Commentary on the Torah

This is one of the most brilliant modern commentaries on Torah. Friedman is a linguist, and explores the insights available from careful analysis of the Hebrew syntax. I have the print edition which I use every week. In fact, had to replace my first copy because I used it up. Thought I would pick up a Kindle edition for mobility. Disappointing. The Kindle Edition is not searchable, so you read the book in order or you jump in randomly, but you cannot do normal Torah study, flipping this way and that to compare word use, a phrase, etc. Not possible to move quickly from parshah to parshah to compare and contrast language, check a reference, etc. Very disappointing.

Not many scholars are philosophically sensitive to the nuances of the text and masters of Hebrew. Almost every scholar I have read has to some degree or entirely subscribed to the documentary hypothesis. Professor Friedman clearly does but it doesn't seem artificial or forced.He argues on behalf of a unified narrative from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the five books. Many scholars today think that is the wrong way to read it based on how the editing was done in the 7th century and the sources they had to work with. Maybe so. But Friedman's arguments seem reasonable even if it is unlikely we will ever discover the "J" "E" "P" or "D" documents themselves. In the light of Dutch minimalism the ordinary reader, like myself, just takes these conflicts in stride and adopts whatever seems like a plausible interpretation. I heartily recommend Prof. Friedman's translation and commentary.

This is another book where the Kindle edition is so bad that I must return it. The Hebrew is tiny and slightly blurred. Even worse, when Hebrew words are cited in the English commentary, the letters are not even, but bounce up and down in the line. And finally the Kindle fails to use the link capability built into the Kindle. So the commentary may cross-reference another passage, but without a link you have to access that passage via the table of contents.Not the first reference type book for whch I've purchased and returned the Kindle edition in favor of the dead tree edition! Even on sale at $1.99 it was too expensive!

I can think of no better work for anyone (not only Jews) to understand why the first five books of the Bible have long been revered as a source of wisdom and a code of ethics. Richard Eliot Friedman's commentary is wise and illuminating, but never intrusive. It is particularly helpful in clarifying some of the most difficult passages, e.g. on animal sacrifices, or on the ten plagues, or on Divine wrath. For this, he draws on the Jewish exegetical tradition, but also on literature, anthropology, psychology, and on plain old common sense.

"Commentary on the Torah" is a great resource to the Hebrew Scriptures. For those who like to parse Hebrew words, this book is indispensable! Richard Elliott Friedman has provided a work of scholarship in the same manner of the Hebrew writers turned pages from left to right and reading text from right to left. This technique provided the serious student with the feel of a Hebrew scholar during the time of Christ.Anthony Lyons of Dodge City

When I got this book, I was impressed by it. I went out and brought a second copy to give to my Mom and a third copy to a friend. As an introduction, this is a good book. It shows the Hebrew and English on the same page, the problem is you can not equivalent the two languages.His insight and commentary are good, his translation differs from many others and thus, create a new dynamic when reading the bible. Instead of reading "The tree of Good and Evil" he translate it "The Tree of Good and Bad".This may not be a book that is for everyone, this is good for someone who is interested in the Torah and wants to have a different perspective on the books. Also one who is interested in Hebrew. This is, as I said before, a good introduction to those who want to go further into the text. One must already be a student of the bible and have a good foundation to understand this book.

The commentary is excellent, only someone with such a vast knowledge of archeology, Hebrew grammar, and biblical history could compose this work. Nonetheless, the commentary is sparse at times. All the verses are translated, but not commented upon.

I am no Biblical scholar, but I am able to recognize an excellent study resource. This book doesn't overwhelm the reader with long, complex, theological treatises. It gives a new translation of the text and limits its brief comments to those verses that have a fuller meaning, or are best interpreted using a Jewish idiom, or that may need additional historical/cultural info given to fully understand it. It seemed that 80% of the verses I had questions on were addressed by the author. But the surprising part for me was that it wasn't the same ole, same ole info that has been rehashed since Clarke/Henry/Barnes did their commentaries. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the Torah.

This is the third book of this author that I have. I find it very useful and interesting.

This is a wonderful book on the commentary on the Torah. It is so far the best book I have read which analyzes the meaning of the Torah. It is easy to read and understand, and there is commentary on every page. It has actually deepened my love for the Torah because I have found out so many things which I did not understand previously. This is a must have for someone who has started to read the Torah (or even the old Testament in the Bible) because it will help them understand. Excellent book!

Richard Elliott Friedman's one volume translation and commentary on the five books of Moses is an excellent piece of work. The book has a pleasing heft and format and opens completely for easy reading. The Hebrew text and pointing is very clear and Friedman's translation is opposite the Hebrew text so you can move from one to the other with no problem. At the bottom of the page there are useful notes that are translator's own though these incorporate references to Rashi and others as appropriate. The translation is better than the JPS version, and you get everything you need in one very well-designed book for just £17.50. This beats the competion hands down.

Really useful

Profound and insightful commentary. Very interesting for Christians as well as Jews.