The Torah: A Modern Commentary, Gunther Plaut, issued by the Reform movement and owned by many Adat Shalom members; introductory
essays are particularly noteworthy.
Etz Hayim, new commentary issued by the Conservative movement and the one we might have
chosen had it been available in early days of Adat Shalom; combines the "best of" the
five-volume JPS Torah Commentary and additional commentaries.
Commentary on the Torah, Richard Friedman, insightful if sparse commentary by
author of Who Wrote the Bible, one of the most accessible books on how the Hebrew Bible was compiled.
The Living Torah, Aryeh Kaplan, very useful commentary by Orthodox rabbi and mystic.
Artscroll Chumash, Stone, the "standard" very traditional commentary used in many Orthodox synagogues
today.
Pentateuch and Haftarahs, J. Hertz, very traditional early 20th century commentary that
many of us grew up with.
The Five Books of Miriam, Ellen Frankel, feminist Torah commentary by editor in chief of Jewish
Publication Society.
In the Image of God, Judith Antonelli, another feminist Torah commentary.
The Women's Torah Commentary, E. Goldstein, a third feminist Torah commentary.
70 Facets, Gorenberg, interesting divrei Torah.
The Five Books of Moses, Everett Fox, not a commentary per se, but a widely acclaimed
English translation that attempts to capture cadence of original Hebrew.
Rashi on Genesis, etc., the most widely quoted of the medieval Jewish commentators.
Studies In Bereshis, etc., Nehama Leibowitz, Jerusalem Torah teacher's "lecture notes" put
medieval commentators in accessible form when discussing several topics for each parsha.
A Torah Commentary for our Times, Harvey Fields, a still more accessible recapitulation of the
views of medieval (and modern) commentators on several issues from each parsha; distributed by Reform
movement.
JPS Torah Commentary, the most comprehensive almost verse by verse commentary from outside the
Orthodox movement.
The Beginning of Desire, Avivah Zornberg, commentary on Genesis by participant in Bill
Moyers TV series; also wrote The Particulars of Rapture, a commentary on Exodus.
Wrestling with Angels, N. Rosenblatt, another commentary on Genesis with a focus on the
characters' psychological struggles
Our Fathers' Wells, Peter Pitzele, father of bibliodrama fills gaps in the text with the
midrashim that we create.
The Road to Redemption, Visotzky, commentary by another participant in Bill Moyers series
Standing Again at Sinai, Judith Plaskow, leading feminist theologian who argues that women were
excluded from Sinai event in classical telling which accordingly needs to be re-envisioned; shelved with
works of Jewish feminism.
The Book Of Legends, Sefer Ha-Ahaggadah, Bialik and Ravnitsky, Part I contains many of the midrashim
about the Torah that the the early rabbis gathered into the Talmud and which are so familiar that many
times we think they are part of the Torah itself; shelved in Talmud section.
Legends of the Bible, Louis Ginzberg, also contains many of the ancient midrashim about the Torah.