In chapter ten of The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation, Stefan Reif examines several contributions that Jewish scholars have made in the biblical interpretation of the Old Testament. According to Reif, Jewish exegesis emphasizes three aspects: the Israelite people, their land, and their language. Another critical component to Jewish exegesis is the Torah; it has been used extensively throughout Jewish history for liturgical and educational activities in synagogues and academies. The use of the Torah, however, for both religious practice and scholarly analysis meant that it was not possible for Jewish scholars to engage in any disinterested exegesis. However, this blended approach allowed many Jewish scholars to be open-minded
