Judaism Books

Book Synopsis Hyam Maccoby's now classic study focuses on the major Jewish—Christian disputations of medieval Europe: those of Paris (1240), Barcelona (1263), and Tortosa (1413–14). It examines the content of these theological confrontations with a sense of present-day relevance, while also discussing the use made of scriptural proof-texts. Part I provides a general thematic consideration of the three disputations and their social and historical background. Part II is a complete translation of the account of the Barcelona Disputation written by Nahmanides, one of the greatest figures in the history of Jewish learning, and was Jewish spokesman at the disputation. Part III contains Jewish and Christian accounts of the Paris and Tortosa disputations. A new introduction reviews the relevant literature that has been published since the original edition appeared.Trade Review'A classic text of three famous disputations ... When the book first appeared in 1982 it received much praise, and it certainly deserves the new paperback edition which has now been brought out.'European Judaism'For those coming to this book for the first time, Judaism on Trial is a fascinating and gripping account; for students, it has enough material to bear re-reading and studying in depth. Its strength is not only that it is a most scholastic and erudite work, but that it makes compulsive reading. We await his further works with anticipation and excitement.'Alan Orchover, Jewish Book News & Reviews'Maccoby has rendered an important service in making their salient features available in English. ... certainly not only for scholars in that Maccoby has blended this learning with an exposition of the issues involved that is accessible to the layman. Both Jew and Christian will learn much from the records of these confrontations, which are important in Jewish history.'Lionel Kochan, Jewish Chronicle'A superb work of committed scholarship ... Judaism on Trial is a work full of interest to those already familiar with the material it contains, and compelling reading for those who are not. Maccoby has done a fine job in recapturing the intellectual and social drama of the confrontations. ... Altogether an impressive addition to the already outstanding Littman Library of Jewish Civilization.'Jonathan Sacks, Jewish Journal of Sociology'Prefaced by a most competent introduction ... should be obligatory reading for both the student of Jewish history and the intelligent layman not only because of its literary and expositional merits, which are considerable, but because it highlights an important stratagem of the medieval Church in its attempts to convert contemporary Jewry to the dominant faith.'Sydney Leperer, Le'elaTable of ContentsIntroduction to the paperback editionAdditional bibliographyList of abbreviationsIntroductionPart 1 The Three Disputations: General Considerations1 The Paris Disputation, 12402 The Barcelona Disputation, 12633 The Vikuah: Textual Considerations4 Biographical Notes on the Chief Persons Present at Barcelona5 The Tortosa Disputation, 1413-14Part 2 The Barcelona Disputation: Texts6 Introductory Note on the Vikuah7 The Vikuah of Nahmanides: Translation and Commentary8 The Christian Account of the Barcelona DisputationPart 3 The Paris and Tortosa Disputations: Texts9 The Vikuah of R. Yehiel of Paris: A Paraphrase10 The Christian Account of the Paris Disputation11 A Hebrew Account of the Tortosa Disputation12 The Christian Account of the Tortosa DisputationNotesBibliographyGeneral indexIndex of quotations

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Book SynopsisThe Zohar is the fundamental work of Jewish mysticism. Isaiah Tishby’s classic and definitive Wisdom of the Zohar makes the world of the Zohar available to the English-speaking reader in all its complexity and poetry. The extended extracts are arranged by topic, each section being prefaced by introductory explanations and accompanied by copious notes. There is also a General Introduction on the complex symbolism of the Zohar and on its historical and literary background. The scholarly value of David Goldstein’s acclaimed translation is enhanced by an index expanded to include references to passages cited in the introduction and notes, and by the addition of a subject index and an index of biblical references. Isaiah Tishby was awarded the Bialik Prize 1972, the Israel Prize 1979, and the Rothschild Prize 1982, mainly for his work on The Wisdom of the Zohar. David Goldstein was awarded the Webber Prize 1987 for this translation.Trade Review‘We thought we had understood the Zohar but Tishby showed us the mystical level, and we never read the Zohar the same way again. . . . Now the splendour of the Book of Splendour is available for all to see. The masterful work of Tishby has been complemented by a masterful translation by Goldstein. . . . This work is a solid step into a substantial and new view of what religion is about; it should be a part of every scholarly library, in religion as well as in Jewish studies.’ - David R. Blumenthal, Journal of the American Academy of Religion‘. . . extensive and erudite introductions to every section of this magnum opus . . . [Tishby’s] introductory essays, as well as his annotations to the passages in these three volumes, demonstrate his vast erudition and comprehension of Kabbalistic theology and literature and thereby introduce the reader into the realms of Kabbalah hitherto inaccessible except to a coterie of scholars. The comprehensive bibliography, select glossary, an index of references to the Zohar, as well as an index of Scriptural references to the texts of this anthology, enhance our appreciation of this tour de force which deserves to adorn the bookshelf of the intelligent layman and the serious student.’- S. B. Leperer, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies‘Excellent English translation . . . We are presented not only with the best available English translation of large sections of the Zohar but with an extensive, informed running commentary . . . a brilliant introduction that situates the Zohar in its historical and theological context . . . with an extensive, informed running commentary that for the first time really makes the arcane, esoteric, Zoharic text available. In addition Tishby has provided an excellent introduction . . . Every library of any size and quality should add this work to its collection.’- S. P. Katz, Choice‘In many ways the crowning achievement of the Littman Library.’- Samuel H. Dresner, Conservative Judaism‘An indispensable guide . . . stylishly and accurately translated . . . The bewildering diversity of the Zoharic literature is made manageable by the arrangement of the most important passages as an anthology under subject headings, while the lucid notes and introductions to each section by Isaiah Tishby throw light on even the most obscure passages.’- Hyam Maccoby, European Judaism‘An elegant English translation . . . [Tishby’s] work on Jewish mysticism opened up new paths and helped to establish it as a focus of scholarship.’- Hyam Maccoby, The Independent (from his obituary of Tishby)‘This superb addition to the Littman Library of Jewish Civilization comes already garlanded with awards . . . These three volumes deserve, and demand, serious and committed study, equal to the enormous dedication and devotion that went into their production. We must be grateful to all concerned in opening this mysterious Jewish world to a wider audience.’- Jonathan Magonet, Jewish Chronicle‘Makes possible, for the English-speaking reader, the study of a broad selection of texts from the Zohar thematically arranged and set in the context of a systematic exploration of their conceptual background. It is a work greatly to be welcomed . . . there has long been a need for such a work. . . . We should be grateful to David Goldstein for his decade of labour of love and to Louis Littman and the Littman Library for having the courage and commitment to support such a task . . . each passage is well-footnoted, the great achievement of this project being to provide a guide for the uninitiated to the rich symbolism and metaphoric reference of the text . . . There is something immensely rich and fertile about the text and texture of the work which has always been of broad appeal. . . . David Goldstein’s translation reads beautifully. Fortunately, he has added additional explanations, when necessary, to the notes . . . There can be no doubt that The Wisdom of the Zohar affords the English-speaking reader a far deeper entry into the subject than was previously available. . . . This translation . . . must place him among the best translators of our time . . . The Wisdom of the Zohar is therefore evidence that [Louis Littman’s] vision of a Library of Jewish Civilization of a standard of excellence will not be forsaken.’- Jonathan Wittenberg, Jewish Quarterly‘For over thirty years, Isaiah Tishby’s study of the Zohar has been hailed as a classic, a landmark in modern Hebrew letters. Beautifully written and deeply learned, it has opened the recondite world of the Zohar to more than a generation of Hebrew readers. Thus, the appearance of the long-awaited English translation is a cause for celebration . . . its mysterious power remains largely intact . . . The Zohar . . . is the richest, most imaginative work in the annals of Jewish mysticism . . . Tishby’s selection of primary sources is exemplary, and the commentaries to them, lucid . . . the unusually fine, exacting translation . . . the English reader remains in Goldstein’s debt. Excellent indices have been provided, as well as an updated bibliography. . . . essential reading for anyone seeking to plumb critically the depths of the Jewish mystical tradition . . . this is a classic about a classic.’- Elliott Ginsburg, Journal of Religion‘Its three-volume English translation now, for the first time, puts the Zohar truly at the disposal of students coming from other disciplines concerned with religious mysticism who appreciate the importance of treating the Jewish material seriously. . . . it is a monumental achievement . . . Goldstein’s sensitive English version is a great convenience . . . the service to scholarship of the Littman Library in making it available.’- Raphael Loewe, L’Eylah‘La Littman Library of Jewish Civilization ajoute à sa panoplie d’études juives un des classiques des recherches modernes sur la mystique . . . sera . . . un élément indispensable à la bibliographie de tout étudiant de la mystique . . . la tradition anglaise, aussi érudite qu’élégante . . . cette série prestigieuse.’- Paul Fenton, Revue des Études Juives‘An essential aid for understanding the text of the Zohar, and Goldstein, the Littman Library . . . have done us a great service in making it available in English translation . . . any library which claims to cover Judaism and mysticism will have to have a copy of this book.’- A. P. HaymanTable of ContentsVOLUME I Special Preface to the Translator's Introduction Translator's Introduction Preface to Hebrew Volume I, First Edition Preface to Hebrew Volume II GENERAL INTRODUCTION I The Structure and Literary Form of the Zohar The Various Sections * The Characteristics of the Zohar * The Narrative Framework II The Publication and Influence of the Zohar The Testimony of Rabbi Isaac of Acre * Verification of the Evidence * The Sanctity of the Zohar III The History of Zohar Scholarship Early Criticism * Christian Kabbalah and Rabbi Judah Aryeh Modena * The Sabbatean Movement and Rabbi Jacob Emden * Zohar Scholarship in the Enlightenment Period * Later Studies of the Zohar IV Zohar Criticism Indecisive Arguments * The Foundations of Zohar Criticism * Evidence for the Antiquity of the Zohar V Various Solutions Later Redaction * Composition over a Long Period of Time * Composition in the Thirteenth Century * Unresolved Questions VI Printed Editions, Manuscripts, Translations, and Commentaries Printed Editions of the Zohar * Zohar Manuscripts * Translations of the Zohar * Zohar Commentaries PRELIMINARIES: EVENTS AND PERSONALITIES 1 The Greatness of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai 2 The Teaching of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai 3 The Angel of Death Put to Flight 4 Miracles: The Plantation of Rabbi Pinhas ben Yair 5 The Righteous Man of his Time: Annulling the Decrees I 6 The Righteous Man of his Time: Annulling the Decrees II 7 Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai and his Generation I 8 Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai and his Generation II 9 Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai and his Generation III 10 Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai and Rabbi Eleazar in the Cave 11 The Emergence from the Cave 12 The Entry into the Great Assembly 13 The Exit from the Great Assembly 14 The Illness of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai 15 Revelation of Mysteries before his Departure 16 The Departure of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai 17 After the Death of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai 18 In the Celestial Academy 19 Rav Hamnuna Sava 20 The Old Man of Mishpatim 21 The Child 22 Rabbi Eliezer the Great PART I THE GODHEAD Section I En-Sof and the World of Emanation Introduction The Mystery of the Godhead * En-Sof and the Order of the Sefirot * Dualism and Unity * En-Sof and Keter * En-Sof in the Raya Mehemna and the Tikkunei ha-Zohar 1 En-Sof and