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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Non-Christian religions > Judaism
Mysticism, which transcends the boundaries of time and space and
refers to a reality not grasped by means of ordinary human
cognition, is one of the central sources of inspiration of
religious thought. It is an attempt to decode the mystery of divine
existence by penetrating to the depths of consciousness through
language, memory, myth, and symbolism. Delving deep into the
psyche, mystics strive to redeem perceived reality from its
immediate meaning. Mystical texts constitute a history of this
religious creativity, of man's attempt to reveal the divine
structure underlying the chaos of reality and thereby endow life
with hope and purpose. By offering an alternative perspective on
the world that gives expression to yearnings for freedom and
change, mysticism engenders new modes of authority and leadership;
as such it plays a decisive role in moulding religious and social
history. For all these reasons, the mystical corpus deserves study
and discussion in the framework of cultural criticism and research.
This study is a lyrical exposition of the Jewish mystical
phenomenon. It is based on a close reading of the hundreds of
volumes written by Jewish mystics and incorporates mystical
testimonies drawn from the different countries and cultural
environments in which Jews have lived. Rachel Elior's purpose is to
present, as accurately as possible, the meanings of the mystical
works as they were perceived by their creators and readers. At the
same time, she contextualizes them within the boundaries of the
religion, culture, language, and spiritual and historical
circumstances in which the destiny of the Jewish people has
evolved. The author succeeds in drawing the reader into a mystical
world. With great intensity, she conveys the richness of the
mystical experience in discovering the infinity of meaning embedded
in the sacred text; teasing out the recurring themes, she explains
the multivalent symbols. Using copious extracts from Jewish
mystical sources, she illustrates the varieties of the mystical
experience from antiquity to the twentieth century. She succeeds in
eloquently conveying how mystics try to decipher reality by
penetrating beyond its apparent boundaries: how they experience
spiritual powers symbolically, imaginatively, or visually; how
hidden truths are revealed in visions or dreams, in an epiphany or
as 'lightning'; how they are 'engraved' in the mind or illuminate
in the soul. Most of the texts she draws on are written in very
obscure language, but the skilful translations communicate the
mystical experiences vividly and make it easy for the reader to
understand how Elior uses them to explain the relationship between
the revealed world and the hidden world and between the mystical
world and the traditional religious world, with all the social and
religious tensions this has caused.
This book deals with the Second World War in Southeastern Europe
from the perspective of conditions on the ground during the
conflict. The focus is on the reshaping of ethnic and religious
groups in wartime, on the "top-down" and "bottom-up" dynamics of
mass violence, and on the local dimensions of the Holocaust. The
approach breaks with the national narratives and "top-down"
political and military histories that continue to be the
predominant paradigms for the Second World War in this part of
Europe.
Studying the many ideas about how giving charity atones for sin and
other rewards in late antique rabbinic literature, this volume
contains many, varied, and even conflicting ideas, as the
multiplicity must be recognized and allowed expression. Topics
include the significance of the rabbis' use of the biblical word
"tzedaqah" as charity, the coexistence of the idea that God is the
ultimate recipient of tzedaqah along with rabbinic ambivalence
about that idea, redemptive almsgiving, and the reward for charity
of retention or increase in wealth. Rabbinic literature's
preference for "teshuvah" (repentance) over tzedeqah to atone for
sin is also closely examined. Throughout, close attention is paid
to chronological differences in these ideas, and to differences
between the rabbinic compilations of the land of Israel and the
Babylonian Talmud. The book extensively analyzes the various ways
the Babylonian Talmud especially tends to put limits on the divine
element in charity while privileging its human, this-worldly
dimensions. This tendency also characterizes the Babylonian
Talmud's treatment of other topics. The book briefly surveys some
post-Talmudic developments. As the study fills a gap in existing
scholarship on charity and the rabbis, it is an invaluable resource
for scholars and clergy interested in charity within comparative
religion, history, and religion.
