“George Robinson has written a magnificent volume, whose appeal will be to a sophisticated reader eager for insight and understanding. Essential Torah is more than a guide to the Pentateuch. It is a compendium of literary history, cultural anthropology, ancient wisdom, medieval commentary, and modern insight. The Torah text for Robinson becomes a pretext for instruction into the entire gamut of Jewish religious thought and practice. He leaves very few stones unturned, and he leads as a master teacher, exploring every facet of a vast tradition. This is text analysis at its greatest.”

Rabbi David M. Posner, Ed.D., Senior Rabbi, Temple Emanu-El, New York City

“The most comprehensive and balanced book on the subject I know. You will find anything you need to know here, from a discussion of divine authorship to a recipe for kosher ink.”

Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People

“Essential Torah provides a thorough and clear introduction to the Bible, its meanings, and its interpretations throughout Jewish tradition. Drawing upon both classical rabbinic and modern sources, Robinson has written a sophisticated yet accessible book that will appeal to both laypeople and academic readers. I highly recommend it for adult education and introduction to Judaism courses.”

Rabbi David Ellenson, president, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

“George Robinson excels as both a writer and a scholar. He opens up the Torah and makes it accessible in fresh and exciting ways. Both experts and neophytes will find much here to enjoy and to ponder.”

Professor Jace Weaver, Department of Religion, University of Georgia

“Essential Torah is really that–an essential and excellent tool for both students and teachers who want a way in to the sacred text and all that it holds.”

Rabbi Elyse Goldstein, author of The Women's Torah Commentary and The Women's Haftarah Commentary

Whether you are thinking about studying the Bible for the first time or you’re simply curious about its history and contents, you will find everything you need in Essential Torah. George Robinson, author of the acclaimed Essential Judaism, begins by recounting the various theories of the origins of the Torah and goes on to explain its importance as the core element in Jewish belief and practice. He discusses the basics of Jewish theology and Jewish history as they are derived from the Torah, and he outlines how the Dead Sea Scrolls and other archaeological discoveries have enhanced our understanding of the Bible. He introduces us to the vast literature of biblical commentary, chronicles the evolution of the Torah’s place in the synagogue service, offers an illuminating discussion of women and the Bible, and provides a study guide as a companion for individual or group Bible study. In the book’s centerpiece, Robinson summarizes all fifty-four portions that make up the Torah and gives us a brilliant distillation of two thousand years of biblical commentaries–from the rabbis of the Mishnah and the Talmud to medieval commentators such as Rashi, Maimonides, and ibn Ezra to contemporary scholars such as Nahum Sarna, Nechama Leibowitz, Robert Alter, and Everett Fox.

This extraordinary volume–which includes a listing of the Torah reading cycles, a Bible time line, glossaries of terms and biblical commentators, and a bibliography–will stand as the essential sourcebook on the Torah for years to come.

George Robinson is the author of Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs, and Rituals. He is the film critic for the New York Jewish Week and is a contributor to the forthcoming revised edition of the Encyclopaedia Judaica. His writing appears frequently in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Newsday. He has received the Simon Rockower Award for excellence in Jewish journalism from the American Jewish Press Association. He lives in New York City.