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decency

Scholar explores ancient Jewish reactions to ancient pagan statues

Professor Yaron Z. Eliav, who recently spoke about Jews and statues at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, co-directs the multidisciplinary Statuary Project at the University of Michigan, which, among other endeavors, peruses classical Jewish texts for references to statues (there are at least 6,000 of them — many appreciative of the figures\’ beauty and tolerant of female nudes).\n

Our Decency

\”At the moment of conception,\” says the Talmud, \”an angel takes the drop of semen from which the child will be formed and brings it before God. \’Master of the Universe, what shall be the fate of this drop?\’ asks the angel. \’Will it develop into a strong person or a weak one? A wise person or a fool? A wealthy person or a poor one?\’ Whether the person will be wicked or righteous, this he does not ask.\”
Why not? Why doesn\’t the angel ask God if the soon-to-be-formed person will be wicked or righteous?

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