Sa'adyah Gaon was an outstanding tenth-century Jewish thinker-a
prominent rabbi, philosopher, and exegete. He was a pioneer in the
fields in which he toiled, and was an inspiration and basis for
later Jewish writing in all these areas. The last major
English-language study of his work was published in 1921, long
before Genizah research changed the understanding of the time in
which he lived. Robert Brody's masterly work, covering Sa'adyah's
biography and his main areas of creativity in an accessible way, is
therefore a much-needed reassessment of an outstanding figure. The
opening chapter, on the geonic period that formed the background to
Sa'adyah's life (a period on which there are few works in English),
is followed by an overview that brings out the revolutionary
aspects of his work and the characteristic features of his
writings. Subsequent chapters consider his philosophical works; his
Bible commentaries; his pioneering linguistic work; his poetry; his
halakhic activity (including an examination of his use of the
Palestinian Talmud compared to that of the Babylonian Talmud); and
his activity as a polemicist, notably against the Karaites. An
Epilogue sums up his importance in medieval Jewish culture.
Particularly valuable features of the book are the copious
quotations from Sa'adyah's works, which facilitate familiarity with
his style as well as his ideas; the clarity in presenting complex
and difficult concepts; the constant assessment of his relationship
to his predecessors in his various fields of study and his own
unique contributions to each field; and the contextualization of
his contribution within the political, cultural, and religious
climate of his times so that both revolutionary and conservative
elements in his thought can be identified and evaluated.
Volume 17 of The Jewish Law Annual adds to the growing list of
articles on Jewish law that have been published in volumes 1-16 of
this series, providing English-speaking readers with scholarly
articles presenting jurisprudential, historical, textual and
comparative analysis of issues in Jewish law. The volume contains
seven articles diverse in their scope and focus. Two articles are
devoted to the halakhic thought of Rabbi A. I Kook; two treat
classic legal questions: breach of a promise to marry, and the
legal capacity of minors; two examine aspects of the judicial
process, one exploring talmudic analyses of the biblical
requirement that courts be established in every town, and the
other, post-talmudic views on judicial authority in cases suspected
of fraudulent claims. Another article addresses the fascinating
question of the epistemic-pedagogic worldviews of the rival
Tannaitic legal academics, the House of Hillel and the House of
Shammai. The volume concludes with a section on Israeli legislation
that adduces or is informed by Jewish law, and two reviews of a
much-discussed recent book on a topic of considerable contemporary
interest: the agunah problem.
Offers an in depth comparative look at the Epic of Gilgamesh and
the Primeval History, which allows students to view the Genesis
within its Near Eastern context. Offers a fresh model for
approaching this comparative task, which has at times been stifled
by religious dogmatism, on the one hand, or disciplinary insularity
on the other. Written in a lucid style with explanation of all key
terms and themes, this book is suitable for students with no
background in the subjects.
The communitarian critic of liberalism argues that the
socio-political context is fundamental to any understanding of the
individual as such. This debate is advanced by particularising it
to the experience of Jews in the modern world. Essays focus on the
variety of views of the relationships between the individual Jew
and the communities, religious and secular, of which he or she is a
member.
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, strangers are indispensable to the
formation of a collective Israelite identity. Encounters between
the Israelites and their neighbors are among the most urgent
matters explored in biblical narratives, yet relatively little
scholarly attention has been paid to them. This book corrects that
imbalance by carrying out close readings of the accounts of
Israel's myriad interactions with the surrounding nations. The book
follows the people of Israel after they leave Egypt, as they wander
in the wilderness, cross over into the land, become a unified
people Israel and face explusion from that land. The introduction
lays the groundwork for a literary reading. Each chapter that
follows highlights a distinct people and the issues that they
create. For example, Jethro, father-in-law of Moses and a Midian
priest, provides a model of collaboration, while Samson's behavior
triggers a cycle of violent retribution. These engaging stories
illustrate the perceived dangers of idolatry and military
oppression, but also convey lessons in governance, cultural
innovation and the building of alliances. This book is vital
reading for Biblical scholars and interested readers who want to
deepen their understanding of the Israelites' relationship with
neighboring peoples. It will also be of keen interest to academics
who work in ancient history and culture.
