The Joy and Value of Reading
I’ve always felt there’s something almost comforting about settling in with a good book. Maybe it’s the quiet. Maybe it’s the way a story can lift us out of the day’s worries. Or maybe it’s because, as Jews, reading is practically in our DNA. We’re Am HaSefer—the People of the Book—and we’ve carried that title with pride for a very long time.
The Psalmist once wrote:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
It’s a simple reminder that words—especially sacred ones—help guide us. But honestly, even a well‑written novel or a thoughtful biography can shine a little light when we need it.
There’s a special kind of joy that comes from understanding something new. The Midrash puts it beautifully:
“There is no joy like the joy of understanding.” (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1:34)
We’ve all had that moment when a line in a book hits us just right, or when a character feels so real, we want to pull up a chair for them at Shabbat dinner. That’s the quiet magic of reading.
And the wisdom of Proverbs reminds us:
“Let the wise listen and gain learning.” (Proverbs 1:5)
Reading keeps us curious. It keeps us growing. It keeps us humble enough to admit that there’s always more to learn—no matter how many birthdays we’ve celebrated.
Some of the warmest moments in synagogue life happen around books. There’s the lively Torah study session where someone asks a question that sends us all down a delightful rabbit hole. There’s the book club where half the fun is the tangents we wander into. And there’s the grandparent reading a Jewish story to a grandchild, both of them leaning in close, sharing the same page and the same smile.
The Torah encourages us to make learning part of our everyday rhythm:
“Speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the way…” (Deut. 6:7)
In other words, don’t save your learning for special occasions. Let it travel with you—into your conversations, your kitchen table debates, your quiet moments before bed.
Reading doesn’t always feel “spiritual,” but it often is. A good book can steady us when life feels uncertain. It can remind us that we’re not the first people to wrestle with big questions. It can give us language for feelings we didn’t know how to name.
Sometimes the right sentence at the right moment can feel like a blessing. Sometimes a story can soften our hearts. Sometimes a poem can open a window we didn’t realize was closed.
And sometimes, let’s be honest, reading is just plain fun. There’s holiness in that too.
One of the things I love most about Judaism is that we never “graduate” from learning. We don’t age out of curiosity. We don’t retire from wisdom. Our tradition assumes that every stage of life brings new insights—and new questions.
That’s why our sages taught:
“Turn it and turn it, for everything is in it.” (Pirkei Avot 5:22)
Every time we return to a text—whether it’s Torah or a favorite novel—we find something we didn’t notice before. Not because the book changed, but because we did.
As we move through the year, I hope each of us finds a book that brings comfort, curiosity, or just plain delight. May we rediscover the joy of reading—not as an obligation, but as a gift. May we share stories with one another, recommend books we love, and keep learning in ways that nourish our minds and our spirits.
And may our congregation continue to be a place where words—sacred and everyday—help us grow together, laugh together, and understand one another a little more deeply.
Shalom Uvracha,
Rabbi Howard S. Herman DD
Naples Jewish Congregation