Judaism Books

Book SynopsisA guide to the history of relations between Jews and Muslims around the world from the birth of Islam to today. It features more than 150 authoritative and accessible articles by an international team of leading experts in history, politics, literature, anthropology, and philosophy.Trade ReviewOne of the Outstanding Reference Sources for 2014, Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), American Library Association One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 "Although contemporary media may portray Muslim-Jewish relations from only the perspective of the Palestinian-Israeli lens, and view Muslims and Jews as monolithic, this book presents a far deeper and richer relationship between Muslims and Jews in areas that go beyond politics and religion... The essays presented here provide the general reader with a flavor of the rich Muslim-Jewish relationship since early Islam. An excellent reference for high-school students, general readers looking for more depth than current media coverage, and undergraduates looking for a starting point in their research."--Booklist, starred review "At more than 1,000 pages of text, illustration and scholarly apparatus, A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations is, quite literally, a solid work of scholarship. Thanks to its eye-catching visual elements, it also presents itself as a coffee-table book of a superior kind. Above all, it is a serious and timely effort to repair a relationship between kindred peoples who have never been fully at ease with each and yet, thanks to the accidents of history, are fated to live in close proximity."--Jonathan Kirsch, Jewish Journal "This work marks a milestone... It is a true act of faith in the ability of history, and, more broadly, the social sciences, to mediate between past and present and between extremes."--Frederic Abecassis, Lectures "Organized thematically and chronologically, this indispensable reference provides critical facts and balanced context for greater historical understanding and a more informed dialogue between Jews and Muslims."--RELMIN newsletter "[T]he work contains a wealth of information that will appeal to varied constituencies. It certainly deserves a place on the bookshelf of any individual or institution concerned with this contentious subject."--Philip Chrimes, International Affairs "[T]his is a very beautiful book. It is also a very important and timely one... I highly recommend this book to everyone who is interested in Jewish-Muslim relations. I can easily imagine using it as the principal textbook for a college course on the subject, and I am sure that others will do just that."--Michael McGaha, Middle East Media and Book Reviews Online "The chapters are concise and accessible, adequately referenced, and stunningly illustrated... It will be indispensable for scholars and teachers seeking perspective or planning courses or research."--Choice "This collection of scholarly yet accessible articles by dozens of Jewish and Muslim experts is the definitive source for understanding a complex relationship between Muslims and Jews from the seventh century to the present day... [T]he richness of this fantastic and exciting book lies also in its descriptions of how Jews and Muslims have learned from each other in the arenas of philosophy, science, art, literature, and mysticism."--Tikkun "A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations is an essential book for anyone who seeks truly to understand the history and context of modern relationships between the two descendants of Abraham."--Charles H Middleburgh, Charles Middleburgh Blog "A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations, is a resource that should be in the library of every person who cares about peace in the Middle East and reconciliation among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam."--Joseph V. Montville, Abrahamic Family Reunion "I found the book fascinating. I learned a great deal from it--about the culture of these two groups, about their conflicts, about the areas where they have some commonality. The level of research is quite deep. The inclusion of art and items from the writings of each tradition simply add to the richness of the volume."