Tzipporah Machlah Klapper is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. She holds an MA in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University, an MA in Jewish Studies from the Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a BA in English Literature from The City College of New York (CCNY).
Last Updated
May 18, 2026
Books by the Author
Articles by the Author
Writers in the Second Temple period portray Moses as the Torah’s author and master lawgiver, attributing commandments directly to him. The rabbis, by contrast, repeatedly depict Moses as forgetful, confused, and sometimes mistaken—downplaying his authority to emphasize the Torah’s divine authorship and elevate the rabbis’ own role as its interpreters.
Writers in the Second Temple period portray Moses as the Torah’s author and master lawgiver, attributing commandments directly to him. The rabbis, by contrast, repeatedly depict Moses as forgetful, confused, and sometimes mistaken—downplaying his authority to emphasize the Torah’s divine authorship and elevate the rabbis’ own role as its interpreters.
