Customer Reviews

The Pentateuch and Haftorahs: Hebrew Text English Translation and Commentary (English and Hebrew Edition)

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Hertz's translation of the text is accurate and easy to read. The explanations and interpretations of select words and passages offer clarification and deeper meaning, and make the text come alive. It should come as no surprise that the Hertz Chumash is a synagogue standard.

It is a tradition among the Jews that when one reads the Bible one should also read the commentaries of our ancestors as well. This masterpiece of Jewish commentary by the late Chief Rabbi of Great Britain J.H. Hertz incorporates not only the thoughts of Rabbi Hertz himself but also those of Rashi, Saadya and many other Jewish sages.

I have been picking this book up and browsing through it, or referring to it for a specific point, for almost thirty years. If you can only have a few books in your Jewish library this book ought to be one of them.

A further point. I, too, used to think that Hertz's commentary used Hertz's own translation of the Pentateuch, the Five Books of Moses. In fact, Hertz'z book uses the normative (in his day) 1917 Jewish Publication Society translation.

Hertz's approach is decidedly Orthodox, but you don't have to be Orthodox to appreciate this work, which I believe will be in print as long as there are Jews who speak English. And if you are thinking of a gift for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or for Chanukah I can't think of a better choice than this one.

The distilled wisdom of the ages in about 1000 pages - no one could do it better. I have read through this volume every year for several years and never cease to discover new insights. Recommended it for both Jewish and Christian students of the holy scriptures.

J. H. Hertz's edition of THE PENTATEUCH (The Torah) and HAFTORAHS is a solid work of scholarship that demonstrates considerable work and shows clarity. This book is obviously useful for devout Jewish people, but Christians (Catholic and Protestant) plus those who have no religious affiliation but have an interest in biblical history and literature will enjoy this book. A knowledge of Hebrew is useful, but the book is so well done that it is not absolutely necessary.

Rabbi Hertz, the editor of this book, did not accept the Documentary Hypothesis interpretation of the Torah and Hebrew Bible or what is known as the TANAKH. For devout Christians, this is also know as the Old Testament. As this reviewer stated elsewhere, he does accept the Documentary Hypothesis or at least some form of it. In spite of these differences, this reviewer still considers Rabbi Hertz's book as scholarly, detailed and exceptionally well written regardless of differences of opinion.

Most Torah commentaries are written in Hebrew with English translations for those who may not have a command of the Hebrew language. Rabbi Hertz has the English translation in a parallel colume which makes reading and cross reference easier which is a convenient aid. Rabbi Hertz has excellent notes at the bottom of the pages to provide explanations of the text which is of considerable help in interpreting the Hebrew text and English translations. Rabbi Hertz was honest in that if he were not exactly sure of the original Hebrew, he admitted this and provided alternative explanations.

The Torah sections of this commentary have the Haftorah sections interspaced with the books of the Torah (Genesis,Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). The Haftorahs were readings from the Prophets which the rabbis interpreted as reflecting the ideas of the Torah. The Haftorahs are accurately placed where they belong for the Sabbath Readings including holidays and Yom Kippur. For those who attend or want to attend a synagogue, this book is a useful guide to following the readings that the rabbis or assistants use.

Another interesting quality of this book consists consists in the notes at the end of each book of the Torah. Those who are interested in biblical history would find these notes interesting, useful, and informative. These notes provide introductory historical background to the text and Jewish History. For example, Rabbi Hertz had an interesting note of persecution of Jews in Eastern Europe which helps explain Jewish devotion, tenacity, and courage which readers would find interesing very thoughtful.

Rabbi Hertz showed intellectual and historical honesty in the last sections of the book. He quite fairly included non-Jewish sources and books that would be useful to readers. Obviously, Rabbi Hertz cited Jewish sources which he divided as Ancient Versions and Commentators, Modern Versions in English, and Mondern Commentators, Tralslators, and Writers on Bible Subjects-Jewish. He further included non-Jewish sources in a section titled Modern Commentators, Translators, and Writers on Bible Subjects-Non-Jewish. Such honesty and fairness impressed this reviewer.

