The book delves into the intellectual contributions of Isaac Abarbanel, a significant Jewish thinker and financier of the early sixteenth century. It examines his engagement with Jewish tradition, highlighting how he navigated and negotiated these cultural and religious frameworks. Through this exploration, the work sheds light on Abarbanel's unique perspectives and the broader implications of his thought within the context of Jewish history and philosophy.
The Commentary on the Torah of Rashi (Shlomo Yitzhaki; 1040-1105) stands out as the most important Jewish Bible commentary of all time. The Commentary has shaped perceptions of the meaning of Judaism's foundation document, the Torah, among leading scholars, lay readers, and initiates in Jewish learning for more than nine centuries. It remains the classic commentary on Judaism's classic text. Lawee's book explores how and why the Commentary has left so indelible an imprint on generations of Jews and the processes that turned it into the closest thing Judaism has to a canonical commentary on scripture.