While cleaning out my mother-in-law's estate, we came across the Tanakh she was gifted by her temple on her Bat Mitzvah. Incidentally, I had my Bar Mitzvah at the same temple.
The book has made its way into my tallit bag, where I have it on hand while davening. Over time, this small volume has become a treasured possession. Obviously, it has sentimental value, but more than that, I've found it to be quite practical. Here are three C's that make it so.
Complete
The name Tanakh is an acronym for the texts it contains. Sefaria explains:
The Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, is Judaism’s foundational text. “Tanakh” is an acronym for the three sections of the canon, the Torah (the Five Books of Moses), Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings).
So while we pore over the Torah during services, that's just the first 5 books of our Bible. There are 39 sacred texts in all. And that's the first place a pocket Tanakh shines: it gives you access to the full canon, not just parts of it.
Want to read a Psalm we don't typically recite during services? Or see a part of the Book of Isaiah not covered by a haftarah? Or read the Book of Nahum? A Tanakh has you covered.
Context
A Tanakh can add context to the fragments of text that we encounter during services, giving way to fresh insights and additional levels of appreciation. Haftorot, for example, frequently start or end in the middle of a chapter; being able to read the surrounding text can often be illuminating.
Take the haftarah that we read on the first day of Passover. In it, we read about the Israelites preparing to assault Jericho. However, the haftarah stops short of the famous moment when the walls come tumbling down. A Tanakh lets you peek ahead and read all the action.
This also works well for shorter bits of text that we reference while praying. For example, during Tachanun, we recite the words of King David: “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hands of Adonai, for His compassion is great; and let me not fall into the hands of men.”
The question is, what did King David do to be in such great distress? You can read all about it in II Samuel, Chapter 24.
Knowing the story behind King David's woe adds another level to the prayer that cites it.
Curiosity
No doubt, there's something magical about studying the same text day after day, year after year and yet, coming away with fresh insights and appreciation. That's the benefit we get from davening with a fixed set of prayers and a regular cycle of the Torah and haftarah readings. And yet, there's also something to be said for exploring new ground. A Tanakh gives you easy access to the latter.
There are countless stories, lessons, and insights waiting to be discovered in the 39 volumes that make up our Bible. Like the time that Israel was saved by a loaf of barley bread, or Satan meddled with Job, or Daniel hung out in a lion's den. These stories haven't been included among our standard readings, so you won't come across them unless you go off and explore them yourself. With a Tanakh, you can do just this.
In short, a pocket Tanakh is a gateway to better appreciating the text we read regularly, and finding new favorite texts. Thanks, Mom!*
*It's with a dose of sadness that I hit publish on this post. My Mother-in-Law was my most loyal reader. No matter how technical or obscure the post, she read every one. I think she really would have enjoyed this one. Yet one more reason she's missed.
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