Ayin (Nothing) 2 Cause above All Causes 3 En-Sof beyond All Perception 4 The Conduct of the World through the Sefirot 5 Soul and Body 6 Essence and Vessels 7 Acts of En-Sof Section II Sefirot Introduction The Nature and Function of the Sefirot * The Process of Emanation * The Paths of Symbolism * An Array of Symbols 1 The Process of Emanation 2 The Chain of the Sefirot 3 Straight Line 4 The Unification of the Sefirot through the Mystery of the Light of the Lamp 5 Colours and Light 6 The Lights of Thought 7 Thought, Voice, and Speech I 8 Thought, Voice, and Speech II 9 Thought and Understanding 10 Gates 11 Mi-Eleh-Elohim 12 The Death of the Kings 13 Atika Kadisha and Ze'ir Anpin 14 The White Head and the Strong Skull 15 The Countenance of the King 16 Father and Mother, Son and Daughter 17 The Letter Yod 18 The Letters Yod, He, Vav 19 Names of God 20 Patriarchs 21 Firmaments 22 Firmaments, Streams, and Sea 23 The Streets of the River 24 The Jubilee and the Year of Release 25 The Hills of the World 26 The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge I 27 The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge II 28 The Written Torah and the Oral Torah 29 Heaven and Earth, Day and Night 30 Zion and Jerusalem 31 The Holy One, Blessed be He, and the Assembly of Israel 32 The Arousal of Love 33 The Mystery of the Kiss 34 Intercourse 35 Love and Jealousy Section III Shekhinah Introduction The Character and Situation of the Shekhinah * Cutting and Separation * The Attribute of Judgment and its Relationship to 'the Other Side' * The Mother of the World and the Assembly of Israel * The Exile of the Shekhinah 1 The House of the World 2 A Lily 3 A Rose and a Lily 4 A Well 5 A Hind 6 A Woman of Worth 7 Zedek (Righteousness) 8 The Agent of the Holy One, Blessed be He 9 Gate 10 The Door of the Tent 11 A Continual Burnt-Offering 12 Moon 13 The Diminution of the Moon 14 The Shape of the Moon 15 States of the Moon 16 The Destruction of the Temple 17 The Casting-down of the Shekhinah 18 The Dismissal of the Queen 19 The Mourning of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and the Angels 20 Separation 21 In Exile 22 Longing 23 The Shekhinah, Above and Below 24 In the Land of Israel and outside the Land 25 The Darkened Light 26 Joy and Sorrow 27 Surety 28 In the Street of the Tanners Section IV Influence and Direction Introduction Dynamic Direction * The Tension and Balancing of Opposites 1 Influence from Atika Kadisha 2 The Upper Mother and the Lower Mother 3 Feeding the Upper and the Lower Worlds 4 Blessing 5 Righteousness 6 Watering 7 The Eyes of the Lord 8 Direction on Weekdays and on the Sabbath 9 Acceptable Time 10 Atonement for Sin 11 The Presence of God in the Worlds 12 The Concealed Light 13 The Primal Light 14 The Renewal of the Work of Creation VOLUME II PART II THE OTHER SIDE Section I The Forces of Uncleanness Introduction Good and Evil * The Dualistic Tendency * Restrictions on Dualism * The Emergence of Evil * The Domain of Husks * Mythological Images 1 The Array of Powers 2 The Sefirot of Uncleanness 3 Seven Breaths 4 Pharaoh's Dreams 5 Tohu and Bohu (Waste and Void) 6 Red and Black 7 Light and Darkness 8 Four Husks 9 Shells and Kingdoms 10 The Shells of the Nut 11 Kernel and Shell 12 The Precedence of the Shell 13 The Rule of the Shells 14 Death and the Shadow of Death 15 Snake 16 Monster 17 Monsters 18 The Ox, the Ass, and the Dog Section II The Activity of 'the Other Side' Introduction 1 The Seduction of the Snake in the Upper Worlds 2 The Four Primary Causes of Injury 3 The Infertility of 'the Other Side' 4 Repulsing 'the Other Side' 5 Accusation 6 Appeasing 'the Other Side' I 7 Appeasing 'the Other Side' II 8 Preliminaries to Action 9 Night 10 The Crevice of the Great Deep 11 Deceiving the Sinners 12 Good Days and Evil Days Section III Demons and Spirits Introduction 1 The Desert 2 The Yemim in the Desert 3 Blemished Creatures I 4 Blemished Creatures II 5 Samael and Lilith 6 Lilith in the Cities of the Sea 7 Lilith, the Infant-slayer 8 Naamah, Mother of Demons 9 Naamah and Lilith 10 The Spirit of Uncleanness 11 The Arousal of the Spirit of Uncleanness 12 The Rout of the Demons PART III CREATION Section I The Account of Creation Introduction The Process of Creation * The System of the Worlds 1 Forty-two Letters 2 The Letters of the Alphabet 3 Fire, Water, and Spirit 4 The Design of the Worlds 5 The Upper World and the Lower World 6 The Pillars of the World 7 The Foundation Stone I 8 The Foundation Stone II 9 Creatio ex Nihilo 10 Potentiality and Actuality 11 Different Kinds 12 Heaven and Earth I 13 Heaven and Earth II 14 Heaven and Earth III 15 Lights 16 Conflict and Division 17 Upper and Lower Worlds 18 Sea and Dry Land 19 The Completion of Creation 20 The Hidden Light 21 The Chain of the Generations Section II The Account of the Chariot Introduction 1 The Halls 2 The Throne of Glory 3 The Angels that Bear the Throne 4 The Creatures of the Chariot 5 Creatures and Wheels 6 Hashmal I 7 Hashmal II 8 Four Rivers Section III Angels Introduction The Role of the Angels * Metatron and the Nefilim 1 The Nature of the Angels 2 The Creation and Destruction of the Angels 3 The Melody of the Cherubim's Wings 4 The Song of the Angels I 5 The Song of the Angels II 6 The Song of the Angels III 7 Messengers I 8 Messengers II 9 Metatron 10 The Tabernacle of Metatron 11 Four Angels 12 Michael and Gabriel 13 Uriel 14 Boel 15 Uzza and Azael Section IV The Natural World Introduction 1 Firmaments and Lands 2 Deeps 3 The Sun I 4 The Sun II 5 The Song of the Stars 6 The Stars and the Control of the World 7 The Activity of the Stars 8 The Seven Planets 9 The Comet 10 The Snake in the Firmament 11 The Rainbow 12 The Sea's Pride 13 Evening and Morning 14 Morning 15 The Hind of the Dawn 16 Trees and Herbs 17 The Mystery of the Echo PART IV THE DOCTRINE OF MAN Section I The Three Souls Introduction The Nature and Status of Man * The Tripartite Soul * The Origin of the Different Parts of the Soul * The Preexistence of the Soul * The Theory of the Soul in Midrash ha-Ne'elam 1 The Storehouse of Souls 2 Neshamah and Nefesh Hayyah 3 The Parts of the Soul and their Function 4 The Unity of Neshamah, Ruah, and Nefesh 5 Neshamah, Ruah, and Nefesh and their Different Levels 6 The Three Parts of the Soul as a Model of the Upper Glory 7 The Birth of the Souls 8 The Life of the Souls in the Upper World 9 The Form of the Souls 10 The Soul's Oath 11 The Descent of the Spirit into the Body from the Garden of Eden 12 The Purpose of the Soul's Descent Section II Body and Soul Introduction The Descent of the Soul * Blemished Souls * Body and Soul and Man's Inclinations * The Theory of the Image 1 The Elements in Man 2 The Origin of the Soul and the Origin of the Body 3 The Movement of the Body through the Power of the Soul 4 The Light of the Soul in the Body 5 Man's Likeness 6 The Images of Man 7 The Liver and the Heart 8 The Brain, the Heart, and the Liver 9 The Structure of the Human Body 10 The Good Inclination and the Evil Inclination 11 The Soul, the Body, and the Evil Inclination 12 The Power of Desire 13 The Wiles of the Evil Inclination 14 The Evil Inclination as God's Agent Section III Sleep and Dreams Introduction 1 Sleep, a Sixtieth Part of Death 2 Entrusting the Soul to the Tree of Death 3 The Ascent of the Soul during Sleep 4 The Soul is Judged during Sleep 5 The Dreams of the Wicked and the Dreams of the Righteous 6 Good and Evil in Dreams 7 Dream and Prophecy 8 The Song of the Souls at Night 9 The Renewal of the Soul in the Morning Section IV Death Introduction 1 This World: the Twinkling of an Eye 2 Remembering the Day of Death 3 Thirty Days before Death 4 Illness and Death 5 There is no Death without Sin 6 The Soul Renders Account at the Time of Death 7 The Departure of the Soul 8 Covering the Eyes of the Dead 9 The Prohibition of Delaying the Burial 10 Death at an Early Age 11 The Death of the Righteous and the Death of the Wicked 12 Death in the Holy Land and Death outside the Holy Land 13 The Spirits of the Dead VOLUME III PART V SACRED WORSHIP Section I The Tabernacle and the Temple Introduction The Mysteries of the Tabernacle and the Temple * The Mystery of the Sacrifices * Sitra Ahra's Share of the Sacrifices * Offerings as Symbols 1 The Building of the Tabernacle 2 The Tabernacle and the Temple 3 The Table and the Showbread 4 The Breastplate and the Ephod 5 The Effect of the Gold Plate 6 The Ritual Performed by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement 7 The Whole-offering 8 Sacrifices and Libations 9 Red and White in Sacrificial Offerings 10 The Altar-fire Destroys Evil 11 Incense 12 Priests Are Prohibited from Drinking Wine 13 The Priests, The Levites, and Israel Section II Prayer and Devotion Introduction 'Worship in the Heart' before the Zohar * The Zohar's Understanding of 'Worship in the Heart' * The Mystical Significance of the Statutory Prayers * Fear of God, Love of God, and Communion 1 The Synagogue 2 The Quorum of Ten: Minyan 3 Morning and Afternoon Prayer 4 The Mystery of Unification through the Recital of the Shema 5 The Eighteen Benedictions 6 The Kedushah 7 Prostration 8 The Reading of the Torah 9 Confession 10 Prayer and Sacrifice 11 Praying Silently 12 From the Depths 13 The Cry of the Heart 14 The Prayer of the Poor 15 The Value of Kavvanah in Prayer 16 The Ascent of the Shekhinah through Prayer 17 The Activity of Prayer and its Reward 18 The Knowledge of God 19 Fear and Love 20 Fear and Joy 21 Gladness and Sorrow 22 Cleaving with Love 23 Servants and Sons Section III Torah Introduction Literal and Hidden Meanings in the Torah * Attitudes toward the Torah in the Raya Mehemna and the Tikkunei ha-Zohar 1 The Torah Sustains the World 2 The Narratives of the Torah 3 The Bodies of the Torah, and the Soul of the Torah 4 Original Interpretations of Torah 5 The Level of Mystical Knowledge 6 Halakhic Studies 7 Studying Torah at Midnight 8 The Study of Torah for its Own Sake 9 Sin Does Not Extinguish Torah 10 Those Who Support the Torah 11 The Scholars and the Unlearned Section IV Commandments: Positive and Introduction 1 The Ten Commandments 2 The Covenant of Circumcision 3 The Observance of Circumcision 4 Zizit 5 Tefillin 6 Mezuzah 7 Charity 8 Oaths and Vows 9 The Taking of God's Name in Vain 10 Forbidden Sexual Relations 11 Driving Away the Shekhinah 12 Mixed Kinds 13 Forbidden Foods 14 Gentile Wine 15 The Value of Deeds Section V Sabbath and Festivals Introduction The Sabbath * The Festivals 1 Importance of the Sabbath 2 Welcoming the Sabbath 3 Sabbath Delight 4 The Sabbath Meals 5 The Additional Soul 6 Havdalah at the Close of the Sabbath 7 The New Year 8 The Day of Atonement 9 Receiving Guests in the Sukkah 10 The Four Species 11 The Passover 12 Narrating the Exodus from Egypt 13 Tikkun Leyl Shavuot 14 Festival Joy and Sabbath Joy 15 Sharing Festival Joy with the Poor PART VI PRACTICAL LIFE Section I Morality Introduction 1 Humility 2 The Modesty of Jewish Women 3 Trust 4 Repaying Evil with Good 5 Hospitality 6 Pride 7 The Arrogance of Rulers 8 Anger 9 Evil Speech 10 Miserliness 11 Drunkenness 12 Wisdom and Folly 13 Delivering a Rebuke Section II Conjugal Life Introduction 1 Male and Female Souls 2 The Commandment of Procreation 3 Assuring One's Livelihood before Marriage 4 The Good Woman and the Evil Woman 5 Conjugal Manners 6 Sexual Intercourse by the Sages on Sabbath Eve 7 The Sanctification of Intercourse 8 Intercourse of the Righteous with the Shekhinah 9 Alien Thoughts during Intercourse 10 Attracting a Soul from Sitra Ahra 11 The Merit of Having Virtuous Children Section III The Righteous and the Wicked Introduction The Terms Zaddik and Rasha before the Zohar * The Righteous and the Wicked in the Main Body of the Zohar * The Righteous and the Wicked in the Raya Mehemna and the Tikkunei ha-Zohar 1 The Righteous, the Wicked, and the Intermediate 2 The Mixed Multitude 3 The Sins of the Rich and the Sins of the Poor 4 The Sins of the Wicked and the Sins of the Righteous 5 Marks of Sin on the Face 6 Defending the Wicked 7 Testing the Righteous and Bearing with the Wicked 8 This World Is for the Wicked, and the Next World is for the Righteous 9 The Element of Fear in the Trust of the Righteous 10 The Suffering of the Righteous 11 The Righteous Suffer to Atone for the Sins of the World 12 The Righteous Die because of the Sins of their Generation Section IV Repentance Introduction 1 The Power of Repentance 2 Repentance through Tears 3 Fasting and Tears 4 Atonement for Sin through Repentance 5 Repairing Damage through Repentance 6 Escaping from Punishment by Repentance 7 Repentance at the Hour of Death 8 The Exalted Status of the Penitent Sinner Bibliography of Works Cited Select Additional Bibliography of Other Works Select Glossary Index of References to the Zohar Index of Scriptural References Index to the Anthology Texts

