The course material is geared for students at all levels of jewish education and observance, but with a special emphasis on keeping all classes accessible and. Throughout this era of biblical history, there are many instances of god interacting with women, including engaging in direct conversation with them. A womens commentary twc is a userfriendly book that is equally accessible to. A womens commentary, originally published by urj press and women of reform judaism, has been awarded the top prize in the oldest jewish literary award program, the 2008 national jewish book awards. As such, women study torah, in its widest sense as men do. A womans commentary on the torah was a book i picked up strictly because of the title. Some challenges are perennial, endemic to the human condition. A modern orthodox perspective on women and torah study.
The relationship between woman and god as seen in torah in this presentation, i want to address the complex subject of how womans relationship with god is seen in the torah, both the written torah and in yeshua as the living torah. The torah a women s commentary download ebook pdf, epub. A work of great import, the volume is the result of 14 years of planning, research, and fundraising. This commandment is defined as one of the most important of the a biblical or rabbinic commandment. After years of work by 80 women archaeologists, rabbis, biblical scholars, historians, poets the first printing of the torah. Weiss is the coeditor of the 2008 national jewish book awards winner, the torah.
The relationship between woman and god as seen in torah. Tamara cohn eskenazi and rabbi andrea weiss, phd, this commentary provides insight and inspiration for all who study torah. This theme of infertility is repeated with each matriarchal generationsarah, rebecca and rachel the importance of children in the bible. A womens commentary, the winner of the 2008 jewish book of the year award presented by the jewish book council. Rabbi elyse goldstein, one of the leading rabbis of a new generation, is director of kolel. I responded that i absolutely agree with you that this is how we are to treat halakhah.
The result is a torah commentary that we trust will benefit all of us. The recent surge in the involvement of women in serious torah learning may have begun in some quarters as a statement of feminism. Leah kohn this class addresses a broad range of topics on women and jewish spirituality, law and philosophy, with special attention given to the many ways in which judaism speaks to women, even or especially in modern times. This new edition, revised in 2005, brings contemporary values and a fresh vibrancy to the 1981 plaut edition, north americas longtime most popular torah commentary. An increase in women s torah knowledge should stimulate their efforts to educate others, and this, in turn, will upgrade their own knowledge. The role of women in traditional judaism has been grossly misrepresented and misunderstood. Go forth from your land, your birthplace, your fathers house, to the land that i will show you. Numbers deuteronomy breslov insights into the weekly torah reading the rabbi sion levy edition of the chumash in spanish. The golden calfa rupture in the connection between god. Their collective efforts will result in the first comprehensive commentary, authored only by women, on the five books of moses, including individual torah portions as well as the hebrew and english pdf translation. The womens torah commentary new insights from women rabbis on the 54 weekly torah portions.
She is also editor of the women s torah commentary. Torah for women is an outreach to women around the world. An overview of what part of the torah women are obligated to study, and the importance of a womans knowledge in raising her children. All of the commentary found here can be purchased, consolidated in hardcopy format as individual softcover books, one for each book of the torah, or. This is not just a torah commentary for women, says dr.
Written by four outstanding torah scholars, the jps torah commentary series represents a fusion of the best of the old and new. It contains the first five books of the bible in hebrew and would have been written on kosher animal skin. But, to use the same image, i think that what we must do is follow the river upstream, to its source. Discussion of womens torah study increased in the 1980s because the demand to broaden their study came from the orthodox women themselves, who wanted the full range of torah learning to be available to them, as it already was to women in other streams of judaism. The noted folklorist creates imaginative conversations between figures in the torah miriam, esther, dinah, lilith and leading female voices throughout jewish history, debating major aspects of work, marriage, women s role in community, one s relationship to god, and lots more.
A womens commentary will incorporate these perspectives. Like that established with noah, his descendants, and all living beings 9. The womens torah commentary jewish lights publishing. A womens commentary gives dimension to the womens voices in our tradition. Andrea weiss forever changed the way in which he views torah. Rav shach ztl also writes that the restriction against torah study for women does not apply to selfstudy avi ezri, talmud torah 1. Some girls and women feel that they, too, wish to take part in the nightlong torah study that many men engage in, and programs have been established to cater to this desire. Some girls and women feel that they, too, wish to take part in the nightlong torah study that many men engage in, and programs. A womens commentary, originally published by urj press and women of reform judaism, has been awarded the top. Our support of local efforts to improve womens health in the global south can help create hope for thousands of women, curing a condition that has caused anguish since the time of sarah. We are constantly challenged, both individually and collectively.
