It's a Mitzvah!: Step-By-Step to Jewish Living

Rating:
Summary: Verbal on most things, silent on some
Review: Generally, I really liked this book. It's a good counter-weight to all the Orthodox "baal t'shuvah" literature out there. For those who are wanting to become more observant without surrendering to an Orthodox worldview, this is great. It is traditional, yet answers modern questions intelligently and sincerely, firmly rooted in Jewish tradition.

Rabbi Shavit Artson discusses a whole host of mitzvot and beautifully interweaves them with a progressive yet Halachic outlook on the enviroment, social issues and human rights. The book provides a step-by-step method to go about taking up extra observances which I found very sensible.

I became observant without this book, but I noticed that my individually developed "methodology of t'shuvah" had many parallels to the very useful tips that the rabbi gives.

One point of criticism: rabbi Shavit Artson describes many powerful, traditional mitzvot in great detail, including shemirat ha lashon (guarding speech) and tallit katan (a small 4-cornered undergarment with tassles worn all day) which both receive emphasis in the Orthodox world. I am glad to see a Conservative rabbi reclaim these powerful tools of connection. However, he is COMPLETE SILENT on one of the 3 pillars of Jewish observance: Taharat haMishpacha - "Family Purity", the laws that regulate a couple's sexual life by requiring abstenance from sex when (and after) a woman is menstruating and her immersion in a kosher mikvah before resuming relations. Yes, it is a daunting mitzvah to explain to the "newly observant", but it is crucial and important and I was disappointed to see the book omit that.

When will Conservative Jews stop being ashamed of Halacha? Including those aspects, the "chukim" that might be embarrassing, weird or difficult at first glance? "Kedushah" is achieve by commitment and critical thinking, not by omission.

If the Conservative Movement wishes to (re)establish itself as a serious Halachic but progressive alternative to Orthodoxy, books like this should not be shy but confident in that our approach to Halacha is just as relevant and committed as anyone else's.

Otherwise, a great, accessible read!

Esther.

Rating:
Summary: Just give it 5 stars already!!!
Review: I can't stand it when reviewers quibble about minor points they don't like and then give 4 or 3 stars to a superb book like this one. Artson's book is organized beautifully. Furthermore, it's highly readable, intelligent, concrete, and thought-provoking. His book of Torah commentary (The Bedside Torah) is another wonderful book.

Rating:
Summary: Just give it 5 stars already!!!
Review: I can't stand it when reviewers quibble about minor points they don't like and then give 4 or 3 stars to a superb book like this one. Artson's book is organized beautifully. Furthermore, it's highly readable, intelligent, concrete, and thought-provoking. His book of Torah commentary (The Bedside Torah) is another wonderful book.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful book
Review: I discovered this book while e-mailing the author, Rabbi Artson, regarding concerns of whether or not converting is for me. He told me to read this book. It has been a great help for me as a starting point for my Jewish journey. It helps reassure the reader that you don't have to follow all 613 or so commandments of Jewish living to be a good Jew. Take life one Mitzvah at a time, and always try to improve your Jewish Identity. It carries you through the mitzvahs of visiting the sick, dietary laws, seeking peace, and even compassion to animals. Although some instances of the book I don't agree with (but no fault to Artson, remember -- Two Jews, three opinions), overall, a very good read for the Jew-by-Choice and born Jews wanting to better their walk through life.

Rating:
Summary: Too scattered to be entirely useful
Review: This book seems like a great idea -- jump into following more commandments, one at a time. So why don't I like it? Well, because there *are* connections between the various mitzvot, and this book ignores them.

A very wise rabbi once said to me, "There are only two correct answers to a question about whether you follow a particular mitzvah: 'yes" and 'not yet'." This book seems like it addresses this very issue: how does one begin? But the book focuses on each individual piece of halakhah as though it exists in isolation, which of course, none of it does. The book feels very scattered, distractingly so.

So if you are looking for a way to start practicing any particular mitzvah, this book may help you with suggestions for how to start at a walk, rather than running flat-out. But if you want a road map to a more observant life, you will find it lacking in a cohesive approach, or plan.

Rating:
Summary: Too scattered to be entirely useful
Review: This book seems like a great idea -- jump into following more commandments, one at a time. So why don't I like it? Well, because there *are* connections between the various mitzvot, and this book ignores them.

A very wise rabbi once said to me, "There are only two correct answers to a question about whether you follow a particular mitzvah: 'yes" and 'not yet'." This book seems like it addresses this very issue: how does one begin? But the book focuses on each individual piece of halakhah as though it exists in isolation, which of course, none of it does. The book feels very scattered, distractingly so.

So if you are looking for a way to start practicing any particular mitzvah, this book may help you with suggestions for how to start at a walk, rather than running flat-out. But if you want a road map to a more observant life, you will find it lacking in a cohesive approach, or plan.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful book
Review: This is a beautiful book that gives tremendous insight into Jewish spirituality. It shows that Judaism, just like her spiritual daughter, Catholicism, is a religion that expresses her faith through action. It gives the common sense advice that those new to the tradition of mitzvot should go slowly, taking one mitzvah at a time, and gradually adding more to one's Jewish routine. Even non-Jews such as myself can only benefit from considering whether some of these mitzvot -- such as honoring parents, visiting the sick, learning more about Judaism -- might enrich our Christian spiritual commitment.

The only drawback to this book is that the good works it recommends appear to be selective. I don't mean that the book must be exhaustive, only that it does not consider good works that might arise from a differing world view, even among Jews.

For example, the book takes great pains to expound upon the Jewish commitment to compassion for animals, but does not mention the Jewish commitment to the dignity of all human life, from the womb to the tomb. Many Jews participate alongside their Christian brothers and sisters in the commitment toward ending abortion. Why is this not considered in the book as a mitzvah, but the book does consider the mitzvah of seriously modifying one's lifestyle out of compassion for animals? Rabbi Artson does make the crucial distinction that humans have a distinct difference in dignity than animals since human beings are persons who are made "in the image and likeness of God." So why is there no consideration of modifying one's world view and lifestyle out of love for unborn children?

Other than this complaint, I found this book to be beautiful and wonderfully helpful in appreciating Jewish spirituality.