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Book SynopsisHasidism has been a seminal force and source of controversy in the Jewish world since its inception in the second half of the eighteenth century. Indeed, almost every ideological trend that has made itself felt among Jews since that time-from Zionism and Orthodoxy to contemporary Jewish feminism and movements within the yeshiva world-has claimed to have derived some inspiration from this vibrant movement. While this is sure testimony to its vitality and originality, it has also given rise to many misconceptions as to what hasidism is about. This major work, the first comprehensive critical study of hasidism in English, offers a wide-ranging treatment of the subject in all its aspects by what is effectively the entire present generation of scholars working in the field. With contributions ranging from the history of theology and of ideas through social and economic history to contemporary sociology, Hasidism Reappraised encompasses a complete field of modern scholarship in a discipline that is central to the understanding of modern Jewish history and the contemporary Jewish world. The twenty-eight authors who have contributed to the main body of the book are almost without exception established scholars with international reputations. The volume as a whole is dedicated to the memory of Joseph Weiss, and its opening section assesses his contribution to the study of hasidism in the context of his relationship with Gershom Scholem and Scholem's long-standing influence on the field. The remaining contributions are arranged thematically under seven headings: the social history of hasidism; the social functions of mystical ideals in the hasidic movement; distinctive outlooks and schools of thought within hasidism; the hasidic tale; the history of hasidic historiography; contemporary hasidism; and the present state of research on hasidism. The book also incorporates an extensive introduction that places the various articles in their intellectual context, as well as a bibliography of hasidic sources and contemporary scholarly literature. Hasidism Reappraised shows an intellectual world at an important juncture in its development and points to the direction in which scholarly study of hasidism is likely to develop in the years to come.CONTRIBUTORS: Jacob Barnai, Israel Bartal, Joseph Dan, Rachel Elior, Immanuel Etkes, Shmuel Ettinger, Morris M. Faierstein, Roland Goetschel, Arthur Green, Zeev Gries, Karl Erich GROZINGER, Moshe Hallamish, Gershon David Hundert, Moshe Idel, Louis Jacobs, Jacob Katz, Naftali Loewenthal, Daniel Meijers, Yehoshua Mondshine, Gedaliah Nigal, Mendel Piekarz, Ada Rapoport-Albert, Moshe J. Rosman, Bracha Sack, Yoseph Salmon, Chone Shmeruk, Sara Ora Heller Wilensky, Elliot R. Wolfson.Trade Review'Ce fort volume ... Cet ouvrage represente sans conteste une etape importante pour la connaissance du hasidisme.'- Jacques Gutwirth, Archives des Sciences Sociales des Religions'A magnificent account of that phenomenon from the Jewish past-Hasidism. Not only is it a consummate work of scholarship, but the editor has drawn together some of the personal relationships between scholars to show how this has also been the yeast in the splendid lekakh. Before all else, a word of praise for the editor ... to be read as well as to be dipped into and also to have as a major reference work. Trawling the index alone kept me fascinated for many evenings. Some wealthy Jews build synagogues, Jewish centres, but Louis Thomas Sidney Littman, who founded the Littman Library for the love of God and in memory of his father, gave us the wisest gift of all. Our richest past. His memory for a blessing. Ada Rapoport-Albert is an Israeli lecturer at University College, London. She is a considerable editor, writer, and scholar, and by all personal accounts an inspired teacher.'- Alex Auswaks, Jerusalem Post'Probably the most important analytical study of the Hasidic movement to have appeared in the English language, and it can be read with profit by anyone seriously interested in Jewish history.'- Edgar Samuel, Jewish Historical Studies'Undoubtedly of great value for our knowledge of hasidism.'- Jacques Gutwirth, Jewish Journal of Sociology'An opportunity to encounter virtually all the most important trends in the study of Hasidism and to move beyond the approaches and theories that have until now constituted conventional wisdom ... It is a volume that will be essential for anyone with a serious interest in Hasidism and indeed for any Judaica collection.'- Miles Krassen, Journal of Jewish Studies'Handsome collection of twenty-eight essays by world-ranking scholars ... comprehensive indeed, and profound, articulate, often gripping, and frequently counter to conventional wisdom ... amply rewarded by the superb job of translating, editing and reducing to easily readable length ... a reflection of major watersheds in the study of Hasidism.'- Lewis Glinert, Le'elaTable of ContentsNotes on contributorsIntroduction - ADA RAPOPORT-ALBERTPart I Joseph G. Weiss as a Student of Hasidism1 Joseph G. Weiss: A Personal Appraisal - JACOB KATZ2 Joseph Weiss: Letters to Ora - SARA ORA HELLER WILENSKYPart II Towards a New Social History of Hasidism3 The Conditions in Jewish Society in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Middle Decades of the Eighteenth Century - GERSHON DAVID HUNDERT4 Social Conflicts in Miedzyboz in the Generation of the Besht - MOSHE J. ROSMAN5 Hasidism and the Kahal in Eastern Europe - SHMUEL ETTINGER6 Hasidism after 1772: Structural Continuity and Change - ADA RAPOPORT- ALBERT7 The Hasidic Managing Editor as an Agent of Culture - ZEEV GRIESPart III The Social Function of Mystical Ideals in Hasidism8 The Zaddik: The Interrelationship between religious Doctrine and Social Organization - IMMANUEL ETKES9 The Paradigms of Yesh and Ayin in Hasidic Thought - RACHEL ELIOR10 Walking as a Sacred Duty: Theological Transformation of Social Reality in Early Hasidism - ELLIOT R. WOLFSON11 Hasidism and the Dogma of the Decline of the Generations - LOUIS JACOBS12 Personal Redemption in Hasidism - MORRIS M. FAIERSTEIN13 Hasidism as a Socio-religious Movement on the Evidence of Devekut - MENDEL PIEKARZPart IV Distinctive Outlooks and Schools of Thought within Hasidism14 The Influence of Reshit hokhmah on the Teachings of the Maggid of Mezhirech - BRACHA SACK15 Torah lishmah as a Central Concept in the Degel mahaneh Efrayim of Moses Hayyim Ephraim of Sudylkow - ROLAND GOETSCHEL16 The Teachings of R. Menahem Mendel of Vitebsk - MOSHE HALLAMISH17 Habad Approaches to Contemplative Prayer, 1790-1920 - NAFTALI LOEWENTHAL18 The Fluidity of Categories in Hasidism: Averah lishmah in the Teachings of R. Zevi Elimelekh of Dynow - YEHOSHUA MONDSHINE19 R. Naphtali Zevi of Ropczyce (the 'Ropshitser') as a Hasidic Leader - YOSEPH SALMONPart V The Hasidic Tale20 New Light on the Hasidic Tale and its Sources - GEDALIAH NIGAL21 The Source Value of the Basic Recensions of Shivhei haBesht - KARL ERICH GRA-ZINGERPart VI The History of Hasidic Historiography22 The Imprint of Haskalah Literature on the Historiography of Hasidism - ISRAEL BARTAL23 The Historiography of the Hasidic Immigration to Erets Yisrael - JACOB BARNAI24 Martin Buber and Gershom Scholem on Hasidism: A Critical Appraisal - MOSHE IDEL25 Yitzhak Schiper's Study of Hasidism in Poland - CHONE SHMERUKPart VII Contemporary Hasidism26 Hasidism: The Third Century - JOSEPH DAN27 Differences in Attitudes to Study and Work between Present-day Hasidism and Mitnaggedim: A Sociological View - DANIEL MEIJERSPart VIII The Present State of Research on Hasidism: An Overview28 Early Hasidism: Some Old/New Questions - ARTHUR GREEN29 The Study of Hasidism: past Trends and New Directions - IMMANUEL ETKESBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisHow did British Jewry respond to the Holocaust, how prominent was it on the communal agenda, and what does this response tell us about the values, politics, and fears of the Anglo-Jewish community? This book studies the priorities of that community, and thereby seeks to analyse the attitudes and philosophies which informed actions. It paints a picture of Anglo-Jewish life and its reactions to a wide range of matters in the non-Jewish world. Richard Bolchover charts the transmission of the news of the European catastrophe and discusses the various theories regarding reactions to these exceptional circumstances. He investigates the structures and political philosophies of Anglo-Jewry during the war years and covers the reactions of Jewish political and religious leaders as well as prominent Jews acting outside the community's institutional framework. Various co-ordinated responses, political and philanthropic, are studied, as are the issues which dominated the community at that time, namely internal conflict and the fear of increased domestic antisemitism: these preoccupations inevitably affected responses to events in Europe. The latter half of the book looks at the ramifications of the community's socio-political philosophies including, most radically, Zionism, and their influence on communal reactions. This acclaimed study raises major questions about the structures and priorities of the British Jewish community. For this paperback, the author has added a new Introduction summarizing research in the field since the book's first appearance.Trade Review'Admirable ... it works splendidly well ... [an] impressive, noble, and genuinely important book.'Andrew Chandler, English Historical Review'This sombre and lucid book is an important contribution to a matter which to this day stirs the conscience of British Jewry.'Roger Falk, Ham and High'A poignant and important contribution to Holocaust studies ... Bolchover has held a bright and honest flame to what he sees as the shames of Anglo-Jewry in wartime Britain.'Ian McIntyre, The Independent'Not simply a narrative of Jewish and by necessity non-Jewish attitudes and reaction to the Holocaust in Europe, but almost a work in moral ethics. It is a tour de force.'Harold Steinhof, Jewish Book News & Reviews'A act of great courage, for which the author deserves our profound thanks.'Geoffrey Alderman, Jewish Chronicle'This is absorbing, frightening, upsetting, essential reading. If Anglo-Jewry is to acquire a conviction about its values, this period of history must be re-examined; those institutions which so failed fellow-Jews must be reassessed; routes to influence within the Jewish community must be questioned. Finally, those who still remember those days must be asked, before it is too late, why so little was done.'Julia Neuberger, The Times'Bolchover's critique opens up this debate and ... will stimulate British Jews to consider the still current questions of fear and invisibility.'Julia Pascal, Times Educational Supplement'Classic study.'Marcia Posner, AJL Newsletter'There is no doubt that Bolchover has completed a vast amount of careful research and documented his findings meticulously ... The book contains much useful and fascinating information.'Liz Ramsey, Perspectives: Journal of the Holocaust Centre, Beth ShalomTable of ContentsPrefaceIntroductionIntroduction to the Second EditionPart I Knowing and BelievingPart II The Institutions Introduction: the Anglo-Jewish community1 Communal priorities2 The institutional response to the HolocaustPart III The Ideologies Introduction: social and political philosophies3 The politics of hope4 The politics of fear5 The Jewish fighting modelConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe span of Rabbi Jehiel Jacob Weinberg's life (1884-1966) illuminates the religious and intellectual dilemmas that traditional Jewry has faced over the past century. Rabbi Weinberg became a central ideologue of modern Orthodoxy because of his positive attitude to secular studies and Zionism and his willingness to respond to social change in interpreting the halakhah, despite his traditional training in a Lithuanian yeshiva. But Weinberg was an unusual man: even at a time when he was defending the traditional yeshiva against all attempts at reform, he always maintained an interest in the wider world. He left Lithuania for Germany at the beginning of the First World War, attended the University of Giessen, and increasingly identified with the Berlin school of German Orthodoxy. Although initially an apologist for the Nazi regime, he was soon recognized as German Orthodoxy's most eminent halakhic authority in its efforts to maintain religious tradition in the face of Nazi persecution. His approach, then and in his later halakhic writings, including the famous Seridei esh, derived from the conviction that the attempt to shore up Orthodoxy by increased religious stringency would only reduce its popular appeal. Using a great deal of unpublished material, including private correspondence, Marc Shapiro discusses many aspects of Weinberg's life. In doing so he elucidates many institutional and intellectual phenomena of the Jewish world, a number of which have so far received little scholarly attention: the yeshivas of Lithuania; the state of the Lithuanian rabbinate; the musar movement; the Jews of eastern Europe in Weimar Germany; the Torah im Derekh Eretz movement and its variants; Orthodox Jewish attitudes towards Wissenschaft des Judentums; and the special problems of Orthodox Jews in Nazi Germany. Throughout, he shows the complex nature of Weinberg's character and the inner struggles of a man being pulled in different directions. Compellingly and authoritatively written, his fascinating conclusions are quite different from those presented in earlier historical treatments of the period.Trade Review‘Thoroughly researched and highly readable . . . an excellently written book, highly recommended for all college-level libraries.’- Yisrael Dubitsky, AJL Newsletter‘Shapiro’s exemplary biography marks the onset of a new stage in biographical scholarship about leading Orthodox personalities . . . Shapiro’s mastery of rabbinic and historical sources, the fact that no relevant archival or published source is untouched, the superb contextual studies, the 1,037 enriching and critical footnotes, make this a classic.’