The sages teach 20 that on friday, before the actual arrival of shabbat, it is a mitzvah to taste the delicacies to be served on that day. He writes a popular column on issues of jewish law and thought featured in newspapers and magazines, including the jewish link of new jersey, the jewish echo and the vues. All too often, women s secular knowledge exceeds their jewish knowledge. Get ebooks rashi s commentary on the torah on pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi and audiobook for free. For our subject, womens relationship with god as expressed in torah, this is especially the case. This new edition, revised in 2005, brings contemporary values and a fresh vibrancy to the 1981 plaut edition, north america s longtime most popular torah commentary. In parashat lechlecha we encounter the first of what will become a common refrain in the book of genesis, the lament of the barren woman. He was already a member of the sanhedrin, the highest court of torah law in jerusalem, 79 years before the miracle of purim. I will make your name great, and it shall be a blessing.
Gods name is not mentioned even once in the entire book of esther. Isaiah, describing the joy embodied in the future glory of zion, likens this exultation to the song of the formerly barren woman, reveling in her children. Download a three year torah reading schedule three year torah reading cycle commentary on genesis commentary on exodus commentary on leviticus commentary on numbers commentary on deuteronomy purchase a hardcopy. A woman who decides to learn torah of her own accord is judged to be exceptional, while one who does so because of external encouragement, or because of social pressure, will not enjoy this special status. Leaven volume 4 issue 2women and ministry article 16 111996 the womens bible commentary, carol a.
Always update books hourly, if not looking, search in the book search column. A womens commentary twc 1 is a userfriendly book that is equally accessible to layperson and scholar. Goldstein lectures frequently throughout north america. As we approach the festival of shavuos, one of the questions frequently asked relates to torah study for women.
She and i both had an interest in finding information on the women of the torah. Others are timeconditioned, generated by prevailing sociopolitical, economic, scientific or philosophical circumstances. Jewish commentaries on the bible are biblical commentaries of the hebrew bible the tanakh. A torah commentary for teens jps torah commentary, 5 volume set sapirstein edition rashi. Rabbi jeremy weisblatt of temple sholom of chicago talks about how rabbi dr. It was not until the 1920s that the question was debated as to whether. A womens commentary will finally give dimension to the womens voices in our tradition. Person, series editor parashat ki tisa study guide themes theme 1. Judaism, contains more than 100 entries by female rabbis, scholars, poets and other. Draw attention to a few key quotations from the introduction to the central commentary on pages 49596 andor survey the outline on page 496.
Yahweh gave those commandments in the torah, the people. The day before purim is a day of fasting, to commemorate esthers fasting. Illness refers to how the sick person and the members of the family or wider social network perceive, live with, and respond to symptoms and disability. The torah, also known as the five books of moses or the pentateuch, is divided into 54 separate portions, each named for the first word or words of the passage and each linked to a specific week.
Wrj has commissioned the work of the worlds leading jewish female bible scholars, rabbis, historians, philosophers and archaeologists. Tamara cohn eskenazi professor of bible, hucjirla the torah. Mordechai was a very old man during the story of purim. Study of torah for women as we approach the festival of shavuos, one of the questions frequently asked relates to torah study for women. The adult center for liberal jewish learning, a fulltime progressive adult jewish learning center. The noted folklorist creates imaginative conversations between figures in the torah miriam, esther, dinah, lilith and leading female voices throughout jewish history, debating major aspects of work, marriage, womens role in community, ones relationship to god, and lots more. Arthur kleinman makes an important distinction between illness and disease. Tanakh the pentateuch, prophets and hagiographia torah study is a positive biblical precept. New insights from women rabbis on the 54 weekly torah portions rebbe nachmans torah. The author argues that the only tenable halakhic objection to. Chapters 111 relate gods creation of the world and the first humans, the stories of adam, eve cain and abel, the flood, the tower of babel, and the invention of various human arts and industries.
A halakhic analysis mendel shapiro a b s t r a c t. We accept and agree that torah commandments are clearly commandments. Synopsis of the contents of the tanakh the jewish bible part one. A womens commentary, which was copublished by ccar press and women of reform judaism wrj, women took a seat at the table and added new, longsilenced voices to. While womens precise halachic obligation vis a vis torah study is a complex question, 3 it was not the desire to technically address this particular issue which led to the establishment of batei midrash for women. For each torah portion, my jewish learning offers numerous commentaries from a wide range of perspectives. All too often, womens secular knowledge exceeds their jewish knowledge. Utilizing the latest research to enhance our understanding of the biblical text, it takes its place as one of the most authoritative yet accessible bible commentaries of our day. A womens commentary to provide an overview of the parashah as a whole. The sole exception is the world if haredim ultraorthodox jews who maintain significant bans on woman studying torah, and indeed, on womens rights in general. Guide to weekly torah commentaries online my jewish learning. I had hoped to find something of interest that i would be able to read to my very best friend who was blind.
