Verbatim quote · from the corpus

““Expressed”? “Manifested?” Once you’ve asserted it—against what real or imagined objection or accusation?—then what?) The language of sacred texts themselves, drawing on notions of seeing, witnessing, promising, judging, owing, etc., are far richer than the dogmas and doctrines these words end up referring to. But it also seems to me that this maximization of the sample, seeing to the iteration of the sample, can also be seen as an ongoing refounding of the nomos, which is most real point of origin any of us can participate in. The nomos assumes the conquest of some territory (even if just from “nature” and not its previous inhabitants) and the consequent distribution into lots by the conqueror to his confederates in accord with the role they have played in the conquest. All subsequent inheritances will refer back to this nomos, just as US law ultimately refers back to the grants by British monarchs of colonies to individuals and companies. To challenge the distribution is to commit to a new conquest, so anyone who imagines doing so in the name of something like “fairness” or “equality” should have that in mind. But every inheritance, division and delegation, in referring back to the nomos or originary distribution, also accesses the intention of the distributor, which can be re-experienced in every moment. The Jewish version of this is being enjoined, during the Passover Seder, to see yourself as having been present at Mount Sinai during the revelation of the Lord and the giving of the Torah.”

— Adam Katz, Nomos and Transfer Translation · Jun 17, 2025 · Bouvard Substack