From Eden to the Burning Bush

This course examines the literary and theological foundations of the Pentateuch, beginning with the cosmological framework of Genesis. It analyzes the Hebrew concept of Bereshit and the transition from formless chaos to a structured world created through divine speech. Key topics include the Imago Dei, which redefined human status within the ancient Near Eastern context, and the narrative of the Fall as an archetype of exile and human autonomy. The curriculum explores the establishment of the Abrahamic covenant and the legal mechanics of biblical promises. It follows the transformation of Jacob, whose struggle at the Jabbok River redefines national identity, and the story of Joseph, which illustrates divine providence operating through human irony and narrative reversal. The second portion of the study focuses on the emergence of Israel as a nation and the formalization of its relationship with the divine. It details the revelation of the name YHWH at the burning bush and the subsequent liberation from Egypt. The course explains the symbolic architecture of the Tabernacle, viewing it as a portable Eden designed to manage sacred space through laws of ritual purity and the distinction between life and death. The series concludes with an analysis of Deuteronomy and the Shema, emphasizing the role of memory and love in maintaining the covenant. By tracing the progression from the void of creation to the threshold of the Promised Land, the content provides a direct look at the narrative structures that shape these foundational texts.