Authorship, Canonization, Masoretic Text, Exegesis, Modern Scholarship and Pedagogy
Hardcover
6" x 9"
219 Pages
Written by: Moshe Sokolow
Published by: Ktav/Urim
Tanakh, an Owner’s Manual offers both a modern and Orthodox approach to the historical and literary frameworks within which the Hebrew Bible should be learned and appreciated. It covers the authorship of its 24 constituent books, their designation as sacred literature (canonization), the development of the Masoretic text, a survey of classic medieval and modern commentaries, the interaction of traditional exegesis and modern Biblical scholarship, and a gradual curriculum for developing Biblical literacy and comprehension. It reflects the author’s insights as they developed over 40 years of studying and teaching, and will be of interest to teachers, students, and anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the Hebrew Bible.
About the Author
Moshe Sokolow is the Fanya Gottesfeld-Heller Professor and associate dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education at Yeshiva University. He has also served as professor of Bible at Yeshiva College, Stern College, and the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. He is the author of Studies in the Weekly Parashah based on the Lessons of Nehama Leibowitz, and coeditor of The Azrieli Papers, a series of books on contemporary Jewish educational research.
Praise for Tanakh, An Owner's Manual
“Moshe Sokolow is a master educator who has brought his vast knowledge of the traditions of Jewish Bible scholarship, interpretation, and translation into play in this important book. Covering a vast range of critical material from ancient biblical times to the present, it is written in a clear style, reflecting the considerable pedagogic skill of its author.”
– Mordechai Z. Cohen
Professor of Bible and associate dean, Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, Yeshiva University
“Combining quality and clarity, this book could have been written only by a major Bible scholar and a master pedagogue. Dr. Sokolow’s engaging work sheds light on how the Tanakh as we know it came to be, how it has been interpreted, and how it may best be taught to contemporary audiences. It is a jewel to be treasured by scholars, teachers, students, and the general reader.”
– Rachel Friedman
Associate Dean and Chair of Tanakh studies, Drisha Institute for Jewish Education
