COINCIDENCES IN THE BIBLE AND IN
BIBLICAL HEBREW
Haim
Shore
iUniverse, Inc. (2007, 2008).
An
Interview with the Author (The Jerusalem Post, Dec., 4th, 2009)
Free
Download – Presentation (Hebrew-English)
Reviews
(from Amazon site)
Reviewer 1
This is not a book about biblical
prophecies, the Bible code or Gematria. Yet, the book
exhibits a series of unexplained "coincidences" that is worth
exploring and getting impressed by. There are several unique characteristics to
the book, which I believe make it unlike other books of a similar nature.
First, the book contains statistical analyses with highly significant results.
These demonstrate that some of the coincidences in the book are in fact not
coincidences at all, but rather store real and valid information. The
statistical analyses, applied to some of the "coincidences", take the
book's results closer to be scientifically founded. All analyses are explained
in simple language, accompanied by commentary that makes them indeed accessible
to those, like me, untrained in the statistical disciplines. A second important
point about this book is that since it is not about biblical prophecies, the
Bible code or Jewish Gematria, most coincidences are
in fact new. For example, the explanation of the Ibur,
and how Jewish tradition has long ago arrived at the lunar month duration of
29.530594 days (vs. today's scientifically validated value of 29.530589 days)
were for me a stunning revelation. Finally, the newly added chapter 22 (in the
revised 2008 edition of the book) statistically evaluates the Genesis creation
story. The results, as displayed and demonstrated, are fascinating.
On the down side, the book is not homogenous in its structure. Some of the
coincidences are indeed stunning, others can be seriously debated whether they
are of any real significance. I believe that the sheer number of
"coincidences", relating to both the Bible and to biblical Hebrew,
makes this book a treasure of information that is both challenging and
entertaining.
Reviewer 2
The Bible will always be an inexhaustible
source of discovery, and this new fascinating book about Biblical coincidences
contains many original items to add to the treasure trove. The intersection of
science and faith beyond academic scholarship has also received much attention
in recent times. In the case of this book, though, it is not just the Bible
which reveals more of its secrets, but the Hebrew language itself, another
fascinating topic about which relatively little has been written for the
general public.
Root connections such as Olam , relating World, Eternity and Concealment or Rechem, connecting Womb and Compassion , reveal a profound
theological and moral wisdom inherent in the Hebrew language. Some of the
richest examples given - and some of the most remarkable coincidences- relate
to the Kabbalistic method of reading words in
reverse, thus connecting Moshe ( Moses) with Ha-Shem ( God), and Aleph (One, First)
with Peleh ( Miracle). Even for those not versed in
Hebrew or uninterested in the various Torah interpretational techniques, the
author provides many arresting insights of pure Biblical commentary, such as in
the God-encounters of Abraham and Moses.
"Coincidences in the Bible and in Biblical Hebrew" should be of
interest to anyone who loves the Bible, in particular to young Jews who may
have concluded that the Great Book no longer has anything to teach them, or
cannot measure up to modernity. For non-Jews, all the material involving Hebrew
is extremely easy to understand and may prove quite enlightening.
I would have to admit that not everyone who is inexperienced in mathematics,
science or statistics will be able to immediately follow those aspects or
analysis in the book, but even in that case the general picture is graspable.
I strongly advise to get the newest edition of the book, the one containing a
final chapter devoted to a statistical analysis of Genesis. I give this book
five stars first on account of the thorough effort involved and secondly
because of the author's honesty in making no claims, but encouraging the
readers to make up their own minds. Other books I would recommend which transit
similar paths - though in no way literally so or in such detail - are those by
Gerald Schroeder.