The Way Into Torah [Paperback]

Norman J. Cohen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Torah, strictly identified as the first five books of the Bible, has often been defined in far more expansive terms. One rabbinic tradition employs water as a metaphor for the Torah, suggesting that reading the Torah is, for Jews, literally the most important nourishment in life. Norman J. Cohen, rabbi and Midrash professor at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, endorses that definition in The Way into Torah, an excellent introduction to a central practice of Jewish worship and life. The commandment to read the Torah, Cohen argues, is "the paramount commandment, since without it one cannot understand what God demands of us, and therefore it must lead to action, both ritually and ethically. It is not enough to study in order to merely gain knowledge; the study of the Torah must affect our lives in every way." After describing Torah study as an obligation for all Jews and then exploring the many definitions of the Torah that Jews have propounded, Cohen describes the ways that Jews have interacted with the Torah (from Midrash, an imaginative reading style that adds new chapters to classic Bible stories, to strictly rational legal readings). For Cohen, the Torah is simply the most powerful means by which Jews may experience God's presence. For readers who require testimonial, Cohen has assembled a cloud of witnesses ranging from Rabbi Hillel to the actor Kirk Douglas, who once told a group of acting students: "Study the Torah--all the best scripts are there. Whatever dramatic device you can dream up, God thought of it first." --Michael Joseph Gross --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Cohen, provost and professor of Midrash at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, has written a clearly delineated and persuasive guide to studying the Torah (including the Pentateuch, the Bible, and the corpus of classic Jewish texts). He discusses the importance of Torah study, who should study Torah, defining Torah, discovering the meaning of Torah, and the importance of being a part of a community of individuals seeking meaning through Judaism. In the process of explicating selected Torah texts, he demonstrates the power behind the words and encourages readers to study Torah more profoundly and meaningfully. This is the first in the publisher's promising new "The Way Into" series, which will continue to explore other aspects of Jewish faith, people, history, and beliefs. Highly recommended for Judaic collections.DMarcia Welsh, formerly of the Guilford Free Lib., CT
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 145 pages
• Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580231985
• ISBN-13: 978-1580231985
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #881,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly written and highly accessible, January 10, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Way Into Torah (Hardcover)

The Way Into Torah is a superbly written, highly accessible introduction for the general reading seeking guidance on how to effectively read, study, and understand the Torah, including the other books of the Bible and the related sacred texts that grew up around it. Norman Cohen is Rabbi and Professor of Midrash at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, and brings his expertise and experience to bear in presenting just what the Torah is and how it came about, the different approaches to studying the Torah, the various levels of understanding the Torah, and what the Torah study is an essential aspect of the Jewish experience. The Way Into Torah is an ideal beginning point for commencing a personal study of the Torah.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If All Sermons Were This Good . . ., September 26, 2001

By 

"krchicago" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Way Into Torah (Hardcover)

As others have noted, The Way Into Torah provides a very accessible introduction to Torah study. Dr. Cohen does a masterful job of explaining basic terms and concepts without talking down to the reader, and covers quite a bit of material in this rather short book. I have only one complaint. Although Dr. Cohen acknowledges that the Torah consists of much more than the Chumash (and uses the Midrash Rabbah extensively throughout the book), he barely mentions the two extra-biblical works that have been at the heart of Torah study for centuries -- the Mishnah and the Talmud. Perhaps the decision to more or less ignore the Talmud was based on a judgment that beginners should begin with the more familiar, and in some sense "easier," Chumash. If that judgment was made, however, I would have liked to have seen it spelled out in the text, with at least enough information provided about the Talmud to whet the student's appetite for more.

Nevertheless, if you are considering starting out on a program of Torah study, this is an excellent place to get your bearings. Dr. Cohen not only provides the basic information you need, but also explains why Torah study is important and how it can transform our lives. His love of Torah study comes across on every page, and he succeeds in making the reader want to share that experience. If all sermons were this good, you would already be studying Torah and wouldn't need this book. Until that day comes, this book ably fills the gap in both information and inspiration.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction to Torah Study, December 21, 2005

By 

David E. Levine (Peekskill , NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Way Into Torah (Hardcover)

Rabbi Cohen does not go into an analysis of the substantive content of the Torah. Rather, he defines what Torah is, who should study it, and what the levels of meaning are. Torah, in its narrowest sense, comprises the first five Books of the Tanach. It is what is sometimes referred to as the Pentatuch. Torah study is broader in that the entire Bible or Tanach is Torah study. Commentaries also constitute Torah study since tradition has it that oral, as well as written Torah was revealed on Mount Sinai. Commentaries and oral Torah are often set forth in Talmud. In the broadest sense, Any sincere study of Judaism is Torah study.

The study of Torah is for everyone. Rabbi Cohen cites a tradition that each should study to his or her ability. Some, particularly children, may not be able to see much beyond the Biblical stories. On the other end of the spectrum, each word in the entire Tanach is considered by some to be coded. Thus, the words are cross referenced and parsed in order to discover mystical meanings that are not readily apparent.

The levels of Torah study are the plain meaning of the written words of the Torah, allegorical interpretation which use the words for deeper meanings, midrash which are tales and stories that fill in the gaps of the text but have no direct support in the written text, and mystical interpretation. Torah study is a lifetime endeavor. You are never finished with your study. The more you study, the more you discover and study may lead you into the deeper levels set forth above. This book is a wonderful introduction and I highly recommend it.