Zvi wrote:
The difference is that Sinai is part of OUR historical experience as the Jewish nation. It was not a personal experience and the proof did not rest upon trusting a limited number of witnesses.
Zvi, it can not be emphasized enough that the supposed witnesses to the Christian stories are ANONYMOUS.  They may be as real as the audience witnessing the fight between Voldemort and Harry Potter.   There is not one descendant alive from the supposed witnesses to Jesus -- they were all third parties totally unknown.    

National Revelation happened to US - to our fathers who in turn told us what happened to THEM (not something they heard happened to someone else).

Missionaries also point to the supposed miracle (again lots of "witnesses" but not YOU or ME) who witnessed:
“And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  Matthew 27:51
"miracles" that are not recorded in history -- you'd think the Romans would have noticed zombies walking around!  smiley: eyes   No -- it is just another fable that supposedly happened to someone else -- but it sure SOUNDS impressive because you are told many, many people saw it.

Some of these missionaries (in Christianity and Islam, too) may even say "I saw this happen, let me tell you -- there were a million people there."  Well, this one person is NOT national revelation no matter how many people s/he claims was there with them! 

From "Simple to Remember"
A legend is an unverified story. By their very nature legends are unverifiable because they have very few eyewitnesses.
Acts mentions a "great multitude" -- but this is an unsubstantiated claim.    Who were these people?  Is there any kind of proof this story ever happened?  It is unverifiable. 

This story was told to strangers who had no way of knowing if it happened or not.  
"Hey, Ezekah -- I was in Paris last night and the Eiffel Tower came to life (just like those Zombies in Matthew) and stomped a few people to death, and then went back in place.  Hey, don't believe me?  There were 10,000 eye witnesses!"
Now -- national revelation tells us that YOU were there (not someone after the fact telling you something happened -- but not to YOU."
"Do not remove this memory from your heart all the days of your life. Teach your children and your children’s children about the day that you stood before HaShem your G-d at Horev [Mount Sinai]...

G-d spoke to you from the midst of the fire, you were hearing the sound of words, but you were not seeing a form, only a sound. He told you of His covenant, instructing you to keep the Ten Commandments, and He inscribed them on two stone tablets.’ (Deavrim / Deut.4:9-13)

National Revelation tells us that G-d told US (our fathers, l'dor v'dor) what happened to THEM.  Not to someone else.   Not one person who might have made it up -- but 3 million people who agreed on what they saw and heard (and Jews don't agree on much of anything!).

Torah reminds us to remember what we saw and heard.   Our own fathers and mothers -- not anonymous authors who can't even tell the same story from one version to the next!

No other religion makes this claim of national revelation.  They tell stories of multitudes and of zombies and earthquakes -- but never make the claim that "you remember this, right?  YOU were there, right?"

Totally different standard -- and no other religion makes this claim.

סופי

And everything that Sarah tells you, listen to her voice. Bereshit (Genesis) 21:12
Last Edited By: Sophiee1 Mon, 26-Aug-13 09:51:05. Edited 1 times.