Judaism and the Bible/Tanach, The Most Important Book

For the past six plus years, I've been privileged to be in Matan's Al Haperek program in which we have been learning most of the Bible. There are people all over the world who have been studying in the program. We get questions on a couple of chapters to guide our learning. I'm part of a group. I could never have managed to do it on my own.

None of us have a very strong background in Jewish studies from childhood. We've all gotten to it as adults. That's one of the reasons we love the program. There is nothing like it. We also take other Bible/Tanach courses in Matan and other learning. My group is all of retirement age, though some of us are still working a bit. Our Wednesday mornings are holy, devoted to our Bible studies. Those of us who still work refuse to accept any position that interferes with our study schedule.

For The Jewish People and especially Israelis, the Bible is the most important book. As Dr. Yael Ziegler frequently says:

"The Bible isn't a book of History; its a book of theology." 

By learning the Bible/Tanach and the theology and history in it we understand what we are doing here in the Land of Israel. This is our Land, and Gd hasn't ceased to help us with timely miracles.

So much of the mistakes of the kings and people remind me of today's politics. Also we learn what once happened in the very places we live and travel.

I think it's a terrible mistake that Jewish schools and yeshivot all over the world, including Israel, do not place the Bible/Tanach in high priority. Without a strong grounding in Bible/Tanach, Jews do not understand and feel connected to the Land of Israel.

Learning Bible/Tanach is such a pleasure. Now that the Al Haperek program is in its final chapters, my friends and I plan on repeating it, since there is so much we didn't absorb the first time.