Rabbi Hertz provided a Chronological Table of historical events in Ancient Biblcal History. Readers can follow this table by referring to sources mentioned above to enhance their knowledge of the Hebrew Bible (The Tanakh)as well as learning more history. The index at the of the book is suprisingly good. Readers can easily locate sections of the book and the Torah with this index.

While Rabbi Hertz was a traditional Jew and rabbi, he was not a biblical literalist. For example, he explains the Creation Story very effectively and intelligently without insulting those who interpret the Creation Story literally. He patiently explained that the original Hebrew portrayed these events as poetry and as allegories rather than as strict literal interpreations. One must realize that the original Tanakh or Old Testament was written in Hebrew and Aramaic and not English.

THE PENTATEUCH AND THE HAFTORAHS is highly recommended to serious readers and students of the Bible and biblical history. One reviewer mentioned the Plaut TORAH COMMENTARY which this reviewer has and reviewed elsewhere. Both of these commentaries are worth the price and make for thoughtful reading. One's religious affiliation and belief should not preclude anyone from examing this commentary as well as the Plaut volume.

Is this the second best rendition, in Hebrew of the Torah with a side-by-side English translation, and provided with commentary, or is it just a matter of taste? According to my taste, the best version, and most modern, is "The Torah" by W. Gunther Plaut. You may read my review of that version, which I recommend when considering the purchase of this book.

For the record, the Pentateuch is another name for the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, the five books of Moses.

This book is most commonly used in the sanctuary of the Conservative synagogue, as compared to the Plaut volume, which serves the same purpose in the Reform synagogue.

I have both volumes side-by-side on an honored place in my living room. I recommend both. However, to my taste, Plaut is 'first among equals.'

Postscript: Don't be fooled by the title; Plaut includes the Haftorahs similarly to Hertz.

The Hertz Chumash has been with me for as long as I can remember. Shaareh Tefillah Shul in Troy, New York had the Hertz Chumash and its translation of the Chumash, and its great commentary taught me then as it still teaches me now. I every week read the Parsha both in Hebrew and English from it.
The Hertz commentary is a wise and generous one. It is filled with ' Yirat Shemayim' The Awe of G-d, and yet at the same time open to wise words from non- Jewish sources. It exalts and inspires . And its introductions to each book of the Torah are also of great help .It is still a great commentary to be learned from though it should of course be supplemented with others which go into greater detail in many areas.

I discovered this book 30 years ago, and it remains one of the treasures of my library. Hertz's notes render the wisdom of the Old Testament accessible to non Hebrew speakers, and is invaluable in offering the Jewish perspective of many passages that Christianity has reinterpreted. Reading the notes and explanatory chapters is sitting at the feet of the sages; one feels like one is truly discovering the Torah for the first time.

I assumed when I bought the book that it would be of interest primarily to Jews, but a Pentacostal friend quickly disabused me of that notion. I have shared it since with many other Christian friends, and they all promptly bought copies. There simply is nothing else out there that gives such fascinating insight into the Torah in English, while being so very accessible in style. If you buy only one religious book (besides the Bible), this should be it.

A good resource addition to use for the reading cycle. I like the way each Haftorah reading follows immediately after the Torah section.

The best and the worst thing about the Hertz Chumash is that Rabbi Hertz is not afraid to be a cheerleader for Judaism: for example, early on he takes on both atheists and Biblical literalists, squaring evolution with religion by explaining that the Torah is about the "ascent of Man" rather than stagnation. Because of Hertz's willingness to blend modernity and tradition, his Chumash has long been accepted by both Orthodox and Conservative congregations (though unfortunately it is less popular than it once was in both, as more sectarian competitors have gained "market share."

Once in a while he is a bit too much of a cheerleader for my tastes, and some of his points don't wear as well now as they did in the 1930s when he was writing. But nevertheless, the Hertz Chumash suits me better than any of the leading Orthodox Chumashes: it has more commentary than Aryeh Kaplan's translation, is less inclined towards fanciful legends than Artscroll, and is easier to follow than the Hirsch Chumash.

This is a great book for Jews and Christians! You can read the Hebrew, but at the same time have the English translation present. GREAT!