Hi David. Torah was deeply meddled with long before the Babylonian exile. Jeremiah notes in chapter 7 that GOD "gave no commands concerning bloody sacrifices" and in chapter 8 we learn that the Law (Torah) was meddled with by the "lying pen of the scribes".

Because of this, I take most of Torah with a grain of salt. Much if not most of the Law is a fabrication built on period culture more than it was the commands of GOD.

But your points of history are nonetheless equally interesting and well taken.

This unholy game of telephone within the pages of the Bible continues well into the Christian NT as well.

Great comments!

I wonder what your thoughts would be on this—

Why Jesus Left the Church ...

https://medium.com/backyard-theology/why-jesus-left-the-church-aab86cb3dd0e