Hebrew Text and English TranslationWith Introduction and Commentary. THE FIVE MEGILLOTH, despite their small size and their comparative inconspicuousness among the Hagiographa, the third rank of the scriptures, have gained wide popularity because of their prominent place in Jewish liturgy. The Book of Esther, despite its having been heard time and time again, excites the imagination of every Jew who hears it read on Purim. In the words of our Sages: Since it is dear to them, they pay attention (to the reading). The midrashic approach to this Book reveals the inner secrets of the fast moving narrative and illustrates how the authors alluded to all of them in this innocent appearing drama.Just as our joy is enhanced by the reading of the Book of Esther, so is our mourning deepened by the reading of The Book of Lamentations on the Ninth of Av, the saddest day of the Jewish year.Likewise, each of the Three Festivals is accompanied by one of these Megilloth. On Passover, we read The Song of Songs, depicting Israel's cleaving to the Almighty and following Him out of Egypt. On Shavuouth, we read The Book of Ruth, portraying King David's origin from the humble Moabite proselyte woman who left her native land to live in poverty in the land of Judea, later to become the matriarch of the Davidic dynasty. On Sukkoth we read the profound philosophical treatise of Ecclesiastes, in which King Solomon refutes the philosophies of the foreign visitors who come to hear his discourses on the Festival of Sukkoth.This edition of the Five Megilloth reflects the traditional approach as represented by the Rabbis and the Jewish exegetes from the Middle Ages to Modern Times. table{border-collapse:collapse}td{background-color:#efefef;font-weight:bold;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:16px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px}th{font-family:sans-serif;font-size:16px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px} Sku: JP-9854C Author: Rabbi A. J. Rosenberg Isbn 13: 9780900689857 Isbn 10: 0900689854 Size: 1.7" x 6" x 9" Binding: Hardcover Date: 2/1/1984 Imprint: The Soncino Press
