Highlighting: “Torah Song: The Theological Role of Torah Poetry” by Geula Twersky. Kodesh Press. 2022. English. Paperback. 250 pages. ISBN-13: 978-1947857742.
(Courtesy of Kodesh Press) “Torah Song” accesses the essential theological function that poetry plays in the Torah. Poetry—unlike prose—precludes the possibility of pinning it down in an absolute sense. “Torah Song” articulates a groundbreaking interpretive methodology specific to the unique needs of biblical poetry, demonstrating that Torah poetry functions as a loosely connected, broad meditation on Israel’s unmitigated acceptance of God’s earthly dominion, שמים מלכות עול קבלת, within their role as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, קדוש וגוי כהנים ממלכת, caretakers of the divine covenant.
“Geula Twersky’s book ‘Torah Song: The Theological Role of Torah Poetry’ provides the reader with the musical notes, instruments and tempo to uncover the inspiring and moving world of biblical poetry.”—Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president, Yeshiva University.
“Geula Twersky has marshaled an impressive range of traditional biblical commentary and contemporary scholarship to offer insight into some of the most challenging, significant, and elusive texts of the Hebrew Bible.”—Dr. Erica Brown, vice provost of Values and Leadership
“Twersky asks not only what the texts mean and how they say what they mean, but more profoundly, why certain things are said in poetry rather than prose.”—Professor Aaron Koller, associate professor of Near Eastern and Jewish Studies, Yeshiva University “God chose to reveal Himself to the world through the written word—not only in prose narrative but also in poetic song. Indeed, the Torah refers to itself as a “song.” Twersky helps us develop methodological sensitivities that make us more receptive to hearing God’s divine song.”—Rabbi Jeffrey Saks, editor, Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought Geula Twersky holds an MS in Judaic studies from Bernard Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University (1991) and an MA in Bible from Bar-Ilan University (2014).
She is the author of “Song of Riddles: Deciphering the Song of Songs” (Gefen, 2018), which was nominated for the 2020 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature. Geula is also an award-winning Judaic fine artist, winning Israel’s highest award for olim artists (2007).
Her background in the fine arts has profoundly influenced her unique approach to interpreting Torah poetry.
