[Avodah] missing years in Hebre calendar

[Eli Turkel via Avodah]

<<I think this is tragic.  Rather than allow the blasphemous thought that
the current vogue in scholarly circles might be wrong cross their minds,
they feel forced to conclude that Chazal perpetrated multiple frauds and
told multiple lies.  The inferiority complex many Modern Orthodox Jews have
regarding secular scholarship is beyond tragic.>>

I don't see how you can call this "blasphemous" R.  Schwab  once suggested
that Chazal purposely changed the facts for a good reason. While he later
retracted it would be hard to call his original opinion "blasphemous" .
Furthermore several current Orthodox rabbis such as R. Leibtag do accept
the secular dating.

In any case the TABC article makes the clear point that Chazal had a
tendency to conflate figures in Tanach. Some examples

1) Probably the most famous is Pinchas=Eliyahu
As a curios it makes Eliyahu some 700 years old when he runs in front of
Achav's chariot.
It gives a different meaning to Achav's accusations against Eliyahu when
Eliyahu actually worked together with Moshe Rabbenu.

Besiades the fact that Eliyahu was from Gilad and worked in the northern
kingdom it leaves the halachic question whether a cohen gadol can resign
and even leave the land of Israel for various tasks. It is clear from
Tanach that Eli and other were the high priest in later generations

2)  Ezta = Malachi  because both dealt with the problem of foreign wives

3) Nechemia = Zerubavel
R. Yaakov Embden already points out that both are mentioned in the same
pasuk

4) Daniel = Hatach = Sashvezer
Ibn Ezra already doesnt accept this

5) Koresh= Daryavush=Artachasta
This is part of the missing years controversy. Note that there are several
ancient Persian inscriptions that list them as separate kings
Note that Ibn Ezra identifies Achashverosh as Artachashasta

6)  Conflates Kaleb ben Chetron married to Efrat
with Kalen ben Yefuneh married to Miriam
Ibn Ezra disagrees and also see the Gra

-- 
Eli Turkel
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