The Soncino Books of the Bible: The Five Megilloth

The book of Five Megilloth contain the books of Esther, Song of Songs and Ruth, Lamentations and Ecclesiastes.<br><br> Esther: Recounts the well-known miracle of Purim, when the Jews of the Persian Empire were saved from annihilation. <br> Song of Songs: Deals with a maiden whose husband left her for many years, promising to return and restore her to her previous status. Considered to be an allegorical representation of the exile of the Jewish people and their return to the Holy Land with the coming of the messiah. <br> Ruth: Relates the story of a Moabite woman who married a Jewish man and was reduced to poverty after her husband's demise. She accompanied her mother-in-law to the Holy Land, where she ultimately remarried the Judge of Israel, and became the matriarch of the House of David. The conversion of Ruth to Judaism is the basis for the laws of Judaism relating to conversion. <br> Lamentations: Depicts the heartrending experiences of the prophet Jeremiah during the destruction of the First Temple and the city of Jerusalem. <br> Ecclesiastes: Contains King Solomon's philosophical discourses, in which he ponders the reason for man's existence and concludes that man's purpose is only to fear G-d. <br><br> Used in English-speaking countries for more than 35 years. Contains a verse-by-verse English translation of the Chumash, as well as a commentary based on the works of classical biblical scholars. This vast work, painstakingly prepared by scholars under the general editorship of Rabbi Abraham Cohen, contains:<br> <ul> <li>the complete Hebrew text <li>an elegant and lucid verse-by-verse translation <li>an illuminating commentary digest based on the works of classical scholars <li>extensive introductions which provide invaluable help in understanding each book's purpose <li>an index and a bibliography in each volume </ul> <br> With its compact, practical size and distinctive format, this is the most accessible and complete text for all students of the Bible.