Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A dense excellent reference for serious Jews, May 10, 2002
This book, by the late Rabbi Isaac Klein, of blessed memory, is the only fairly comprehensive guide to Jewish religious practice issued by the Conservative movement. As such, it is an indispensable reference to the practicing Jew. Readers will find that their is, in fact, very little difference between the modern Orthodox Halachah and that set forth by the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly. The difference is, of course, in the theological approach.Rabbi Klein's book,which has been updated and supplemented a number of times to reflect changes since its publication in 1979, is a good source for the torah, talmudic and traditional approaches to all areas of Jewish practice. The book includes one of the most comprehensive approaches to the Kosher laws I have ever seen. It also covers synagogue practice in great detail, differentiating between laws (halachah) and customs which have taken on the effect of laws. (minhag) I myself pick up the book for review whenever necessary, for example, reviewing the section on brit milah (the circumcision) after my son's birth. This is not a book for beginners who have no familiarity with Jewish practice. It is a good stepping stone for the beginner who would like to have more comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Jewish practice. I learned more in this book than in six years of Hebrew School. For the beginner or for someone looking for a much easier book of this nature I recommend Rabbi Kotlach's "Jewish Home Advisor". For someone looking for a more comprehensive work and not ready to tackle the Shulchan Aroch, this is a wonderful resource.
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perhaps the most accessible Jewish law guide ever, December 30, 1997
By A Customer
No matter what one's level of observance, every Jew should have a book of Jewish law and practice in their home. Having such a guide is essential for all Conservative and Orthodox Jews. Even though Reform Judaism teaches that halakha (Jewish law) is not binding, it also teaches that it is incumbent upon Reform Jews to make themselves very familiar with the laws, customs and traditions, in order to make an informed choice. Most Orthodox guides to Jewish law are written in Hebrew; the complete guides in English are usually multi-volume sets that would cost many hundreds of dollars to complete. Fortunately, most people have no need of such complete guides to law. Published by the Conservative movement, "A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice" is the answer for most American Jews. It is based firmly upon previous works, including the Mishneh Torah, Shulkhan Arukh, and later rulings by Conservative and Orthodox authorities. It is more than a list of do's and don'ts: Each chapter discusses the philosophy, history and the reasons why these laws and customs came to be. This guide covers daily prayer, tallit & tzitzit, tefillin, weddings, births, adoption, divorce, bar and bat miztvahs, death and mourning, the High Holy Days, the Jewish festivals and fast days, Shabbat, keeping kosher, the laws of family purity, the role of women in Judaism, abortion and other topics. A great job, and highly readable. [Note that some of the sections on keeping kosher have ultra-detailed sections, which many people might just want to skip.]
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very good book, but beware the index., November 23, 2000
This is an extremely useful reference, which should be on every Jew's bookshelf. It is a remarkably comprehensive guide for its size, and is written in a clear and concise manner.My one criticism is it has a relatively poor index. This book is not meant to be read straight through, and it can be very frustrating to spend half an hour searching the book for the answer to a specific question. Despite this annoyance, I have found no better book on this topic.
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