Back To The Sources: Reading the Classic Jewish Texts

Rating:
Summary: Text study for the INTELLIGENT beginner!
Review: What's the difference between "Mishna" and "Midrash"? Is "Talmud" the same as "Gemara"? What's a "Tanach"?

If you're just getting started in Judaism, it's easy to get bogged down with terminology. There are lots of books on each of these subjects, but very few that cover ALL the classic Jewish sources.

This book provides an excellent introduction, not only to WHAT the texts are, but HOW they are used and studied. Holtz takes us on a step by step journey through a sample section of each text, demonstrating, in a beginner-friendly way, the ways that scholars derive modern meaning from ancient wisdom.

Holtz never condescends -- he makes the rare assumption that the reader is highly intelligent, well-read in other areas and has become interested in learning more about Judaism. Very much recommended before delving deeper into any one Jewish text.