The Rav’s Books

A video lecture is something you watch; a book is something you keep. The three works of Rav Raphaël Benizri extend the teaching shared on this site, but in a form you can set on the table, annotate and reread — the kind that accompanies Shabbat, the festivals, and the moments when we want to take our time.

Fragrances of Shabbat

An invitation to rediscover the essence of the Shabbat table: what unfolds around it, what is passed on there, and why this weekly meal has kept a community standing for centuries. A book written with love and fervor, to be read before Friday night or to keep close at hand while it lasts.

The Aromas of a Blessing

An exploration of the berakhot (blessings), particularly those related to food. Blessing before eating is the most everyday gesture of Jewish practice, and probably the one that most quickly becomes mechanical. This book returns to its meaning: what it means to pause before consuming, and why the tradition insisted that nothing be taken for granted.

Songs and Praises — Yitzchak Yeranen

A bridge between the fervor of the sacred texts and the splendor of the piyyutim of the Sephardic liturgical tradition. This collection gathers the sung repertoire that accompanies the prayer services and the festivals — a heritage handed down first and foremost by voice, which a book makes it possible to set down before it is lost.