This is an interesting collection. It does give a person more knowledge of the Torah and simplifies the text

This is a five (5) volume work covering the Jewish Torah (aka The Pentateuch or the first five(5) books of the Christian Old Testament). Right off the bat you recognize that this is an ambitious effort that eventually runs well over 658 pages. Each volume is dedicated to one of the five (5) books and within each volume, the chapters basically cover a specific story within that book, which is further divided into brief commentaries on specific elements within the story. As I come from a different tradition than what can be extracted from these commentaries, I can’t really evaluate how faithfully that represent concepts within the Jewish tradition; however, I can say that I found them to be very thought provoking and enjoyable. Most Christian analysis of these books tend to focus on extracting understanding and support for the message presented about Jesus in their New Testament and in many cases have ignored how our cousins in faith have interpreted their own scriptures … and I think we have lost something there. Mostly, however, what I gained from these book is the idea that there are many different ways to interpret, understand and apply the ideals and concepts presented in scripture and they can all be useful for the spiritual pilgrim. ( )

In his Preface, the author states that the book's title, "Torat Ahavah," has two messages, stating that "Loving" can be a verb that indicates his passionate love of Torah, or an adjective, noting that "At its core, Torah is a book of love." Related to the second message, I would add that the word "Torah" means teaching--so that not only is love at its core, but also that it actually teaches us about love--in all of its dimensions and by extension, perhaps how to love more completely. My zeidi (grandfather) used to say that Torah is a guide for how to live life. Rabbi Weiss is like a tourguide for the reader--starting with a short statement to frame our reading of each portion, then a summary of the portion's highlights, and then takes us deeper into the lesson(s) being taught. Although his analyses are profound, they are easily understood. Whether a beginner to the study of Torah or someone who has studied for years, this beautiful tome is meaningful and accessible, able to raise us up to higher levels of insight. In the end, Torah is not only meant to be loved, it is also meant to be lived. With his easily understood writing style, Rabbi Weiss helps us take the beauty of Torah so we can apply it to our own lives. Yasher ko'ach. ( )

Excellent set. I truly enjoy reading the perspective of the Jewish Rabbis on the Torah. It brings to light a discussion and study that goes beyond what I get from reading the Bible in western perspective. Understanding what is read from an eastern perspective add much. Thoughtful, easy read. Goes deeper than easy research provides, giving insight to scripture I haven’t seen or heard. Widely valuable resounds I will visit over and over again. ( )