Who gave these rules?

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Throughout history mankind has continuously fabricated all sorts of speculations as to the nature of space and time and substance but these speculations have little or no weight until they are substantiated by solid observation that provides sufficient substance for the theories to be taken seriously. It is only with modern instrumentation and solid consistent mathematics to provide the platforms to back up the vague speculations that could dismiss that the Earth was not a pancake surmounting an endless spire of turtles or that atoms really do exist and in ways never conceived by the early theorists. As it turns out the modern atom is not only divisible but its very components themselves can be subdivided into strange particles so the original concepts are thoroughly out of date.

There were not enough options on that poll, "the author of Leviticus" would be one choice, "Ezra" would be another, "author unknown" would be my preferred choice. It was certainly not "J" the Judean literary genius who wrote the core of the Torah. Nor was it "E" (the Elohimist) the Isrealite who wrote the beautiful creation myth of Genesis 1 and the accepted version of the "ten commandments" in Exodus 20. And it certainly was not Moses, who may or may not have been literate. Whether God had a hand in them or not, I couldn't say.

Bobby, you can't just deny it was anyone who handed down the laws and then say you don't know who it actually was. State your proposed author of the laws or don't post at all. You seem to know more than anyone else about this, living or dead. I can't believe how arrogant and presumptuous you are. You're bully-bait. I can't feel sorry for bullying victims who bring it on themselves.

Well, actually, I think Bobby has stated earlier that he is a professor on the sociology of religion or some such like that. Not only that, but the speculative nature of what he is stating is not entirely skewed either:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Documentary_hypothesis

The wiki article mentioned Ezra, and E, which shows that it is likely he isn't just making things up but rather actually knows something about this. Which, you know, would justify his presumptuousness a bit and his appearance of knowledge.

The problem with that Awesomelyglorious is that people today are ignorant, or more correctly ignore, that religion is and has always been an oral tradition. There were no books. To say "And it certainly was not Moses, who may or may not have been literate" shows this bias and ignorance of the history. What does literacy have to do with reciting? Not to mention that if the story of Moses was true, being a member of the Egyptian court/family I would have assumed him to have been literate.

The title says "Who GAVE these rules?" not who WROTE them. It obviously would not have been Moses who wrote them, and obviously not the Creator. The best conclusion to derive by following the tradition is that they were recited by Moses given to him by his Creator. After which, the tradition remained alive and was written down centuries later. Everything else is just arrogant pedantry.

Sorry about the comment about Moses. It was gratuitous and arrogant. Since legend says Moses was raised by an Egyptian Noblewoman, he probably was literate, though maybe not in Hebrew. And I had no intention of raising literate traditions over oral traditions. In fact, I feel just the opposite. Literacy may have done more harm then good for useful human knowledge.,

The Torah, which includes the words that started this thread, was (according to some stories) discovered in the ruins of Soloman's temple when the Judeans (and Benjaminites) returned from Babylon under the leadership of Ezra. There is some question as to whether the Torah was "discovered" or "invented" at this time.

My opinion is that the Torah is a compilation of ancient and contemporary writings, not to skillfully, pulled together by an editor who either was Ezra or was working under his directions. The fact is, no one knows for sure, except through the eyes of faith.

Bobby1933, no need for the apologies if they are true. It is nothing against you, but against the whole of academia who feels the need to have an "arrogant", high-brow view towards religion.

I understand what you were trying to post because it makes sense. It is just that many "scholars" feel the need to leave out important details.

Bobby, you claim that literature has done more harm than good to human history. I am enraged by this comment.

LITERATURE, PROFESSOR BOBBY?
LITERATURE, LIKE THEY TEACH AT COLLEGES, UNIVERSITES?