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Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary - Travel size Paperback Imitation Leather – August 1, 2004

by David L. Lieber (Editor), Jules Harlow (Editor)
4.8 out of 5 stars 239 ratings
JPS is pleased to make available a new, more compact edition of the landmark publication, Etz Hayim: A Torah Commentary. Etz Hayim, a publication of the Conservative movement, was produced through a joint venture of the Rabbinical Assembly, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and The Jewish Publication Society.

This new, smaller edition is a convenient alternative to the standard hardcover edition and is ideal for personal study and travel. It contains all the material in the original, excerpt for the essays. The Bible text, translations, and commentaries as well as the blessings, artwork, maps, glossary and other reference tools for the worshiper and student of Torah reader are included.

The sturdy, coated paper cover is designed to stand up well, even with heavy use.

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Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    1400 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Jewish Publication Society
  4. Publication date
    August 1, 2004
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 1.5 x 7 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0827608047
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1592497973
Next slide of product details

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

New this season! Travel-size edition of Etz Hayim: A Torah Commentary

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jewish Publication Society
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 1, 2004
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ travel size
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 1400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0827608047
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1592497973
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.45 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 1.5 x 7 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #863,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 239 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
239 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find this Torah book to be an excellent study guide with outstanding modern commentary and wonderful translation, describing it as beautiful and easy to read and understand. Moreover, they appreciate its enlightening content, with one customer noting how it helps Christians understand the significance of the Old Testament, while another mentions the helpful links to halachah. The print size receives mixed feedback, with some finding it great while others say it's too small. Additionally, customers value its portability, noting it's easy to carry.

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Commentary qualityEnlightenednessEase of readingReading qualityTranslation qualityBeautyTravel sizePrint size
24 customers mention "Commentary quality"23 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the commentary in this Torah text, describing it as excellent with outstanding modern insights, and one customer notes it provides good historical information.

"There is a great deal of information on Judaism as an added feature which is very helpful!..." Read more

"The Etz Hayim Chumash has great commentary accompanying the fine JPS translation...." Read more

"...in the Scriptures as this compact little humash with its wonderful commentary...." Read more

"I love this Chumash. Nice translation. Interesting commentary. Definitely use this for comparitive studies." Read more

9 customers mention "Enlightenedness"8 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the book's Torah insights, with one mentioning how it helps Christians understand the Old Testament, while another notes its helpful links to halachah.

"Gives more Torah insights that help you see issues not thought of before, and get one thinking deeper on Hashem and His Word, our relationship with..." Read more

"This commentary provides a real insight into Conservative Jewish thought on the Torah; with both a contextual commentary and a second midrashic..." Read more

"...As a Conservative Jew, i find the links to halachah especially enlightening and useful for understanding the thinking behind the practice...." Read more

"...The Torah is inside the Christian Scriptures, but the Christian Scriptures are not the total of Torah, that the question here...." Read more

8 customers mention "Ease of reading"7 positive1 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand, with one customer noting they can read both Hebrew and English text.

"...This Bible is so easy to read and understand. It's truly like a good book one can't put down...." Read more

"I bought this because I managed to lose my first copy. It is easy to read. Print size and quality of paper make it so...." Read more

"...This makes it easier to do your own translating of the Hebrew text and compare it with the English translation provided...." Read more

"...The print is large. I can read the Hebrew and English side by side. And the commentary notes are so enlightening...." Read more

8 customers mention "Reading quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be an excellent Torah study guide, with one customer noting that the essays by respected biblical scholars are particularly useful for personal education, while another mentions it makes a good chumash for small group study.

"I am learning and enjoying studying with the group. It's a beautiful book with lots of interesting commentary in it." Read more

"...The essays by respected biblical scholars are useful for my own education as well as for teaching b'nai mitzvot students...." Read more

"This is an excellent book to add to your understanding and ease of reading and sharing ! a must for every home!" Read more

"...I also enjoy the Etz Hayim Study Companion with its excellent articles on methods for the study of Torah." Read more

6 customers mention "Translation quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers praise the translation of the book.

"...Based on the JPS translation provides one of the best translations. Very helpful commentaries...." Read more

"I love this Chumash. Nice translation. Interesting commentary. Definitely use this for comparitive studies." Read more

"...It is my favorite translation for both study and meditation as I am a Gentile at this time." Read more

"...I think it’s a standard translation that is very popular. The content speaks for itself." Read more

5 customers mention "Beauty"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book beautiful.

