Judaism Books

Book SynopsisThe French philosopher Simone Weil (1909-1943), a contemporary of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre, remains in every way a thinker for our times. She was an outsider, in multiple senses, defying the usual religious categories: at once atheistic and religious; mystic and realist; sceptic and believer. She speaks therefore to the complex sensibilities of a rationalist age. Yet despite her continuing relevance, and the attention she attracts from philosophy, cultural studies, feminist studies, spirituality and beyond, Weil's reflections can still be difficult to grasp, since they were expressed in often inscrutable and fragmentary form. Lissa McCullough here offers a reliable guide to the key concepts of Weil's religious philosophy: good and evil, the void, gravity, grace, beauty, suffering and waiting for God. In addressing such distinctively contemporary concerns as depression, loneliness and isolation, and in writing hauntingly of God's voluntary 'nothingness', Weil's existential paradoxes continue to challenge and provoke. This is the first introductory book to show the essential coherence of her enigmatic but remarkable ideas about religion.Trade Review'This is an extraordinary work that accomplishes what numerous other works on Weil did not: provide a clear and coherent account of the entirety of Weil's religious reflections. It is an exceptional accomplishment that should be marketed and advertised as a landmark work. I cannot overstate its importance for contemporary discussions of theology and religious studies, nor its value to the current dialogue concerning the future of Christianity.' Patrick Horn, Azusa Pacific University 'This book is a page-turner. It is totally compelling in the service of making available a religious thinking that is liminal in form and content: in form, largely fragmentary and elliptical; in content, on the border between Judaism and Christianity, and also on the border between Platonism and Christianity; a thinking of God that continually troubles Christian orthodoxy while embracing it passionately; a thinking of God beyond the idolatries of divine presence that consoles and legitimates our lust for power; a thinking that ask for insight with respect to our motivations and attention and compassion towards a world of embodied selves that are weak and vulnerable. This is an extraordinarily readable text. I have rarely seen a book that manages so successfully to render an author in his or her own voice.' Cyril O'Regan, Huisking Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame 'Lissa McCullough convincingly shows that Simone Weil identifies God with the Good. Instead of concluding that God is "beyond" being, Weil characterizes God's manner of being as antithetical to that of the created world. Her dialectical theology affirms both God's abdication from creation and his minimal abiding wherever there is evil in the world. God's saving grace manifests itself whenever we cultivate a "pure love of the world." If redemption is possible, it is only on the cross, not from the cross - and true Christianity must take the form of what McCullough eloquently calls "love for the anonymous neighbor". This is a thoughtful and challenging book.' Andrew Cutrofello, Professor of Philosophy, Loyola University ChicagoTable of ContentsAbbreviations and Textual Notes Introduction Biographical Groundings Reading Simone Weil 1 / Reality and Contradiction Reality: The Irreducible Truth and Affliction The Role of Attention The Negative Role of Will The Value of Contradiction Right Use of Dogma 2 / The Paradox of Desire We Desire the Good The Good Is Absent The Good Is a Nothingness Detachment of Desire Waiting for God The Earthly Criterion (Not) To Speak of Holy Things 3 / God and the World Creation as Withdrawal The Absent God “Original Sin” The Self-Emptying God Crucifixion as Redemption Supernatural Harmony 4 / Necessity and Obedience Abdication to Necessity Providence Beauty Suffering Necessity: Root of Beauty and Suffering Obedience of Matter: Gravity Obedience of Spirit: Grace Amor Fati 5 / Grace and Decreation Sin Says “I” Grace Decreates the “I” Nothingness: The Humility of God Heaven and Hell Transparence Compassion Action as Incarnation 6 / Conclusion: Weil’s Theological Coherence Background Theological Influences Dialectic of Nature and Grace God Beyond Good and Evil Weil’s Anonymous Christianity Endnotes Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA Threat from Within presents a history of Jewish opposition to Zionism, and challenges the myths that lie at the very root of contemporary or 'new' anti-Semitism. A principled and enduring opposition to Zionism has come from spiritual leaders of Judaism and has not died away despite the State of Israel existence as an imposing military power. The violence in Israel/Palestine acquires a different meaning when seen in the context of internal opposition to Zionism. Dire warnings voiced at the birth of Zionism now sound prophetic. The anti-Zionists have claimed all along that far from 'solving the Jewish question' and offering Jews a safe haven, Zionism would only fan hatred of the Jews. A Threat from Within and its seemingly paradoxical theme - Jews opposing Zionism in the name of Judaism - will fascinate a wide range of readers from different political and religious orientations. Yakov Rabkin‘s book has been translated into several languages and has been nominated for the 2006 Governor General‘s Literary Awards, Canada‘s most prestigious literary prize.Trade Review'An extremely interesting and valuable book.' Noam Chomsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 'Timely, well researched and thorough treatment of probably the most controversial issue in today’s Jewish world. Fascinating contemporary material. The author deserves our thanks for presenting our case so eloquently.' Jewish Telegraph 'Yakov Rabkin argues that Jewish rejection of the Zionist state should be taken seriously.' Jewish Chronicle 'This book sheds light on religious anti-Zionism, which, demographically and ideologically, represents the most serious threat to Israel as a State and as a collective identity. In fact, it is a more grievous and dangerous challenge than Arab and Palestinian hostility. The State, by increasing its achievements, leads the country straight into an abyss. To paraphrase Marx, one could say that Israel, by virtue of its spectacular development, is digging its own tomb.' Joseph Hodara, Bar-Ilan University, Israel 'I can only welcome the publication of this unconventional book based on often ignored historical facts. It is up to us to draw lessons from it.' Rabbi Moshe Gérard Ackermann, Director of the Nerlitz Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem 'Yakov Rabkin has produced an altogether remarkable book that tells the story and analyses the ideas of the Orthodox Jewish movement opposed to Zionism and the State of Israel. I am enormously impressed by the author‘s historical scholarship, by his brilliant analysis of a complex literature and by the lucidity of his prose. This is an extraordinary book.' Gregory Baum, McGill University 'This book is fascinating. it presents a range of anti-Zionist arguments developed in Jewish religious circles that are practically unknown to the public. It is a solid contribution to scholarship.' Alain Bouchard, Laval University 'This is a capital book that comes at the very time that "the eternal Middle East question" demands new approaches that may defuse the crisis. This is why this book must be read without delay that the greatest number of people possible.' Charles Rhéaume, historian, Department of National Defense, Ottawa 'As an Israeli patriot and as a philosopher, I consider it essential to integrate the discourse of Judaic anti-Zionism into the badly needed public debate about our past, present and future.' Joseph Agassi, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada; Tel-Aviv University and York University, Toronto '...mastery of detail and succinct referencing...[the book] is rich and deserves serious attention and respect.' Journal of the Middle East in London 'This is an excellent and an urgent book at a time when criticism is confronted by an iron wall.' Yerah Gover, Journal of Palestine StudiesTable of Contents Preface - Joseph Agassi Prologue 1. Historical Signposts 2. A New Identity 3. Land of Israel between Exile and Return 4. Use of Force 5. Collaboration with the Zionists: Limits and Opportunities 6. Zionism, the Shoah and Israel 7. Prophecies of Destruction and Strategies of Survival Epilogue

