About this episode

This episode explores the connections between the Torah and the founding principles of American democracy, highlighting the constitutional significance of the daughters of Zelophehad.

What if the Founding Fathers didn't invent American democracy, but actually lifted its most crucial laws directly from the Torah? Did the Founding Fathers borrow from the Torah? As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Madlik explores one of the Bible's most remarkable constitutional moments. Before Israel enters the Promised Land, the Torah conducts a census—not simply to count people, but to constitute a nation of tribes, clans, families, and citizens. Then, five extraordinary sisters—the daughters of Zelophehad—step forward and successfully challenge the law itself. Their case becomes the Torah's first great constitutional amendment. In this episode: 🇺🇸 The Torah's original "constitutional convention" The revolutionary daughters of Zelophehad Daniel Elazar on covenant and federalism The Hebrew Republic and America's Founding Fathers Why unity doesn't require uniformity What Independence Day can teach us about covenant, citizenship, and the enduring power of constitutional ideals Key Takeaways The Torah's first constitutional convention took place on the Plains of Moab. Before a single acre of the Promised Land was distributed, the Torah painstakingly counted every tribe…

People in this episode

Host: Geoffrey Stern

Topics covered

• American democracy
• Torah
• covenant
• constitutional amendment
• Founding Fathers
• Zelophehad sisters
• Independence Day

Keywords

• Torah
• American democracy
• covenant
• constitutional convention
• Zelophehad
• Founding Fathers
• Independence Day

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Madlik, America

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