As part of the celebration of its milestone 20th Anniversary, Ohr Torah Stone recently published three new books penned by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin. "Torah Lights: Genesis Confronts Life, Love and Family," the first in a series of five volumes of Biblical commentary, provides illuminating insights on the weekly portions and their relevance to everyday life confrontations; "Around the Family Table," a comprehensive "bencher" and inspiring companion for the Jewish household with commentary on life-cycle and family celebrations, published with Urim Publications; and "Yad L'isha" (in Hebrew), a responsum attempting to resolve one of the most tragic and difficult problems Jewish law faces today: the plight of the aguna.

Newsbriefs: Your three newest books are so diverse in theme. Is there any underlying thread tying them together?

Rabbi Riskin: Definitely. All are based on the philosophy of Modern Orthodoxy, the synthesis of halachic Torah scholarship with modern, secular society - an ideology championed and developed by my Rav and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik.

N: In "Torah Lights," your commentaries on the parshiot of Bereishit, you often make reference to current historical or political events. Does the idea that one can interpret the Torah in so many different ways diminish from its sanctity or holiness?

RR: On the contrary, the ability of the Torah to speak to every generation and its particular trials and tribulations are precisely what proves that it is a Divine work. This goes back to the very backbone of Modern Orthodoxy; that is, instead of rejecting or shying away from the Modernity, Judaism embraces that which it is possible to embrace and sanctifies it. Judaism venerates past tradition, but it remains vibrant and dynamic, very much alive and relevant. This is the secret by which Judaism survived and even prevailed for 4,000 years and continues to successfully engage and inspire others. Indeed our goal is tikkun olam, perfection of the world. That is why I called the book "Torah Lights" - because I believe that Judaism must remove darkness and bring light, must always illuminate and enlighten.

N: In your introduction to "Torah Lights," you tell of the strong influence your maternal grandmother had on the forging of your Jewish identity. What would you say is the most important lesson that she taught you?

RR: I learned from my grandmother, a"h, about the beauty of Shabbat and the festivals, as well as the central importance of Torah learning - she was the eldest daughter of Dayan Shlomo Kowalsky, and he had taught her Torah. My grandmother also taught me that we must reach out to every Jew - and Gentile - with kindness, tolerance, respect and love. Of course she also provided me with the seed of curiosity, the beginnings of knowledge and an understanding of my roots and my role.

N: Why did you feel the need to publish another bencher? Aren't there already dozens of Grace After Meals books on the market?

RR: Well, in a sense this also connects back to my grandmother. Between the ages of eight and 16, I spent every Friday evening with her. From the moment I got there, it was nothing short of magical: we davened together, ate together, sang zemirot together and studied Torah together. I truly believe that the Jewish home is the center of spirituality, the core of tradition. This bencher is called "Around the Family Table," because I wanted it to be a true tribute to the Jewish home. I specifically compiled all of the blessings and rituals that are associated with the family life cycle. Normally, you have to run to several different siddurim in order to find what you're looking for. I tried to make this as comprehensive as possible, so it includes not only the Grace After Meals, but all of the background information and texts you'll need on Shabbat and the individual festivals as well as Chanukah, Yom Ha'atzmaut and Tu B'shevat; the life-cycle ceremonies; celebrations for male and female children; the dedication of a new home.

N: A recent Columbia University study indicates that families who eat together during the week are less likely to raise children who abuse drugs or alcohol. Does this surprise you?

RR: Judaism believes that the family meal is not only important for maintaining family "togetherness," but that the table is actually like an altar; that is, the family meal is the ultimate expression of religious service. As I pointed out in the book, all of our major institutions have the word "Bayit", or "home" incorporated into them: Beit Hamikdash for the holy Temple, Beit Haknesset for the synagogue, Beit Hamidrash for the house of study. our Jewish tradition has always considered the home a sanctuary, the place of paramount importance in the transmission of tradition from generation to generation. So no, the Columbia study doesn't surprise me at all. How can parents communicate their value system to their children if they aren't spending time with them "around the family table," so to speak?

N: The section on "Betrothal, Marriage and the Seven Days of Nuptial Joy" is quite broad. How do you reconcile the overwhelming optimism you express in this book for a marriage according to ritual with the painful troubles of the aguna - a woman essentially chained by this very same ritual law - which you investigate in your third book, "Yad L'isha"?

RR: Calling for the release of chained women does not make me opposed to the institution of marriage; the Jewish marriage ritual is rich in spirituality and beauty. And in fact, the ritual laws governing divorce have more flexibility and offer women more rights than is generally acknowledged, which is exactly what I address in the book. Actually, it has only been since the 12th Century that most authorities have rejected the woman's inherent, Talmudically-established rights in the divorce process. In reality, the halachic mechanism for permitting women to both initiate and carry through divorce proceedings exists. if we are willing to use it. I contend that when a recalcitrant husband refuses to grant his wife a Jewish divorce, he should be brought to a specially-established rabbinical court in Jerusalem in order to retroactively annul the couple's marriage and free the chained wife from her aguna status. This is also something that I have brought before the Israeli Knesset.

N: Tell us about the name of the book, "Yad L'isha".

RR: Well, first of all there's the literal meaning of the words which mean, "A Hand to Women" or really, "Power to Women;" this reflects the need to restore to the woman - in this case the aguna - the empowerment generated by being backed by halacha to extricate herself from a dead or abusive marriage. But yes, the title also shares its name with one of OTS's institutions, our Legal Aid Center and Hotline, in which our women advocates wage legal battle in the Israeli rabbinical courts for the freedom of their aguna clients.

N: You write about the light the Torah can exude and the warmth of the Jewish family on the one hand, but on the other hand you document the terrible injustice being done to women under Jewish law - at least as it is being interpreted by today's rabbinical court justices. Are you generally optimistic about the future of the Jewish people?

RR: I am always optimistic! I don't think OTS could have achieved as much as it has had I not been optimistic. In any case, if our graduates are any indication, I certainly believe that the Jewish future looks promising. Our alumni are promoting Jewish unity and advancing the cause of Jewish continuity the world over. They are involved on the front lines of every social action and tikkun olam venture across the globe. We place more and more rabbis and educators in Israel and the Diaspora each year, a definite indication of the general thirst that exists amongst Jews for information on their heritage and religion. So yes, I am definitely optimistic.