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Book SynopsisA new interpretation of Celtic Christianity, supported by images of Christ taken from manuscripts, metalwork and sculpture, and showing how it departed from continental practice largely due to a differing perception and application of Pelagianism. Christ in Celtic Christianity gives a new interpretation of the nature of Christianity in Celtic Britain and Ireland from the fifth to the tenth century. The written and visual evidence on which the authors base their argument includes images of Christ created in and for this milieu, taken from manuscripts, metalwork and sculpture and reproduced in this study. The authors challenge the received opinion that Celtic Christians were in unity with Romein all matters except the method of Easter reckoning and the shape of the clerical tonsure. They find, on the contrary, that the strain of the Pelagian heresy which rooted itself in Britain in the early fifth century influenced the theology and practice of the Celtic monastic Churches on both sides of the Irish Sea for several hundred years, creating a theological spectrum quite distinct from that of continental establishments. MICHAEL W. HERRENis Professor of Classics and Distinguished Research Professor at York University (Toronto), a member of the Graduate Faculty at the Centre for Medieval Studies in the University of Toronto, and an Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy; SHIRLEY ANN BROWN is Professor of Art History and a member of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at York University.Trade ReviewThis comprehensive, if controversial, study of the Christology of the late antique and early medieval British church is undoubtedly one of the most learned and substantial contributions to appear in the field of Celtic Christianity. * MEDIEVAL REVIEW *Stimulating. * EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE *[The authors] have shed a great deal of light on many features of the early churches of Ireland and Britain. Their profound scholarship is manifested in countless ways. * THE INNES REVIEW *A fascinating picture of early Celtic Christianity [that] will be critical to subsequent scholarship. * SPECULUM *Nuanced and very well researched....Overall this is an important book. * CATHOLIC HISTORICAL REVIEW *This is an important book....There is much of great value in this study. * JNL OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY *The writing is consistently engaging and renders the arcana of late-antique / early medieval religious thought eminently accessible and even compelling. * CELTIC STUDIES ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER *

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Book SynopsisThe family tomb as a physical claim to the patrimony, the attributed powers of the dead and the prospect of post-mortem veneration made the cult of the dead an integral aspect of the Judahite and Israelite society. Over 850 burials from throughout the southern Levant are examined to illustrate the Judahite form of burial and its development. Vessels for foods and liquids were of paramount importance in the afterlife, followed by jewellery with its protective powers. The cult of the dead began to be an unacceptable feature of the Jerusalem Yahwistic cult in the late eighth to seventh century BCE. This change of attitude was precipitated by the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel and the consequent theological response.

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Book SynopsisThe bible remains one of the major literary achievements of human history, comprising over 60 documents, with as many contributors, and composed over many centuries. In this book, Michael Fishbane approaches the Hebrew Bible from a literary point of view. He demonstrates how, just as orators use particular techniques such as repetition and pause to convey their message in the way they require, the Hebrew Bible authors used a range of literary devices to communicate a religious message applicable to particular historical moments, each with their own political, moral and theological contexts.Trade Review"very readable and instructive introduction to a literary reading of scripture." * Epworth Review *"a useful contribution to the study of the Bible as literature." * Journal for the Study of the Old Testament *"this volume still retains its freshness" * Theological Book Review *"there are stunning insights clearly presented" * World Faiths Encounter *"A beautifully written little volume containing … sensitivity to language, spiritual insight, and passionate faith." John G. Gamie * Interpretation *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Narratives and Narrative Cycles Speeches and Prayers Motifs and Other Text-Transformations Epilogue Notes Index

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Book SynopsisThis reader includes extracts from a wide variety of sources, from the Pentateuch and the Talmud of ancient history, through to modern Jewish documents. Among the areas covered by this wide array of literature are the exile of the Jews, Rabbinic Judaism, philosophy, mysticism, Anti-Semitism and Zionism, the Holocaust and its aftermath, and the challenges facing today's Jewish community.Trade Review'This is a comprehensive collection of original source material.' Theosophical Journal

