Sparks beneath the surface

In Sparks beneath the Surface: A Spiritual Commentary on the Torah, Lawrence Kushner and Kerry Olitzky, two leaders in a new generation of liberal rabbis, have provided an invaluable tool to bring the teachings of Torah to modern Jews. Organized around the weekly Torah portions, Sparks beneath the Surface is designed to resemble pages of the Talmud. In the center of each page, the rabbis present the targum -the English translation of the phrase or verse being explored. The authors also often include the surrounding verses and summaries to help anchor the passage in context. To one side, they provide material on the passage from classical chasidic teachers; to the other side, they offer insights from Jewish tradition to add depth to the point under discussion, as well as to provide the reader with sources for further study. The authors also elucidate the commentaries in their own perushim - explanations of the teachings. Each entry is enhanced with background information on Chasidism, biographical and geographical information, alternative comments by other teachers, and other interesting asides that relate to the text. According to Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, this book is "a delig