Who is Yitzchak Etshalom? a comparatively unknown rabbi for whom I found this bio on Amazon:
[quote]Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He attended Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh, Rabbi Isaac Elhanan Theological Seminary and Yeshivat Har Etzion before receiving ordination from the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Itzhak Kolitz. While in Israel, Rabbi Etshalom studied Bible under Dr. Yoel Elitzur of Ofra and Rabbi Elhanan Samet of Kfar Etzion.
Rabbi Etshalom lives in Los Angeles with his wife Stefanie and their 5 children. He serves on the faculties of the Yeshiva of Los Angeles and the Simon Wiesenthal Center as Educational Coordinator of the Jewish Studies Institute, along with serving as chair of the Bible Department at the prestigious Yeshiva University High Schools of Los Angeles. He is also the author of a series of online e-mail classes on the Bible through the facilities of Project Genesis.
Why does he matter?
As Christian we tend to get tied up in Jewish interpretation based on rules unlike our own (Midrash) and ignore the fact that Jewish readers as are interested in the plain meaning as Christians. This author is a good example of the commonality when one starts with the premise of the plain meaning being primary, there being no contradictions, etc.