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Book SynopsisFrom its very beginnings in the eighteenth century, the Hasidic movement was suffused with a joyous enthusiasm and optimism derived from the notion of God being in all things. This led to an insistence on joy as an essential element in divine worship, and in consequence a distinctive attitude to prayer. This classic work, presented here with a new introduction, is a study of the attitudes of the hasidic rebbes to prayer. Louis Jacobs bases himself principally on the works compiled by rebbes themselves and records preserved by their disciples. Copious quotations from these writings form a sound basis for his masterly analysis—unsurpassed since it was first published in 1972 — and enable the reader to gain a familiarity with Hasidic thought on the subject of divine worship at first hand.Trade Review'It now presents itself to a new public which will find this one of the basic books required for those who want to go directly into the nature of Hasidic prayer ... in this sound and clearly written text there is a scholarly survey of the most immediate developments of Hasidism, which enters into that world both as a scholar looking in from the outside, and as a rabbi aware of the yearnings of faith. The new introduction is valuable in pointing to the most recent scholarship which also emphasizes women in Hasidic life ... this is a valuable book which is a pleasure to read.'European Judaism'His work is remarkably well done, with profound scholarship but presented in a readable and absorbing manner.'Times Educational SupplementTable of ContentsIntroduction to the paperback edition Introduction to the first edition Notes on names and dates 1 Hasidism 2 The Nature of Hasidic Prayer 3 The Hasidic Prayer Book and Prayer House 4 Preparations for Prayer 5 Gestures and Melody in Prayer 6 Contemplative Prayer 7 Contemplative Prayer (continued) 8 Ecstatic Prayer 9 The Elevation of ‘Strange Thoughts’ 10 Prayer as Inspiration 11 The Prayers of the Zaddik 12 The Polemic on the Recital of Le-Shem Yihud 13 Hasidic Prayer in the Responsa Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIsaac Mayer Wise (1819–1900), founder of the major institutions of Reform Judaism in America, was a man of his time—a pioneer in a pioneer’s world. When he came to America from his childhood Bohemia in 1846, he found fewer than 50,000 Jews and only two ordained rabbis. With his sense of mission and tireless energy, he set himself to tailoring the vehicle of Reform Judaism to meet the needs of the growing Jewish community. Wise strove for unity among American Jews, and for a college to train rabbis to serve them. The establishment of Hebrew Union College (1875) was the crowning achievement of his life. His quest for unity also led him to draw up an American Jewish prayer-book, Minhag America, to found the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and to edit two weeklies; their editorials, breathing fire and energy, were no less important in his quest for leadership. Here as elsewhere, it was his persistence that won him the war where his impetuosity lost him many battles. Professor Temkin’s writing captures the vigour of Wise’s personality and the politics and concerns of contemporary Jewish life and leadership in America. Based primarily on material in the American Jewish Archives of the Hebrew Union College, this biography is a lively portrait of a rabbi whose singular efforts in many fields made him a pivotal figure in the naturalization of the Jew and Judaism in the New World. The book was first published in hardback in 1992 under the title Isaac Mayer Wise: Shaping American Judaism.Trade Review'Sefton Temkin has provided us with a much-needed critical and balanced portrayal of Wise ... The best scholarly work on Wise to date. It presents an admiring yet critical picture of Wise's achievements and personality ... Temkin's nuanced portrayal is a welcome contribution to our understanding of the man and his times.'- George L. Berlin, AJS Review'Thorough and extremely competent ... Temkin contributes a great deal through his careful use of materials ... The book will be of interest to general readers ... who wish not only to understand Isaac Mayer Wise but, moreover, to comprehend the attitudes and events that led to the formation of a truly American form of Judaism.' - A. J. Avery-Peck, Choice'This new study, which becomes the authoritative work on Wise, is the product of decades of research.'- Geoffrey Wigoder, Jerusalem Post'Sefton Temkin has outdone himself in this excellent critical biography ... Dr Temkin has performed a great service with this highly readable and insightful book.'- Allen Howard Podet, MannaTable of ContentsPrefatory NoteAbbreviationsNote on Transliteration1 Bohemia (1819–1849)Metternich’s Europe • Jewish Life in an Age of Reaction • Early Years • Departure2 New Beginning (1846–1854)Young America • Jewish Life • Rabbi in Albany • Organizing American Jewry • Early Writings • Sortie in Charleston: Backlash in Albany • Anshe Emeth • Formulating his Beliefs • The Asmonean • A Bible History • Heading West3 Cincinnati (1854–1900)Queen City of the West • Congregation B’nai Jeshurun • The Israelite • Zion College • Conference—Union—Synod • David Einhorn • Cleveland Platform: Quick Victory—Lengthy War • Minhag America • The Essence of Judaism • Fighting for Jewish Rights • Political Dimensions • The Civil War • At North College Hill • First Fruits in Cincinnati • Wider Ambitions • Among the Gentiles (1867–1878) • Years of Sorrow and Strife (1869–1874) • Flirting with the Orthodox • Reformers in Conflict: East versus West (1869) • Establishing the Union (1871–1873) • Call to New York (1873) • ‘We Must have “Union in Israel”’ • President of Hebrew Union College • Appendix: The Principal Changes Introduced in Minhag America4 Fulfilment: Years of HarvestDuties Old and New • Remarriage (1876) • Sustaining the College (1875–1883) • Reform Moves On: The Pittsburgh Platform • A New American Jewish World • Seventieth Birthday: Central Conference of American Rabbis • Sunset • The LegacyBibliographical noteGlossaryIndex

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Book SynopsisThis study of the Jewish legal system (the Halakhah) demonstrates that the law embraces every corner of life.Trade Review'Rabbi Louis Jacobs is well known as a highly distinguished liberal interpreter of Judaism. Many of his works ... are immediately accessible to the general reader, but his interpretation is deeply rooted in scholarly study of the rabbinic writings, sources which also inspire "conservative" expressions of a Judaism markedly different from his own ... The author makes his point in a fascinating way ... Vivid light is cast on Jewish-Christian relations among other issues ... Jacobs's book is a fund of valuable information, but its argument is also a signal instance of the attachment to tradition embraced with a rational integrity.' William Horbury, Expository Times REVIEWS OF THE SECOND EDITION 'It raises questions that still await an adequate response for resolution from the Orthodox authorities.' Miri Freud-Kandel, Jerusalem Post 'Louis Jacobs demonstrates a profound scholarship in the second edition of this important work. The breadth of source and the volume of analysis are truly extraordinary.' Reuven Livingstone, Jewish Chronicle 'One of the few works on the nature and development of Jewish law written from a Conservative point of view, and it can be seen as a classic" ... Jacobs succeeds in an admirable way in his self-imposed task of developing a theory of halakhic change for those who are loyal to the halakhic traditions and yet accept modern values", a task which will probably continue to occupy Conservative and Orthodox thinkers for generations to come.' Catherine Hezser, Journal of Law and ReligionTable of ContentsIntroduction to the Second Edition Introduction: Halakhah and Aggadah The Talmud, Source of the Halakhah The Spirit of the Halakhah Exemptions and Extensions The Influence of Philosophy The Influence of Mysticism and Kabbalah Hasidism and Halakhah Responses to the Gentile World Halakhah and Sectarianism Halakhic Responses to Social Changes: General Principles Halakhic Responses to Social Changes: Further Examples New Inventions and Discoveries and the Halakhah Halakhah and Ethics Halakhah and Social Conduct (Derekh Erets) Halakhah and Psychology Halakhah and Minhag: The Customs of the People as Law Towards a Non-Fundamentalist Halakhah Appendix A: The Literary Form of the Halakhah Appendix B: The Problem of the Mamzer Note on Proper Names and Transliteration Note on Talmudic and Halakhic Sources Bibliography Index of Biblical, Mishnaic, and Talmudic References General Index