--Mary Jarvis, Reference ReviewsTable of Contents*Frontmatter, pg. 1*Contents, pg. 5*Foreword, pg. 7*Editorial Committee, pg. 9*Introduction, pg. 13*Transcriptions, pg. 25*Prologue. The "Golden Age" of Jewish-Muslim Relations: Myth and Reality, pg. 28*The Jews of Arabia at the Birth of Islam, pg. 39*Islamic Policy toward Jews from the Prophet Muhammad to the Pact of 'Umar, pg. 58*Jews and Muslims in the Eastern Islamic World, pg. 75*The Jews of al- Andalus, pg. 111*The Conversion of Jews to Islam, pg. 136*The Legal Status of the Jews and Muslims in the Christian States, pg. 145*Jews and Muslims in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, pg. 156*Prologue. Jews and Muslims in Ottoman Territory before the Expulsion from Spain, pg. 164*Jews and Muslims in the Ottoman Empire, pg. 171*The Jews of Palestine, pg. 203*The Jews in Jerusalem and Hebron during the Ottoman Era, pg. 211*In Emergent Morocco, pg. 223*The Jews in Iran, pg. 239*Jews of Yemen, pg. 248*Jews and Muslims in Central Asia, pg. 258*Judaism and the Religious Denominational Community in the Near East, pg. 269*Prologue. The Cremieux Decree, pg. 286*The Invention of the Holy Land, pg. 292*From Coexistence to the Rise of Antagonisms, pg. 297*The Balfour Declaration and Its Implications, pg. 320*"The Arabs" as a Category of British Discourse in Palestine, pg. 329*Zionism and the Arab Question, pg. 340*The Diverse Reactions to Nazism by Leaders in the Muslim Countries, pg. 349*Al- Nakba: A Few Keys to Reading a Catastrophe, pg. 375*From the Judeo- Palestinian Conflict to the Arab- Israeli Wars, pg. 384*Israel in the Face of Its Victories, pg. 393*The Mobilization of Religion in the Israeli- Arab Conflict, pg. 403*The Emigration of the Jews from the Arab World, pg. 415*The Case of Lebanon: Contemporary Issues of Adversity, pg. 436*Muslim- Jewish Relations in Israel, pg. 445*The Arabs in Israel, pg. 452*Shari'a Jurisdiction in Israel, pg. 458*Judeo- Arab Associations in Israel, pg. 471*In the Territories, pg. 479*Survival of the Jewish Community in Turkey, pg. 490*Iranian Paradoxes, pg. 495*In the Shadow of the Republic: A Century of Coexistence and Conflict, pg. 501*Muslim Arab Attitudes toward Israel and the Israeli- Palestinian Conflict: Variable and Contingent, pg. 521*Perceptions of the Holocaust in the Arab World: From Denial to Acknowledgment?, pg. 533*Muslim Anti- Semitism: Old or New?, pg. 546*Relations between Jews and Muslims in Hebrew Literature, pg. 559*Jewish Figures in Modern Arabic Literature, pg. 566*Figures of the Israeli in Palestinian Literature, pg. 573*Writing Difference in French- Language Maghrebi Literature, pg. 582*Looking at the Other: Israeli and Palestinian Cinemas, pg. 594*Prologue Recapitulating the Positives without Giving in to Myth, pg. 606*Qur'an and Torah: The Foundations of Intertextuality, pg. 611*Arabic Translations of the Hebrew Bible, pg. 628*Hebrew Translations and Transcriptions of the Qur'an, pg. 640*Hebrew, Arabic: A Comparative View, pg. 653*Semitism: From a Linguistic Concept to a Racist Argument, pg. 676*Comparison between the Halakha and Shari'a, pg. 683*Rituals: Similarities, Infl uences, and Processes of Differentiation, pg. 701*Prayer in Judaism and Islam, pg. 713*Shabbat and Friday in Judaism and Islam, pg. 720*Jewish and Muslim Charity in the Middle Ages: A Comparative Approach, pg. 726*Jewish and Muslim Philosophy: Similarities and Differences, pg. 737*The Andalusian Philosophical Milieu, pg. 764*The Karaites and Mu'tazilism, pg. 778*Judaism and Islam According to Ibn Kammuna, pg. 788*From Arabic to Hebrew: The Reception of the Greco- Arab Sciences in Hebrew (Twelfth-Fifteenth Centuries), pg. 796*Shi'ism and Judaism: A Relation Marked by Paradox, pg. 816*European Judaism and Islam: The Contribution of Jewish Orientalists, pg. 828*Embodied Letter: Sufi and Kabbalistic Hermeneutics, pg. 837*Respectful Rival: Abraham Maimonides on Islam, pg. 856*Jews, Islamic Mysticism, and the Devil, pg. 869*Biblical Prophets and Their Illustration in Islamic Art, pg. 891*Images of Jews in Ottoman Court Manuscripts, pg. 902*Synagogues in the Islamic World, pg. 911*The Contribution of Jewish Architects to Egypt's Architectural Modernity, pg. 928*James Sanua's Ideological Contribution to Pan- Islamism, pg. 934*Arabic Ars Poetica in Biblical Hebrew: Hebrew Poetry in Spain, pg. 943*The Figure of the Jew in A Thousand and One Nights, pg. 955*Judeo- Persian Literature, pg. 962*The Music of al- Andalus: Meeting Place of Three Cultures, pg. 970*The Jews of the Maghreb: Between Memory and History, pg. 985*Jewish Pilgrimages in Egypt, pg. 1005*Aspects of Family Life among Jews in Muslim Societies, pg. 1017*Citizenship, Gender, and Feminism in the Contemporary Arab Muslim and Jewish Worlds, pg. 1025*"Muslim Body" versus "Jewish Body": The Invention of a Division, pg. 1042*Flavors and Memories of Shared Culinary Spaces in the Maghreb, pg. 1052*General Bibliography, pg. 1063*Index of Names, pg. 1101*Index of Places, pg. 1123*Illustration Credits, pg. 1135*Contents, pg. 1139

