{"product_id":"the-jewish-book-of-why-softcover","title":"The Jewish Book Of Why Softcover","description":"\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003eThis book is for Jews and Gentiles alike, offering an encyclopedic compendium of concise, cogent explanations of Jewish rituals and practices.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003eKolatch, a rabbi and author of Great Jewish Quotations, treats every facet of Jewish religious observance, including births, weddings and funerals, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003esabbath and synagogue, holidays from Passover to Purim and the intricacies of the Jewish calendar. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003eHe teases apart the variations that distinguish different Jewish communities and denominations,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003e and carefully notes whether a practice derives from the Torah, the Talmudic law or custom. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003eKolatch's catechistic format fields queries about the grand imponderables ('Why is marriage such an important institution in Jewish life?') and the most exquisite niceties \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003e('Why do some people remove their tefilin after concluding the Amida, and then immediately put on a second pair for the balance of the service?').\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003e In answering such questions, he sticks to Jewish law and history; on the particularly vexed issue of Kosher dietary rules, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003ehe rejects speculation about nutritional or sanitary benefits and insists that their rationale lies in the Divine injunction of 'holiness' and the Jews' destiny as a people apart.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003e While there are alternatives to some of the explanations offered here, Kolatch writes in an erudite but straightforward style, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: \" palatino linotype antiqua serif font-size:=\"\"\u003eproviding an intelligent, loving introduction to Jewish tradition and culture.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"IsraelBookShop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42253214646437,"sku":"JOD-ADL-E-08286","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0558\/8860\/9445\/files\/JOD-ADL-E-08286.jpg?v=1724996336","url":"https:\/\/www.israelbookshop.com\/products\/the-jewish-book-of-why-softcover","provider":"IsraelBookShop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}