Jewish history teaches us that every new idea and practical innovation in Jewish life always had its opponents. But it also teaches us that new ideas which emanate from holy and selfless sources always arise to refresh Israel and make the Jewish people eternally young.

As to the study of Biblical history, we have to learn the Tanach, which is part of the written Torah, together with the Oral Torah preserved in Talmud and Midrash. Reading the “Bible” without the commentaries of our Sages is like studying astronomy with the naked eye—without the use of a telescope. We are bound to misunderstand everything.

The inability to relate to history, to place things, people, and events in a time-frame perspective, creates an insularity and naivete that is extremely counterproductive to the cause of Torah and Jewish observance. If we are unaware of our past, of who we truly are, of our historic rights to our land and our lives as Jews, then the false accusations of our enemies that we are conquerors and interlopers will eventually ring true in our own ears.

The knowledge of world history is certainly extremely advantageous to the student. It shows clearly the workings of divine Hashgocho in the unfolding of the historical process.