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A brilliant analysis."--Marvin Olasky, World MagazineTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Note on Text and Translation xi Introduction: The Emergence of Politics 1 1 The Grip of Power 17 2 Two Faces of Political Violence 67 3 Dynasty and Rupture 100 4 David's Will and Last Words 144 Conclusion 163 Notes 175 Index 207

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Book SynopsisAn account of what it was like to be Algerian, Jewish, and French at a time when those identities were fighting words.Trade ReviewThis is a complex engagement with the unique temporal, linguistic, and embodied qualities of family and cultural heritage. It is philosophically important and politically engaging, speaking to the necessities of repetition and distortion in the accuracies of memory and historical truth. It is also a delicate prose work of exceptional literary quality, an important contribution to contemporary studies in trauma and testimony and to the field of autobiography. -- Penelope Deutscher, Northwestern University This 'fable,' if I can call it that, is unmistakably magnificent, the form-an inquiry-both rigorous and moving, the historical/political overview impeccably accurate. This is 'our' story, with its mistakes, its blind spots, its equivocations, its truth, with nothing omitted: families and the bonds of love, the teaching profession, an almost hallucinatory grasp of certain occasions, steadfastness, chance occurrences. Of all the things people have written about 'France,' this is the most just. -- Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, philosopher, author of Heidegger and the Politics of Poetry Drawing on his own recollections as well as documents that offer an official chronicle and letters and journals that pour out personal desires, Guenoun explores the complications of family and identity. Booklist [Guenoun] is a extraordinarily talented and creative Algerian born author and playwright and professor of French literature. Enticing... spellbinding... There is a musical rhythm to Guenoun's writing; a jazzy beat that feels like improvisation. Jerusalem Post An expert translation Journal of the Society for Contemporary Thought and the Islamicate World [A] moving family biography. -- Olivia Harrison The Los Angeles Review of Books A Semite is an evocative work imparting to the reader that Jews and Arabs can and should, to induce the recent slogan, refuse to be enemies with each other. This wondrously written portrait of a cry is a resource of hope in our own envisaging of beautiful tomorrows. -- Marcus Barnett Marx and Philosophy Review of Books Guenoun has written a riveting account of his larger-than life father that brings into sharp focus the last chapters of Jewish life in French Algeria in the 1960s... A remarkable memoir. -- Susan Gilson Miller The Journal of North African StudiesTable of ContentsForeword by Judith Butler Chronology of French/Algerian History I. December 1 II. June 22 III. November 6

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewElliot R. Wolfson's new work is a masterful exposition of the phenomenology and ontology of Habad thought, particularly its bearing on messianic mysteries and consciousness. This study is an extraordinary integration of precise philology, philosophical comprehension, and the inner course of Habad theosophy as it flows through the discourses of its seven masters. Wolfson analyzes the climactic position of Rabbi Schneerson within this complex with exemplary and original insight. -- Michael Fishbane, Nathan Cummings Professor of Jewish Studies, University of Chicago Elliot R. Wolfson's dark brilliance is itself an open secret, unfolding mesmerizing rhythms of chiastic paradox. The relevance of his commentary cannot be confined to the study of a particular movement, religion, or discipline. In this philosophical meditation on a controversial strand of recent messianism, a profound historical kabbalism appears edged with a postmodern Kafkaesque irony--in the legacy of a 'future that is already present as the present that is always future.' -- Catherine Keller, Drew University, and author of Face of the Deep: A Theology of Becoming This highly original reading of Menachem Mendel Schneerson's messianic doctrine renders irrelevant much of the ongoing speculation and debate on the question of whether or not the Lubavitcher Rebbe, like the bulk of his following, believed that he was the Messiah. The book argues insightfully that beneath his well-attested endeavors to demonstrate the imminence the messianic advent, and his resort to the traditional language of Jewish messianic speculation, lays the paradoxical 'open secret' of a totally impersonal Messiah who, reflecting the nature of the infinite kabbalistic godhead itself, can be revealed in the world only by way of concealment. His advent is conceptualized as a universal expansion of spiritual consciousness, a nonevent that continuously occurs, has occurred, and will occur 'immediately, without delay, in actuality,' which effectively means beyond measurable time. -- Ada Rapoport-Albert, University College London Wolfson's spiritual quest is contagious, and the intrepid reader will brave the many difficult passages in order to follow him -- Lawrence Grossman Forward Every researcher or enlightened reader should be interested in this profound construction, in order to understand the most significant Jewish messianic phenomenon in the Jewish world of the last two generations. -- Alon Dahan H-Judaic Wolfson has not only produced an excellent study of Rabbi Mena?em Mendel Schneerson's views, but he has argued convincingly that this work will serve as a paradigm for Jewish philosophic thought. -- H.D. Uriel Smith Philosophy East and WestTable of ContentsPreface Note on the Transliteration Introduction: Behind the Veil Unveiled 1. Concealing the Concealment: The Politics of the Esoteric 2. A/voiding Place: Apophatic Embodiment 3. Semiotic Transubstantiation of the Somatic 4. Messianic Torah: Hypernomian Transvaluation 5. Female Encircles Male: Gender Transposition 6. Apocalyptic Crossing: Beyond the (Non)Jewish Other Postface: In an Instant-Advent of the (Non)event Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisMoses Maimonides was the first medieval Jewish thinker to posit a set of dogmas for Judaism, his ‘Thirteen Principles of Faith’. His statement initiated an extensive discussion among other medieval Jewish thinkers on the subject of dogma, which had an important impact on subsequent Jewish thought. The reaction to Maimonides’ innovation was complex: some scholars accepted his position without reservation; others accepted the idea that Jewish beliefs could be reduced to a creed but disagreed with Maimonides’ formulation; still others rejected the project of creed formulation in Judaism altogether. The locus classicus of this last position is the Rosh Amanah of Isaac Abranavel (1437–1508). Abravanel’s ostensible aim in writing Rosh Amanah was to defend Maimonides’ creed from the attacks of its critics, notably Hasdai Crescas and Joseph Albo, and it contains the most exhaustive and systematic analysis of the Thirteen Principles ever written. After twenty-two chapters of sustained and zealous defence of Maimonides, however, Abravanel seems to contradict himself, arguing at the end of his book that in fact Judaism has no dogmas whatsoever and that all its beliefs are equally valid, fundamental, and precious. This is the first complete English translation of Abravanel’s classic work, and includes a comprehensive introduction and notes.Table of ContentsList of tables Note on the text and translation Acknowledgements Introduction Principles of Faith (Rosh Amanah) Abravanel's Table of Contents: A List of the Chapters in This Treatise Table I Table II Notes Bibliography Biblical Passages Appearing in the text Rabbinic Passages Appearing in or Referred to in the text Index

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Book SynopsisGershom Scholem, the great humanist thinker and founder of modern Kabbalah, is all but forgotten today. But here, in a biography as daring and inquisitive as its subject, George Prochnik goes in search of Scholem, restoring the reputation of a vital intellectual and finding in his work a vision with the power to reinvigorate contemporary religious and political thought. Tracing Scholem's life from his upbringing in Berlin, where he experienced a close and transformative friendship with Walter Benjamin, Prochnik reveals how Scholem's frustration with the bourgeois ideology of Germany during WWI led him to discover mystic Judaism, Kabbalah, and, finally, Zionism. But having emigrated to what was to become Israel, Scholem again found himself a 'stranger in a strange land', ill at ease with a prevailing conservative form of Zionism. Prochnik follows Scholem to the modern Holy Land - only to find that he too is disillusioned by the state politics he encounters. But through his profound study of Scholem and his own experience of Jerusalem, Prochnik not only questions the ideological and religious constructs of Jerusalem, but finds an ethical way forward, showing how a new form of pluralism might energize Jewish thought.