The Way into Torah

For everyone who wants to understand Torah, this book shows the way into an essential aspect of Judaism, and allows readers to interact directly with the sacred texts of the Jewish tradition. Helps readers explore the origins and development of Torah, why it should be studied, and how to do it. Offers an entrance into the world of Torah and to its meaning for our lives. It shows us why reading Torah is not the same as reading anything else -- and enables readers to become a part of a chain of Jewish tradition that bgan millennia ago and remains unbroken today. Norman J Cohen is a rabbi, provost of Hebrew Union College -- Jewish Institute of Religion, and professor of midrash. He lectures widely on the topics of Bible study and midrash -- finding contemporary meaning from ancient biblical texts. Cohen was a participant in Bill Moyers' Genesis: A Living Conversation series on PBS, and is the author of Self, Struggle & Change: Family Conflict Stories in Genesis and Their Healing Insights for Our Lives; Voices from Genesis: Guiding Us through the Stages of Life; and most recently, Hineini in Our Lives: Learning How to Respond to Others through 14 Biblical Texts and Personal Stories.

Dr. Norman J. Cohen is Provost of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where he is also Professor of Midrash

About The Way Into...

i

Timeline

vi

Acknowledgments

xiii

Introduction

1

(6)

1. The Importance of Torah Study

7

(24)

Understanding how the Torah came to be put together, and why "Torah" also is used to mean the totality of the Jewish religious tradition. The supreme importance of Torah; through it we experience God's presence, re-experience revelation at Mount Sinai, and guarantee Jewish survival. When we study Torah we discover ourselves.

2. Who Should Study Torah?

31

(20)

The obligation to study Torah. It is never too late to begin. All of us engage the texts of our tradition according to our own capacities and experiences. Torah study is a lifetime journey and we are located at different places along the way.

3. Defining Torah

51

(20)

The Torah is the product of individuals who lived at many different times, yet the Rabbis emphasized Torah's time-less quality. There are two Torah (the Written and Oral). The Torah contains everything while it is ever-expanding. The Torah is "not in Heaven"; it is the product of human beings struggling to translate it into their lives.

4. Discovering the Meaning of Torah

71

(24)

The terseness of the Bible presents us with unending opportunities for interpretation, as does every element in the text. Intertextuality, the interaction among different biblical verses, as a key to midrash. Reading Torah forces self-reflection and each text can be understood differently at different stages in the student's life.

5. A Community of Learners

95

(16)

The importance of being part of a community of individuals on Jewish journeys in search of meaning. Torah cannot be studied in isolation; we all require a teacher and study partners. Torah l'shma-Torah study-is its own reward. It allows us to experience God's presence. The pure joy of Torah study as an unending source of knowledge about ourselves and of deep personal satisfaction.

Conclusion

111

(8)

Notes

119

(12)

Glossary

131

(8)

Suggestions for Further Reading

139

(2)

Index

141

(4)

About Jewish Lights Publishing

145

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

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Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials