Customer Reviews

The Second Jewish Book of Why

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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."

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.

I am totally satisfied by this vendor & highly recommend purchasing from them. I would buy from this vendor again & look forward to doing business via Amazon.

Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch (born 1916; of the Conservative tradition) wrote in the "General Introduction" to this 1985 book, "The enthusiastic response that greeted the publication of The Jewish Book of Why was somewhat unexpected and most encouraging. That volume answered some 500 questions, but it also provoked many new ones, and these questions are treated here."

Here are some quotations from the book:

"The Christian charge that the Jews crucified Jesus can be refuted on a number of counts: 1. By the time Jesus appeared on the scene, the Sanhedrin ... had lost all authority to pass sentence in capital cases. The authority was held completely by the Romans... the Sanhedrin would not have heard a case on a holiday and certainly not on a Sabbath... While crucifixion was a method of capital punishment widely used by the Romans, there is no evidence of it ever having been used by Jews." (Pg. 67-68)
"Judaism rejects the idea that the laws of nature can be contravened... 'Miracle workers' who have appeared on the scene from time to time have never been accepted by mainstream Judaism." (Pg. 70)
"Maimonides summarized what Jews looked forward to in the Messianic Age: 'There will be no hunger or war, no jealousy or strife; prosperity will be universal; and the world's chief occupation will be to know the Lord.' Since these conditions did not come to pass, the idea of Jesus as the Messiah never took root among Jews, and the followers of Jesus therefore turned to the pagan community in search of converts." (Pg. 71)
"The first century C.E. historian Josephus, in Against Apion (2:24) notes, 'Woman, says the Law, is in all things inferior to man. Let her accordingly be submissive, not for humiliation, but that she may be directed; for authority has been given by God to man." (Pg. 289)
"In the Orthodox synagogue, men and women are seated in separate sections in order not to subject men to sexual distraction or temptation." (Pg. 295)
"Although an impure woman may not have contact with her husband during the period of her impurity... (this) does not prohibit the woman from holding, touching, or kissing a Tora or a mezuza... So high is the Tora on the ladder of spirituality that nothing can affect its holiness." (Pg. 309)

I received this book in the shape as discribed. It arrived within 5 days from order. thank you very much. Lots of information. Not what I thought it would be like, but interesting read.

The Jewish Book of Why was excellent and answered a lot of questions. The Second Jewish Book of Why is even better! Truly a book for those who really want to know WHY for both the Gentile and Jew!

Kolatch follows up on his nicely readable BOOK OF JEWISH WHY with this second edition on Jewish practices, laws and traditions. Readers also learn about several controversial subjects such as abortion, homosexuality, and why having a Jewish mother (but not father) determines whether or not one is considered a Jew. Kolatch uses the same question-and-answer format that makes this book so informative and easy to read. This book is nearly as good as its predecessor, which also made great reading for both Jews and non-Jews. Perhaps we could use similar books on Catholics, Baptists, Buddhists, and other religious traditions.

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."

This is a great book. Not as goos as the first, but well worth the money.

My father-in-law saw this book at my parents house and remarked on it. So we gave it to him for his birthday, and he loves it. He proudly displays it on his coffee table.