Ask the Rabbi
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Question
I was given the book BIBLE CODES -THE COUNTDOWN by Michael Drosnin by a parent of one of my students. They want to know what does the Torah community think of this book.
Answer
I cannot speak for the Torah community as a whole and will not relate to a specific book. My opinion is that Torah codes, if valid, are - to use the rabbinic term applied to gematriot- like the dessert after the meal: pleasant but not the real meat and potatoes. The body of the Torah is what is important - the mitzvot, the principles of faith, and the ethics. As to their validity - I would be more convinced if rather than finding evidence for historical events after the fact they accurately predicted them beforehand. Who will be the Israeli Prime Minister 25 years from now? - for example.

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