Jewish "Rabbinic tradition" in commentary?

[Ιακοβ]

Jumping into the forum today I note there is a very similar discussion related to what I was wanting to ask, but its possibly not related enough to what I need so I am starting a new question. Hope thats OK.

 

From time to time I see in a modern commentary "rabbinic tradition teaches xyz". And more often than not, the insight it brings (irrelevant to the question of the historicity or accuracy to such traditions) is extremely useful to help me think about or understand the passage in more detail.

 

Is there a resource that will work side by side with the standard english translations (I use NASB) that will allow me see traditional Jewish commentary and beliefs related to Old Testament passages? (Im also interested in New Testament, but right now I am primarily focused on the Old Testament)?

 

It does look like this might be it:

 

http://www.accordancebible.com/store/details/?pid=JSB

 

But will it work properly reading beside (for example) NASB? I can see that it is somehow connected i some way to something called "JPS Tanakh", but I don't know enough about that to know if its worth having and if its going to be helpful to use to supplement my normal reading (i.e. NASB).

 

Thanks!

 

 

[Abram K-J]

Yes, you can scroll those study Bible notes in tandem with the NASB, or any other version.

 

Its introductory essays go more in-depth than its verse-by-verse commentary, which is not as extensive as some study Bibles, but it would still be a decent start for what you're looking for.

 

The JPS Torah commentary is really good for what you're seeking, but that (in Accordance at least) wouldn't cover the whole Tanakh/OT.

 

For its (low) price, if you have the funds, the JPS Tankh translation is worth using, too.

[Gedalya]

You might also get some benefit from using "Torah: A modern commentary" because of the special section entitled "Gleanings" This section incorporates a digest of traditional rabbinic comments and contemporary thoughts and insights on many Biblical passages

For example: 

Torah and Wilderness

Why was the Torah given in the wilderness? Because the wilderness is open and accessible to all humankind, as it is said (Isa. 55:1): “Let everyone who is thirsty come for water” (i.e., for Torah)

 

Why was the Torah not given in the Promised Land? So that no one tribe would have a preferred claim. Moreover, as the Torah came from a land neither sown nor tilled, so Torah scholars should live without sowing or tilling, that is, they should be relieved of the yoke of earning a living.

MIDRASH [34]

 

Who preserves Torah? Those who makes themselves like the wilderness: set apart from the world.

 

MIDRASH [36]

 

A Numbering

Out of awareness of the love of them, God counts them every hour. When they went out of Egypt, God counted them; and when they transgressed with the golden calf, God counted them....When it came time to put upon them the divine Presence, God counted them....

RASHI [41]

[Timothy Jenney]

One of the things I appreciate about the rabbis is their willingness to "play" with the scriptures. Some of their interpretations are really extraordinary—and I rarely get the same sense of delight in interpretation among Christian scholars. It's almost as if [we] Christians are so serious about our Bibles that we've left laughter (one of God's great gifts!) behind.

[Abram K-J]

Ditto what Gordon said--that commentary might be your best starting point.

[jaapcramer]

I second Timothy's observation that there is a certain freedom to play with text, while at the same conveing so much respect for the Word itself. Fascinating!

 

From what I have learned, it is good to know that jewish tradition differentiates between halachic and aggadic material.

The first (from the verb for walking) contains legal points. Rabbi x derives a certain ruling from a certain text. From a christian point of view you have to keep in mind that next to the old testament there is the oral law (fixed in a multitude of jewish texts, starting with the mishna, talmud, and so on). Many halachic texts are in a conversation with this wealth of jewish sources.

The freedom a certain Rabbi takes in ruling in a certain way, does not mean it is the final ruling, or the definitive exegesis of the quoted verse. It is a spectrum. There is a lot of disagreement, and they are OK with it (something else christianity could learn from!)

The aggadic texts (from the verb for telling) contains more homeletic or ethic material.

 

Either text type wants to tell something. The main focus often is, not to explain the verse, in the causualistic western sense we usually do our exegesis. But they take the liberty of using a bible verse to demonstrate the point they want to make, from the conviction that the word of god has something to say about that.

 

It has helped me in believing that there is no useless word in scripture, it is good look at textual oddities, and sort of play with it. And that it is ok to be in disagreement, and be wrong even.