The everything Torah book : all you need to understand the basics of Jewish law and the five books of the Old Testament

471 Pages·2005·1.7 MB·English

by  Menken

THE
Torah Book
Dear Reader: One of Charles Schultz’s famous Peanuts cartoons portrays
Charlie Brown facing a history test. The single question reads, “Explain
World War II. Use both sides of the paper if necessary.”
Providing “Every thing Torah” in several hundred pages is a similarly
daunting task. According to traditional Jewish thought, the Torah is
nothing less than “the Blueprint of Creation.” The Written Torah is
merely the beginning; the full Torah tells us why God Created the world,
and what we should hope to accomplish now that we’re here. In a way,
“Everything Torah” is redundant—for Everything is in Torah.
As a broad introduction to the Torah Path, I do hope that every reader
finds this book a valuable source of insights and understanding. For
those Jews unfamiliar with the idea of ongoing Torah study and
discovery, I hope this will be a starting point in your Jewish learning,
and lead to much more—because it is critical to our Jewish future.
Torah study is a never-ending process. I look forward to meeting you,
receiving your feedback, and corresponding with you, at
www.everythingtorah.com!
Copyright ©2005, F+W Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the
publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
An Everything® Series Book.
Everything® and everything.com® are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.
Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com
ISBN: 1-59337-325-2
Printed in the United States of America.
J I H G F E D C B A
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Menken, Yaakov. The everything Torah book / Yaakov Menken.
p. cm.—(An everything series book) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-
59337-325-2
1. Judaism—Sacred books. 2. Judaism—Essence, genius, nature. 3. Judaism—
History. 4. Bible. O.T. Pentateuch—Commentaries. I. Title. II. Series: Everything series.
BM496.6.M46 2005
296.1–dc22
2005009552
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the
subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in
rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert
assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
—From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar
Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are
claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was
claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was
aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.
This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, please call 1-800-872-5627.
THE
TORAH
BOOK
All you need to understand the basics of
Jewish law and the Five Books of the Old Testament
Rabbi Yaakov Menken
Editorial
Publishing DirectorGary M. Krebs
Managing Editor Kate McBride
Copy Chief Laura M. Daly
Acquisitions Editor Gina Chaimanis
Jamie Wielgus
Production Editors
Bridget Brace
Production
Production Susan Beale
Director
Production Michelle Roy Kelly
Manager
Series Designers Daria Perreault
Colleen
Cunningham
John Paulhus
Cover Design Paul Beatrice
Matt LeBlanc
Layout and Colleen
Graphics Cunningham
Erin Ring
Series Cover Artist Barry Littmann
Series Cover Artist Barry Littmann
Visit the entire Everything® Series at www.everything.com
In memory of my father-in-law, Rabbi Dr. Azriel Rosenfeld z”l.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Top Ten Torah Aphorisms for Life
Introduction
1 What Is Torah?
God, Torah, and the World
• Torah Today
• Something for Everyone
• A Tapestry of Customs, but Unified Beliefs
• Faith and Reason
• Names, Languages, Pronunciation, and Perspective
2 Receiving the Torah
Torah Before Sinai
• A Nation Hears the Voice of God
• The Chosen People?
• The Written Torah
• Preservation of Torah
3 The Oral Law
The Missing Link
• Why Not Write It Down?
• Dissecting the Torah
• Laws Given to Moshe, from Sinai
• Arguments in Torah Law
4 Kabbalah, Mysticism, and Meaning
Everything Has a Purpose
• Who Is Happy in This World?
• The Soul
• The World to Come
• The World Is Like a Corridor
• The Meaning of Life
• Connecting the Dots
5 Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles
The Torah Credo
• The Nature of God
• What about Angels?
• The Existence of Prophecy
• The Nature of Torah
• God and Man
• The End of Time
6 Torah Principles for All Humanity
How Does the Torah View Non-Jews?
• Seven Universal Laws