Masters of the Word 1
Traditional Jewish Bible Commentary
from the First through Thirteenth Centuries
Rabbi Yonatan Kolatch
Masters of the Word is an in-depth exploration of the rich world of traditional Jewish Bible commentators, from the first through the thirteenth centuries. It analyzes the methodology and style of each commentator against the backdrop of his time and place. It does so by studying each parashah as a unit, according to the views of one commentator, thus giving the reader an in-depth view of the commentators methods in a large, but manageable, passage.
Not just another "parashah book," this pioneering work addresses such questions as: How did the times affect the commentator and how did he influence his times? What is the commentator's approach and attitude towards the oral law and rabbinic tradition? What were his goals? What kinds of textual problems did he deal with? These problems are dealt with clearly and reliably; the author's comments are fully footnoted.
The book of Genesis is divided into two volumes, with Volume I including the following commentators in chronological order: Chazal, Targumim, Zohar, R. Saadia Gaon, Spanish Linguists and Ba'alei Masorah. Volume 1 ends with Parashat Chayei Sarah.
About the Author
Rabbi Yonatan Kolatch has been involved in Jewish education for over three decades in the US and Israel.
"Masters of the Word is notable for its depth of scholarship, but without the distractions of scholarly jargon. Kolatch writes in simple clear language that does not belie the complexity or profundity of the subject matter. Moreover, he describes the historical background and personalities of the various commentators in a way that brings these giants of parshanut to life. I feel as if I "know" them better as a result. The book is a tremendous achievement - Kolatch, himself, is a "Master of the Word.""
Praise for Masters of the Word
When the manuscript Masters of the Word: Traditional Jewish Bible Commentary from the First through Tenth Centuries came across my desk, I was really excited. I knew that there were already many parshanut books out there, but few, if any, could measure up to this one.
~ Bernard Scharfstein, Publisher, KTAV Publishing House
Traditional Jewish Bible Commentary
from the First through Thirteenth Centuries
Rabbi Yonatan Kolatch
Masters of the Word is an in-depth exploration of the rich world of traditional Jewish Bible commentators, from the first through the thirteenth centuries. It analyzes the methodology and style of each commentator against the backdrop of his time and place. It does so by studying each parashah as a unit, according to the views of one commentator, thus giving the reader an in-depth view of the commentators methods in a large, but manageable, passage.
Not just another "parashah book," this pioneering work addresses such questions as: How did the times affect the commentator and how did he influence his times? What is the commentator's approach and attitude towards the oral law and rabbinic tradition? What were his goals? What kinds of textual problems did he deal with? These problems are dealt with clearly and reliably; the author's comments are fully footnoted.
The book of Genesis is divided into two volumes, with Volume I including the following commentators in chronological order: Chazal, Targumim, Zohar, R. Saadia Gaon, Spanish Linguists and Ba'alei Masorah. Volume 1 ends with Parashat Chayei Sarah.
About the Author
Rabbi Yonatan Kolatch has been involved in Jewish education for over three decades in the US and Israel.
"Masters of the Word is notable for its depth of scholarship, but without the distractions of scholarly jargon. Kolatch writes in simple clear language that does not belie the complexity or profundity of the subject matter. Moreover, he describes the historical background and personalities of the various commentators in a way that brings these giants of parshanut to life. I feel as if I "know" them better as a result. The book is a tremendous achievement - Kolatch, himself, is a "Master of the Word.""
Praise for Masters of the Word
When the manuscript Masters of the Word: Traditional Jewish Bible Commentary from the First through Tenth Centuries came across my desk, I was really excited. I knew that there were already many parshanut books out there, but few, if any, could measure up to this one.
~ Bernard Scharfstein, Publisher, KTAV Publishing House