Dennis Prager Concludes His Teaching Of The Torah
In April 1992, Dennis Prager began teaching the Torah verse-by-verse at what was then the University of Judaism (now known as American Jewish University). On February 9, 2010, he was due to finish.
A check of DennisPrager.com on Jan. 22, 2010, revealed that the price to buy all of the CDs for Prager’s commentary on Genesis was $544 (if you download the content, it costs but $442). The price for Exodus on CD was $952. The price for the first half of Leviticus on CD was $320. The price for Numbers on CD was $476. The price for Deuteronomy on CD was $690.
I can only imagine the savings if you call the Prager Store and get all five books of the Torah. I expect it would be in the neighborhood of $3,000.
I’m unaware of other commentaries on the Torah that cost so much.
Here’s a quote from Dennis on the AJU website: “I have been teaching the Torah verse by verse at the American Jewish University since April 1992. Why have I devoted so much time and effort to teaching the Torah? Because I believe that the Torah is the most relevant guide to life available to us. I believe that the most esoteric and even “boring†sections have secrets of wisdom that when unlocked give any of us a happier, deeper, wiser life. The Torah is not merely an ancient holy book. It is life-changing in every one of its chapters. I invite you to take time out from the intensity of daily life and spend four nights with me in one of the most intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually exciting journeys any of us can make. No background or previous study is necessary.”
Anybody got a copy of this extravaganza that they could lend me? I don’t have a spare $3,000 right now.
Joe emails: I took the class early on – A client of mine was into Prager and I went up the hill to the UJ. Now, mind you, I studied in Yeshiva in Israel so I know quality transmission of G-d’s word. This class was not about deep analysis of the text. Rather, it was Prager’s attempt (actually, he did it quite well) to project his personality of self importance on the Torah. It was terribly boring and essentially useless. It was a guy reading from the text and telling you how it proves he was right about things. I really do not get Prager – I mean he is not intellectually satisfying for me, he seems to do well for lost souls. He could be great for Baal Teshuvas, but his hypocrisy of not following Orthodox Judaism is a giveaway that he just likes to hear himself be heard but not actually bind himself to a religion.