"I am learning and enjoying studying with the group. It's a beautiful book with lots of interesting commentary in it." Read more

"...I am so happy It is the best purchase. The book is precious. Thank you!! I can not believe it is the best!!!!" Read more

"...It really opened up the beauty of the Scriptures to me, and for that, I am beyond grateful." Read more

"...As well, it's a beautiful book and the layout is easy to follow for even the most casual user...." Read more

5 customers mention "Travel size"4 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate that the book is easy to carry.

"...combined in paperback form creates a wonderful book that is easy to carry, but the print is quite small...." Read more

"Great commentaries. Love the travel size." Read more

"...to say but this is the EXACT version as the full side in the easier to carry size. I used it when I deployed to Afghanistan with the Marine Corps...." Read more

"The travel size is significantly smaller than full size. I like this translation...." Read more

14 customers mention "Print size"9 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the print size of the book, with some finding it great while others complain that it is too small.

"...It is easy to read. Print size and quality of paper make it so. It is also very easy to find every parasha and haftarah...." Read more

"...form creates a wonderful book that is easy to carry, but the print is quite small...." Read more

"It's a great Torah with commentary! The print is large. I can read the Hebrew and English side by side...." Read more

"Large text and great information beside the Torah reading" Read more

Amazing content, s
4 out of 5 stars
Amazing content, s
Great product. The interior contents are unrivaled for an understanding of the beliefs of Conservative Judaism regarding written Torah. This book is essential learning for any Conservative Jew. My only complaint on my particular package is that the front lettering arrived with quite a lot of blemishes on the gold front’s gold lettering. However the sides and the rest of the physical book are in perfect condition, and the front’s appearance in no way alters the interior.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • mary hartigan
    5.0 out of 5 stars excellent commentary and easy to use
    Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2007
    Verified Purchase
    Etz Hayim is my preferred chumash among those using the "new" JPS English translation. The layout is well-planned so that a lengthy gloss doesn't run past the page that contains the verse(s) being explained. The essays by respected biblical scholars are useful for my own education as well as for teaching b'nai mitzvot students. i also use the maps, glossary and index to teach my students how to navigate the chumash and their own Jewish history.

    As a Conservative Jew, i find the links to halachah especially enlightening and useful for understanding the thinking behind the practice. i also make heavy use of the essays linking the week's parashah to the haftarah.

    i have used W. Gunther Plaut's chumash in a classroom setting as well, but feel it lacks a sense of spirituality. Rabbi Plaut spends far too much time linking bible stories to contemporaneous myths and legends. Etz Hayim manages to keep its focus on Judaism - after all, this is the Torah, not the Epic of Gilgamesh. In fact, our synagogue, which is nominally Reform but serves everyone, was ready to adopt Plaut's chumash (to replace Hertz) until i demonstrated that the commentary in Etz Hayim works beautifully for our participatory Torah discussions on Shabbat mornings.