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Kati Ihnat offers a careful exploration of the way in which 11th- and 12th-century monks painstakingly developed the cult of the Virgin Mary, in part by casting the Jewish people as her prototypical enemy... This a study that has much to offer not only for medievalists but also, more generally, for scholars with an interest in religion, culture and the ways that hatred of minorities can be fostered."--Rachel Moss, Times Higher EducationTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 1 Praising Mary: Liturgy and Prayer 16 2 Understanding Mary: Theological Treatises 59 3 Hagiographies of Mary: Miracle Collections 100 4 Enemies of Mary: Jews in Miracle Stories 138 Conclusion 182 Notes 191 References 253 Index 291

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Book SynopsisThis unique cookbook offers a weekly portion of great food, divrei Torah, and Jewish stories based on the parashah to enjoy with the whole family. This book allows you to cook up quality time with your children and shows you how sweet and simple it is to celebrate Shabbat together as a family. Each parashah includes a gourmet recipe that fits perfectly on an elegant Shabbat table and comes with tips for preparing the dish with your sous chefs (children). Shabbat comes alive when the week''s parashah and the children''s own handiwork is beautifully laid out on the Shabbat table. Each recipe is followed by a dvar Torah for the older children and a bedtime story for the younger ones, based upon the Jewish value taught in that week''s dvar Torah. From Beresheit to Vezot Haberachah, this book is brimming with classic Jewish stories and values. The perfect addition to anyone''s library or kitchen, as it serves up ancient traditions and values in bite-size servings perfect for sharing with the next generation. Above all, A Taste of Torah is a recipe for nachas, Shabbat after Shabbat.

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Book SynopsisToday, many people from all faiths are exploring the Kabbalah. What were once controversial and esoteric teachings from medieval Jewish mystics now is becoming one of the latest spiritual trends sweeping across America. In the wake of this renewed interest comes David Ariel''s Kabbalah: The Mystic Quest in Judaism, a thoroughly updated edition of his classic best selling book, The Mystic Quest. Ariel beautifully presents the complex elements of Jewish mysticism''s major ideas in clear, understandable, and accessible language for Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike. Hailed as brilliant by Publishers Weekly, the book has a completely revised Introduction that sets a contemporary context for understanding Jewish mysticism, given the current fascination with Kabbalah in today''s culture. Several chapters are substantially revised, making key ideas less abstract and more comprehensible to readers. Because it can be easy to misunderstand the intricate teachings of Jewish mysticism, the book now includes a section called the 10 Main Conceptual Principles of Jewish mysticism, putting the main concepts in clear, easy to grasp, modern language. Concluding with how Kabbalah can be incorporated into our daily lives, Kabbalah: The Mystic Quest in Judaism, is an intellectually sophisticated yet straightforward book studded with deep insights on what Jewish mystical thought is all about.Trade ReviewAriel (Laura and Alvin Siegal College of Judaic Studies) offers a helpful, readable introduction to the complex, arcane world of kabbalah. Most importantly, the book is an accurate description of its subject (not always true for books on Jewish mysticism). Following a useful review of scholarly views on the nature of mysticism, Ariel presents a brief history of Jewish mysticism from the 6th century BCE and the prophecy of Ezekiel following the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem, to the composition and publication of the most famous work of kabbalah, the Zohar, at the end of the 13th century. Two chapters review the esoteric doctrines of the Zohar, especially the Sefiroth, God's emanated attributes; included is a discussion of the Shekinah, the feminine aspect of the divine. Four additional chapters take up other central topics, such as the meaning of Torah according to the kabbalists, the destiny of one's soul, the mystical meaning of Jewish ritual obligations (mitzvot), the practice of meditation, and the influence of kabbalah in Hasidism. Overall, this is a wide-ranging, thoughtfully constructed, user-friendly introduction to kabbalah. Libraries serving Judaica and religion programs will want to purchase it. . . . Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through graduate students. -- M. F. Nefsky, emerita, University of Lethbridge * CHOICE, October 2006 *This is the first book in the post Kabbalah is chic era that does not sacrifice personal meaning for intellectual depth. David Ariel has found that very special place from which to teach Kabbalah. He is analyst and participant, objective scholar and passionate believer and thus speaks to our minds and hearts. -- Rabbi Irwin Kula, President, National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership (CLAL)Kabbalah: The Mystic Quest In Judaism by David Ariel is the first book to provide an intellectual focus on Kabbalah, providing a scholarly study of Jewish mysticism suitable for the nonspecialist as well as the Jewish thinker. People outside the Jewish faith are exploring concepts of Kabbalah and applying them to life situations, so this revised edition represents the perfect study for all faiths to provide a focus on academic scholarship and understanding Jewish mysticism. From basic concepts of the divine world in the Kabbalah to the influences of Greek and other philosophies, Kabbalah: The Mystic Quest In Judaism is packed with memorable insights. * Midwest Book Review *David Ariel has produced a wonderful description and explication of Kabbalah in his work Kabbalah: the Mystic Quest in Judaism. * Jewish Book World *Table of ContentsChapter 1 Seekers of Unity: The Nature of Mysticism Chapter 2 Visionaries, Mystics, and Kabbalists: The History of Jewish Mysticism Chapter 3 The Hidden and the Revealed: The Infinite God of Jewish Mysticism Chapter 4 The Calculus of the Divine World: The Teaching of the Sefirot Chapter 5 The Shekhinah: The Feminine Aspect of God Chapter 6 Entering the Garden: The Meaning of Torah Chapter 7 The Oneness of Being: The Destiny of the Soul Chapter 8 The Mystic Drama: The Religious Life of the Jewish Mystic Chapter 9 Raising the Sparks: Modern Jewish Mysticism Chapter 10 Mysticism and Meditation: The Mystic Quest

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Book SynopsisMoses and Monotheism brings together fundamental new contributions to discourses on Freud and Moses, as well as new research on the intersections of theology, political theory, and history in Freud’s psychoanalytic work.Table of ContentsIntroduction Karen Feldman and Gilad Sharvit “Why [the Jews] have Attracted this Undying Hatred” Richard Bernstein “Geistigkeit”: A Problematic Concept Joel Whitebook Heine and Freud: Deferred Action and the Concept of History Willi Goetschel Freud’s Moses: Murder, Exile, and the Question of Belonging Gabriele Schwab A Leap of Faith into Moses: Freud’s Invitation to Evenly Suspended Attention Yael Segalovitz Freud, Sellin, and the Murder of Moses Jan Assmann Creating the Jews: Mosaic Discourse in Freud and Hosea Ronald Hendel Is Psychic Phylogenesis only a Phantasy? New Biological Developments in Trauma Inheritance Catherine Malabou Moses and the Burning Bush: Leadership and Potentiality in the Bible Gilad Sharvit Notes List of Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisThis Jungian interpretation of Tarot symbolism uses the Tarot archetypes as mirrors for looking inside ourselves. Following Jung''s personality types as guiding principles, the author shows how the Tarot can be an incisive tool for self-transformation, enabling you to discover the forces that are operative in your own personality. Provides a system for evaluating your strong and weak personality traits by indicating the court card and suit that correspond to your personality makeup. Highly original card spreads enable you to focus on and strengthen weaker facets of your personality. Other spreads enable you to gain insight into complex and challenging personal relationships. A section is devoted to using the Tarot to progress through the levels of consciousness represented by the sephiroth on the Tree of Life.