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Book SynopsisAlexander Altmann’s acclaimed, wide-ranging biography of Moses Mendelssohn (1729–96) was first published in 1973, but its stature as the definitive biography remains unquestioned. In fact, there has been no subsequent attempt at an intellectual biography of this towering and unusual figure: no other Jew so deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition was at the same time so much a part of the intellectual life of the German Enlightenment in the second half of the eighteenth century. As such, Moses Mendelssohn came to be recognized as the inaugurator of a new phase in Jewish history; all modern Jews today are in his debt. Altmann presents Moses Mendelssohn in strictly biographical terms. He does not attempt to assess his significance with the hindsight of historical perspective nor to trace his image in subsequent generations, but rather to observe his life from the period within which it was set. Altmann has written an absorbing and compelling narrative that makes a whole epoch come alive with great drama, for Mendelssohn’s life was a kaleidoscope of the European intellectual scene, Jewish and non-Jewish. As both a prominent philosopher and a believing Jew, Mendelssohn became a spokesman for the Jews and Judaism; he was one of the rare figures who become the symbol of an era. Through Altmann’s skilful use of hitherto unpublished archival material, the reader is introduced to the vast array of people—men of letters, artists, politicians, scientists, philosophers, and theologians—with whom Mendelssohn was in contact, and sometimes in conflict. What was Mendelssohn’s Judaism like? To what extent did the disparate worlds of Judaism and modern Enlightenment jostle each other in his mind and to what degree could he harmonize them? These questions are not easily answered, and it is only in the aggregate of a multitude of accounts of experiences, reaction, and statements on his part that the answer is to be found. Alexander Altmann’s analysis of this wealth of material is extraordinary in its discernment, subtlety, and clarity of expression. This masterly work will be of interest not only to those who are concerned with Jewish intellectual history but also to those interested in eighteenth-century cultural and social history, philosophy and theology, literary criticism, aesthetics, and the other areas of intellectual activity in ferment at that time. The general reader will also find much of contemporary relevance in Mendelssohn’s life, not only because of his exemplary devotion to reason and tolerance, but also because of his lifelong struggle with the basic dilemma of the Jew in the modern world: the attraction of assimilation versus the singularity of Jewish life, and the preservation of Jewish identity versus integration in the wider society.Trade Review'Alexander Altmann's monumental new biography not only supersedes the Kayserling study but should also serve as a turning point in the historical re-evaluation of Mendelssohn's role in the process of Jewish emancipation ... The happy combination of all these qualities in Professor Altmann makes his work a major achievement of scholarship.' - Jacob Katz, Commentary'The definitive biography of Mendelssohn.' - Salo W. Baron, Jerusalem Post Magazine'There is an overpowering effect on the reader in studying the results of Professor Altmann's facts compiled as a biography and emerging as so much more: as history, as a record of controversies over religious adherence and strict and faithful Jewish observance, as theological disputation, as remarkable reporting on the philosophic discourses with noted Christians as well as Jews, as commentary on Jewish laws by the hero of the book whose piety and Jewish devotions are respected to this day... Altmann's creative work excels in many respects. It is history par excellence. It is thorough research. It is unsparing in criticism and it recognizes the merits of controversy. It will rank as an indestructible work and will be among the classics in biographic literature.’ - Detroit Jewish News‘This monumental work is now required reading for everyone interested in Jewish intellectual history and in the spiritual, cultural, and religious development of the Jewish people in modern times.’ Moshe Pelli, Jewish Quarterly Review‘Generally, Judaica books published by university presses are definitive studies certain to be “classics” a hundred years from now. Among these is Alexander Altmann's biography... This is a definitive biography... it is written in a beautiful style... I predict that one hundred years from now... Moses Mendelssohn will be read and studied in new and reprinted editions.’ - Jewish SpectatorTable of ContentsPreface 1 Years of Growth Childhood in DessauEarly Years in BerlinThe Budding PhilosopherLessingThe MetaphysicianThe Bel EspritA Learned SocietyKohelet Mussar 2 Maturity and Fame Marriage and Family LifeThomas Abbt The Prize-Essay The Correspondence about the Vocation of Man The Phaedon Questions and Answers Cognate Hebrew Writings 3 Turning Point: The Lavater Affair 'Juif de Berlin' The Prehistory of the Lavater Affair Lavater's Challenge and Mendelssohn's Reply First Reactions and Behind-the-Scene Activities; Lavater's Reply and Mendelssohn's Epilogue Reverberations of the Conflict Literary Concerns and Another Lavater Episode 4 Changes in the Pattern of Life The Strange Illness Ups and Downs; A Chronicle of Events Hebraica and Judaica The Chronicle Continued Some Philosophical Preoccupations Friends in Unexpected Quarters 5 The Teacher The Avant-Garde of Haskala The German Translation of the Pentateuch Obstacles on the Road Completing the Work 6 Political Reformer Spokesman of his People Co-operation with Dohm A Momentous Event and a New Tract for the Times The Issue of Educational Reform The Summer of 1782 Jerusalem 7 Strains and Stresses Friendship with Lessing: The Last Phase A Projected Essay on Lessing's Character Jacobi's Attitude toward Mendelssohn: Antecedents of their ConflictAn Uneasy Correspondence 8 Guardian of the EnlightenmentThe Contest Literary Activity, 1783-1785 Morning Hours In Combat The Social and Domestic Scene The End Epilogue Notes Index of Subjects and Names

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Book SynopsisBahya Ibn Pakuda was born c. 1050, and lived for some time in Saragossa in Spain. His major work was written in Arabic, but it is most well-known by its Hebrew title Hovot ha-Levavot (Duties of the Heart). It enjoyed enormous popularity and was reprinted many times. In the book Bahya investigates the motivation of Jewish practice and embarks on a philosophical enquiry into the nature of God, religion, and man. He was very much influenced by the Neoplatonism of his age, as well as by the Muslim mystics. This edition by Menahem Mansoor is the first translation of the work from the original Arabic text, and this shows a number of variations from the Hebrew version. He has added an Introduction and Notes which draw attention to the influences on Bahya’s thought and to other relevant material. ‘The accepted and normative translation . . . reliable and readable. This book belongs in even the smallest collections of Judaica, as well as of ethical literature.’ ChoiceTrade Review'This will now become the accepted and normative translation ... reliable and readable. This book belongs in even the smallest collections of Judaica, as well as of ethical literature.'ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements Translator's Introduction Notes to Translator's Introduction The Book of Direction to the Duties of the Heart Introduction 1 On the Unity of God 2 On the Explanation of the Aspects of Meditation upon Creation and God's Abundant Grace Shown in It 3 On Our Obligation of Obedience to God 4 On the Reliance upon God Alone 5 On the Pure Devotion of All Acts to God Alone 6 On Humility before God 7 The Explanation of the Aspects of Repentance, What is Essential to It and Its Consequences 8 On Self-Reckoning for God's Sake 9 On Asceticism, Its Kinds and Advantages 10 On the True Love of God Appendix (translated by David Goldsterin) Selected Bibliography General Index Index of Biblical Passages Index of Talmudic Passages