The weekly portion known as parashat hashavuah, or simply the parsha is read aloud, or chanted, from the torah scroll as part of the torah service in synagogue on shabbat saturday. If we are really serious about women s spirituality, about reclaiming our history and our voices, about liberating the concepts of god and community, of integrating the. The attitude of sephardic decisors to womens torah study. Mishneh torah online book english translated by rabbi eliyahu touger, this translation features a modern english translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the mishneh torah by the rambam. Tamara cohn eskenazis skillful leadership, this commentary will provide insight and inspiration for all who study torah. Can you quote from the torah the command to dress modestly. The torah with rashi s commentary translated, annotated and elucidated, vols. Disease, however, is what the practitioner creates in the. Examining how sephardic rabbis have responded to the challenge of womens torah study allows us to test the claim that the sephardic halakhic tradition is more flexible and tolerant of change than the ashkenazi orthodox halakhic tradition.
There are more than 1 million books that have been enjoyed by people from all over the world. New insights from women rabbis on the 54 weekly torah portions. The women s torah commentary new insights from women rabbis on the 54 weekly torah portions. We provide resource and scriptural teachings to set women free from the bondage of manmade traditions and religious beliefs that conflict with the word of god. Rashi s commentary on the torah ebook download free pdf. I will make of you a great nation, and i will bless you. The position of women is not nearly as lowly as many modern people think. Most significant is the multiple voices of interpretation since the commentary includes and highlights five perspectives on each torah portion.
A womens commentary, edited by tamara cohn eskenazi and andrea weiss. A womens commentary, published by the women of reform. New insights from women rabbis on the 54 weekly torah portions goldstein, rabbi elyse on. Synopsis of the contents of the tanakh the jewish bible. The idea of a women s commentary was brought up at the 1993 wrj assembly when cantor sarah sager urged wrj members to imagine women feeling permitted, for the first time, feeling able, feeling legitimate in their study of torah.
New insights from women rabbis on the 54 weekly haftarah portions, the 5 megillot and special shabbatot. The weekly portion known as parashat hashavuah, or simply the parsha is read aloud, or chanted, from the torah scroll as part of the torah service in synagogue on shabbat saturday morning. With this commentary we will continue as sisters to empower the women and men who come after us for generations to come. This paper examines sephardic rabbinic attitudes to womens religious studies, and more specifically, advanced talmud study. On the right is a torah scroll turned to the book of genesis. Why womens torah commentary matters today more than ever. A womens commentary gives dimension to the womens voices in the jewish tradition. The prophets tell us to walk discreetly with your gd. Instead of land, wrj asks for something even more enduring give us a share of our torah. In this groundbreaking book, more than 50 women rabbis come together to offer us inspiring insights on the torah, in a weekbyweek format. The classic targumim are targum onkelos on the chumash a torah in. The covenant god establishes with abram in genesis 17 originates in gods call to abram at the beginning of parashat lech lcha. Almost 25 years after god calls abram to leave his home in mesopotamia and go to the land of canaan, god formally establishes a covenant with him genesis 17. This is a landmark and a groundbreaking volume that is a must read for all serious students of the bible.
Torah commandments, almost by complete default, are halakha, or certified by the rabbis as commandments. Miscarriage and infertility introduction i n the previous parashah, yitro, the covenantal relationship between god and the jewish people begins with the giving of the ten commandments. Their womens torah reading spurred ultraorthodox anger and violence, an extremist reflection of the widespread negative sentiment towards womens torah reading. Torah on women, misogyny, sex slavery, and pornography. This entrance was limited to what the male leadership felt was still proper for ladies of that era. A test case ilan fuchs tulane university, jewish studies program december 31, 2009 bar ilan univ. A womens commentary was published in december, and sold. The opening verse of chapter 16 informs us that sarai, the wife of abram, had borne him no child. New insights from women rabbis on the 54 weekly torah portions edited by rabbi elyse goldstein, jewish lights publishing september 2008. In sermons and study groups, the female characters of the bible are studied, examined, and dissected as never before. Rabbi gil student is the publisher and editorinchief of, a leading website on orthodox jewish scholarly subjects, and the book editor of the orthodox unions jewish action magazine. A comprehensive article about the importance of torah study for woman especially in our times.