- Paperback: 176 pages
- Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing: Div of Longhill Partners; New edition edition (Aug 1 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1580231985
- ISBN-13: 978-1580231985
- Product Dimensions: 22.1 x 14.2 x 1.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 249 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon.com
The Torah, strictly identified as the first five books of the Bible, has often been defined in far more expansive terms. One rabbinic tradition employs water as a metaphor for the Torah, suggesting that reading the Torah is, for Jews, literally the most important nourishment in life. Norman J. Cohen, rabbi and Midrash professor at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, endorses that definition in The Way into Torah, an excellent introduction to a central practice of Jewish worship and life. The commandment to read the Torah, Cohen argues, is "the paramount commandment, since without it one cannot understand what God demands of us, and therefore it must lead to action, both ritually and ethically. It is not enough to study in order to merely gain knowledge; the study of the Torah must affect our lives in every way." After describing Torah study as an obligation for all Jews and then exploring the many definitions of the Torah that Jews have propounded, Cohen describes the ways that Jews have interacted with the Torah (from Midrash, an imaginative reading style that adds new chapters to classic Bible stories, to strictly rational legal readings). For Cohen, the Torah is simply the most powerful means by which Jews may experience God's presence. For readers who require testimonial, Cohen has assembled a cloud of witnesses ranging from Rabbi Hillel to the actor Kirk Douglas, who once told a group of acting students: "Study the Torah--all the best scripts are there. Whatever dramatic device you can dream up, God thought of it first." --Michael Joseph Gross
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Library Journal
Cohen, provost and professor of Midrash at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, has written a clearly delineated and persuasive guide to studying the Torah (including the Pentateuch, the Bible, and the corpus of classic Jewish texts). He discusses the importance of Torah study, who should study Torah, defining Torah, discovering the meaning of Torah, and the importance of being a part of a community of individuals seeking meaning through Judaism. In the process of explicating selected Torah texts, he demonstrates the power behind the words and encourages readers to study Torah more profoundly and meaningfully. This is the first in the publisher's promising new "The Way Into" series, which will continue to explore other aspects of Jewish faith, people, history, and beliefs. Highly recommended for Judaic collections.DMarcia Welsh, formerly of the Guilford Free Lib., CT
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
If All Sermons Were This Good . . .,
By "krchicago" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Way Into Torah (Hardcover)
As others have noted, The Way Into Torah provides a very accessible introduction to Torah study. Dr. Cohen does a masterful job of explaining basic terms and concepts without talking down to the reader, and covers quite a bit of material in this rather short book. I have only one complaint. Although Dr. Cohen acknowledges that the Torah consists of much more than the Chumash (and uses the Midrash Rabbah extensively throughout the book), he barely mentions the two extra-biblical works that have been at the heart of Torah study for centuries -- the Mishnah and the Talmud. Perhaps the decision to more or less ignore the Talmud was based on a judgment that beginners should begin with the more familiar, and in some sense "easier," Chumash. If that judgment was made, however, I would have liked to have seen it spelled out in the text, with at least enough information provided about the Talmud to whet the student's appetite for more.Nevertheless, if you are considering starting out on a program of Torah study, this is an excellent place to get your bearings. Dr. Cohen not only provides the basic information you need, but also explains why Torah study is important and how it can transform our lives. His love of Torah study comes across on every page, and he succeeds in making the reader want to share that experience. If all sermons were this good, you would already be studying Torah and wouldn't need this book. Until that day comes, this book ably fills the gap in both information and inspiration.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superbly written and highly accessible,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Way Into Torah (Hardcover)
The Way Into Torah is a superbly written, highly accessible introduction for the general reading seeking guidance on how to effectively read, study, and understand the Torah, including the other books of the Bible and the related sacred texts that grew up around it. Norman Cohen is Rabbi and Professor of Midrash at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, and brings his expertise and experience to bear in presenting just what the Torah is and how it came about, the different approaches to studying the Torah, the various levels of understanding the Torah, and what the Torah study is an essential aspect of the Jewish experience. The Way Into Torah is an ideal beginning point for commencing a personal study of the Torah.
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Insightful Entry Into Torah!,
By Susan Theodoric (Chicago area) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Way Into Torah (Hardcover)
As I child, I was taught a bit about the Bible, but not muchof it stuck. As an adult, bouncing from teacher to teacher, tradition to tradition, I have never really come back to trying to open the Bible and understand what it might mean for me. I can tell you that this book is a great entry to getting started. I found it very helpful in the ways it is organized, and full of insights.Highly recommended.
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