for all people. Deuteronomy 23:25 warns employers that their employees must be allowed to eat while they work in the fields. This law also applies to non-Jewish employees. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Torah Teaches Jews to Treat Others with Consideration Read More »
Antisemitism, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined ContributorsI am convinced that judging others harms us. Judging others means criticizing them or complaining about them. It is a serious crime. It is the opposite of the basic principle of the Torah. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
The Harm of Criticism Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined ContributorsThe true definition of “Holiness” is rational and practical. It means being separate or set apart. God, for example, is holy because God is different and set apart from everything that is not God, and people are holy when they set themselves apart from improper behaviors. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
The terms “Azazel” and “Yom Hakippurim” are discussed in the biblical portion of Aharei Mot (16:1-18:30), but neither is part of Judaism today. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Azazel, Yom Hakippurim, and Yom Kippur Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined ContributorsThere were many biblical words that translators and commentators mistranslated. Tzaraat was one of the many. It is mentioned in the 13th chapter of the fourth biblical portion of Leviticus, Tazri’a 12:1-13:59. Yesterday, I posted an essay showing four mistranslations of the Bible. This is a fifth of the many that exist. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Did Biblical Translators Mistranslate a Word as ‘Leprosy?’ Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined ContributorsUnfortunately, there are many instances of well-meaning, intelligent people misinterpreting the Bible. Sometimes, they did it intentionally to teach a lesson, and sometimes, they got it wrong. I will give two examples of each. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Was the Bible Translated Correctly? Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined ContributorsWe need to question everything, even our prayers. By questioning, we learn; by learning, we improve ourselves and help improve others and even inanimate items. An example is a seemingly silly statement in one of our prayers. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
A Seemingly Simple, Senseless Sentence Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined ContributorsDespite Leviticus dealing with the no longer existing tabernacle and the priests who functioned in it, the book contains important lessons for us today. The following are three such lessons in the portion Shemini (9:1-11:46) as seen by the rational thinker Shadal. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Three Lessons in This Week’s Torah Portion Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors