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The encyclopedic commentary of Me’am Lo’ez, translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan.
The Torah Anthology is a clear, modern translation of Me'am Lo'ez, hailed as "the outstanding work of Ladino literature." Written by Rabbi Yaakov Culi, one of the greatest Sephardic sages of his times, the book was first published in 1730. It changed the spiritual climate of the entire Mediterranean region. Eastern Jews esteemed Me'am Lo'ez as a major classic, affording it the same status as the Talmud and Mishnah. Reading it each day was a religious duty; it was a highly popular text for synagogue classes held each evening. Many count Me'am Lo'ez among the best commentaries ever written on the Torah - in any language. The book is a veritable encyclopedia of Jewish knowledge.Portions of Ki Tetze, Ki Tavo . No parasha in the Torah contains as many mitzvot as Ki Tetze - 68. One of them (which is explained here) is the "strange" mitzvah of sending away a mother bird when taking the eggs from her nest. By contrast, the parasha which follows, Ki Tavo, gives a detailed account of what will happen if we do not follow the spiritual path in life : disease, famine, conquest by enemies after a painful siege, exile. These two parshiyot present the twin poles of Jewish teachings: reward and punishment. Together with MeAm Loez unique combination of comments from Talmud, Midrash and later authorities, they form an immensely readable introduction to some of the very basic elements of Torah.