Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #715358 in Books
• Published on: 2006-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 250 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Based on his belief that people need to discover the meaning of the Bible for themselves, Rabin offers this guide to help them "navigate its passages." Administrator of an adult education center at the 92nd Street Y in New York, he is a specialist in Hebrew literature who has taught in Indiana and Kentucky as well as New York. Rabin uses non-technical language to bring together biblical scholarship, archaeology and literary analysis as the basis for his manual. He concentrates on the Hebrew Bible, differentiating it from the "Old Testament" as used by Christians, pointing out that both the order of the books and their significance are at variance. Asserting that the Bible is primarily a book of questions, the author holds that it is best approached by recognizing that it contains six types of writing: storytelling, law, history, prophecy, wisdom and poetry. A chapter is devoted to each, except for history, which is divided into sections on history in the Bible and the history of the Bible. Rabin cites and analyzes passages from the Bible, but he emphasizes the reader's responsibility for interpretation and dissection. In the end, he points the way but remains true to his objective of placing the ultimate onus on the reader. He succeeds handsomely in providing a handbook that will make it easier to grasp the Bible.
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From Booklist
The Hebrew Bible is Judaism's corpus of sacred writings, a collection of literary works produced by the Israelite people in ancient times. It is believed that these works were written by divine inspiration, the result of direct revelation and of prophecy in its various forms. The Bible is filled with several types of writing: storytelling, law, history, prophecy, wisdom, and poetry. Rabin posits that the Bible is not a book of doctrine and there are few statements of dogma; he believes, instead, that it is a book that imparts its religious vision mostly through literary art, stories, and poems--that the Bible's stories describe human responses to God's presence: "God speaks to people, challenging them to live a life in His image." This handbook is clearly written for the general reader and takes no particular position about the Bible's religious significance, presenting itself as one of the most enlightening studies to explore the depths and range of this holy book, and giving it contemporary relevance. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

An easy-to-follow reference for any practitioner or teacher of the Judaic faith and scriptures
Very highly recommended and informative reading, Understanding The Hebrew Bible: A Reader's Guide by Elliott Rabin is an easy-to-follow reference for any practitioner or teacher of the Judaic faith and scriptures. As an informed and informative reference to many of the teachings and a significant portion of the intended meanings behind what is stated in the Old Testament, Understanding The Hebrew Bible is works to bring ease to the struggling jew's mind when studying the holy scriptures. Understanding The Hebrew Bible offers and excellent guide to what may usually require a far greater research, meaning far more time spent on the subject, allowing for an ease in the readers scheduling.

Easy read
This is a very helpful tool when learning Hebrew. It was simple to understand and small enough to travel with. Good to have in any library.

Disappointing
I thought this book would be insightful as to understanding the Hebrew Bible and what the Old Testament was really about. I found this not to be the case. This book seemed to mock Christian faith and strive to have the readers question the validity of what is written in Scripture. When I looked at Chapter 6 and saw the heading; "Mr. Smith goes to Jerusalem" and how the author parallels the prophets to the movie character Mr. Smith in the movie it's clear that the author is taking a jab at Christians. This became even more clear when I read an article Mr. Rabin wrote titled; "The Need for Unity". This is a staunchly conservative Jewish writing that basically states if you are not a Jew you are nothing. He states that, "The message of the Conservative movement is that we need to follow those customs that sustain us, keep us unique, and ensure our continuity with the past while confronting those elements of the world that challenge our faith. For the Jewish faith to remain strong and not lose its relevance, it must be able to speak to our lives and experiences today, and not transport us to an artificial utopia, past or future, based on the manipulation of nostalgic sentiments".
My wife and in-laws are Jewish and they accepted a Christian as a son-in-law, so I know Mr. Rabin is a staunch conservative Jewish man, which I have no problem as I firmly support Israel. His post on the Internet opened my eyes as to who Mr. Rabin is and why his book is written the way it is. I had great hopes for finding a better understanding of Scripture in this book and instead found disappointment.