- Gershon Greenberg, AJS Review‘Marc Shapiro's excellent new study dedicated to the life and philosophy of Rabbi Weinberg is certainly one of the finest pieces of contemporary Jewish scholarship . . . This is a monumental study of a great man and a great rabbi. It breaks new ground in biographies of “Gedolei Israel” as Rabbi Weinberg is depicted as a human being, warts and all. Few events are glossed over—his family, philosophy, friends, and career are all discussed in detail without the usual embellishments. In addition, this study offers the reader a detailed view of the complexities of Orthodox Jewish life in the twentieth century . . . This book serves not only as a study of Rabbi Jehiel Weinberg, but as a memorial to the vanished world of German Orthodoxy.’- Zalman Alpert, Algemeiner Journal‘With impeccable authority, Marc Shapiro has written an important account . . . an important historical study by a masterful Jewish scholar of a central aspect of Jewish life all too frequently neglected by secular and non-religious Jews . . . No understanding of modern Jewish history can be considered complete without an understanding of how Orthodox Judaism encountered the modern world. Shapiro’s study of the life of Jehiel Jacob Weinberg is a major scholarly contribution to our comprehension of that world.’- Richard L. Rubenstein, Congress Monthly‘We are indebted to Marc Shapiro for his brilliant work that brings to life this major halakhic personality.’- Simcha Krauss, Edah Journal‘A full-scale study of the life and writings of Jehiel Weinberg . . . that goes a long way toward clearing up the mystery surrounding the man. Shapiro’s signal contribution is to present Weinberg in the round: both the public and the private figure.’- David Singer, First Things‘A refreshing pleasure . . . Shapiro's scholarly account of Weinberg's remarkable life and turbulent times happily avoids the panegyric tone that has too long dominated the field of rabbinic “biography”, offering instead a detailed look at a rabbi of great learning and character who nonetheless strayed and erred about grave matters and who was, by the end of his life, a tragic and lonely figure . . . arguably the best biography of a twentieth-century rabbi yet written, a work of serious scholarship that greatly enriches our understanding of the history of European Judaism.’- Allan Nadler, Forward‘Marc Shapiro has written a fascinating book … His erudition is impressive.’- Alan Unterman, Jewish Chronicle‘The author demonstrates an impressive command of a broad range of primary and secondary source materials.’- Robert Brody, Journal of Jewish Studies‘A splendid biography . . . a superlative book, elegantly written, fastidiously researched, providing us with rare insights into Orthodoxy’s encounter with the modern world as reflected in the life of one of its most complex figures . . . This is scholarship of a high order.’- Jonathan Sacks, Le’ela‘Important . . . a remarkably well-written biography, and even those with little understanding of Orthodox Judaism will find it interesting and informative.’- Jack Fischel, Metrowest Jewish News‘This excellent study . . . is more than a first-rate intellectual biography. It is a portrait of Orthodoxy in the modern world . . . Shapiro combines exhaustive research with exquisite scholarship; this is not self-serving hagiography but a balanced historical study deserving a very wide audience.’- Stephen D. Benin, Religious Studies Review‘This first-class, definitive monograph . . . of genuine distinction . . . Beautifully executed . . . The dissertation itself deserves nothing but admiration. It is well-organized and well-written, intelligent in every aspect, lovingly researched but economically set forth . . . Shapiro tells us what we need to know and does not over-research or over-sell his subject. Here we have critical learning, not hagiography. Unlike equivalent studies of other Orthodox figures, however, Shapiro also preserves perspective, balance, proportion, and above all coherence, in telling the story. Here we have the definitive account of an important subject in the study of the twentieth-century history of Judaism. No-one has to go over this subject again. For a first book, that is as high praise as I can imagine—or for a tenth book, for that matter. Shapiro takes his place among the most promising and interesting and intelligent scholars of his generation.’- Jacob Neusner, Reviews in Religion and Theology‘It is to Shapiro’s credit that Weinberg’s life is painstakingly mapped out and his ideological profile carefully portrayed . . . should be read by every serious student of modern Jewish history.’- Morton J. Merowitz, Shofar‘Measured, careful, well-written, and critical yet respectful . . . The great strength of Shapiro’s study lies in his ability to “locate” Weinberg in each of the successive locales in which he found himself . . . based on a rich selection of contemporary and scholarly sources . . . a fine work of intellectual history and a worthy example of rabbinic biography written in accordance with the best standards of academic scholarship . . . Between the Yeshiva World and Modern Orthodoxy, an admirable piece of scholarship in its own right, is also part of an ongoing conversation within Orthodoxy that students of contemporary Jewry should fine of no less interest than historians.’- Gershon Bacon, Studies in Contemporary Jewry‘This is a first rate, scholarly book. The author has expended considerable energies in exhuming hitherto unavailable biographical material . . . he has also drawn on, and partially catalyzed the creation of, an oral history by interviewing an impressive cross-section of individuals . . . To this wealth of raw material he has brought an integrating intelligence and judicious melding of disparate sources to create a vivid and ultimately convincing portrait . . . The rewards for the reader’s investment are substantial.’- Mechy Frankel, TraditionTable of ContentsPreface Note on Transliteration List of Abbreviations Note on Sources 1 Early Life (1884–1905) 2 Pilwishki (1906–1913) 3 The First World War and its Aftermath (1914–1920) 4 Giessen and Beyond (1920–1932) 5 Response to the New Nazi Government (1933–1934) 6 The Nazi Era (1933–1945) 7 Post-War Years (1946–1966) Afterword Appendices Lebenslauf—autobiographical note Letter to Hitler Letter from Jacob Rosenheim Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisNational Jewish Book Awards Winner of Sephardic Studies Award, 2001.The Book of Tahkemoni (The Book of Wisdom or the Heroic) is widely regarded as the crowning jewel of Hebrew maqama literature —rhymed prose interspersed with verse. In its fifty unlinked episodes we repeatedly encounter the somewhat roguish protagonist, Hever the Kenite, often disguised and assuming many and varied roles—teacher, beggar, adventurer, debater, magician, and so on. Whether preaching, spinning history or fantasy, or working a crowd, Hever the Kenite is ever a consummate story-teller and wordsmith enlightening or astounding his listeners. The author, generally considered to be the last major Hebrew poet of Spain, displays great scope, moving from prayers to tales of battlefield carnage, from philosophic reflection to droll satire targeting the pompous, the ignorant, and the mean. The whole is conveyed in a sensuous interweave of rhyme and rhythm, of literal and figurative speech, and copious biblical citations manipulated to serve unusual ends. David Simha Segal's translation captures the drama, wit, and satire of the original in a contemporary English that displays vigour and a sense of fun. Detailed annotations, printed on the same page as the text, identify the numerous allusions. Analyses of each chapter bring the reader more deeply into the text, illuminating plays on words, adroit uses of the frame tale, adaptations of Arabic and Hebrew literary conventions, and other subtleties of the original. A substantial Afterword sums up major features discussed in the analyses, especially the authorial game of hide-and-seek in the characters of the protagonist and the narrator.Trade Review'This new edition and translation is a formidable work of scholarship. In addition to a readable version of a complicated text, Segal offers the reader invaluable editorial help in negotiating these exotic tales; his extensive set of analyses of Alharizi's introduction and the 'fifty Gates' (or sections) could constitute a separate monograph ... A meticulous and accomplished work that will reward the general reader as well as scholars.' - M. Butovsky, Choice'Wonderful.' - Hillel Halkin, Commentary'A text of major importance... this volume belongs in every serious library.' - Stephen D. Benin, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsAbbreviations and Conventions Used in the Text Translator's preface The Book of Tahkemoni Introduction Gates 1 Whence this Work Sprung and by Whom it Was Sung 2 Brimstone and Wrath against the Worldly Path 3 The Mystery and History of the Hebrew Song of Spain 4 A Descant on the Flea and the Ant 5 Twelve Poets Sound the Months' Round 6 Of One Too Swiftly Sped to the Marriage Bed 7 Of Battle Lords and Dripping Swords 8 In Praise of a Letter of Praise Read Two Ways 9 Poetic Invention: One and Thirty in Contention 10 Of Rustic Propriety and Winged Piety 11 Of Verbal Show: Using and Refusing the Letter O 12 Of the Ferocity of the Wars of Stint and Generosity 13 Wherein Shall a Man be Whole? A Debate of Body, Mind, and Soul 14 Of a Prayer Beyond Price Hewn from the Mountain of Spice 15 A Prayer Sent where Grace Reposes: A Prayer to Godly Moses 16 Airs of Song's Seven Heirs 17 Rabbanite versus Karaite 18 The Rise and Reign of Monarchs of Song in Hebrew Spain 19 Of a Dispute of Poets Seven: Which Virtue is Dearest in the Eyes of Heaven 20 Of Seven Maidens and their Mendacity 21 Of a Sumptuous Feast and a Bumpkin Fleeced 22 Of Fate's Rack and the Zodiac 23 Of Hever the Kenite's Wretched Hour and Sudden Rise to Wealth and Power 24 Of A Jolly Cantor and Folly Instanter 25 Of a Hid Place and a Champion of the Chase 26 Travels: Kudos and Cavils 27 Of the Cup's Joys and Other Alloys 28 Praise and Pity for David's City 29 Beggars' Arts versus Frozen Hearts 30 Of a Quack and his Bogus Pack 31 Of a Mocking Knight and a Wormwood Cup of Fright 32 Needlepoint: Point-Counterpoint 33 Homily, Hymn, and Homonym 34 Of a Host Bombastic and a Feast Fantastic 35 Of the Grave of Ezra the Blest and Poems Celeste 36 Challenge and Reply: Sweet Words Fly 37 In the Clasp of a Deadly Asp 38 Of Men and Ship in the Storm's Grip 39 The Debate of Day and Night: Whose the Greater Might and Delight 40 The Battle of Sword and Pen for Mastery of Men 41 Badinage: Man and Woman Rage 42 Generosity or Greed-Which the Better Creed or Deed? 43 The Sea Roars its Worth against Proud Earth 44 Life's Laws: Proverbs and Saws 45 Hid Learning: Saws of Men of Discerning 46 Of This and That Community Sung with Impunity 47 Nation Contends with Nation for Rank and Station 48 The Heart's Grief and Relief 49 In Praise of the Fruits of the Garden Trees 50 Varia and Nefaria Analyses Introduction Gates 1-50 Afterword Bibliography Index of Biblical References Index of Persons and Peoples Index of Places General Index

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisBiblical ethics and eloquence reached a pinnacle with the great writing Prophets. Prophethood has also been central to Islam. Muhammad, its final messenger, is coupled with Allah in the Islamic faith, through confession or Shahadah. Is it proper, or feasible, to bring these two realms together, separated as they are by more than ten centuries? Many in each community of faith would disapprove. Yet there are clear common denominators the central role of personality; the mystery of language and inspiration; the bearing of circumstance and situation; and, through all these, the incidence of suffering. Among the Biblical Prophets, a basic descriptive for their vocation and meaning is the sense of burden. The title of the book is taken from Surah 73.5 of the Quran where Muhammad understands that he is to undergo the onset of a a heavy saying, or a weighty word. Exploration of this mutual theme leads to common features. While the weight Quran-wise is the obligation to give divine words perfect reproduction; for the Biblical Prophets the onus is more inherently personal, and is reflected in the essential loneliness of vocation. The Weight in the Word attempts to explore an alignment of Prophethood in the Bible and in Islam in one denominator, against the odds of mutual alienation. In the Quran, God and Messenger represent the dual unity of creed and command; for Christian theology, via Messiah crucified, the theology of Prophethood is found in knowing the Weight in the Word by the wounds in the soul, and the Word made flesh.Trade Review"This is a profound and courageous attempt to compare and contrast Islamic ideas of prophecy, as found uniquely in Muhammad, with the prophetic tradition of the Hebrew Bible." -- John Barton, Oriel & Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, Oriel College, OxfordTable of ContentsContents: Preface; Messengers with Burdens; The Casting, The Saying, The Weighting; Prophetic Personality; Prophethood and Language; Prophet and Situation; Prophethood and Conscience; Prophethood in Suffering; Prophethood and God; Ongoing Finality; Notes; Index of Themes; Index of Names and Terms; Scriptural Citations.

