Sparks Beneath the Surface: A Spiritual Commentary on the Torah [Paperback]

Lawrence S. Kushner (Author), Kerry Olitzky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1995

In Sparks beneath the Surface: A Spiritual Commentary on the Torah, Lawrence Kushner and Kerry Olitzky, two leaders in a new generation of liberal rabbis, have provided an invaluable tool to bring the teachings of Torah to modern Jews. Organized around the weekly Torah portions, Sparks beneath the Surface is designed to designed to resemble the pages of the Talmud. In the center of each page the rabbis present the targum - the English translation of the phrase or verse being explored. The authors include material from great chasidic teachers, offer insights from Jewish tradition to add depth to the point under discussion, and provide sources for further study. Sparks beneath the Surface provides the student, whether experienced or new to Torah study, with what the authors refer to as 'psycho-spiritual' insights on the Bible. This work represents the first time chasidic insights have been brought to a liberal context without compromising either ideological framework.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc.; First edition (November 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568217439
• ISBN-13: 978-1568217437
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,382,104 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:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book to read slowly and carefully, February 14, 2011

By 

Eric Maroney (Trumansburg, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sparks Beneath the Surface: A Spiritual Commentary on the Torah (Hardcover)

Sparks beneath the Surface is a Torah commentary whose pages mimic that of classic Jewish texts like the Talmud: the center contains a Torah portion, and around it, are various commentaries. The lynchpin of these commentaries is a "Teaching" from a Chasidic master. Near it is given the "Scriptural Context" that gives the portion a place in the Torah. Next there is "Perhush" where the editors explain the teaching. And finally "From the Tradition" is a bit of lore about the passage from the Midrash and other places.

This book is a joy to read, and gives English speakers a taste of what reading a bit of Talmud is like. Read the book slowly. Don't read too many chapters at a time. Take in the meaning of each over a long span, and the full fruits of this book will be yours. This is what Jewish reading is about.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A head nod to the wisdom of Chassidic Rabbis and Rashi, January 24, 2011

By 

Laura Weakley "spiritual1rav" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sparks Beneath the Surface: A Spiritual Commentary on the Torah (Hardcover)

First I need to say I am astounded there aren't other reviews of Sparks Beneath The Surface. I utilize this book for its spiritual insights of the Torah, or Five Books of Moses. It is divided into three different discussions, from different rabbis, on almost every Torah Portion. Like the other books which look at the Torah Portions specifically, until I finish writing my book which will be quite different, this book takes specific verses and expounds upon them.

It is called Sparks Beneath The Surface, for those of you unfamiliar with Kabballistic teachings, every single material object, person, animal, plant, etc...has a spark of G-d inside. We have prayers for everything because when we recognize G-d in everything and everyone, we are trying to raise all of these sparks and in doing so repairing the world, (Tikkun Olam). There is a Kabballistic teaching which I will explain briefly, when G-d created the world, since G-d was everything, Adonai had to pull back to make room. This is called Tzim Tsum. The parts of G-d pulled back were placed inside vessels, but nothing can contain G-d, so the vessles broke, thereby sending the sparks into everything in existence.

Back to this book, whether you are a Jewish Scholar, or unfamiliar with Jewish teachings and everyone in between these two extremes, your spirit will be raised, your awareness of the spirituality contained in the Torah will soar. This book will make you excited to learn more! It is not a book to be read cover to cover, and then placed upon a shelf, it requires multiple looks at each chapter, and as in reading the Torah itself, each time you will see more, and understand more.
Companion Workbook to What The Torah Teaches Us About SurvivalWhat The Torah Teaches Us About Spirituality/ Through Isaac's Own Spiritual Journey
What the Torah Teaches Us About Survival

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected, July 1, 2011

By 

Truth Seeker (NYC, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Sparks Beneath the Surface: A Spiritual Commentary on the Torah (Hardcover)

I expected a metaphysical/philosophical/cosmological commentary on the Torah, I did not get that, although I am sure this book is valuable to those of a "religious" bend, it was not to someone (i.e. myself) of a spiritual/mystical understanding. I found some of the information contained within interesting, if not to understand why certain religious people do what they do, and to get a historical context for some beliefs, but I expected a more philosophical elaboration on the stories and statements (wisdom) made in the Hebrew Scriptures. I gave it three stars because it didn't suck, was well ordered (at quick glance it looks just like an English translation the Talmud) and had some interesting information, but I gave it three stars because I got bored with it and it became tedious.

It is interesting to me that without Moses (i.e the "old" testament), everything else (of the "Abrahamic" tradition, Judaism, of course, but especially Christianity and specifically Islam) is nonsensical, meaningless, you can't claim to be a successor of Moses and introduce some completely new innovation without dismissing the very thing one claims to be the continuation of...without Moses everything means nothing (he was the first and the beginning), and unless you fall firmly within that tradition (as recorded within the pages of the Torah), you can't claim to be its continuation, let alone a "prophet" within the "Abrahamic" tradition (and not too ironically both Christianity and Islam try to use the "writings" of Moses to dismiss the writings of Moses, not realizing they dismiss themselves with the same breath, and make themselves pointless).

Ironically...if Moses had never been, both Christianity and Islam still more than likely would have been founded, but they would have been something entirely different, and most importantly they would be missing the replacement theology, antisemitism, and the constant need to persecute and murder Jews all for the purpose of proving (to themselves and the rest of the world) that their religions are the "better" "more perfect" continuations of Moses's/Judaism), that is if there had been another inspiration for the creation of those religions, Christianity and Islam, other than Moses in the first place.