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Book SynopsisJudah Loew, better known as the Maharal of Prague, was a pivotal personality in late medieval European Judaism. Best known from the popular legend that credited him with the creation of a golem - an artificial human with superhuman powers - his true importance lay in his comprehensive exposition of a unique expression of Jewish mystical theology, his call for a reformation of Jewish communal life, and his influence on subsequent Jewish life and thought. Byron Sherwin’s lucid exposition of the life, legend, works, and ideas developed in Loew’s massive writings ‘reveals the concealed’ by unravelling the often obscure nature of his mystical theology, his polemical jousts against past and contemporary Jewish scholars, and his innovative programme for social and educational reform.Trade Review‘Very fine . . . a model of clarity and scholarship.’- Howard Schwartz, Jerusalem Post‘A solid contribution to our knowledge of the intellectual world of central and east European Jewry in the early modern era, an area and an era that deserves greater scholarly attention.’- Ira Robinson, Association for Jewish Studies Newsletter‘The heart of the book, on Maharal’s thought, is valuable for its careful and admirably clear explication of Maharal’s complex views on Divine attributes, Torah, Jewish uniqueness, man and his perfection, and messianism . . . to be welcomed for its lucid presentation of major themes in the thought of a protean sixteenth-century Jewish thinker who influenced certain key Hasidic, Zionistic and semi-Mitnaggedic thinkers.’ - Hillel Goldberg, Journal of the American Academy of Religion‘[An] illuminating book.’- David Katz, London Review of Books‘Excellent.’- Chimen Abramsky, Times Literary SupplementTable of Contents1 Rabbi Loew in Legend 2 Judah Loew and Modern Jewish Scholarship 3 The Man Behind the Legends: The Life of Judah Loew 4 Judah Loew: Writings and Sources 5 Judah Loew and the Jewish Mystical Tradition: Introductory Remarks 6 The Nature of God 7 The Nature of the Torah 8 Jew and Gentile: Theoretical Considerations 9 Jew and Gentile: Halakhic Concretizations 10 Man and Cosmos: The Quest for Perfection 11 Beyond Human Perfection: ‘Cleaving to God’ 12 Messianic Redemption 13 Mystical Theology and Social Reform 14 Conclusion Appendix 1: When was Judah Loew Born? Appendix 2: In What Order did Loew Write his Works? Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis Thorough and meticulously researched, this study is based on a comprehensive reading of philosophical arguments drawn from all the major Jewish sources, published and unpublished, from the Geonic period in the ninth century until the dawn of the Haskalah in the late eighteenth century. The core of the book is a detailed discussion of the four doctrines of Christianity whose rationality Jews thought they could definitively refute: trinity, incarnation, transubstantiation, and virgin birth. In each case, Daniel Lasker presents a succinct history of the Christian doctrine and then proceeds to a careful examination of the Jewish efforts to demonstrate its impossibility. The main text is clearly written in a non-technical manner, with the Christian doctrines and the Jewish responses both carefully explained; the notes include long quotations, in Hebrew and Arabic as well as in English, from sources that are not readily available in English. At the time of its original publication in 1977 this book was regarded as a major contribution to a relatively neglected area of medieval Jewish intellectual history; the new, wide-ranging introduction prepared for this paperback edition, which surveys and summarizes subsequent scholarship, re-establishes its position as a major work. Trade Review'Has acquired the status of a classic. A great deal of new work has been published, however, in the past thirty years. The book is now reprinted by the Littman Library, with a new introduction by the author summarizing these more recent contributions to the subject, which include critical editions of classic texts as well as specialized studies and overviews ... A substantial new bibliography completes the introduction. Thanks are due to the Littman Library for placing this important book before a new generation of readers.'Nicholas de Lange, Journal of Jewish Studies'A valuable contribution to this field of research because of its very precise, detailed, and competent study of the themes involved in the disputation and the polemics.'European Journal of Jewish StudiesTable of ContentsIntroduction to the Second Edition 1 Introduction General Principles Philosophical Arguments Exegetical Arguments • Historical Arguments • Rational Arguments Procedure to the Followed 2 Sources The Various Methods of the Polemicists Exegesis of the Hebrew Bible • Exegesis of Rabbinical Literature • Attacks on Christianity • Comparisons of Christian Doctrines with the New Testament • Attacks on the Articles of Christianity • Comparisons of Christianity with the Principles of Philosophy The Literary Style of the Polemics Other Sources of Jewish Philosophical Arguments The Christian Sources 3 The Use of Reason in Religious Debates Explanations of Christian Belief in Irrational Doctrines Maimonides’ Guidelines The Polemical Approach of the Jewish Averroists Criteria for Determining Logical Impossibility Conclusions 4 Trinity Trinity Implies Matter The Divine Attributes Are Not Persons Jewish Kalamic Refutations of the Trinity • Aristotelian Refutations Generation Disproves Unity The Specific Generation of Jesus • Eternal Generation of the Son Syllogistic Logic Refutes the Trinity Images of the Trinity Conclusions 5 Incarnation God is Incorporeal God’s Incorporeality Precludes Incarnation • God Cannot be Limited in Place God is Immutable God’s Simple Unity Precluses Incarnation A Union of Divinity and Humanity is Impossible Types of Physical Union • The Person of Jesus Conclusions 6 Transubstantiation The Interpenetrability of Bodies How Could the Body of Jesus Enter Bread? • How Could Jesus’ Large Body Fit into Smaller Dimensions? • How Could Jesus Pass Through the Heavens Without Damaging Them? The Concepts of Number and Place Simultaneity of Jesus’ Body on Many Altars Remaining One • Simultaneity of Jesus’ Body Being in Many Places The Concept of Motion Motion in No Time is Impossible • One Body Cannot Be in Motion and Rest at the Same Time The Problem of Accidents How Can Accidents be Without Subjects? • The Senses Must Not Be Deceived • Substance Cannot become Accident, nor Accident Substance Miscellaneous Arguments Conclusions 7 Virgin Birth The Interpenetrability of Bodies Images of the Virgin Birth Conclusions 8 Conclusions Jewish Knowledge of Christianity The Sources of Jewish Arguments The Role of Philosophy in Jewish–Christian Relations The Significance of the Medieval Jewish Philosophical Polemics Against Christianity List of Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index of Citations General Index

