[framebit]

He's not idealizing the past. Keep reading:

"It is unknown if these radical commandments were ever followed to the letter."

The "Torahic economy" as referenced by the author in this context is clearly the _idea_ of an economy that does follow the ideals of the Torah. The way things played out in reality could more accurately be referenced as the "Hebrew economy" or something like that.

[rgbrenner]

If that was his intention (I don't agree), then it is not unknown. It is known they were not followed.

If a torahic economy is only an idea... then why use it as an example at all. We know that's not how it played out in practice.. He holds the current economy to reality, but the torahic economy only to an idea. We aren't striving for violence and murder either... they exist, just like they would exist in a torahic economy too.