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Book SynopsisThe shocking massacre of the Jews in York, 1190, is here re-examined in its historical context along with the circumstances and processes through which Christian and Jewish neighbours became enemies and victims. The mass suicide and murder of the men, women and children of the Jewish community in York on 16 March 1190 is one of the most scarring events in the history of Anglo-Judaism, and an aspect of England's medieval past which is widely remembered around the world. However, the York massacre was in fact only one of a series of attacks on communities of Jews across England in 1189-90; they were violent expressions of wider new constructs of the nature of Christian and Jewish communities, and the targeted outcries of local townspeople, whose emerging urban politics were enmeshed within the swiftly developing structures of royal government. This new collection considers the massacreas central to the narrative of English and Jewish history around 1200. Its chapters broaden the contexts within which the narrative is usually considered and explore how a narrative of events in 1190 was built up, both at the timeand in following years. They also focus on two main strands: the role of narrative in shaping events and their subsequent perception; and the degree of convivencia between Jews and Christians and consideration of the circumstances and processes through which neighbours became enemies and victims. Sarah Rees Jones is Senior Lecturer in History, Sethina Watson Lecturer, at the University of York. Contributors: Sethina Watson, Sarah Rees Jones, Joe Hillaby, Nicholas Vincent, Alan Cooper, Robert C. Stacey, Paul Hyams, Robin R. Mundill, Thomas Roche, Eva de Visscher, Pinchas Roth, Ethan Zadoff, Anna Sapir Abulafia, Heather Blurton, Matthew Mesley, Carlee A.Bradbury, Hannah Johnson, Jeffrey J. Cohen, Anthony BaleTrade ReviewThe contributions offering insights into Jewish life in Angevin England are particularly interesting . . . but they all give a clearer sense of the triangular relationship of crown, Jews, and Christians-a pattern visual elsewhere in Europe well into recent centuries. * STUDIES IN MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE TEACHING *For all scholars of twelfth- and thirteenth-century England there is much to learn from this book. ... The editors and Press are to be congratulated on producing such an impressive and stimulating volume... York Medieval Press has, since 1999, added impressively to our knowledge of the history, literature and culture of the Middle Ages both in Britain and on the Continent. * NORTHERN HISTORY *A scholarly and stimulating volume. * YORKSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL *Through its new approach to old sources and examination of new sources, the collection provides important insights into Christian attitudes toward Jews, as well as moments of violence against Jews and their everyday lives in medieval England. * JOURNAL OF CHURCH AND STATE *The volume as a whole makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the history of the Jewish community in medieval England and its relationship with the Christian population and English royal government. * CATHOLIC HISTORICAL REVIEW *A substantial addition to the growing corpus of recent work on the Jews of medieval England. ... An impressive volume. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *An impressive and rich collection of articles. Each and every one.repays careful attention. The reader gets filled up with a very solid mixture of facts about the inner workings of Jewish life in Angevin England as well as an appetite for more. * MEDIEVAL HISTORIES *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Moment and Memory of the York Massacre of 1190 - Sethina Watson Neighbours and Victims in Twelfth-Century York: A Royal Citadel, the Citizens and the Jews of York - Sarah Rees Jones Prelude and Postscript to the York Massacre: Attacks in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, 1190 - Joe Hillaby William of Newburgh, Josephus and the New Titus - Nicholas Vincent 1190, William Longbeard and the Crisis of Angevin England - Alan Cooper The Massacres of 1189-90 and the Origins of the Jewish Exchequer, 1186-1226 - Robert C. Stacey Faith, Fealty and Jewish 'Infideles' in Twelfth-Century England - Paul Hyams The 'archa' System and its Legacy after 1194 - Robin Mundill Making Agreements, with or without Jews, in Medieval England and Normandy - Thomas Roche An Ave Maria in Hebrew: The Transmission of Hebrew Learning from Jewish to Christian Scholars in Medieval England - Eva De Visscher The Talmudic Community of Thirteenth-Century England - Pinchas Roth and Ethan Zadoff Notions of Jewish Service in Twelfth and Thirteenth-Century England - Anna Sapir Abulafia Egyptian Days: From Passion to Exodus in the Representation of Twelfth-Century Jewish-Christian Relations - Heather Blurton 'De Judaea, Muta et Surda': Jewish Conversion in Gerald of Wales's Life of Saint Remigius - Matthew M. Mesley Dehumanizing the Jew at the Funeral of the Virgin Mary in the Thirteenth Century [c.1170 - c.1350] - Carlee Bradbury Massacre and Memory: Ethics and Method in Recent Scholarship on Jewish Martyrdom - Hannah Johnson The Future of the Jews of York - Jeffrey Jerome Cohen Afterword: Violence, Memory and the Traumatic Middle Ages - Anthony Bale Bibliography

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Book SynopsisBiblical ethics and eloquence reached a pinnacle with the great writing Prophets. Prophethood has also been central to Islam. Muhammad, its final messenger, is coupled with Allah in the Islamic faith, through confession or Shahadah. Is it proper, or feasible, to bring these two realms together, separated as they are by more than ten centuries? Many in each community of faith would disapprove. Yet there are clear common denominators the central role of personality; the mystery of language and inspiration; the bearing of circumstance and situation; and, through all these, the incidence of suffering. Among the Biblical Prophets, a basic descriptive for their vocation and meaning is the sense of burden. The title of the book is taken from Surah 73.5 of the Quran where Muhammad understands that he is to undergo the onset of a a heavy saying, or a weighty word. Exploration of this mutual theme leads to common features. While the weight Quran-wise is the obligation to give divine words perfect reproduction; for the Biblical Prophets the onus is more inherently personal, and is reflected in the essential loneliness of vocation. The Weight in the Word attempts to explore an alignment of Prophethood in the Bible and in Islam in one denominator, against the odds of mutual alienation. In the Quran, God and Messenger represent the dual unity of creed and command; for Christian theology, via Messiah crucified, the theology of Prophethood is found in knowing the Weight in the Word by the wounds in the soul, and the Word made flesh.Trade Review"This is a profound and courageous attempt to compare and contrast Islamic ideas of prophecy, as found uniquely in Muhammad, with the prophetic tradition of the Hebrew Bible." -- John Barton, Oriel & Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, Oriel College, OxfordThis is a profound and courageous attempt to compare and contrast Islamic ideas of prophecy, as found uniquely in Muhammad, with the prophetic tradition of the Hebrew Bible. It challenges Muslims, Jews, and Christians to understand their own traditions better and to be open to learn from each other. It rests on prolonged reflection about the character of the three Abrahamic religions. John Barton, Oriel & Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, Oriel College, OxfordTable of ContentsContents: Preface; Messengers with Burdens; The Casting, The Saying, The Weighting; Prophetic Personality; Prophethood and Language; Prophet and Situation; Prophethood and Conscience; Prophethood in Suffering; Prophethood and God; Ongoing Finality; Notes; Index of Themes; Index of Names and Terms; Scriptural Citations.

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Book SynopsisThis book explains the rejection by Smith and Adams of 'normal' Christian replacement theology and sets out the apologetics by which Smith and Adams promoted courage and conviction in all who joined them in encouraging the gathering of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem. Joseph Smith Jr, founder of the Mormon movement and George J Adams, one of his least known followers -- two Gentile dreamers of Zion -- were instrumental in encouraging Jews and Christians to support the restoration of Israel.

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Book SynopsisThe enigmatic kabbalist Samuel Falk, known as the Ba'al Shem of London, has piqued the curiosity of scholars for enerations. Eighteenth-century London was fascinated by Jews, and as a miracle-worker and adventurer, well connected and well read, Falk had much to offer. Interest in the man was further aroused by rumours of his dealings with European aristocrats and other famous characters, as well as with scholars, Freemasons, and Shabbateans, but evidence was scanty. Michal Oron has now brought together all the known source material on the man, and her detailed annotations of his diary and that of his assistant give us rich insights into his activities over several years. We learn of his meetings and his travels; his finances; his disputes, his dreams, and his remedies; and lists of his books. We see London's social life and commerce, its landed gentry and its prisons, and what people ate, wore, and possessed. The burgeoning Jewish community of London and its religious practices, as well as its communal divisiveness, is depicted especially colourfully. The scholarly introductions by Oron and by Todd Endelman and the informative appendices help contextualize the diaries and offer an intriguing glimpse of Jewish involvement in little-known aspects of London life at the threshold of the modern era.Trade ReviewReviews ‘The legend of Samuel Falk is tantalising… Dr. Oron examines Falk’s magisterial ‘successes’ in the line of self-isolation, survival and prophecy.’Stephen Massil, editor of Jewish Book News and Reviews'Oron’s translation and annotation of Falk’s diary is a fascinating window into the lives of both Falk and his associates... Falk’s diaries only add to the complexity of a figure who was undoubtedly anything but conventional.' Joel S. Davidi Weisberger, Jewish Link & the Times of Israel‘Will be welcomed by researchers and historians of eighteenth-century Jewish mysticism and esoteric freemasonry . . . the actual texts of the diaries make a valuable contribution to scholarship and open up many new avenues for future research . . . the final translation is excellent, and the raw material presented in the diaries (Hirsch’s covering 1747-51, Falk’s covering 1772-81) provides a remarkable account of kabbalistic magical practices and the survival of esoteric interests among a wide range of English and European Freemasons and ‘adventurers’ during the years of the so-called Enlightenment.’Marsha Keith Schuchard, British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies'A glimpse into the kind of “superstitious,” bizarre, “irrational” beliefs and practices that the Enlightenment thought was part of a past that rational people had cast aside [...] Without [Oron’s] invaluable notes, much of this material would remain incomprehensible.'Achsah Guibbory, The North American Conference on British StudiesTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration and Conventions Used in the Text Translator's Note Note on the Editing of the Diaries Introduction to the English Edition Todd M. Endelman INTRODUCTION I. A Brief History of Ba'alei Shem II. A Biography of Samuel Falk III. Falk's Activities According to the Diary of Zevi Hirsch IV. Samuel Falk as Seen by Jacob Emden V. Samuel Falk and the Freemasons VI. The Diaries and Their Research THE DIARIES The Diary of Zevi Hirsch of Kalisz The Diary of Samuel Falk APPENDICES A. People Featuring Prominently in the Diaries B. Falk's Dreams C. The Letter of Sussman Shesnowzi to His Son D. The Letter of Jacob Emden E. Falk's Library F. Falk's Will Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisMore than forty years have passed since Louis Jacobs first put forward the argument that traditionally observant Jews have no reason to take issue with the results obtained by the historical critics in their investigation into the Bible and the other classical sources of Judaism. In his numerous works on Jewish theology and in lectures worldwide, Jacobs has argued that the traditional doctrine which claims that ‘the Torah is from Heaven’ can and should be maintained — provided that the word ‘from’ is understood in a non-fundamentalist way to denote that there is a human as well as a divine element in the Torah: God revealing His will not only to but through the Jewish people in their historical experiences as they reached out to Him. As a result of these views, which were first published in the still-controversial text We Have Reason to Believe, the Anglo-Jewish Orthodox hierarchy banned Jacobs from serving as an Orthodox rabbi. This was the cause of the notorious ‘Jacobs affair’, which culminated in the creation of the New London Synagogue and, eventually, in the establishment of the Masorti movement in the UK with strong affinities with Conservative Judaism in the United States. In this book, Louis Jacobs examines afresh all the issues involved. He does so objectively but with passion, meeting the objections put forward by critics from the various trends within the Jewish world, both Orthodox and Reform, and inviting readers to follow the argument and make up their own minds.Trade Review‘Jacobs cogently and clearly presents his views on diverse topics.’ Roger S. Kohn, Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter ‘Brims with scholarship and is powerfully argued. Jacobs's mastery of the full range of Jewish religious sources—legal, philosophical, and mystical—is apparent on every page, and is well deployed in making his case for liberal supernaturalism as a breakthrough religious synthesis. And that case is hardly a timely one, for Jacobs is hardly alone in hungering for a form of traditionalism that can combine halakhic observance with an open intellectual outlook. Indeed, this is today the shared meeting ground of the right wing of Conservative Judaism and the left wing of the Orthodox movement.’ David Singer, Commentary ‘A learned and compelling argument for an enlightened form of traditional Judaism . . . written in a lucid, accessible style for lay readers, who will benefit enormously from Rabbi Jacobs's honest and critical assessment of the major tendencies in contemporary Judaism . . . a major critique of Jewish fundamentalism and a compelling alternative to it.' Allan Nadler, Forward ‘Here is a scholar who . . . has much to offer British Jewry.’ Cecil Bloom, Jerusalem Post ‘The book will enlighten because Jacobs is a reliable and lucid authority on the issues discussed.’ Robert Weissman, Jewish Quarterly ‘A very personal, and very mature and honest, statement of “where I stand”.’ Norman Solomon, Journal of Jewish Studies ‘The most engaging aspect of the book is the personal style in which it is written. The book is positively brought alive by a wealth of personal anecdotes and stories.’ Emma Conway, Le'elaTable of Contents1 Introduction: The ‘Jacobs Affair’ 2 Liberal Supernaturalism 3 Is it Traditional? 4 Is it Scientific? 5 The Mitsvot: God-Given or Man-Made? 6 Orthodoxy 7 Reform 8 Secular Judaism 9 Mysticism 10 Modernism and Interpretation 11 Conclusion Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSephardi identity has meant different things at different times, but has always entailed a connection with Spain, from which the Jews were expelled in 1492. While Sephardi Jews have lived in numerous cities and towns throughout history, certain cities had a greater impact in the shaping of their culture. This book focuses on those that may be considered most important, from Cordoba in the tenth century to Toledo, Venice, Safed, Istanbul, Salonica, and Amsterdam at the dawn of the seventeenth century. Each served as a venue in which a particular dimension of Sephardi Jewry either took shape or was expressed in especially intense form. Significantly, these cities were mostly heterogeneous in their population and culture—half of them under Christian rule and half under Muslim rule—and this too shaped the Sephardi world-view and attitude. While Sephardim cultivated a distinct identity, they felt at home in the cultures of their adopted lands. Drawing upon a variety of both primary and secondary sources, Jane Gerber demonstrates that Sephardi history and culture have always been multifaceted. Her interdisciplinary approach captures the many contexts in which the life of the Jews from Iberia unfolded, without either romanticizing the past or diluting its reality.Trade ReviewReviews'Highly readable and enlightening... Gerber paints an illuminating picture of a vivid Jewish sub-culture always in contact with the non-Jewish, Christian and Muslim, surroundings... Cities of Splendour will be of great value for many scholars and students of Sephardic and Jewish history.'Carsten Schapkow, Sephardic Horizons'This book is a gem. It is an appetizer, the main course, and the dessert, depending on the reader’s choice and level of knowledge. There are sufficient footnotes supporting the facts to allow the serious researcher to go beyond the text... There is something delicious here for all our readers, and the book will leave you well informed and satisfied.'Claudia Hagadus Long, Ha Lapid‘Cities of Splendour weaves a wonderfully rich tapestry of Sephardic history, and offers, like Gerber’s earlier Jews of Spain, an accessibly written resource for teaching on a diaspora, whose self-fashioning in relation to Spain, and to its various diasporic contexts, was an ever-evolving process.’ Matthias B. Lehmann, Medieval Encounters"This is a refreshing, encompassing, and fascinating study, penned by an experienced and knowledgeable researcher, and supported by a rich bibliography. It offers a new look and an original interpretation of the story of Sephardi Jewry from the medieval period to the eighteenth century. Moreover, the author’s flowing prose and the book’s careful editing make it a suitable choice for skilled researchers, as well as for students seeking to study the chapters of a long and painful history, but one that is also full of the glory and splendor of one of the most prominent diasporas of the Jewish people." Nimrod Gaatone, Journal of Modern History‘This is a refreshing, encompassing, and fascinating study, penned by an experienced and knowledgeable researcher, and supported by a rich bibliography. It offers a new look and an original interpretation of the story of Sephardi Jewry from the medieval period to the eighteenth century. Moreover, the author’s flowing prose and the book’s careful editing make it a suitable choice for skilled researchers, as well as for students seeking to study the chapters of a long and painful history, but one that is also full of the glory and splendor of one of the most prominent diasporas of the Jewish people.’ Nimrod Gaatone, Journal of Modern HistoryTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Poetry and Politics in the Medieval Caliphate of Cordoba, 950–1150 2. Crossing the Borders of Art and Society: Toledo as a Meeting Place of Cultures, 1150–1350 3. The Search for Redemption in Safed, 1500–1600 4. The Jews of Venice between Toleration and Expulsion, 1516–1648 5. Reconstructing Sepharad in Istanbul and Salonica, 1492–1600 6. Portuguese Jews in the City of Amsterdam `The Praiseworthy’: The Formation of the Western Sephardi Diaspora, 1600–1700 Conclusions Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe crucial question for today's Jewish world, Menachem Kellner argues, is not whether Jews will have Jewish grandchildren, but how many different sorts of mutually exclusive Judaisms those grandchildren will face. Kellner’s short, brisk, and accessible book examines how the split that threatens the Jewish future can be avoided. The first six chapters of this strongly argued book analyse what religious faith means in classical Judaism and will be of interest to anyone seeking lucid insights into the nature of Judaism. The final chapter builds upon the conclusions of the first six in order to argue for a new way of construing the relationship of Orthodoxy to non-Orthodox Jews and institutions. Kellner argues that the Orthodox practice of framing the debate with non-Orthodox movements in terms of dogmatic fidelity contrasted with heresy is not the traditional Jewish approach, and that the debate could well be framed in other ways, ways that would allow all Jews to work together towards a less polarized Jewish future. Undoubtedly, Must a Jew Believe Anything? has the potential to make a difference to how Orthodoxy understands itself and its relationship to other Jewish movements in the modern world. For the second edition, the author has added a substantial Afterword, reviewing his thinking on the subject and addressing the reactions to the original edition.Trade Review'An important work in constructive Jewish philosophy by a leading international scholar of the field. It is also important as a document of the kind of thinking that characterizes modern Orthodoxy. The book is intelligent and academically solid as well as thought-provoking and controversial. It is a must read by anyone concerned with modern Jewish life who wants to understand an approach that affirms both Orthodoxy and a pluralistic sense of k'lal Yisrael without compromising integrity and religious commitment.'Norbert Samuelson, CCAR Journal 'Kellner's book makes an important contribution to the possibility of dialogue between the different trends within Judaism and to the possibility of reducing the hostility and tension between them.'Daniel Statman, Ha'aretz 'Kellner is especially provocative. The challenge in his title almost jumps off the page as a cri de coeur, inviting a re-examination of beliefs taken for granted by Orthodox Jews for almost a millennium ... [he] demonstrates with passion and elegance how Maimonides radically transformed Judaism into an "ecclesiastical community" ... his social critique of the implication of dogma uniquely enhances our understanding of the Maimonidean project ... His thesis is an important one and should be read by all, encouraging urgently needed debate in the academy and the four ells of the yeshiva as well,'James A. Diamond, Jewish History 'A main contribution to a very timely question regarding the proper attitude of orthodox Judaism to non-orthodox and non-observant groups ... written with admirable clarity and touches of a highly relevant topic.' Daniel Statman, Journal of Jewish Studies 'This book has much to recommend it. Both scholarly and accessible, it is marked by a humane vision and a passionate commitment to a vibrant, outward looking Orthodox Judaism.'David Berger, Tradition'Over the last few years, an increasing number of people have been approaching me with crises of faith. One of the resources to which I direct them is Menachem Kellner's Must a Jew Believe Anything? It is, I believe, an outstanding work.'Natan Slifkin, Rationalist Judaism‘Outstanding'David S. Zinberg, Times of IsraelTable of ContentsIntroduction1 Two Types of FaithFaith, Belief, and Trust • Emunah in the Torah • Theology and the Torah • Classical Judaism and the Absence of Dogma2 Rabbinic ThoughtTesting for ‘Required Beliefs’ • An Objection: Mishnah Sanhedrin x. 1 • A Defence of Dogma • Heretics and Sectarians • A ‘Theology’ of Action3 Why Judaism Acquired a Systematic TheologyBehaviour and Belief • Extrinsic Reasons for the Lack of Systematic Theology in Judaism • Why Systematic Theology Developed among the Jews • The Importation of Theology4 Maimonides: Dogma without DogmatismMaimonides’ Dogmas • Maimonides on Inadvertent Heresy • Maimonides on Conversion and the Nature of Faith • Maimonides on Leaving Judaism • Maimonides’ ‘Non-dogmatic’ Dogmas: Science and Religious Faith • Maimonides on Truth • The Logic of Righteousness: Reason and Faith5 Maimonides: Impact, Implications, ChallengesThe Impact • The Implications • Challenges to Maimonides • Was Maimonides Inconsistent? The Karaites6 Heresy-huntingOrthodoxy and Heresy • Theology and Halakhah: A Category Mistake • Three Contemporary Orthodox Statements: Freedom of Enquiry; The Illegitimacy of the Non-Orthodox; Inclusivism • The Three Statements: A Critique • Why has Maimonides’ Position become Dominant? • The Maimonidean Bind7 How to Live with Other JewsAsking the Right Question • So Who or What is a Jew Anyway? • Non-Orthodox Jews and Judaisms • Maimonides and the Objectivity of TruthAfterwordAppendix 1 Maimonides on Reward and PunishmentAppendix 2 The Thirteen PrinciplesAppendix 3 Yigdal and Ani ma’aminNote on TransliterationNote on Citation of Classical SourcesGlossaryBiographical Notes on Jewish ThinkersBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe Jewish Cultural Studies series offers a contemporary view of Jewish culture around the globe. Multidisciplinary, multi-focused, and eclectic, it covers the cultural practices of secular Jews as well as of religious Jews of all persuasions, and from historical as well as contemporary perspectives. It also considers the range of institutions that represent and respond to Jewishness, including museums, the media, synagogues, and schools. More than a series on Jewish ideas, it uncovers ideas of being Jewish. This volume proposes that the idea of 'Jewish', or what people think of as 'Jewishness', is revealed in expressions of culture and applied in constructions of identity and representation. In Part I, 'Expression', Elly Teman considers how the kabbalistic red string found at sites throughout Israel conveys a political and psychological response to terrorism. Sergey Kravtsov examines Jewish and non-Jewish narratives concerning a synagogue in eastern Europe. Miriam Isaacs looks at expressions of cultural continuity in DP camps in the aftermath of the Holocaust, and Jascha Nemtsov discusses how Jewish folk music was presented as high art in early twentieth-century Germany. In Part II, 'Identity', Joachim Schlor enquires how the objects taken by emigrants leaving Germany for Palestine after Hitler's rise to power represented their identities. Hanna Kliger, Bea Hollander-Goldfein, and Emilie Passow examine how survivors' narratives become integrated into family identities. Olga Gershenson offers close readings of how the identities of Jews as enacted in post-perestroika films highlight conflicting Russian attitudes towards Jews. Ted Merwin considers commercial establishments as 'sacred spaces' for Jewish secular identities. Part III, 'Representation', opens with stories collected in Israel by Ilana Rosen from Jews who lived in Carpatho-Russia, while Judith Lewin considers the characterization of the Jewish woman in French literature. Holly Pearse and Mikel Koven, respectively, decode the Jewishness of modern radio comedy and Hollywood film. The idea of Jewishness is applied in the volume with provocative interpretations