Customer Reviews

The Sukkot and Simhat Torah Anthology

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I highly recommend Philip Goodman's anthologies of the Jewish holidays. They tell you everything you want to know about them from every conceivable angle.

Rabbi Goodman's anthology opens with a section on Sukkot in the Bible.he then has a chapter of writings on Sukkot in Post- Biblical writings including sections from Josephus, Bar Kokhba, Philo of Alexandria. He then continues with a chapter on Sukkot in Talmud and Midrash. Here he considers such subjects as the way Israel prays for the world, rejoicing on the festival, dwelling in booths, the water- drawing ceremony in Jerusalem. He then has a chapter on Sukkot in Medieval Jewish Literature, including writings by the Rambam, from the Zohar,from Don Isaac Abravanel and others. In his next section he gathers writings on Sukkot in Jewish Law. Again there are sections by the Rambam, and also from Solomon Ganzfried on Halakhah. In the next chapter he considers the Liturgy, including several prayers including three by Eleazar Kalir. There is then a chapter on Hasidic Tales and Teachings, one on Sukkhot and Simhat Torah in Modern Prose including selections from Herman Wouk, Samson Raphael Hirsch, Abraham Isaac Kook and others, a section on Sukkot and Simhat Torah iin Art, one on the Development of the Festival, on the Sukkah itself , the Four Species, Sukkhot and Simhat Torah in many lands, Sukkhot and Simhat Torah in Poetry, Sukkat and Simhat Torah in the Short Story including stories by Sholom Aleichem and Agnon,a section on Humor, on the Festival Delicacies, on Poems for children.
This anthology is truly a treasure and should enhance the the reader's understanding of and feeling for the holiday.
Chag Sameach.

This anthology contains much that will enrich understanding of the Holidays and make them more meaningful. The more we learn about the Holidays the more we deepen in our sense of their meaning.