ABSTRACT

When one gazes at something a far way off, one’s perspective is altered and the true distance can be foreshortened. This is a problem not only with physically seeing something but also when trying to understand something that is far removed from us in time. Scholars often casually explain whole centuries with a few broad strokes while, in contrast, historical events between 1941-1945 showed such dynamic changes that whole libraries are filled with descriptions of these years. It is logical to assume that society continually underwent such transmogrifications that were likely to have been part of ancient life as well. Biblical texts are, obviously, included in this category. Indeed, particularly when it comes to issues such as the physical perfection of priests or the role of disabilities in the Bible, we must overcome the distance of 3,000 years or more. It is the purpose of this paper to clarify the intention of the Biblical and rabbinic authorships regarding some teachings about disabilities that are often terribly misunderstood today.