God's Echo: Exploring Scripture with Midrash [Hardcover]

Sandy Eisenberg Sasso (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2007

The Rabbis of old believed that the Torah was divinely revealed and therefore contained eternal, perfect truths and hidden meaning that required elucidation. The meaning of a text was more complicated than simply reading it. And meaning changed over time. This understanding of how the Bible mystically relates to all of life is the fertile ground from which midrash emerged.

"The rabbis believed that nothing in the Bible, not the choice of words or their spellings, not the order of events or the relationship of one text to another, was haphazard or inconsequential. Everything was there with purpose. They deemed it their reponsibility to discover connections and harmony where on the surface none appeared to exist. A text may contain multiple meanings. Time is of no consequence. They felt free to read back into old stories what happened in future eras, and to see in the early stories of Genesis a foreshadowing of future events."

In this engaging book, Rabbi Sasso explores how midrash originated, how it is still used today, and offers new translations and interpretations of more than twenty essential midrash texts.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Between 400 and 1200 C.E., a group of rabbis expounded on the text of the Bible, making it relevant to their times and to subsequent readers. This extensive collection of explanations and interpretations is known collectively as Midrash. Sasso, the second woman ever ordained as a rabbi, considers Midrash "both a product, a body of literature... and a process... that continues to the present day" and has assembled a themed collection of text, extrapolations and guided self-evaluation in the hopes that more people will see not only how the ancients still speak to us but how our own experiences make us writers of Midrash as well. Her brief history of the practice and depiction of the four-fold method used for approaching a particular text provides a good starting point for newcomers. However, while she admits to choosing certain portions regarding rejection, anger and repentance because they're "part of [her] story" and advocates taking ownership of the narratives as they apply in present times, she, for the most part, shares very little of herself or her reasons for selecting these themes. Despite her best efforts to excite a new audience to this tradition, the finished product feels disappointingly more like a series of lessons or sermons cobbled together. (June)
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From Booklist

Midrash, the discovery of meanings other than literal ones in the Hebrew Bible, is derived from the root darash (inquire). It denotes the literature that interprets scripture in order to extract its full implications and meaning. Midrashic literature contains some of the most distinctive features of rabbinic Judaism, delving more deeply than the literal meaning of the word of scripture—a method of linking the various parts of the Bible together by the discovery of typological patterns, verbal echoes, and rhythms of repetition. Rabbi Sasso examines the origins of Midrash and how it is still used today. She presents new translations and interpretations of 20 Midrash texts and explains the fourfold method of interpretation used by ancient rabbis. The author offers a readable treatment of a difficult subject. Cohen, George

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Paraclete Press (June 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557254788
• ISBN-13: 978-1557254788
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #928,128 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meaningful, spiritual, very interesting and worthwhile, December 29, 2011

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Goldie Milgram (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: God's Echo: Exploring Scripture with Midrash (Hardcover)

Rabbi Sasso opens up sacred text for us in accessible ways that are also healing for the human spirit. She is a lucid, honest and skillful writer. The questions she offers to guide the reader that appear within the volume are excellent dialogue starters for parents and families. I can imagine reading one section aloud each Shabbat to open meaningful dinnertime discussion. A meaningful purchase for every Jewish home.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Midrash for everyone, October 22, 2009

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Brian P. Ahlstrom "Hedgehog" (Johnstown, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: God's Echo: Exploring Scripture with Midrash (Hardcover)

A lady rabbi doing midrash, and feminine consciousness-raising via Bible study. What's not to like?

4.0 out of 5 stars Stories abound, December 4, 2011

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Ruhi19 - See all my reviews

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This review is from: God's Echo: Exploring Scripture with Midrash (Hardcover)

God's Echo is easy to read. It contains many stories helping one to understand how interpretation works in the Jewish community. It also helps one to understand the way that Midrash interprets Scripture.