Overview

What if the Bible's ""giants"" were never the point? Power Under Heaven: The Ethics of Rule in Biblical Giants is a halachically grounded exploration of Nephilim, Rephaim, Watchers, Og, and Goliath that keeps ethics at the center and spectacle on a leash. Writing in a scholar-rabbi's cadence, Menachem Clausen follows the classic Jewish order of learning-Tanakh → Chazal and mefarshim → Zohar/Arizal (carefully) → Second Temple literature (as non-canonical context) → ANE languages & archaeology → modern science as analogy-so curiosity serves covenant, not the other way around. Across Genesis, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Samuel, Daniel, and the prophets, ""giants"" emerge as a mirror: of abused office, fear-making speech, and cultures that mistake renown for righteousness. Babel becomes a case study in speech/power homogenization; Daniel's ""Watchers"" humble kings rather than license angelic biography; kabbalistic images are welcomed with the fences our sages modeled. Inside you'll find: A clear reading of Genesis 6 that centers human accountability and ḥamas over mythology. Og and Goliath measured by peshat first, with aggadah for mussar, not for anatomy. Zohar and Lurianic frames (middot, shevirah/tikkun) taught as moral pedagogy. Responsible engagement with 1 Enoch, Jubilees, and the Qumran ""Book of Giants"" (context, not canon). Philology and ANE parallels (e.g., Rephaim/rpum) that clarify language without importing foreign theologies. Contemporary echoes in tech, platforms, and policy-where ""men of name"" still stride. Who it's for: students of Tanakh and Jewish thought; rabbis and educators; readers of Bible-and-ancient-world studies who prefer sources over sensationalism; anyone seeking awe with guardrails. Promise of the book: You will finish with a larger reverence for Torah, a cooler eye for spectacle, and a sturdier ethic for wielding power-at home, in shul, and in public life. Non-canonical works are clearly labeled; editions are reputable; citations are meticulous. Power Under Heaven teaches how Israel reads fearsome tales into faithfulness-and why the surest answer to giants is still justice, kindness, and a humble walk with God.

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