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Book SynopsisThis volume intends to contribute to the nascent discourse on Judaism and ecology by clarifying diverse conceptions of nature in Jewish thought and by using the insights of Judaism to formulate a constructive Jewish theology of nature.

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Book SynopsisThe famed Maharal of Prague, a 16th-century mystic, is known for the legend of the Golem, but his Torah scholarship has remained a closed book to English speakers for far too long. While several attempts have been made to translate or abridge the Maharal’s Torah, the complexity of his thought has defied standard translation methodologies. This edition of the Tiferet Yisrael (the Splendor of Israel) seeks to present the Maharal’s thought in all its majesty and to enable beginners and scholars alike to grasp the overall structure of the Maharal’s concepts through the addition of innovative summaries and graphical aids. In the work, the Maharal contemplates questions of Jewish life, such as How can there be ritually observant Jews who behave immorally? What is the reason for performing Mitzvot (commandments)? Is there any relevance or meaning to performing Mitzvot if one doesn’t understand God’s reasons for commanding them? What is the path to self-fulfillment? The translation is lucid and faithful, with in-line comments to guide the reader in exploring the Maharal’s depths.Trade Review"One of the major novel approaches that Rabbi Widmonte has taken is to create a method of synthesizing the Maharal's thought and summarizing them, utilizing summaries and graphics devices" Rabbi Avraham Tanzer"Maharal's thought to the English reading public is a great service that will provide the intelligent and interested reader a window into the thought of this great thinker." Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein"Sets out very clearly the flow of the Maharal's ideas, as well as how they connect to the Maharal's broader philosophy and ideas. The unique combination of text and diagrams . . . illuminates Tiferet Yisrael in a comprehensive and excellent manner." Rabbi Warren Goldstein"What is unique in your work is that you have succeeded in clarifying the words of the Maharal in a manner that benefits everyone." Rabbi Yehoshua Hartman"This is a clear and lucid Hebrew edition with English translation of the Maharal of Prague's Tiferet Yisrael (the Splendor of Israel) intended for the English reading public... In addition to providing a much-needed translation Widmonte's unique approach to presenting this text enables the English reader to better appreciate the Maharal's depth of thought and the important place his work occupies within the Rabbinic corpus. Also included is a glossary, a general index, name index, and an index of sources. Recommended." David B Levy, AJL Reviews

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Book SynopsisIn The Handbook of Hebrew Calligraphy, acclaimed artist Cara Goldberg Marks offers both beginning and professional Hebrew calligraphers a detailed guide to this beautiful art form. She clearly describes every aspect of calligraphy: the materials and supplies needed by the artist, the techniques that must be mastered, considerations for designs and layout, and ideas for marketing and selling the finished product. Throughout the book, numerous illustrations and explicit instructions provide the reader with a thorough understanding of each letter form.

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Book SynopsisIndie Book Awards Winner A deeply affirming exploration of the unknown—with meditations and exercises for transforming the fear and uncertainty of ‘not knowing’ into a sense of openness, curiosity, and bravery For most of us, the unknown is both friend and foe. At times, it can be a source of paralyzing fear and uncertainty. At other times, it can be a starting point for transformation, creativity, and growth. The unknown is a deep current that runs throughout all religions and mystical traditions, plays an important role in contemporary psychotheraputic thought and practice, and is essential to personal growth and healing. In The Wisdom of Not Knowing, psychotherapist Estelle Frankel shows us that our psychological, emotional, and spiritual health is radically influenced by how comfortable we are with navigating the unknown and uncertain dimensions of our lives. Drawing on insights from Kabbalah, depth psychology, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and ancient myth, Frankel explores how we can grow our souls by tapping into the wisdom of not knowing. She also includes case studies of individuals who have grappled with fears of the unknown and, as a result, come out wiser, stronger, and more resilient. Each chapter includes experiential exercises and meditations for befriending the unknown, conveying how embracing a state of "not knowing" is the key to gaining new knowledge, learning to bear uncertainty, and enjoying a healthy sense of adventure and curiosity.

