Thousands of years later, and it's still a best seller
VICKI CABOT
Contributing Editor
Jewish book publishing may be exploding with a raft of new titles exploring a wide variety of contemporary themes, but a 3,000-year-old text still outsells them all.
"We sell more Hebrew Bibles than anything else," says Terry Epcar, owner of the Israel Connection.
Shelves at the central Phoenix shop and its Scottsdale counterpart, the Jewish Quarter, are stocked with an impressive selection of published material, including books on Jewish ritual and practice, politics, cooking and a large section filled with religious texts.
Hefty blue and brown ArtScroll texts, fuschia bordered Jerusalem Bibles, and turquoise bound Jewish Publication Society Tanakhs sit cover-to-cover with thinner tomes, each dedicated to only one of the five books of the Torah.
Some books are in English only, others in Hebrew and English; some contain commentary from rabbinic scholars, others don't; some use a linear format, with Hebrew and English facing each other across a page, while others use a block format, with sections of Hebrew text at the top of the page and English translation and commentary underneath.
Some are made for synagogue use, with the weekly Torah portion followed by the corresponding Haftorah reading from the Prophets, while others contain the entire Jewish Bible, and still others add a variety of other elements, such as Sabbath prayers, songs, indices of sources and other explanatory information. The variety reflects the depth of Jewish scholarship and the many uses for sacred texts.
"Each publisher knows his or her audience," says Rabbi Harris Cooperman of the Phoenix Hebrew Academy. Some texts are more appropriate for home study, others for synagogue use, and still others for academic research. The depth of knowledge and interest of the user is also a consideration.
Cooperman pulls a dozen or so off the academy's library shelves to illustrate his point, starting with a black Chumash, or Torah, originally published by the Star Hebrew Company located on Delancey Street in Brooklyn. He explains that the title Chumash, referring to the five books of Moses, comes from the Hebrew word chamesh, which means five. This book has a simple format, with a full page of Hebrew text faced by a full page of English translation in very traditional language. This Chumash, which Cooperman confides he used 40 years ago in Brooklyn, has a Shabbat siddur, Sabbath prayerbook, in the back, but does not contain commentary.
He pulls out another book from the pile, the Rosenbaum and Silbermann Chumash from the Hebrew Publishing Company in New York, which contains the five books along with commentary by Rashi, Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac of Troyes, who lived in the 12th century; and Onkelos, a Talmud teacher of the first century.
"This is not for the beginner," Cooperman explains. A linear translation that goes phrase by phrase from Hebrew to English, such as one from SS & R Publishing by Jewish Publication Society, now most likely out of print, would be a better choice for the novice, he says. The "Chinese menu" format is easier to follow, and is available in more contemporary editions.
For general use, Cooperman favors the ArtScroll texts, published by Mesorah Publications, now used in most Orthodox congregations, for their clear English translations, rabbinic commentary and instructions on use.
"ArtScroll gives the best general overview," says Cooperman. "It has a load of stuff."
Bureau of Jewish Education Director Aaron Scholar counsels that when choosing a Bible, a person should keep in mind that not all translations are the same. Philosophical or denominational difference will influence the translation.
"A text by a Reform rabbi puts in nuances that you won't find in an Orthodox text such as ArtScroll." He also cautions that editions compiled by non-Jewish scholars differ widely from Jewish ones.
Scholar also advises considering the time period in which the text was prepared. Older Hebrew Bibles will reflect the period in which they were compiled; more modern editions could reflect newer perspectives in biblical scholarship.
Scholar recommends that serious students purchase at least two translations for study. He culls from four or five when teaching his popular Bible classes.
"It's always good to have at least a couple of different ones to check the translation," he says.
Scholar likes the ArtScroll for its traditional approach and accessible language and also the Plaut Torah, a text used by most Reform congregations, edited by Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut and published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, as a counterpoint.
"If there is new historical evidence, you'll find it in the Plaut Bible," he says.
Most Conservative congregations use the Hertz translation published by Soncino Press.
Epcar notes that the ArtScroll and the Jewish Publication Society's Tanakh (complete Jewish Bible) are his two most popular sellers. The JPS Tanakh, comprised of the Torah, the Prophets (Nevi'im) and the Writings (Kethuvim), all in English, is used by many of the Israel summer study programs for students and in introduction-to-Judaism classes. There is no commentary except for brief footnotes.
Scholar says that drawing from a variety of texts captures the essence of Torah study, delving into the meaning of the language "to find out what the Torah says."
Cooperman adds that the vitality of the Torah will continue to give rise to new editions and translations. Choosing the most meaningful one, or adding an additional one to a home library, requires guidance and careful consideration.
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