Historical novels provide fascinating insights into Torah

“Rashi’s Daughters, Book III, Rachel,” by Maggie Anton. (Penguin, 2009) $15; “Rashi’s Daughters, Book II: Miriam,” by Maggie Anton. (Penguin, 2007) $15. “Rashi’s Daughters, Book I, Joheved,” Maggie Anton. (Penguin, 2007) $15.

Maggie Anton studied Talmud and Medieval history and self published her first work of this trilogy on Rashi’s daughter, Joheved. After 25,000 copies were sold, publishers woke up, and Penguin offered to do volume II and then volumes I and III. Anton will talk about her books at Kehilath Israel Synagogue for the Jewish Book Fair. (See below for details.)

Salomon ben Isaac (Rashi), the great Talmudic scholar, lived in 11th century France and had three daughters. He started his own yeshiva in Troyes, France, in 1068 when he returned to take over the family winemaking business and write what was the first Talmud commentary. The tales of his family life are almost as extraordinary. He taught Talmud to his three daughters at a time when even educating women at all was not the norm.

“Rachel” is the third book in the trilogy of historical novels, subtitled “A novel of love and the Talmud in Medieval France.” Once again Anton inspires readers with an enthralling work.

Rachel was Rashi’s youngest, and favorite, daughter. She was born when her sister Jocheved was 12 and her sister Miriam was 7.

At the time of this novel, the family lived in Troyes, where they had a vineyard. Rachel managed the vineyard as an adult. She married Eliezer and had two children. She also loaned money to women. In this work, Jocheved is married with four children and manages an estate. Miriam, a midwife, is also married with four children.

Conflicts begin in Rachel’s marriage when Eliezer decides to go to Spain to study astronomy. When marauders of the First Crusade massacre the Jews of Germany and Rashi suffers a stroke, Rachel’s marriage and ideal life is threatened.

As in the earlier two novels, Anton brings to life a woman and the life she led in mind-boggling details. Most interesting is the afterword in which she answers the questions we ask in her novels. In the case of “Rachel,” she created a plot involving the divorce that Rachel executed, for which there was evidence. The travels of Rachel and Eliezer in this novel, their occupations, Eliezer in Spain and a few other incidents are her creations.

In the book of “Miriam,” this exceptionally well-researched historical novel opens when her betrothed is tragically killed, and she decides to assist the Troyes Jewish community by becoming a midwife.

The plot is engrossing. The characters are very realistic and, most importantly, the continuous insights into the Torah are fascinating. Here is an intriguing look into all aspects of daily life through a historical novel.

In the book of “Joheved,” the title character is the oldest daughter and 12 years old. Conflict arises between Rashi and his wife when she discovers he is teaching Talmud to his daughters. Life goes on, Joheved grows up and her passion for Jewish learning is barely quenched when she starts to lay tefillin. Eventually she is betrothed to Meir ben Samuel, whose family owned vineyards and sheep; they marry and have a family and interact with her sisters and family.

The book is a well-written, enthralling work of classic historical fiction of an exceptional woman.

Regardless of what is based on solid evidence and what she created, Anton is a genius in all three of her novels. As Anton says, the legacy of Rashi’s daughters is that they recognized the value of Torah study in the Jewish world, wanted an education for themselves as well as their husbands and sons and performed the rituals reserved for men. These novels would make a fantastic collection for any woman’s study group, book reading group or discussion group.

Jewish Book Fair continues

• This year’s Jewish Book Fair continues as Benyamin Cohen, author of “My Jesus Year: A Rabbi’s Son Wanders the Bible Belt In Search of His Own Faith,” headlines the annual continental breakfast at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Campus.

• Veteran broadcast journalist Martin Fletcher, author of the memoir “Breaking News,” will give the Milton Firestone & Bea Firestone Flam Memorial Lecture at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, at the Campus.

• “Rashi’s Daughters” author Maggie Anton will appear at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at Kehilath Israel Synagogue.

(Author Edward Kritzler “Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean,” regrettably had to cancel his appearance due to illness.)

There is a charge for the Nov. 15 breakfast with Cohen. However, reservations are requested for all events. Tickets are available at the Jewish Community Center. For more information or to make a reservation, call (913) 327-8000 or visit www.jcckc.org.

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