The sole daily prayer of the Synagogue, in the proper sense of the word prayer, preces, that is of a request for well-being, is the Tefillah, the “Intercession,” also called Amidah, since it is recited standing. The prayer consists of eighteen sections, each concluded by the same formula: “Blessed be Thou, YHWH.” Thence, the popular name of the prayer: Shemone Esreh, “Eighteen” (benedictions).

The Bible, we are continually reminded, was written with an intent remote from that of the philosopher. To examine the Bible for its logical implications might therefore appear futile. The present inquiry, however, is undertaken in a more Socratic spirit. Socrates carried his search for truth into the most unlikely quarters. Unimpressed by pedigrees, he winnowed ideas in banquet hall and market place, rejecting none until they stood condemned by their own inner contradictions. The aim of the following pages is to apply the Socratic method to the Bible; more specifically, to examine some logical implications of biblical anthropomorphism.