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Book SynopsisWartime sermons reveal how Jews perceive themselves in relation to the majority society and how Jewish and national values are reconciled when the fate of a nation is at stake. They also illustrate how rabbis guide their communities through the challenges of their times. The sermons reproduced here were delivered by American and British rabbis from across the Jewish spectrum—Orthodox to Liberal, Ashkenazi and Sephardi—from the Napoleonic Wars to the attacks of 9/11. Each sermon is prefaced by a comprehensive introduction explaining the context in which it was delivered. Detailed notes explain allusions unfamiliar to a present-day readership and draw comparisons where appropriate to similar passages in contemporary newspapers and other sermons. A general introduction surveys more broadly the distinctive elements of modern Jewish preaching—the new preaching occasions bound up with the history of the countries in which Jews were living; new modes for the dissemination of the sermons (printed pamphlets and the Jewish and general press), and the emergence of women’s voices from the pulpit. It also surveys the distinctive themes of modern Jewish sermons, including responses to Jewish suffering, social justice, eulogies for national leaders, Zionism, and war. What Jewish religious leaders said to their congregations when their countries went to war (or, in some cases, were considering going to war) raises questions of central significance for both modern Jewish history and religious thinking in the civic context. What evidence do these sermons present concerning the degree of patriotism felt by Jews? Where and when do we find examples of dissent from the policies taken by their governments, or explicit criticism? What theological problems are raised by the preachers in the context of unprecedented and unimagined destruction, and how do they respond to these problems? How is the enemy presented in these texts? How is the problem of Jews fighting and killing other Jews addressed? Are the preachers functioning to articulate traditions that challenge the consensus of the moment, or as instruments of social control serving the needs of governments looking for unquestioning support from their citizenry? In all these areas, this book makes an important contribution to the American- and Anglo-Jewish history of this period while also making available a collection of mostly unknown Jewish texts produced at dramatic moments of the past two centuries.Trade Review'In this rich collection of nineteenth- and twentieth-century sermons, Marc Saperstein demonstrates both the enduring rhetorical power of Jewish preaching and the value of the sermon as window onto Jewish history . . . a compelling selection . . . He argues persuasively that Jewish preachers often found themselves confronted with the challenge of interpreting difficult moral and political questions for their congregations but that these questions took on particular urgency in moments of military conflict . . . In reading through this provocative collection of British and American sermons there are times when one wishes for more . . . Given the value of the material Saperstein presents here, one can only hope that other such studies will follow.'- Jessica Cooperman, American Jewish Archives Journal'Sermons brilliantly anthologized by Marc Saperstein . . . rich collection. The very nature of the book's core source material—originally addressed to the Jewish masses—renders this book eminently accessible and of natural interest to a very broad readership. At the same time, Saperstein's extensive historical introductions to each of the sermons, along with his erudite annotations of these texts, will be of enormous value to scholars of modern Jewish theology and history.'- Allan Nadler, Forward'Students and scholars of the history of preaching will find it invaluable. The footnotes and introductions that comprise nearly half the book are a scholarly tour de force and the 72-page Introduction to the book as a whole is a riveting overview of elements of Jewish preaching in America and Great Britain and a stunning example of the use of sermons as data in a broader history of the intersection between religious groups and civic life.'- Margaret Moers Wenig, Homiletic'Immensely readable . . . a pioneering contribution to the social, religious, and political history of Anglo-Jewry.'- Jeffrey Cohen, Jewish Chronicle'Probably the world's greatest expert on Jewish homilectics from the medieval period onwards . . . wide-ranging preface . . . Following a magisterial introduction comne the sermons, each one introduced, explained, and discussed as well as sensitively and helpfully annotated. The selections is acute and the sermons themselves potent and highly readable.- www.Middleburgh.co.uk'Marc Saperstein has virtually created a new field of Jewish studies: the scientific study of sermons . . . for having brought together, across the denominational lines that usually separate them, some of the great voices of the past and for having studied their word carefully, both in terms of their context and in terms of what they have to say to us today, we owe Saperstein our gratitude. he has made a genuine contribution to the study of a little-known field of Jewish scholarship.'- Jack Riemer, Palm Beach Jewish JournalTable of ContentsNote on Editorial PracticeNote on TransliterationIntroduction: Modern Jewish PreachingPart I The Wars of the Napoleonic Era1 Isaac Luria, ‘A Penitential Sermon’, 19 October 1803, London2 Solomon Hirschel, Sermon of Thanksgiving ‘for the Success of His Majesty’s Fleet. . . off Trafalgar’, 5 December 1805, London3 Gershom Mendes Seixas, ‘Fast Day Sermon’, 2 February 1814, New YorkPart II The Wars of the Mid-Nineteenth Century4 David Woolf Marks, ‘God Protects our Fatherland’, 7 October 1857, London5 M. J. Michelbacher, ‘A Sermon Delivered on the Day of Prayer’, 27 March 1863, Richmond, Virginia6 Sabato Morais, ‘Sermon for the National Fast-Day’, 30 April 1863, Philadelphia7 Samuel Myer Isaacs, ‘Fast-Day Sermon’, 30 April 1863, New York8 David Einhorn, Two Civil War Sermons: a. ‘Sermon Delivered on Thanksgiving Day’, 26 November 1863, Philadelphia b. ‘War with Amalek!’, 19 March 1864, Philadelphia9 Isaac Mayer Wise, ‘The Fall of the Second French Empire’, 9 September 1870, Cincinnati10 Benjamin Artom, ‘The War’, 17 September 1870, London11 Sabato Morais, ‘Thanksgiving Day Sermon’, 24 November 1870, PhiladelphiaPart III The Wars of the Late-Nineteenth Century12 H. Pereira Mendes, ‘The Plague of Inconsistency’ (selections), 23 April 1898, New York13 Joseph Krauskopf, ‘A Time of War, and a Time of Peace’, 1 May 1898, Philadelphia14 Hermann Adler, ‘Judaism and War’, 4 November 1899, LondonPart IV The First World War15 George (Gedaliah) Silverstone, ‘On the Terrible War of 5675’, 25 October 1914, Washington, DC16 Morris Joseph, ‘Christmas and War’, 25 December 1915, London17 Joseph H. Hertz, ‘Through Darkness and Death unto Light’, 1 January 1916, London18 J. Leonard Levy, ‘A Time for War, and a Time for Peace’, 8 April 1917, Pittsburgh19 Stephen S. Wise, ‘Can We Win the War without Losing America?’, 20 May 1917, New York20 Hermann Gollancz, ‘Nationalism within Bounds’, 7 September 1918, London21 Leo M. Franklin, ‘The Lure of Peace’, 13 October 1918, DetroitPart V The Second World War22 Abraham H. Feinberg, ‘America’s Hour of Decision’, 19 September 1939, Rockford, Illinois23 Jacob Philip Rudin, ‘God in the Blackout’, 2 October 1940, Great Neck, New York24 Eliezer Berkovits, Two Second World War Sermons: a. ‘On a Strategy of Faith’, [3] May 1941, Leeds b. ‘Triumph of the Spirit’, 7 September 1941, Leeds25 Maurice N. Eisendrath, ‘Blackout: How Long, O Lord, How Long?’ 21 September 1941, Toronto26 Israel H. Levinthal, ‘Is It Death or Rebirth of the World that We Behold?’ 22 September 1941, New York27 Ferdinand M. Isserman, ‘The United States Is at War’, 12 December 1941, St Louis28 Joseph H. Hertz, ‘Civilian Morale’, 2 April 1942, London29 Walter Wurzburger, ‘The Individual in the Crisis’, 9 October 1943, Brighton, Massachusetts30 Roland B. Gittelsohn, ‘The Birth of a New Freedom’, 14 March 1945, Iwo JimaPart VI Wars of the Later Twentieth Century31 Roland B. Gittelsohn, Two Vietnam War Sermons: a. ‘Will There Be a Tomorrow?’, 26 September 1965, Boston b. ‘Answer to an Anonymous Letter’, 26 November 1965, Boston32 Colin Eimer, ‘The Falklands Crisis’, 14 May 1982, Enfield, London33 Immanuel Jakobovits, ‘The Morality of Warfare’, 25 May 1982, LondonPart VII Responses to 9/1134 Three Sermons: a. Elias Lieberman, ‘A Sermon’, 14 September 2001, Cape Cod, Massachusetts b. Alexandra Wright, ‘New York: 11 September 2001’, 18 September 2001, Radlett and Bushey, Hertfordshire c. Barry Freundel, ‘Twin Towers of Smoke’, 15 September 2001, Washington, DCBibliographySource AcknowledgementsIndex of Passages CitedGeneral Index

