A Rational Approach to Judaism and Torah Commentary - Hardcover

"[Drazin's] language is simple and elegant, while his arguments for embracing a rationalistic commitment to living the religious life are cogent and convincing. This unique and remarkable volume should be required reading for those who yearn for knowledge, discernment, and insight." --Rabbi Dr. Stanley M. Wagner, professor emeritus, University of Denver

"[T]his book is not merely a theoretical study of the [Torah] but a living encounter with it." --Dr. Raphael Jospe, author, Jewish Philosophy in the Middle Ages

"A Rational Approach to Judaism and Torah Commentary is a serious book written by an Orthodox scholar. It will interest skeptics and believers, academics and laypersons, alike. It belongs in all adult Jewish libraries, as well as in Judaica sections of public libraries." --Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter

"Despite its broad scholarship, this book is designed for the lay person. . . . The writing is simple, the tone informative, not preachy. . . . In a world which increasingly downplays or even deligitimizes rational thinking, Drazin has written the intelligent rationalist's primer." --Lookstein Digest

"While this book examines thinking from a Jewish perspective, non-Jews, scholars and non-scholars will find this well-written volume to be very interesting, eye-opening, and informative." --Jewish Eye

Addressing questions such as What does God require of people? How should the Hebrew Bible be interpreted? Does God want individuals to pray? Do Jews believe in angels and demons? and What is the value of comparing biblical stories to Greek Myths?, this engaging and informative work presents a rational and thought-provoking approach to the understanding of Judaism. It shows how individuals can use their intellect, live in the present, make personal and social progress, and enjoy the goods of this world.