Why the Fuss?

Preface III

[Ebal, three of thirty]

Why such a fuss over an artifact no bigger than a business card folded in half?

This is the third post of my memorandum about the Curse Tablet. In this preface, I explain why excavating a particular archaeological site in Judea / Samaria is so important.

To read my memorandum from the beginning, click here. Otherwise, continue below.

The reason for the fuss is this: Artifacts from this site could trigger a tsunami upon man’s philosophical and spiritual bearings. Additionally, it could reorder our historical, archaeological, epigraphical, and even political understandings.

Hence, there is much at stake.

A fuller explanation of this I discuss later.

Here, however, is a nutshell version:

Some claim that this so-called “Curse Tablet”, together with yet to be excavated clues from Mt. Ebal’s “Joshua’s Altar,” may solve a thorny ancient riddle, that is, “Who wrote the Torah?”

Others say, “Not hardly!”

Many in the first camp believe that delaying further excavation could result in the permanent loss of opportunities for discovery.

Regardless, most recognize that excavation could impede peace in a war-torn region.

Authorities thus must decide:

• Are the phenomenal claims about the curse tablet supported by sufficient evidence?;
• Might there be other evidence at Joshua’s Altar of profound importance to mankind’s understanding of history?;
• How urgently important is further excavation at Joshua’s Altar?; and
• How might further excavation at Mt. Ebal be accomplished without igniting regional tensions or upsetting the international rule-based order?

This memorandum explains my take on the first three of these questions.

The fourth, however, I do not here wrestle to a conclusion. How to excavate on Mt. Ebal without igniting regional and international tension this memorandum aims to avoid. Other than a few speculative hunches, I largely avoid this question.

Why? It involves diplomatic intricacies to which I am not privy.

Nevertheless, answering the first three greatly clears the way for those with behind-the-scenes, non-public capabilities. They can then concentrate on resolving the remaining hurdle.

The problem of the Curse Tablet, Joshua’s Altar, and Mt. Ebal thus represents a figurative multi-locked door. To get through, one must negotiate each.

This memorandum seeks to unlock all save one.

Others can then better focus on the remaining lock–how to clear the diplomatic path for further excavations.

With you, however, a separate important question has likely already arisen. Legitimately, you might inquire: “Why should I, an American civilian, address this matter?”

I discuss this in the next post.

Now, a question for you: How might resolving the question “Who wrote the Torah?” impact your life or others around you?

Respond in the comment section below.

Thank you for engaging this topic with me thus far!

Our next post I entitle “Why Me?”

I look forward to continuing with you there.

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Next post: “Why Me?“