JL;DR SUMMARY Yonatan Adler's book, "The Origins of Judaism: An Archaeological-Historical Reappraisal," challenges the traditional Jewish origin story by arguing that Jews did not begin to treat the Torah as an authoritative text until the Hasmonean era around 140 BCE. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.