Ramban As A Guide To Today’s Perplexed

Moshe M. Eisemann, Kishenev Yeshivah, 2006

This small book, written in aid of the Kishenev Yeshiva is subtitled ‘mining the Chumash commentary for help in coping with our topsy-turvy world’. It’s an easy read from the master of small but challenging books, Rabbi Moshe Eisemann from Baltimore. The author contends that the best source for understanding the key issues in Jewish thought today is Nachmanides’ commentary on the Torah. Known as the most important commentary after Rashi, and the primary conceptual text, this mediaeval work offers profound insights into the very nature of existence, human beings, Divine influence following creation, free will, miracles, ‘hester panim’, the Garden of Eden, the final end of Mankind, Divine providence, etc. Rabbi Eisemann feels that most issues raised today in the area of Jewish thought can be answered by a careful reading of the Ramban’s commentary. He approvingly quotes the late Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetzky to the effect that the Ramban does not merely offer commentary to the Torah, but provides a complete philosophy of Judaism. He is particularly interested in viewing the Mitzvot as part of a grand system for personal growth realising the Divine plan in this world.

Ramban As A Guide To Today’s Perplexed