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Book SynopsisA dialogue that focuses on messianism, on the relation of the Pythagorean system to the Kabbalah, and on the 'practical Kabbalah'.

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Book SynopsisThe 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.Trade Review'The only scholarly book, in any language, that deals with the figure of the Besht in a detailed, profound, and very documented manner. Dr Rosman has mapped the background of the life and activity of the Besht, using unknown material, penetrating analysis, and a broader perspective regarding Jewish history in Poland ... A very remarkable achievement.'- Moshe Idel, Hebrew University of Jerusalem'The subject is crucial; the approach is bold and brilliantly chosen. The result is a persuasive revision of a fundamental chapter in the Jewish experience.'- Gershon Hundert, McGill UniversityFROM REVIEWS OF THE HARDBACK EDITION:'In this quest for the historical Ba'al Shem Tov, Mr Rosman has brilliantly re-created a chapter of this alien world of our ancestors.'- David Biale, Forward'A model of sober scholarship that combines detective work and careful reasoning in quest of the man behind centuries of accumulated legends. Thanks to Rosman's careful historical analysis, we can now attach a recognizable biography to Israel ben Eliezer Miedzydoz and situate the man within his times.'- Jewish Book World'Rosman's painstakingly lucid investigation of the movement's putative founder ultimately and ironically deepens the movement's mystery ... Rosman's greatest innovation is his use of the kinds of archival materials - tax rolls, land registers, communal ordinances, and the like - usually overlooked by historians of theology. Through careful examination of the extant evidence, and a thorough investigation of the precise contours of the time and place of Besht's life and milieu, he arrives at the surprising, but compelling conclusion that the Besht, rather than being the rebel he is universally thought of, was in fact an established member of this community in Medzhibozh.'- Jerusalem ReportTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Note to Reader Introduction Part 1: Context 1 Ba'al Shem Tov 2 Hasidism before Hasidism 3 A Country in Decline? 4 Miedzboz: A Place in Time and Space 5 The Contentions of Life Part 2: Texts 6 The Holy Epistle 7 More Besht Correspondence 8 Testimonies 9 Life Stories 10 Light from the Archives Part 3: Images 11 A Person of his Time 12 From the Historical Besht to the Usable Besht: The Image of the Ba'al Shem Tov in Early Habad Afterword Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisLiving with the Law explores the marital disputes of Jews in medieval Islamic Egypt (1000–1250), relating medieval gossip, marital woes, and the voices of men and women of a world long gone. Probing the rich documents of the Cairo Geniza, a unique repository of discarded paper discovered in a Cairo synagogue, the book recovers the life stories of Jewish women and men working through their marital problems at home, with their families, in the streets of old Cairo, and in Jewish and Muslim courts. Despite a voluminous literature on Jewish law, the everyday practice of Jewish courts has only recently begun to be investigated systematically. The experiences of those at a legal, social, and cultural disadvantage allow us to go beyond the image propagated by legal institutions and offer a view “from below” of Jewish communal life and Jewish law as it was lived. Examining the interactions between gender and law in medieval Jewish communities under Islamic rule, Oded Zinger considers how women experienced Jewish courts and the pressure they faced to relinquish their monetary rights. The tactics with which women countered this pressure—ranging from exploiting family ties to appealing to Muslim courts—expose the complex relationship between individual agency, gendered expectations, and communal authority. Zinger concludes that, more than money, education, or lineage, it was the maintenance of a supportive network of social relations with men that protected women at different stages of their lives.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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