Reading Scripture With the Rabbis

Neusner (history and theology of Judaism, Bard College) works to form a realm of cooperation between Judaism and Christianity by creating this anthology of how Judaism's classical rabbis in the first seven centuries since Christ read the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. He describes how the patriarchs and matriarchs live out their children's lives within the tradition set by Genesis Rabbah, the Ten Commandments of Exodus in Mekhilta as attributed to Ishmael, The moral lessons of holiness in Leviticus Rabah, wayward women in the wilderness in Sifre to Numbers, and the extensive visions of holocaust in Sifre to Deuteronomy, showing the path to restoration, a restoration that includes revenge. The result is a reading of the scriptures as they were as close to their own contexts as possible, not in the light of later interpretation. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Jacob Neusner is Distinguished Service Professor of History and Theology of Judaism and Senior Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.