Ari N. Enkin

At first I felt this book tried to share perspective on too many disparate topics, which made me wonder what the concept behind this book is since it's so unfocused. Ultimately, however, I found the short, concise halachic explorations on a variety of topics to be quite welcomed. I learned a lot from reading this book, which is easy to read cover-to-cover (at least if you love halacha and Judaism like I do). It is written in accessible laymen's language and in a down-to-earth manner that doesn't assume you have a yeshiva education. It deals with topics ranging from kapparot to euthanasia.… (más)

It's dangerous business stepping into the world of a religious faith different from your own. It's possibly even more so when that strange faith is one that is closely related to your own. The apostle Paul recognized both the value to outsiders of their witnessing the practices of believers and the danger. He therefore instructed the Corinthians on how to comport themselves so as to be clear witnesses and to gain the blessings of thier unique practices. It is as a Christian outsider then that I come to Rabbi Ari N. Enkin's Dalet Amot: Halachic Perspectives. Make no mistake, Enkin's book is thouroughly aimed at those inside the Jewish faith, and I have no doubt that this collection of essays on observing Jewish law is of extreme value for observant Jew. Yet, for the non-Jew willing to enter a world governed by a different set of presuppositions, there is much to learn.

Enkin announces in the introduction that his goal is to present an overview of thought on the various topics covered in the book. By keeping each essay to about 800 words, he hopes to not only introduce the controversies but also to provide guidance. Perhaps the practical suggestions he makes are enough for the reader on a specific topic, but through the copious references, Enkin also shows the reader a path to researching the subject in much greater depth. For this outsider, it was of great interest to see not only what the issues in contemporary Judaism are but also the internal arguments. Rabbi Enkin also acted the role of good teacher to me in showing me where to go for in-depth discussions should I desire them.

The danger of the 800-word brevity is that in many situations actions or pronouncements that obviously have generations of thought behind them can be presented as rotely superstitious. Why wearing a certain piece of clothing on a certain day or putting a coin under a bed or other seemingly superstitious actions should produce spiritual or physical fruit is unclear to me. However, I can also imagine that in such a highly sacramental world-view such actions might very well have deep meaning.

I was struck especially by the Rabbi's instructions concerning which direction to face when praying. My American protestant background wanted to scream "Superstition!", but there is something deeply meaningful in the Rabbi's instruction to pray facing one direction if you desire monetary wealth and to face the opposite direction to ask for spiritual blessing. It was at this moment that I began to reassess my attitude towards the other seemingly superstitious actions. Perhaps there is a symbolism there that I do not understand as an outider. And, perhaps if I were reading a book aimed at introducing the Jewish faith to outsiders that symbolism, those mysteries would be explained.

As it is, I'll enjoy dipping into Rabbi Enkin's collection and using its essays as fresh entry points into thinking about how to live out my Christian faith in an increasingly secular society.… (más)