    As well, it's a beautiful book and the layout is easy to follow for even the most casual user. It makes a good chumash for small group study, regardless of denomination. And Etz Hayim is what i give to Christian and Muslim friends who want to learn more about the Jewish bible.
    41 people found this helpful
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  • Chris Converse
    5.0 out of 5 stars Etz Hayim is Excellent!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2006
    Verified Purchase
    Etz Hayim is an excellent Torah resource. There are several reasons for this. A) English/Hebrew: The English and Hebrew transaltions are side by side and line by line. This makes it easier to do your own translating of the Hebrew text and compare it with the English translation provided. B) Two types of commentaries: Each page has two different types of commentaries underneath the Torah text. One commentary takes the text verse by verse. The other commentary gives a lot of background information and good exigetical information concerning the text. C) Essays: The essays are very good. Whether you agree with the points they are making or not, they give the reader much food for thought. Over all I have found the commentaries and essays very helpful and readable. D) The Torah is divided up into the parashot for each week. There are also special portions listed for holidays and special occaisions. After each weekly Torah portion htere is the Haftorah portion. This makes reading the entire parasha easy as it is all in one place.
    29 people found this helpful
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  • EAP
    5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful handbook
    Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2010
    Format: Imitation LeatherVerified Purchase
    This commentary provides a real insight into Conservative Jewish thought on the Torah; with both a contextual commentary and a second midrashic commentary.
    I sincerely hope it will not offend the Jewish Community to say that as a Christian, wanting to have a greater understanding of the Jewish roots of my faith, it has been a wonderful book to use.
    For those who have not yet begun to study Hebrew - and even those, like myself, who are only just learning to read Hebrew - turning the pages from left to right (and reading the right hand page before the left) may at first prove challenging! But I'd encourage perseverance.
    Highly recommended for any Christian who really wants to see their faith in context, and to comprehend the many nuances of the Torah.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Larry Reavis
    5.0 out of 5 stars yogi appreciates the scholarship
    Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2007
    Format: Imitation LeatherVerified Purchase
    I wanted to buy this when it came out in hardcover in 2001, but it was too expensive. Now I have it and I'm glad I got it. What surprised me was how close it is to my understanding of the Bible, based on my 30+ years in Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF). Increasingly, I see that an approach based mainly on rational thought, as presented in Etz Hayim, seems to grow much closer to the intuitive perceptions of truth offered by gurus such as Paramahansa Yogananda and Sri Yukteswar, than older interpretations of the scriptures. Amazing! It really does seem that the more we know of the ancients' teachings, the more similar they all are - whether in the Middle East, India, or elsewhere. I would suggest that this might be evidence of a higher age in which wisdom was widespread - wisdom that is just now returning as we leave the dark ages. I notice that my current issue of Scientific American Mind has an article that argues that IQ for abstract thinking has increased from the 50-70 range in 1900 to the current 100 (using the current standards as the reference); others also have noted a huge increase in modern man's IQ - Goethe opined that men of prior ages were of limited intelligence - and he was writing about 250 years ago. It'll be interesting to see how the various wisdom traditions converge as the age progresses . . .
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Keith Finch
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very happy :)
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Everything about this was great! Very fast shipping, just as described and very well packaged. I was hesitant to order not from “Amazon” but had the opposite experience; now I feel like seeking out more of the smaller shops on here if I have the option. Glad I took a chance on Libby’s Books!
    One person found this helpful
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  • mary lou
    5.0 out of 5 stars The travel size is significantly smaller than full size. I like this translation.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2021
    Format: Imitation LeatherVerified Purchase
    This is a handy size if you like to carry the classics with you. I think it’s a standard translation that is very popular. The content speaks for itself.
    One person found this helpful
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  • M Gabriel Case
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Torah with commentary
    Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is my favorite Torah with commentary. This is now my second copy for my family so we can study together.
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  • David G.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great Commentary, Small Print
    Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2012
    Format: Imitation LeatherVerified Purchase
    The Etz Hayim Chumash has great commentary accompanying the fine JPS translation. But this "travel size" is extremely difficult to use for those of us with aging eyes. The commentary/notes are in a print size that not even my bifocals comfortably deal with. What I do not understand is why the full size Etz Hayim is unavailable except through the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly at Jewish Theological Seminary. It makes no sense. I would have purchased through their website were it not for the fact that they wanted to charge me an estimated $20 for shipping, which is absurd. Why such a major work is generally unavailable despite being in-print is hard to understand. But if you can find one, a full size (which, in addition to being easier on the eyes, contains scholarly essays that the travel size does not), it is definitely worth the effort.
    10 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Charles Moumoune
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime!
    Reviewed in France on November 22, 2014
    Format: Imitation LeatherVerified Purchase
    Le format est parfait pour l'emporter partout. Les annotations et références sont très précieuses et l'approche pédagogique permet d'étudier la Torah avec soin. Félicitations aux concepteurs. Par contre il est en anglais. Il faut connaître cette langue pour en profiter.
    Report
  • Dancing girl
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent comments
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 15, 2013
    Format: Imitation LeatherVerified Purchase
    It was what I expected. The writing is a bit small but it has the same as any hardback book. I found the price a bit high though.
    Report
  • Jackie
    3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2014
    Format: Imitation LeatherVerified Purchase
    Useful and interesting
    Report
  • Modern Shopper
    3.0 out of 5 stars A bit of a plod plot-wise but it's not like we don't know the story
    Reviewed in Canada on February 12, 2016
    Format: Imitation LeatherVerified Purchase
    A bit of a plod plot-wise but it's not like we don't know the story.

    More information in this volume than can be imagined with all the commentaries. Perhaps one day I will have time to get all the way through it, but it's been years already.
    Report