Nietzsche and Jewish Political Theology is the first book to
explore the impact of Friedrich Nietzsche's work on the formation
of Jewish political theology during the first half of the twentieth
century. It maps the many ways in which early Jewish thinkers
grappled with Nietzsche's powerful ideas about politics, morality,
and religion in the process of forging a new and modern Jewish
culture. The book explores the stories of some of the most
important Jewish thinkers who utilized Nietzsche's writings in
crafting the intellectual foundations of Jewish modern political
theology. These figures' political convictions ranged from orthodox
conservatism to pacifist anarchism, and their attitude towards
Nietzsche's ideas varied from enthusiastic embrace to ambivalence
and outright rejection. By bringing these diverse figures together,
the book makes a convincing argument about Nietzsche's importance
for key figures of early Zionism and modern Jewish political
thought. The present study offers a new interpretation of a
particular theological position which is called "heretical
religiosity." Only with modernity and, paradoxically, with rapid
secularization, did one find "heretical religiosity" at full
strength. Nietzsche enabled intellectual Jews to transform the
foundation of their political existence. It provides a new
perspective on the adaptation of Nietzsche's philosophy in the age
of Jewish national politics, and at the same time is a case study
in the intellectual history of the modern Jewry. This new reading
on Nietzsche's work is a valuable resource for students and
researchers interested in philosophy, Jewish history and political
theology.
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Seder Talk
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Erica Brown
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To this day, the commentaries on the Bible and Talmud written by
the 11th-century scholar known as Rashi remain unsurpassed. Rashi's
influence on Jewish thinking was, and still is, significant. His
commentary on the Pentateuch was the first Hebrew book to be
printed, giving rise to hundreds of super-commentaries. Christian
scholars, too, have relied heavily on his explanations of biblical
texts. In this volume, author Avraham Grossman presents a masterly
survey of the social and cultural background to Rashi's work and
pulls together the strands of information available on his life,
his personality, his reputation during his lifetime, and his
influence as a teacher. Grossman discusses each of Rashi's main
commentaries in turn, including such aspects as Rashi's sources,
his interpretative method, his innovations, and his style and
language. Attention is also given to his halakhic monographs,
responsa, and liturgical poems. Despite Rashi's importance as a
scholar and the vast literature published about him, two central
questions remain essentially unanswered: what was Rashi's
world-view, and was he a conservative or a revolutionary? Professor
Grossman considers these points at length, and his in-depth
analysis of Rashi's world-view - particularly his understanding of
Jewish uniqueness, Jewish values, and Jewish society - leads to
conclusions that are likely to stimulate much debate. ***
Grossman's book should become an essential part of anyone's library
who studies and teaches Torah, and most certainly will prove to be
of great interest to those desiring to understand the mindset and
achievements of one of the great Jewish leaders of medieval
Ashkenaz. - Jewish Book Council *** ...Grossman draws heavily from
the current Israeli scholarship on Rashi, including his own
scholarly works to present a well-rounded picture of Rashi. - AJL
Reviews, February/March 2013
This book is a comprehensive account of how the Jews became a
diaspora people. The term 'diaspora' was first applied exclusively
to the early history of the Jews as they began settling in
scattered colonies outside of Israel-Judea during the time of the
Babylonian exile; it has come to express the characteristic
uniqueness of the Jewish historical experience. Zeitlin retraces
the history of the Jewish diaspora from the ancient world to the
present, beginning with expulsion from their ancestral homeland and
concluding with the Holocaust and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In mapping this process, Zeitlin argues that the Jews' religious
self-understanding was crucial in enabling them to cope with the
serious and recurring challenges they have had to face throughout
their history. He analyses the varied reactions the Jews
encountered from their so-called 'host peoples', paying special
attention to the attitudes of famous thinkers such as Luther,
Hegel, Nietzsche, Wagner, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau, the Left
Hegelians, Marx and others, who didn't shy away from making
explicit their opinions of the Jews.
This book will be of interest to students and scholars of Jewish
studies, diaspora studies, history and religion, as well as to
general readers keen to learn more about the history of the Jewish
experience.
In this second volume of his long-anticipated five-volume collection of parashat hashavua commentaries, Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks explores these intersections as they relate to universal concerns of freedom, love, responsibility, identity, and destiny.
Chief Rabbi Sacks fuses Jewish tradition, Western philosophy, and literature to present a highly developed understanding of the human condition under Gods sovereignty.
