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?

Hi, I am Ernie Vallery, a retired Louisiana attorney living now in South Coast Massachusetts.

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

To read my memorandum from its beginning through to its conclusion, click here. Otherwise, continue below.

The reason for the fuss is this: Artifacts from this site could impact tsunami like 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 a catastrophic scenario–the forever 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, I keep mostly beyond this memorandum’s scope. Other than a few speculative hunches in my conclusion this question I largely avoid.

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 scene, non-public capabilities. They then can 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 then can better focus on the remaining, that is, how to clear the diplomatic path for further excavations.

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

This I discuss 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.

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Next post: “Why Me?“