Passages

by Rabbi Michael Hattin Published by Urim Publications Hardcover, 384 pages ISBN 978-965-524-119-8 publication: 2012 Passages is a journey through the text of the Torah that can transform you. Passages is a thought-provoking study of the weekly parasha that deftly weaves literary analysis of the Biblical text with selected teachings of classical Jewish commentary. Revealing the intricacies of the Torah portion and offering innovative readings, Passages applies the Torah's message to the complexities of modern living. Passages is a journey into the landscape of Biblical study that will both challenge and refresh you. About the author: Michael Hattin is a master teacher of Tanakh at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem and the Director of the Beit Midrash for the Pardes Educators Program. He studied for semicha at Yeshivat Har Etzion and holds a professional degree in architecture from the University of Toronto. He has served as scholar-in-residence in many communities in North America and Europe. He lives in Alon Shevut with his wife Rivka and their five children. Praise for Passages: "Rabbi Michael Hattin's book beautifully blends fresh insight into the classical commentaries, with carefully and convincingly developed chiddushim of his own. A gifted writer, he has an uncanny capacity for exploiting textual nuances to flesh out the background settings of scenes and characters, thereby giving the reader an amplified perspective of the dynamics and tensions at hand. I am an avid reader of Rabbi Hattin's work and find it, invariably, illuminating and insightful." -Rabbi Mordechai Feurstein, Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, New Jersey "Passages breathtakingly uncovers hidden fissures, structures and counter structures in a brisk jaunt through biblical narrative. Michael Hattin has the reader follow the work of the classic exegetes discovering what the Torah says about itself. Brilliant, engaging and fun." -Rabbi Daniel Landes, Director and Rosh HaYeshiva of Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem "Michael Hattin has written a most learned and sensitive work on the portions of the week. He adeptly utilizes the classical commentaries in order to bring out the deepest meaning of the text. I truly believe that studying his work will be very satisfying." -Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin,Chief Rabbi of Efrat and Chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone Institutions