Genesis Revisted: A Fresh Commentary

Rabbi Joe Klein's book, Reading Genesis Again For The First Time, offers a radical commentary on the Book of Genesis that challenges traditional interpretations. According to Rabbi Klein, the two Creation stories in Genesis are not meant to explain how the world was created, and the serpent is not evil, but rather God's agent. He argues that Adam and Eve did not sin, but rather God needed them to eat the fruit to leave the garden. Klein also presents the idea that Cain should be viewed as a "tragic hero," and Isaac is portrayed as a weak and damaged figure, rather than a patriarch. He suggests that Esau is a sympathetic character to be pitied, and that the Joseph narrative is fundamentally about the rivalry between Reuven and Judah for leadership of the clan. Additionally, the book delves into the exploration of a very sophisticated literary structure that awaits discovery by the attentive reader.

Rabbi Joe Klein, who was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, served as a rabbi in congregations in Indiana and Tennessee before retiring as Rabbi Emeritus from Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park, MI. He is currently an Adjunct Professor teaching Genesis and other subjects at Oakland University and Rochester Christian University, both located in Rochester, MI. He continues to teach in the Adult Education program of the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit and serves as the Visiting Rabbi of the Grosse Pointe Jewish Council.

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