Through the Prism: Refractions and Reflections on Bereshit

Product Description Sefer Bereishit ― the Book of Genesis ― relates the stories of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs. So little is known about their struggles and achievements, and their spiritual stature is beyond our comprehension. Nonetheless, the Torah invites each reader to attempt to understand – inasmuch as the text allows – the motivations and emotions of these great men and women so we may come to understand ourselves and strive to emulate them. Learning Torah must, first and foremost, begin with careful and close reading. Here to aid the English-speaker with such study, Through the Prism: Studies in Bereishit is an original inquiry framed by observations from the great classic commentators as well as more recent scholars. This book is aimed at the intelligent English speaking adult who has some functional Hebrew skills. Transliterations and translations facilitate understanding of the issues at hand in the original biblical Hebrew text. While no translation can capture the full range of nuance and meaning of the original, this book attempts to transmit some of the richness of the language of the Torah – its allusions as well as its wordplay – so that the reader can begin to appreciate the unplumbed depths of its messages. Review Dr. Esther Shkop is a master educator and a profound communicator. Her vast knowledge of the Tanach and classic commentators is evident in every chapter of this work, as she gracefully weaves a narrative that adds new insight into the words and meaning of the text. Her essays on Sefer Bereishit will add a greater depth of understanding to all who read them. --Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky, PhD, past president of the Rabbinical Council of AmericaRelying on classic commentaries, Dr. Esther Shkop unlocks the text of Bereishit. With superb skill, she weaves together layers of biblical exegesis, creating a brilliantly textured tapestry that informs the understanding of both the novice and experienced Torah student. --Pamela Braun Cohen, author, Hidden Heroes: One Woman’s Story of Resistance and Rescue in the Soviet UnionDr. Esther Shkop’s new volume on Bereishit is as engaging, riveting, creative, and innovative as her dynamic classroom teaching. It is rare to find a scholar and educator as captivating, gifted, and original as Esther Shkop. --Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, VP of Communications and Marketing, OU Kosher; author, Something Old, Something New: Pearls from the Torah About the Author Dr. Esther Shkop is renowned for her dynamic and innovative approach to learning and teaching Tanach, which has fascinated and inspired audiences of varied ages and levels of biblical literacy. She served as Dean of the Blitstein Institute of Hebrew Theological College, where she was Professor of Bible for thirty-two years. Previously she taught in seminaries and high schools in Jerusalem, Pittsburgh, and Chicago. A tenth-generation Yerushalmit, Dr. Shkop was educated in both Israel and the United States and is fluent in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish. She earned a BA in English literature and philosophy, an MA in biblical literature, and a PhD in public policy analysis. Her eclectic background has broadened her horizons and enriched her classic study of Torah. She has published numerous scholarly articles primarily related to Tanach, but also dealing with educational theory and leadership styles. Dr. Shkop currently is director of the Wisdom of Torah Institute and serves on the board of Shalva, a community organization supporting women experiencing domestic violence. She is the mother of seven and grandmother and great-grandmother of a growing family.

Publisher:

Gefen Publishing

Pages:

277

Date Published:

2021