Description:
Exploring Jewish Tradition, by Rabbi Abraham B. Witty and Rachel J. Witty, is not a particularly original project. There are already dozens of general and specialized guidebooks covering the territory that the Wittys explore here. What sets this one apart, however, is its emphasis on the language of Judaism--the vocabulary and idioms of Jewish traditions. Each of 10 chapters (covering Torah, synagogue ritual, prayer, the Jewish calendar, the Sabbath, the High Holidays, the Pilgrimage Festivals, the minor festivals, the Jewish life cycle, and "special words and phrases used in the day-to-day Jewish experience") is strictly organized into numbered sections exploring the meaning of various terms, with frequent and often lengthy allusions to the Torah, the Talmud, and other central Jewish texts. Each chapter ends with a cross-referenced listing of new words that have appeared in the chapter; and the back of the book provides a complete vocabulary and subject index. With these features, Exploring Jewish Tradition is structured as an exploration of the meaning of Jewish language. It's an ingenious and apt device for introducing the major elements of modern Judaism. For readers who seek a more historical, theological, or philosophical orientation to Jewish tradition, this may not be the best choice. But for those whose understanding is best structured by the meanings of words, it's a perfect fit. --Michael Joseph Gross
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