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Book SynopsisMaimonides was not the first rabbinic scholar to take an interest in philosophy, but he was unique in being a towering figure in both areas. His law code, the Mishneh torah, stands with Rashi's commentary on the Babylonian Talmud as one of the two most intensely studied rabbinic works coming out of the Middle Ages, while his Guide of the Perplexed is the most influential and widely read Jewish philosophical work ever written. Admirers and critics have arrived at wildly divergent perceptions of the man. We have Maimonides the atheist or agnostic, Maimonides the sceptic, Maimonides the deist, Maimonides the Aristotelian, the Averroist, or proto-Kantian. We have a Maimonides seduced by the blandishments of 'accursed philosophy'; a Maimonides who sowed the seeds that led to Spanish Jews' loss of faith and mass apostasy and who was therefore responsible for the demise of Spanish Jewry; a Maimonides who incorporated philosophical elements into his rabbinic works and wrote the Guide of the Perplexed not to propagate doctrines to which he was personally committed but in order to rescue errant souls seduced by philosophy; a Maimonides who was the defender of the faith and defined the articles of Jewish belief for all time. In his own estimation, Maimonides was neither exclusively a dedicated philosopher nor exclusively a devoted rabbinist: he saw philosophy and the Written and Oral Torahs as a single, harmonious domain, and he believed that this view was similarly fundamental to the lives of the prophets and rabbis of old. In this book, Herbert Davidson examines Maimonides’ efforts to reconstitute this all-embracing, rationalist worldview that he felt had been lost during the millennium-long exile.Trade ReviewReviews 'Not surprisingly, this book is a major contribution to Maimonidean studies and to the history of medieval Jewish philosophy generally.'Aleph'Davidson contributes much to the understanding of Maimonides ... recommended for all students of Maimonides and religious thought.'Stephen D. Benin, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsNote on TransliterationAbbreviations and Note on Sources1 The Study of Philosophy as a Religious Obligation2 The First Two Positive Divine CommandmentsThe 613 Commandments • Four Writers on the Commandments Prior to Maimonides • Maimonides • What Followed3 Maimonides' Knowledge of the Philosophical Literature in his Rabbinic PeriodBackground • Neoplatonism • Kalam • Aristotle • The Arabic Aristotelians • Summary4 Maimonides' Eight Chapters and Alfarabi's Fusul Muntazaa 5 Maimonides' Knowledge of the Philosophical Literature of his Later PeriodKalam • Aristotle • The Commentators on Aristotle • Other Greek Philosophers • The Arabic Philosophers • Medieval Jewish Thinkers • Summary6 Maimonides on Metaphysical KnowledgeIntroduction • Alfarabi's Lost Commentary on the Nicomachean Ethics • Ibn Bajja's Positionon Metaphysical Knowledge • The Guide for the Perplexed on Metaphysical Knowledge • The Active Intellect as the Form that the Human Intellect Thinks; Conjunction with the Active Intellect • The Manner Whereby Metaphysical Knowledge Can Be Acquired • Summary7 A Problematic Sentence in Guide for the Perplexed, ii. 24The Setting • The Problematic Sentence • Ibn Tibbon's Emendation • Other Proposed Solutions • The Solution8 Maimonides' Ethical SystemsCommentary on the Mishnah; the Eight Chapters • The Mishneh torah • The Guide for the Perplexed • Possible Explanations • The Closing Paragraphs of the Guide for the Perplexed • Summary9 Maimonides the RationalistRationalist Exegesis of Scripture • Rationalist Exegesis of Aggadah • Rationalism and Halakhah • Monotheism and History • Intellectual Worship of GodWorks CitedIndex

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Book SynopsisGersonides (1288-1344), known also as Ralbag, was a philosopher of the first rank as well as an astronomer and biblical exegete, yet this is the first English-language study of the significance of his work for Jewish thought. Seymour Feldman, the acclaimed translator of Gersonides' most important work, The Wars of the Lord - a complete philosophical system and astronomical encyclopedia - has written a comprehensive picture of Gersonides' philosophy that is both descriptive and evaluative. Unusually for a Jewish scholar, Gersonides had contacts with several Christian notables and scholars. It is known that these related to mathematical and astronomical matters; the extent to which these contacts also influenced his philosophical thought is a matter of some controversy. Unquestionably, however, he wrote a veritable library of philosophical, scientific, and exegetical works that testify not only to the range of his intellectual concerns but also to his attempt to forge a philosophical-scientific synthesis between these secular sciences and Judaism.Unlike many modern scientists or philosophers, who either scorn religion or compartmentalize it, he did not see any fundamental discrepancy between the pursuit of truth via reason and its attainment through divine revelation: there is only one truth, with which both reason and revelation must agree. As a philosopher-scientist and biblical exegete Gersonides sought to make this agreement robustly evident. While philosophical and scientific ideas have progressed since Gersonides' time, his work is still relevant today because his attempt to make prophecy and miracles understandable in terms of some commonly held philosophical or scientific theory is paradigmatic of a religion that is not afraid of reason. His general principle that reason should function as a 'control' of what we believe has interesting and important implications for the modern reader. Indeed, some of his basic arguments are favoured by many contemporary thinkers who attempt to incorporate modern science into their religious belief system.He was not afraid to make religious beliefs philosophically and scientifically credible; one could say that he pursued an 'ethics of belief' in that he held that there are constraints to what is believable, especially in religion. In this respect he was a precursor of Kant and Hermann Cohen: Judaism is or should be a religion of reason.Trade ReviewReviews 'Will be welcomed by all serious students of Jewish thought [...] definitely worth the effort. Recommended.' Barry Dov Walfish, AJL Reviews'An extremely welcome, important, and long-overdue addition to the literature ... the first monograph in English to look at a broad range of Gersonides' philosophical ideas [...] Feldman does a terrific job of exposition and philosophical examination. His analyses are clear and accessible without being over-simplified. He does great justice to Gersonides' thought, as well as to its historico-philosophical contexts. The book is also a pleasure to read. This is just the kind of study on Gersonides that we have long needed, and one can only hope'Without question Feldman presents a superb summary of the totality of Gersonides' Jewish philosophy in a single volume that is carefully reasoned and clearly written. Certainly no philosophers or intellectual historians of medieval thought can consider themselves academically literate without at least some familiarity with the writings of Gersonides, and Feldman does a better job than anyone else in providing a reliable foundation for that minimal philosophical knowledge. His book should become a standard text.' Norbert Samuelson, H-Judaic'An impressive achievement [...] a useful book for anyone interested in medieval Jewish philosophy, either specialist or novice.' Jewish Book World'A succinct conspectus of Gersonides' positions on the pivotal issues of medieval Jewish philosophy and the arguments he offers in their favour [...] Feldman's style is lucid and engaging. In the course of contrasting Gersonides with Maimonides, who, Gersonides felt, begged some important questions, Feldman offers some valuable insights from which the myriad of Maimonidean specialists may yet profit.' Y. Tzvi Langermann, Journal of the History of Philosophy'A comprehensive survey [...] reflects a deep and thorough acquaintance with the philosophical, as well as with the Jewish tradition. The book therefore is both an inviting introduction for students and an important contribution to research that should be read by historians of Jewish philosophy.' Ruth Glasner, Shofar‘A comprehensive look at one of the most formidable Jewish philosophers.’ Ben Rothke, Times of IsraelTable of Contents1. IntroductionLife and WorksGersonides’ Philosophical EnvironmentMotives and MethodsNotes2. ‘The Story of Creation’Gersonides’ Cosmological Conundrums The World is not eternal; it is createdThe world is indestructibleCreation ex nihilo is false Philosophical cosmology and biblical exegesisNotes2. God and His AttributesHow can the existence of God be proved? How can we speak of God?What does God know?Does God care for us? What can God do? Are miracles possible?

