After reading this book, I definitely have to concede that it deserves a spot among my top 10 most favorite books though admittedly it is not #1. Steinsaltz is probably the Maimonides of his generation. The words of The Thirteen Petalled Rose exude like a magnificent display of fireworks. However, The Thirteen Petalled Rose is a very difficult book. Adin Steinsaltz is not easy reading. I would say that it is his precision that makes this work difficult to comprehend in the same way I felt The Essential Talmud was difficult to comprehend. I guess that much does not need to be said, for those are the people who will purchase this book, take a crack at reading it, become frustrated, and put it down. Given the popularity of Kaballah, that is how the author will get much of his funds. However, I don’t believe that was his mission at all, for as we know, not all pennies are created equal.
I wanted a hard copy of this work because I knew from the other rave reviews of this work that I wanted to have a printed copy of it, rather than just an electronic book. If someone spots this book on my shelf, and has heard of it, I think it seeing its presence will possibly spur great conversations.
That I was able to read it, and benefit from it is probably due to all those countless hours I have toiled in Tanya study. Otherwise, I may have become overwhelmed. Additionally, The Thirteen Petalled Rose should not take the place of daily Tanya study though it has some information that the Tanya does not, and it is key information, especially since I can’t consider myself frum from birth.
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