Erudite and eloquent, Covenant & Conversation allows us to experience Chief Rabbi Sacks sophisticated approach to life lived in an ongoing dialogue with the Torah.
The Ba'al Shem Tov is an elusive subject for historians because
documentary evidence about his life is scanty and equivocal. Until
now, much of what was known about him was based on stories compiled
more than a generation after his death, many of which serve more to
mythologize him than to describe him. The portrait Moshe Rosman
provides is drawn from life instead of from myth. Based on
innovative critical analysis of familiar and previously unexplored
archival sources, and concentrating on accounts that can be
attributed to the Besht or to contemporary eyewitnesses, this book
goes further than any previous work in uncovering the historical
Ba'al Shem Tov. Additionally, documents in Polish and Hebrew
discovered by Professor Rosman during his research for the book
enable him to give the first detailed description of the cultural,
social, economic, and political context of the Besht's life.
Founder of Hasidism supplies the history behind the legend. It
presents the best, most convincing description that can be drawn
from the existing documentary evidence, changing our understanding
of the Besht and with it the master-narrative of hasidism. A
substantial new introduction considers what has changed in the
study of Hasidism since the influential first edition was
published, these changes being in part due to the effect of the
book. New approaches, new sources, and new interpretations have
been introduced, and these are reviewed and critically assessed.
Criticisms of the original edition are answered and key issues
reconsidered, including the authenticity of the various versions of
the Holy Epistle; the ways in which Jacob Joseph of Polonne's books
can be utilized as historical sources; and the relationship to
history of the stories about the Ba'al Shem Tov in the
hagiographical collection Shivhei Ha-Besht.
The #1 bestselling inspirational classic from the internationally known
spiritual leader; a source of solace and hope for over 4 million
readers.
Since its original publication in 1981, When Bad Things Happen to Good
People has brought solace and hope to millions. In the preface to this
edition, Rabbi Kushner relates the heartwarming responses he has
received over the years from people who have found inspiration and
comfort within these pages.
When Harold Kushner’s three-year-old son was diagnosed with a
degenerative disease that meant the boy would only live until his early
teens, he was faced with one of life’s most difficult questions: Why,
God? Years later, Rabbi Kushner wrote this straightforward, elegant
contemplation of the doubts and fears that arise when tragedy strikes.
In these pages, Kushner shares his wisdom as a rabbi, a parent, a
reader, and a human being. Often imitated but never superseded, When
Bad Things Happen to Good People is a classic that offers clear
thinking and consolation in times of sorrow.
The memoir of a woman who leaves her faith and her marriage and
sets out to navigate the terrifying, liberating terrain of a newly
mapless world Born and raised in a tight-knit Orthodox Jewish
family, Tova Mirvis committed herself to observing the rules and
rituals prescribed by this way of life. After all, to observe was
to be accepted and to be accepted was to be loved. She married a
man from within the fold and quickly began a family. But over the
years, her doubts became noisier than her faith, and at age forty
she could no longer breathe in what had become a suffocating
existence. Even though it would mean the loss of her friends, her
community, and possibly even her family, Tova decides to leave her
husband and her faith. After years of trying to silence the voice
inside her that said she did not agree, did not fit in, did not
believe, she strikes out on her own to discover what she does
believe and who she really is. This will mean forging a new way of
life not just for herself, but for her children, who are struggling
with what the divorce and her new status as "not Orthodox" mean for
them. This is a memoir about what it means to decide to heed your
inner compass at long last. To free the part of yourself that has
been suppressed, even if it means walking away from the only life
you've ever known. Honest and courageous, Tova takes us through her
first year outside her marriage and community as she learns to
silence her fears and seek adventure on her own path to happiness.
In a work that casts philosophical and theological reflections
against a backdrop of personal experience, Leon Wiener Dow offers a
learned discourse that elucidates the telos of Jewish law and the
philosophical-theological commitments that animate it. To the
reader gazing upon the halakha from the outside, this book offers a
glimpse of its central, orienting concepts. To the reader who lives
amidst the rigor of halakha, this book bestows an insightful glance
at the law's orienting ethos and higher aspirations that often
remain opaque.
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