The Second Jewish Book of Why [Hardcover]

Alfred J. Kolatch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1995

In The Jewish Book of Why, Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch addresses hundreds of fundamental questions frequently asked about Jewish life and practice. In this sequel volume, he delves more deeply into the subject matter touched upon in that best-selling work and goes on to explore more complex and controversial subjects, including abortion, homosexuality, birth control, artificial insemination, organ transplants, smoking, proselytizing, intermarriage, Jewish-Christian relations, and the changing role of women in Jewish life.

Recognizing the importance of our understanding how Jewish law developed and how legal authorities arrived at their decisions, Rabbi Kolatch opens The Second Jewish Book of Why with an overview of Jewish legal development from biblical times to the present. He introduces us to the major interpreters of Jewish law, explores the relationship between law and custom, and explains the basic principles upon which much of Jewish practice is based.

Following the same concise question-answer format he established in The Jewish Book of Why and the straightforward writing style for which he is renowned, Rabbi Kolatch addresses all questions without judgment or bias, presenting the beliefs and practices of all denominations. Featuring notes and a detailed index covering both of the Why volumes, The Second Jewish Book of Why is essential for anyone seeking an understanding of the Jewish heritage.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A truly impressive volume." -- Library Journal

About the Author

Alfred J. Kolatch, a graduate of the Teachers Institute of Yeshiva University and its College of Liberal Arts, was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, which subsequently awarded him the Doctor of Divinity degree, honoris causa. From 1941 to 1948 he served as rabbi of congregations in Columbia, South Carolina, and Kew Gardens, New York, and as a chaplain in the United States Army.

Rabbi Kolatch authored more than fifty books, the most popular of which are The Jewish Book of Why and The Second Jewish Book of Why, The Jewish Book of Why: The Torah, The Jewish Mourner s Book of Why, Inside Judaism, A Handbook for the Jewish Home, The New Name Dictionary, The Comprehensive Dictionary of English and Hebrew First Names, The Family Seder, and The Jewish Child s First Book of Why. Among his other notable works are Great Jewish Quotations: By Jews and About Jews, The Presidents of the United States & the Jews (with David Dalin), What Jews Say About God, and Masters of the Talmud: Their Lives and Views.

In addition to his scholarly work, Rabbi Kolatch served as president of the Association of Jewish Chaplains of the Armed Forces and as vice-president of the interdenominational Military Chaplains Association of the United States.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Jonathan David Publishers; 1st edition (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824603052
• ISBN-13: 978-0824603052
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #77 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Jewish Life

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A satisfying appetizer, July 26, 2000

By 

Susan M. Rogers (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Second Jewish Book of Why (Audio Cassette)

Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch, author of The Second Jewish Book of Why, has such a winning way with the written word that he has managed to turn out one appealing book after another 34 times! The Second Jewish Book of Why is his 26th, and five years after its publication, still available. My college student nephew recommended Kolatch's `books of why,' and I picked The Second because the questions and answers in The First were more familiar. The Rabbi's second book left me feeling as if I had had a very good appetizer, satisfying enough, but ready for more, much more.

While many answers struck me as complete, others did not. I was glad to learn why the philosopher Baruch Spinoza was excommunicated: because he "argued that God and Nature are one..." which, the Rabbi asserts, "ruled out belief ... in God's transcendence...[and] any interplay between God and man." I would have liked to learn how the Rabbi managed to conclude that "Spinoza was not terribly upset" in 1656, when his Sephardic community excommunicated him. Also, I would like to order Rabbi K's 6th book (now out of print), "Who's who in the Talmud." It followed his first Jewish Book of Why, published in 1981.

Fortunately, the indexing is excellent, as many fascinating tidbits are hidden. For example, I was thrilled to learn the origin of "Sephardim," the root of which is the Hebrew name for Spain, and Ashkenaz "being the Hebrew name for Germany." But this is buried in his answer to the question, Why is the term "Oriental Jew" sometimes confused with "Sephardic Jew"? The index in The Second Jewish Book of Why also includes its predecessor, which as of this writing, occupies the 8,370th place in popularity of purchases at Amazon.

A grab-bag of some of the delights of this volume would have to include mention of the many Purims enumerated in the Rabbi's answer to his question, "Why do some Jews fast on days other than those in the Jewish calendar?" In his response, we learn that it is customary to fast before Purim, and that there are communal fasts before all (!) Purims. Then he lists five additional Purims, the most recent being "the Purim of Casablanca (called Purim Hitler), established in 1943 ...on the occasion of Jews having been saved from Nazi occupation."

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Heavy reading, July 19, 2010

By 

Jorge Frid (Mexico City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Second Jewish Book of Why (Hardcover)

Of course you'll understand many things about Jewish traditions and customs but the book is not written for laymen.

Some answers are oxymoron to other questions, maybe if one delve more in the subject it could be explained but that explanation is not in this book.

The book doesn't invite you to sit several hours at a time to read it. You'll have to take brakes every few questions.

Some questions aren't utterly answered, so you'll be worst with this theme at the book's end.

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally satisfied, September 27, 2011

By 

hartwighouse - See all my reviews

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