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Hebrew Studies 34 (1993) 216 Reviews READING THE BOOK: MAKING THE BIBLE A TIMELESS TEXT. By Burton L. Visotzky. Pp. 240. New York: Anchor BookslDoubleday, 1991. Paper, $12.00. The goal of this stimulating volume is to introduce laymen to the excitement of active biblical study. The strategy is to explore a number of Pentateuchal texts through the lens of rabbinic midrash, though analogous and roughly contemporaneous Christian, Samaritan, and Muslim materials are brought to bear on rare occasion. Among the topics considered are Abraham and Sarah at Pharaoh's court; Abraham's descent into the fiery furnace; the binding of Isaac; incidents in the life of Jacob; Moses's recovery of Joseph's bones; the death of Moses; Miriam and Aaron's grumbling about Moses's marriage to the Cushite women; the death of Nadav and Avihu; the creation of Adam and Eve; and the creation of the world. There does not seem to be any compelling logic to the order in which the topics are discussed, and the transitions within the chapters are sometimes abrupt. In addition to the textual explications, there are also introductory chapters on the nature and assumptions of rabbinic interpretation and a similar concluding chapter focused on how to generate new interpretations and insights today. Professor Visotzky writes in a breezy, conversational tone that makes the reading go fast and easily, and he spices his discussion with abundant witticisms. At times these work well, as when he cites a midrash in which frogs bite the Egyptians on the derriere in order to show that the rabbis "believed that justice was duly requited in the end" (p. 126). On other occasions, however, the attempt at colloquialism is so precious as to be counterproductive. For example, Abraham asks his guests, "Who gave you deli in the desert?" (p. 73), and the rabbinic exegetes are said to have held that "Israel's offspring ain't bums" (p. 120). Visotzky seems to be so eager not to sound like a stuffy clergyman that he errs on the other side, resembling a Borsht Belt comedian pulling out all the stops to win the favor of a skeptical audience, or a teacher underestimating his class's intelligence, thus insulting when he intends to set at ease. In any event, flippancy toward scripture is hardly the great cultural need of the moment, especially among the class likely to make use of this book. The specific textual studies are always learned and often illuminating as well. Professional scholars will, however, regret the omission of references by which to locate the passages studied, and they will also note a number of Hebrew Studies 34 (1993) 217 Reviews careless misstatements. It can be doubted, f

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