Top Ten Sefarim
I don't usually do these lists but try everything once right?
If u had to advise someone which 10 Jewish books they should have in their house, excluding a siddur, chumash and machzor which she already has.. which would it be and why?
(Remember, she has nothing at home but a Chumash, Siddur and Machzor)
If u had to advise someone which 10 Jewish books they should have in their house, excluding a siddur, chumash and machzor which she already has.. which would it be and why?
(Remember, she has nothing at home but a Chumash, Siddur and Machzor)
So much of it depends on the persons background, and what 'sect' of Judaism they subscribe to.
ReplyDeleteFor an FFB chabad person:
Kitzer shulchan aruch im piskei admor hazakein
it is the basic halachic sefer, and has the shulchan aruch haravs piskei dinim
Lessons in Tanya
The most basic sefer chassidus.
The first two volumes of lekutei sichos
besides being full of wonderful divrei toah on the parsha and stuff, they give the reader the Rebbes outlook on life.
Sefer haminhagim.
Besides for halacha, minhag plays an extremely important part of a frum jews life. Sefere haminhagim lets them know what to do.
Dem Rebbins Kinder.
Its a book which goes through the Rebbes veiw on pretty much everything
Mishnayos,
Rambam.
The rambam is a sefer which goes through everything. someone who learns ramabam becomes knowledgeable in all corners of torah. (i would also possibly suggest getting Rabbi Bistritzky's book which matches up the halachos in the rambam to their corresponding simanim in shulchan aruch)
Sefer Hamaamorim kuntriesim of the freirdiker rebbe.
Quite simple to learn, and containing many basic fundamentals, it is the basic sefer of maamarim to learn
Overcoming folly/ kuntris umayan
A letter by the rebbe rashab, it is simply a guide to being a jew in this world, (the world of business etc.)
I assumed a tehillim was included with the siddur, if not, it should replace kuntris umayaon
Professor- I was talking about somonoe who is secular and has not had much jewish education till this point.
ReplyDeleteI will still stand by the first three sefarim i listed. the rest, depends.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the middle of reading "Sing, you Righteous" by Rabbi Avigdor Miller and really enjoying it. It's hashkafa and philosophy, good for emunah and recognizing niflaos haboreh.
ReplyDelete"Oz Vehadar Levusha," while extreme for some, is a really nice book on modesty. Even if you don't subscribe to every single halacha/chumra he writes, it gives a very good hashkafa for being tzniusdik, in whatever way that means to you. It also gives you a barometer by learning the halachos that the very makpid follow, because by keeping in mind what they do, you know not to stray too far from that standard.
My personal favorites are Derech Hashem and Mesilos Yesharim.
ReplyDeleteI also like the "Permission to" books and Nosson Slifkin on the parsha. (He was Nosson back when he wrote them...)
Prof- im not really inclined in the ways of Chabad so I can't really comment on your choices.
ReplyDeleteCorti- I remember loving learning RAM in school, I never had the priveladge of learning his words inside. As for Oz V'hadar..my high school principle forbade us from learning it. So since then I have not looked in, but it is a great place to look if someone wnats to raise her standards.
Bad4- welcome, the words of Ramchal are deep and can be learned on many levels. I heard that you are supposed to do Derech Hashem first, then Mesilot Yesharim and then go back and do the Derech Hashem again. I agree that R' Kelemen's books are a great placce to start for someone who does not have any background in Judaism.
I was mainly asking what would you suggest to a mainly secular jew who is learning and searching to get closer to her roots.
It’s kind of tough to suggest ten Jewish books to someone when you don’t know their background so instead I’ll list ten (if I could think of so many?!) must-haves – my favorite ones (in no particular order).
ReplyDeleteBeyond a Reasonable Doubt (by Feldheim)
What the Angel Taught You
R’ Shimshon Pincus’s seforim on yomim tovim
Hmmm…I’ll stop right there now that I read the comments. If this is for a secular Jewish girl/woman, the whole list changes.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt is good for all (I think).
But what does she want to know more of? Are her questions on belief? Does she want proofs? Does she want to understand reasons for mitzvos? Does she want to learn more textual kind of stuff? Or more about middos, the parsha?
There are SO many books out there - that's the good part! The hard part is finding the right one(s) that talk to her...I'll keep thinking of you.
Maybe you can direct her to Aish's Partners in Torah or Oorah's TorahMates program.
Thanks Devorah.
ReplyDeleteActually, I dont know the woman personaly, but you are right there are tonz! of books out there. That being saidd i love R' Pincus's sefarim! Especially his emuna series its all just so good!
What does "Beyond a resonable Doubt" talk about it? Never hear of it.
Yes, R' Pincus is AMAZING!! Seriously one of my favorite. I just wrote about something I read over shavuos, you can read it here.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's really nice that now his seforim are slowly being traslated to English which helps for those who may never have been exposed to his brilliance if not for the availablility of his seforim in their mother tongue. His hebrew isn't too hard to understand so luckily I can gain from all he's written!
Oh, I should have linked it - here you go. The subtitle is "convincing evidence of the truths of Judaism" and it explains how we know for sure that the world had to have been created by a G-d, proves that the Torah was given at Har Sinai, talks about Olam Haba, suffering...and more. It's a must read for everybody!!
Oops - wrong link for my post! It's here!
ReplyDeleteIn no particular order -
ReplyDeleteSefer haToda'ah (Book of Our Heritage) by R' Eliyahu Kitov. This sefer is a comprehensive study of the entire Jewish year, including major and minor chagim, fasts, and lots of historical info along the way.
(For someone who is married, I would also suggest Ish u'Beiso (A Jew and His Home), also by R' Kitov.)
The Shabbos Home by R' Simcha B. Cohen. This sefer is great for practical reference and it's accessible to beginners.
Nefesh Shimshon - Shabbos Kodesh by R' Shimshon D. Pincus. This sefer provides more hashkafic perspective and inspiration regarding Shabbos, so it's a nice companion to The Shabbos Home.
To Be A Jew and To Pray As A Jew, both by R' Hayimi H. Donin.
A book about tefilah - The Art of Jewish Prayer is good.
A book about emunah - B'Gan haEmunah, for example.
I'd like to recommend a book about kashrus, but I don't know of a really comprehensive, introductory level sefer.
I'd respectfully disagree with the commenter who recommended Oz v'Hadar Levusha - this book is quite machmir and I wouldn't suggest it to someone who is unfamiliar with frumkeit.
I'm also curious why the machzor is considered one of the essential books for one's personal library. I've seen this on other lists of important books for ba'alei teshuvah, etc., and it seems to me that since we only use it once a year (well, each volume once a year) and the shul has them there for you, it's not worth the expense.
4Yourhonor-welcome! the machzor isnt considered essential, its just what she has. I think you have provided the most fitting list. Thanks.
ReplyDelete