Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary

by Anonymous, David L. Lieber (Editor), Jules Harlow (Editor)

Special features make Etz Hayim meaningful for lay and clergy alike:
- Essays on key themes by prominent Conservative movement rabbis and scholars
- Separate p'shat and d'rash commentary themes, showing two approaches to interpreting the Torah:
The p'shat commentary, adapted from the JPS Torah Commentary and edited by Chaim Potok, seeks to explain the basic meaning of the text.
The d'rash commentary, edited by Harold Kushner, selects insights from over 2,000 years of Torah study, including passages from the Talmud and Midrash, the teachings of the Sages, comments by Rashi, homiletic and psychological insights by Hasidic teachers, and readings by contemporary rabbis and scholars, including women's voices.
- The haftarot commentary, edited by Michael Fishbane and drawn from his JPS Bible Commentary: Haftarot, explains the supplemental readings from the Prophets (Nevi'im), which accompany each weekly Sabbath reading.
- Highlights of traditional readings for Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities including the special section halakhah l'ma-aseh, which indicates where Jewish laws are based on biblical passages. Also, blessings for the Torah and haftarot, full-color maps, glossary, timeline of biblical events, and indexes.

Genres: Judaism, Religion, Jewish, Judaica, Nonfiction

1559 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2001

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:

* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author

Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.

See also: Anonymous

Reviews

[Nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This commentary is well-balanced, shows the research, gives clear explainations, and has a set of wonderful pre-face pages. Fascinating to read, and obviously essential to Torah study.
Shira
William-James-MEOW Date: 1 September, 12,014 H.E. (Holocene/Human Era)

[Claire S · Rating 5 out of 5]

The excitement was palpable when the synagogue (Conservative Judaism) I belonged to at the time received the brand new copies of this. I adore my own copy, and gave some to family members as well. It is great on a number of levels - readability; ease of reading multiple streams of text and multiple languages kind of simultaneously; and a variety of views presented as possible, in typical Jewish tradition.
Even though I've since migrated to the Reform and Reconstructionist branches, this text is dear and will always be a part of my observance.

[Guy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This translation strikes the right balance of being readable and accurate. It also has excellent commentary in the margins. The essays in the appendix are written by rabbis and scholars who take the "this is just a book written by human beings" approach. Skip the boring parts if you like, but at least read Genesis!

[James Madsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written text and commentary from Conservative Judaism. Whatever your views on religion, this is an excellent book for reading a fine translation of the Torah and one set of consensus interpretations of the text. This nicely complements the more liberal commentary in Richard Elliott Friedman's Commentary on the Torah (q.v.).

[Robert New England · Rating 5 out of 5]

The JPS Torah commentary series is the basis of this amazing commentary. It is used in the Conservative and Havurah movement. There are two commentaries for each section of the torah, Peshat and Derash: The Peshat commentary focuses on the plain meaning of the text – what is the story about? What meaning did the original author intend to convey to the original audience? What do these words, terms and places mean? The Derash commentary explains how the text has been understood by Judaism’s oral law: How has this passage been understood by the sages in the Mishnah, Midrash and Talmud? What theological, legal or ethical principles can we derive from the text? Features of this Chumash include:
* traditional and modern rabbinic commentators
* teachings from the Mishnah, Midrash and Talmud
* insights from literary analysis and comparative Semitics
* intertextual commentary relating each book to other biblical books
* evidence from modern archaeological discoveries.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first time I visited a synogogue, I fell in love with their commentary. Finally I was able to understand how the holy articles of the tabernacle were constructed (My mind just wouldn't wrap around the altar grate.). I thought the synagogue's leadership might let me have one, since the covers were so ragged--either torn or completely missing. Instead, I was told where I could buy one, but to make sure I got a Torah from the Conservative perspective. I wasn't told how to make sure I got the right one versus Liberal or Orthodox.

This Torah has skeptic/debunker slanting, so I'm fairly certain it is Liberal.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

En chumash (bok för att följa med i synagogans Torah- och Haftara-läsningar) utgiven av Konservativa rörelsen. Många bra kommentarer på olika nivåer, faktarutor om vilka judiska lagar grundar sig på den aktuella texten. Sammanfattningar innan varje bok, parasha och haftara om sammanhanget och genomgående teman. Längst bak i boken finns det korta, lättlästa uppsatser om olika viktiga judiska ämnen (bön, historia, kvinnans roll mm).
Mycket användbar!

[Don Schiewer]

This is a phenomenal introduction to the Torah! The translation is great...the Hebrew Font is very good...the commentary is top notch - think of it as the poor man's JPS commentary set on the Torah! There are several essays in the back (front for the non-Hebraic) that are very well written and fascinating. I highly recommend this commentary to Jewish and Christian readers who desire to hear the voices of our ancestors in the faith as they wrestle with the very word of G_d.

[Echo Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to read if you are a reader of the bible. Its commentary will help you to gain a better understanding of biblical history, as well as many of the idioms and customs used during biblical times. It is written in Hebrew and English.

It was definitely money well spent.

[Joshua Hatton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good commentaries though I don't always agree with the Conservative slant

[Christopher Sewell]

An enjoyably companion to your Judaical collection or library.