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Book SynopsisKabbalah, an esoteric lore whose study was traditionally restricted, played a surprisingly prominent and far-reaching role in eighteenth-century Prague. In this book Sharon Flatto uncovers the centrality of this mystical tradition for Prague’s influential Jewish community and its pre-eminent rabbinic authority, Ezekiel Landau, chief rabbi from 1754 to 1793. A towering eighteenth-century rabbinic leader who is best known for his halakhic responsa collection the Noda biyehudah, Landau is generally considered a staunch opponent of esoteric practices and public kabbalistic discourse. Flatto challenges this portrayal, exposing the importance of kabbalah in his work and thought and demonstrating his novel use of teachings from diverse kabbalistic schools. She also identifies the historical events and cultural forces underlying his reluctance to discuss kabbalah publicly, including the rise of the hasidic movement and the acculturation spurred by the 1781 Habsburg Toleranzpatent. In telling this story, the study offers the first systematic overview of the eighteenth-century Jewish community of Prague, and the first critical account of Landau’s life and writings, which continue to shape Jewish law and rabbinic thought to this day. Extensively examining Landau's rabbinic corpus, as well as a variety of archival and published German, Yiddish, and Hebrew sources, it provides a unique glimpse into the spiritual and psychological world of eighteenth-century Prague Jewry. Reconstructing the intellectual world and traditional society in which Landau lived, this study reveals the dominance of rabbinic culture in Prague during this transitional period, the ongoing significance of kabbalistic ideas and practices, and the city’s numerous distinguished figures and institutions. Its analysis of the spiritual trends that animated this culture demonstrates that Prague’s late eighteenth-century rabbinate was more influential, more conservative, and less open to modernization than has been recognized. Debunking the widespread scholarly portrayal of Prague as primarily under the influence of the modernizing West, Flatto shows that this key central European city was shaped more by traditional east European Jewish culture than by Western Enlightenment thought. By unravelling and exploring the many diverse threads that were woven into the fabric of Prague's eighteenth-century Jewish life, the book offers a comprehensive portrayal of rabbinic culture at its height in one of the largest and most important centres of European Jewry.Trade ReviewReviews 'Remarkable intellectual biography . . . a major contribution to the understanding of the diffusion and the role of Kabbalah in Europe in the eighteenth century. The book renews our knowledge of the cultural history of Ashkenazi society and, especially, of the Jewish community of Prague during the premodern period . . . An innovative aspect of Flatto's book is the study of Landau's relationship to mysticism, which was not without some ambivalence . . . an important contribution to the study of the cultural history of Jewish communities in Europe in the eighteenth century. [The book] leads us to reconsider the transformation of Jewish culture, viewed as a complex whole made up of a plurality of influences, of cultural and religious components, and full of contradictions and tensions. This remarkable research demonstrates that the transformation of Jewish society was far from linear.' Jean Baumgart, H-Judaic‛Constructs a map of Landau’s views on kabbalistic matters . . . that changes how we look at eighteenth-century Judaism . . . Flatto’s book is crucial for any attempt to understand eighteenth-century Jews.’ Joseph Davis, Jewish History'A very good book. The scholarship is first rate, with every claim backed up by evidence. The presentation is also excellent, being well organized, clear and above all interesting . . . the author is to be congratulated and the book firmly recommended.' A.H. Lesser, Journal of Modern Jewish Studies'Offers a fascinating picture of Jewish culture in eighteenth-century Prague . . . based on rigorous analyses of texts and a wide-ranging collection of sources. This volume gives the English reader a fine introduction to central European rabbinic culture and sheds new light on hasidism and on modernization in Jewish religion. It does so in a very readable and clear manner.' Shaul Stampfer, Religious Studies Review'Challenges the conventional portrait of Landau as a staunch opponent of esoteric practices and reveals the centrality of kabbalistic thought in this key central European city.' ShofarTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration and Conventions Used in the Text Introduction Part I Jewish Culture in Eighteenth-Century Prague 1 Prague’s Jewish Community 2 Prague’s Rabbinic Culture: Halakhah and Kabbalah 3 Mystical and Modernizing Trends: Prague’s Rabbinic Culture Threatened Part II The Centrality of Kabbalah in Landau’s Thought and Writings Introduction 4 Historiography, Personal History, and Folk Tales 5 The Promotion of Kabbalistic Study, Books, and Customs 6 Tension Part III Kabbalistic Schools in Landau’s Works Introduction 7 The Zohar and Early Mystical Sources 8 The Path to Devekut: Ecstatic and Cordoverian Teachings 9 Lurianic Kabbalah Part IV Key Kabbalistic Doctrines for Landau and Prague Jews Introduction 10 Demons, the Divine Soul, and the Afterlife 11 The Banished Consort: Theurgy and the Exiled Shekhinah Conclusion Bibliography Index

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