of Jewish experience, and fresh approaches to the understanding of Jewish cultural expressions. CONTRIBUTORS Simon J. Bronner, Olga Gershenson, Bea Hollander-Goldfein, Miriam Isaacs, Hannah Kliger, Mikel J. Koven, Sergey R. Kravtsov, Judith Lewin, Ted Merwin, Jascha Nemtsov, Emilie S. Passow, Holly A. Pearse, Ilana Rosen, Joachim Schlor, Elly TemanTrade Review'These essays often get to the heart of how Jewish cultural identity is still constructed today by Jews-religious and secular-and by non-Jews ... Recommended.' S. Ward, ChoiceTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Preface SIMON J. BRONNERIntroduction: The Chutzpah of Jewish Cultural Studies SIMON J. BRONNER Part I: Expression1 The Red String: The Cultural History of a Jewish Folk Symbol ELLY TEMAN2 A Synagogue in Olyka: Architecture and Legends SERGEY R. KRAVTSOV3 Yiddish in the Aftermath: Speech Community and Cultural Continuity in Displaced Persons Camps MIRIAM ISAACS4 'National Dignity' and 'Spiritual Reintegration': The Discovery and Presentation of Jewish Folk Music in Germany JASCHA NEMTSOV Part II: Identity5 'Take Down Mezuzahs, Remove Name-Plates': The Emigration of Objects from Germany to Palestine JOACHIM SCHLA-R6 Holocaust Narratives and their Impact: Personal Identification and Communal Roles HANNAH KLIGER, BEA HOLLANDER-GOLDFEIN and EMILIE PASSOW7 Ambivalence, Identity, and Russian-Jewish Culture OLGA GERSHENSON8 The Delicatessen as an Icon of Secular Jewishness TED MERWIN Part III: Representation9 Hasidism versus Zionism as Remembered by Carpatho-Russian Jews between the Two World Wars ILANA ROSEN10 The Sublimity of the Jewish Type: Balzac's Belle Juive as Virgin Magdalene aux Camelias JUDITH LEWIN11 As Goyish as Lime Jell-O? Jack Benny and the American Construction of Jewishness HOLLY A. PEARSE 12 Jewish Coding: Cultural Studies and Jewish-American Cinema MIKEL KOVENNotes on ContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisFor a Jew, describing a place as 'home' conveys connotations of heritage as well as of residence. Additionally, feeling 'at home' suggests a sense of comfort in one's social surroundings. The questions at the heart of this volume are: what things make a home 'Jewish', materially and emotionally, and what is it that makes Jews feel 'at home' in their environment? The material dimensions are explored through a study of the symbolic and ritual objects that convey Jewishness and a consideration of other items that may be used to express Jewish identity in the home-something that the introduction identifies as 'living-room Judaism'. The discussion is geographically and ethnically wide-ranging, and the transformation of meaning attached to different objects in different environments is contextualized, as, for example, in Shalom Sabar's study of {h.}amsa amulets in Morocco and Israel. For diasporic Jewish culture, the question of feeling at home is an emotional issue that frequently emerges in literature, folklore, and the visual and performing arts. The phrase 'at-homeness in exile' aptly expresses the tension between the different heritages with which Jews identify, including that between the biblical promised land and the cultural locations from which Jewish migration emanated. The essays in this volume take a closer look at the way in which ideas about feeling at home as a Jew are expressed in literature originating in Brazil, Argentina, and the United States, and also at the political ramifications of these emotions. The question is further explored in a series of exchanges on the future of Jews feeling 'at home' in Australia, Germany, Israel, and the United States. Jews at Home is the first book to examine the theme of the Jewish home materially and emotionally from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including literature, history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, art history, and folk and popular culture. The essays in the collection use the theme of home and the concept of domestication to revise understanding of the lived (and built) past, and to open new analytical possibilities for the future. Its discussion of domestic culture and its relevance to Jewish identity is one with which readers should feel right at home.Table of ContentsNote on TransliterationPreface and AcknowledgementsIntroduction: The Dualities of House and Home in Jewish Culture SIMON J. BRONNERPart I: In and Out of the Home1 The Domestication of Urban Jewish Space and the North-West London Eruv JENNIFER COUSINEAU2 Every Wise Woman Shoppeth for her House: The Sisterhood Gift Shop and the American Jewish Home in the Mid-Twentieth Century JOELLYN WALLEN ZOLLMAN Part II: Sacred, Secular, and Profane in the Home3 Reimagining Home, Rethinking Sukkah: Rabbinic Discourse and Its Contemporary Implications MARJORIE LEHMAN4 From Sacred Symbol to Keychain: The Hamsah in Jewish and Israeli Societies SHALOM SABAR5 770 Eastern Parkway: The Rebbe's Home as Icon GABRIELLE A. BERLINGER6 From the Nightclub to the Living Room: Party Records of Three Jewish Women Comics GIOVANNA P. DEL NEGROPart III: Writing Home7 Samuel Rawet's Wandering Jew: Jewish Brazilian Monologues of Home and Displacement ROSANA KOHL BINES8 Home in the Pampas: Alberto Gerchunoff's Jewish Gauchos MONICA SZURMUK9 Domesticity and the Home(Page): Blogging and the Blurring of Public and Private among Orthodox Jewish Women ANDREA LIEBERPart IV: Forum: Feeling at HomeIntroduction10 Culture Mavens: Feeling at Home in America JENNA WEISSMAN JOSELITResponses11 At Home in the World DAVID KRAEMER12 The Co-Construction of Europe as a Jewish Home JOACHIM SCHLÖR13 'Culture Mavens' from an Australian Jewish Perspective SUZANNE D. RUTLAND14 There's No Place Like Home: America, Israel, and the (Mixed) Blessings of Assimilation MICHAEL P. KRAMER15 The Last Word: A Response JENNA WEISSMAN JOSELITNotes on ContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisChanging the Immutable focuses on how segments of Orthodox society have taken upon themselves to rewrite the past, by covering up and literally cutting out that which does not fit in with their contemporary world-view. For reasons ranging from theological considerations to internal religious politics to changing religious standards, such Jewish self-censorship abounds, and Marc Shapiro discusses examples from each category, In a number of cases the original text is shown alongside how it looked after it was censored, together with an explanation of what made the text problematic and how the issue was resolved. The author considers how some Orthodox historiography sees truth as entirely instrumental. Drawing on the words of leading rabbis, particularly from the haredi world, he shows that what is important is not historical truth, but a 'truth' that leads to observance and faith in the sages. He concludes with a discussion of the concept of truth in the Jewish tradition, and when this truth can be altered. Changing the Immutable also reflects on the paradox of a society that regards itself as traditional, but at the same time is uncomfortable with much of the inherited tradition and thus feels the need to create an idealized view of the past. It considers this practice in context, showing the precedents for this in Jewish history dating back to talmudic times. Since the subjects of censorship have included such figures as Maimonides, Bahya ibn Pakuda, Rashi, Naphtali Herz Wessely, Moses Mendelssohn, the Hatam Sofer, Samson Raphael Hirsch, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, A. I. Kook, and J. B. Soloveitchik, as well as issues such as Zionism, biblical interpretation, and attitudes to women and gentiles, Changing the Immutable also serves as a study in Jewish intellectual history and how the ideas of one era do not always find favour with future generations.Trade Review‘A thought-provoking if not provocative study . . . an invaluable addition to collections concerned with Jewish intellectual history.’Randall C. Belinfante, Association for Jewish Libraries Reviews‘Shapiro’s scholarship has been so important, in part because of Orthodoxy’s own success at covering up inconvenient aspects of its past.’Ezra Glinter, Forward (also published in Haaretz)‘Most impressive for its command of so many textual genres and overall breadth of knowledge. His examination of texts leaves no Judaica library's stack untouched . . . a welcome and substantial contribution to the anthropological study of contemporary Orthodox life . . . an essential work as historians continue to probe how Orthodox Judaism differed in specific epochs and locations.’Zef Eleff, H-Judaic‘An encyclopedic discussion of the complex evolutionary processes involved in creating and shaping Jewish tradition . . . The book is a cri de coeur, suggesting that truth should be a timeless commodity. Yet, the nook has another, larger meaning. It outlines how Jewish tradition, a highly decentralized and in a modest way, a plastic entity, is shaped and changed.’Susan M. Chambré, Jewish Book Council Reviews‘Another significant achievement for Professor Shapiro . . . a fascinating—and for Shapiro, typically exhaustive—presentation of literary, photographic, and political examples of self-censorship within the Orthodox world . . . his work is unique in that it offers a comprehensive, structured compilation of examples side-by-side with an evaluation of the underlying motivations . . . a fascinating and readable work, a touch polemical in places, yet a worthy addition to a modern Jewish library.’Harvey Belovski, Jewish ChronicleReviews ‘I can attest to the rigour and transparency of his scholarship. With his most recent work Changing the Immutable, he has once again rocked the Jewish community with his erudition and brilliant scholarship . . . [he] explores with impeccable details twentieth-century attempts by some parts of the ultra-Orthodox world to re-shape history to fit their own religious ideologies . . . a must read for all who want to understand how the current “slide to the right” is radically reforming Judaism to fit within the cacophonous landscape of contemporary values . . . Shapiro has given readers a snapshot for understanding the Orthodox world of today, allowing them to grapple with a problem that is long overdue and urgently needs to be addressed.’Shmuly Yanklowitz, Jewish Journal‘One of the most popular and controversial writers in the Modern Orthodox world today, most famous perhaps for publicizing little-known—and often radical—positions in Jewish law and thought.’ Elliott Resnick, Jewish Press‘Brilliant.’Mitchell Abidor, Jewish Currents‘Remarkably erudite . . . fascinating and remarkably learned.’ Allan Nadler, Jewish Review of Books‘I’ve been eagerly awaiting this book for years. Surely it is the most anticipated Jewish book of 2015 . . . It is chock-filled with examples, illustrations, and interesting ideas. There’s not an unnecessary word. It has the high quality that you would expect from American Judaism’s premier intellectual. I feel great joy in engaging with a work that stimulates both my love of Torah and my love of truth.’ Luke Ford‘Professor Shapiro is a precise, knowledgeable, and sometimes unconventional scholar. He attempts to demonstrate and to analyse how God-fearing writers and printers through the ages . . . “correct” texts or historical accounts so as to present them as they should have been rather than as they actually were . . . The bibliography and extensive indexes cover scores of pages. Professor Shapiro’s diligence has produced most interesting and praiseworthy results.’Hama'ayan‘The outstanding product of a master of rabbinic literature and an extraordinarily sharp-eyed and meticulous scholar. The book should be accessible to the widest possible readership, including traditionalists.'Adam Ferziger, Marginalia: Los Angeles Review of Books‘An impressive work of detailed and seminal scholarship . . . a major contribution to Judaic studies and is highly recommended to as a critically important addition to synagogue and academic reference collections and supplemental reading lists.’ Micah Andrew, Midwest Book Review‘Thorough, comprehensive, based on the painstaking examination and comparison of primary sources, Changing the Immutable is an impressive feat of scholarship.’Andrew Koss, Mosaic‘An outstanding work’Fred Reiss, San Diego Jewish World‘Fascinating . . . meticulous.’Jack Riemer, South Florida Jewish Journal‘Fascinating and well researched.’Ben Rothke, Times of IsraelM. Shapiro provides in the last chapter a remarkable glossary of well-known and less well known references that illustrate that serve as a base to a philosophical reflection yet to come. Jean-Pierre Rothschild, Revue des études juivesTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration 1 Introduction 2 Jewish Thought 3 Halakhah 4 Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch 5 Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook 6 Sexual Matters and More 7 Other Censored Matters 8 When Can One Lie? Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisMidrash is arguably the most ancient genre of Jewish literature, forming a voluminous body of scriptural exegesis over the course of centuries. There is hardly anything in the ancient rabbinic universe that was not taught through this medium. The diversity and development of that creative profusion are presented here in a new light. The contributors cover a broad range of texts, from late antiquity to the modern period and from all the centres of literary creativity, including non-rabbinic and non-Jewish literature, so that the full extent of the modes and transformations of Midrash can be fully appreciated. A comprehensive introduction situates Midrash in its historical and cultural setting, pointing to creative adaptations within the tradition and providing a sense of the variety of genres and applications discussed in the body of the book. Bringing together an impressive array of the leading names in the field, the volume is innovative in both its scope and content, seeking to open a new period in the study of Midrash and its creative role in the formation of culture. It should be of interest to all scholars of Jewish studies, as well as to a wider readership interested in the interrelationships between hermeneutics, culture, and creativity, and especially in the afterlife of a classical genre and its ability to inspire new creativity in many forms. Contributors: Philip Alexander, Sebastian Brock, Jacob Elbaum, Michael Fishbane, Robert Hayward, William Horbury, Sara Japhet, Ephraim Kanarfogel, Naftali Loewenthal, Ivan G. Marcus, Alison Salvesen, Marc Saperstein, Chava Turniansky, Piet van Boxel, Joanna Weinberg, Benjamin Williams, Elliot Wolfson, Eli Yassif.Trade Review'[Midrash Unbound] is, both in the field of Judaism but also in the various historical disciplines of religious studies and theology, indispensable.'Görge K. Hasselhoff, Brill Review 'Midrash Unbound is a significant and substantial contribution to the study of midrashic literature, method and process as manifested in diverse Jewish sources and select non-Jewish writings, from Late Antiquity to the Modern age. Fishbane and Weinberg have brought together an impressive array of scholars to explore the nature of Midrash in varied historical and geographical contexts, pointing out, as the aptly chosen title suggests, transformations and innovations in the development of the genre. [...] It is a volume that enriches and meaningfully extends discussion on how we can understand Midrash and its development in diverse literary forms and historical contexts.' Dr Helen Spurling, BAJS ReviewTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Introduction - Michael Fishbane and Joanna Weinberg Part I Origins and Subsurface Traditions 1 Midrash and the Meaning of Scripture - Michael Fishbane 2 The Hand upon the Lord’s Throne: Targumic and Midrashic Perceptions of Exodus 17: 14--16 - Robert Hayward 3 Unwashed Hands: A Midrashic Controversy in the Gospel of Matthew - Piet van Boxel 4 ‘Tradunt Hebraei . . .’ The Problem of the Function and Reception of Jewish Midrash in Jerome - Alison Salvesen 5 Midrash in Syriac - Sebastian Brock Part II Later Midrashic Forms 6 Piyut and Midrash: Between Poetic Invention and Rabbinic Convention - Michael Fishbane 7 The Mourners of Zion and the Suffering Messiah: Pesikta rabati 34---Structure, Theology, and Content - Philip Alexander 8 The Toledot jeshu as Midrash - William Horbury 9 Storytelling as Midrashic Discourse in the Middle Ages - Eli Yassif 10 Performative Midrash in the Memory of Ashkenazi Martyrs - Ivan G. Marcus Part III Medieval Transformations 11 Midrash in a Leixical Key: The Arukh of Nathan ben Yehiel - Joanna Weinberg 12 Rashi’s Choice: The {H.}umash Commentary as Rewritten Midrash - Ivan G. Marcus 13 The Pendulum of Exegetical Methodology: From the Peshat to the Derash and Back - Sara Japhet 14 Midrashic Texts and Methods in Tosafist Torah Commentaries - Ephraim Kanarfogel 15 Zoharic Literature and Midrashic Temporality - Elliot Wolfson Part IV Early Modern and Modern Traditions 16 The Ingathering of Midrash Rabbah - Benjamin Williams 17 Midrash in Medieval and Early Modern Sermons - Marc Saperstein 18 Rabbi Judah Loew of Prague and his Attitude to the Aggadah - Jacob Elbaum 19 The Destruction of the Temple: A Yiddish Booklet for the Ninth of Av - Jacob Elbaum and Chava Turniansky 20 Midrash in Habad Hasidism - Naftali Loewenthal Notes on Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisTraditional Jews encounter the prayer-book—the Siddur—more often in their daily lives than any other text, yet it is mysteriously absent from their otherwise nearly comprehensive curriculum of study. In addition, they tend to recite it mantrically, more for its sound than its meaning. The neglect of meaning is so complete that no edition of the prayer-book has yet appeared with a comprehensive range of commentaries. The present work, the first to examine this paradox, explains it as a reluctance to engage with the intellectual and emotional questions that lie just beneath the surface of the text. An analysis of the opening sequences of the daily ritual reveals that the prayer-book, far from representing one side of a deferential dialogue with an attentive deity, actually challenges God to allow access to the revelation on which human safety depends and to keep his side of the covenant. Confronting the chaotic unpredictability of the human condition, this undercurrent of protest allows Jews to question why God’s urgently needed intervention seems absent. Anger at this apparent absence is qualified only by gratitude at being alive. The core of this book consists of a novel examination of the opening sections of the traditional daily morning liturgy according to the Ashkenazi rite. The analysis is based on mostly untranslated medieval and later commentaries identifying the biblical and rabbinic echoes from which the liturgy is woven, and employs analytical methods of the kind traditionally applied to talmudic and midrashic texts. It shows how each citation and echo imports aspects of its original context into the new composition, forming a countertext to the words on the page. It examines each textual layer, as well as the surface meaning that is usually the only one to be noted, and relates these to the speaker’s actual location—home and later the synagogue—as well as to the time of day when the prayers are recited, as the worshipper faces the dangers of the day ahead. The resulting chorus of ideas—linking everyday life to the sacred narrative from creation to exile—demonstrates the philosophical sophistication of rabbinic spirituality in offering poetic insight into an ultimately tragic vision of reality.Trade Review'Breathtakingly original'- Cambridge Day Limmud Handbook'Schonfield presents pathways of curiosity and historical/poetical exegesis, as well as multilayered readings—which can raise the reader's thoughtfulness and delight in the traditional texts of our siddur . . . Readers of this book will appreciate the detail of Littman Library publications. There is full indexing by topic, as well as extensive indexing of biblical and rabbinic references. One who adds this beautiful work to a professional library will also appreciate the very heavy paper and quality binding that are not so very common these days. This is a serious and meaningful work, satisfying in its thoughtful and thorough text, and its physical realization that will stand as an admired reference.'- Robert Scherr, Conservative Judaism'A remarkable attempt to explain and analyse the morning prayers . . . provides the reader with a tremendous amount of interesting information . . . gives several interesting insights into developments in synagogues in Great Britain.'- Andreas Lehnardt, European Journal of Jewish Studies'The author with impressive scholarship draws on insights from many different traditions . . . there is no doubt that it adds a wholly new dimension to our sense of what Jewish prayer, and possibly every form of prayer, is about.'- Fred Morgan, Gesher'Schonfield asserts his undeniable right to be accepted into the first rank of Jewish liturgical scholars . . . no-one who completes this superb book will be able to look at a prayer book in the same way again.’- Charles Middleburgh, Jewish Chronicle'Challenges the customary devotional attitudes and behaviour of most Jews . . . should establish Jeremy Schonfield . . . as one of the most innovative and unsettling scholars in the world of Jewish studies . . . absorbing and intellectually exhilarating . . . [his] familiarity with Jewish sources is intimate, comprehensive, and meticulous. Not only are arguments penetrating, but his findings often jar with our preconceptions . . . The gains of this heady, bracing exploration of sources of the Jewish quotidian are manifest.'- Haim Chertok, Jewish Quarterly'His comments are rich in data, comprehensible and interesting for a broad readership, well written and cogently argued . . . The physical production of the volume is also impressive in many ways . . . readers will undoubtedly find here numerous insights into the traditional Jewish liturgy . . . we are here being treated not just to the views of a serious literary critic with a good knowledge of the scientific and historical study of Jewish liturgy but also to a very personal expression of devotion that is familial as well as ethnic . . . we are likely to learn much from the volume and to be deeply grateful to the author for carefully guiding us into what is often novel, and sometimes even exciting, territory.'- Stefan C. Reif, Journal of Jewish Studies'a captivating analysis . . . Whatever one makes of the author’s conclusions, the journey well repays the traveler. And for the regular shulgoer, reading Schonfield will ensure that the Siddur is never read cursorily again.'- Jeff Bogursky, Jewish Book CouncilTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration and Conventions Used in the Text Note on Extracts from the Liturgy List of Extracts Part I 1 The Incuriousness of the Jewish Worshipper 2 The Reticence of the Ideal Reader 3 The Liturgical Narrative: Modern and Traditional Views Part II Birkhot Hashahar 4 The Darkness of waking 5 The Bonds of Freedom 6 The Silence of Language 7 Buildinh in Babel 8 The Scattering 9 The Imagined Temple PESUKEI DEZIMRA 10 Hope in Words Part III 11 The Liturgical Argument Encapsulated 12 Other Versions, Other Readings Appendix: Photographs of Ritual Objects Used in Prayer Bibliography Index of Biblical and Rabbinic References Index of Subjects and Names

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Book SynopsisContinuing his contribution to medieval Jewish intellectual history, Haym Soloveitchik focuses here on the radical pietist movement of Ḥasidei Ashkenaz and its main literary work, Sefer Ḥasidim, and on the writings and personality of the Provençal commentator Ravad of Posquières. In both areas Soloveitchik challenges mainstream views to provide a new understanding of medieval Jewish thought. Some of the essays are revised and updated versions of work previously published and some are entirely new, but in all of them Soloveitchik challenges reigning views to provide a new understanding of medieval Jewish thought.The section on Sefer Ḥasidim brings together over half a century of Soloveitchik’s writings on German Pietism, many of which originally appeared in obscure publications, and adds two new essays. The first of these is a methodological study of how to read this challenging work and an exposition of what constitutes a valid historical inference, while the second reviews the validity of the sociological and anthropological inferences presented in contemporary historiography. In discussing Ravad’s oeuvre, Soloveitchik questions the widespread notion that Ravad’s chief accomplishment was his commentary on Maimonides’ Mishneh torah; his Talmud commentary, he claims, was of far greater importance and was his true masterpiece. He also adds a new study that focuses on the acrimony between Ravad, as the low-born genius of Posquières, and R. Zerahyah ha-Levi of Lunel, who belonged to the Jewish aristocracy of Languedoc, and considers the implications of that relationship.Trade Review'Like all of Professor Soloveitchik’s studies, the book is distinguished by the thoroughness of its scholarship and attention to even the smallest details... reading Professor Soloveitchik’s three volumes of magisterial essays will certainly engage and educate the reader, and one can only hope that we will merit to see a fourth volume in the not too distant future.'Alan Jotkowitz, Lehrhaus 'In presenting new perspectives on medieval Jewish thought, these collected essays further underline Soloveitchik’s well deserved reputation as an adept, learned and gifted intellectual historian. Highly recommended for all libraries.' David B Levy, Association of Jewish Libraries News and Reviews Table of ContentsPART I. SEFER ḤASIDIMSpecific Studies1. Three Themes in Sefer Ḥasidim2. On Dating Sefer Ḥasidim3. Piety, Pietism, and German Pietism: Sefer Ḥasidim I and the Influence of Ḥasidei Ashkenaz4. Pietists and Kibbitzers5. The Midrash, Sefer Ḥasidim, and the Changing Face of God6. Two Notes on the Commentary on the Torah of R. Yehudah he-Ḥasid7. Topics in the Ḥokhmat ha-NefeshMethodological Issues8. On Reading Sefer Ḥasidim9. Sefer Ḥasidim and the Social Sciences PART II. RAVAD AND PROVENÇAL STUDIES10. Rabad of Posquières: A Programmatic Essay11. The Literary Remains of the Gedol ha-Mefarshim: A Study in Personal Rivalry and the Repulsion of Opposites12. A Response to R. Buckwold's Critique of 'Rabad of Posquières', Part I13. A Response to R. Buckwold's Critique of 'Rabad of Posquières', Part II14. Jewish and Roman Law: A Study in Interaction15. The Riddle of Me'iri's Recent Popularity16. Printing and the History of Halakhah17. Angle of Deflection Bibliography of ManuscriptsSource AcknowledgementsIndex of NamesIndex of PlacesIndex of Subjects

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Book SynopsisMysticism, which transcends the boundaries of time and space and refers to a reality not grasped by means of ordinary human cognition, is one of the central sources of inspiration of religious thought. It is an attempt to decode the mystery of divine existence by penetrating to the depths of consciousness through language, memory, myth, and symbolism. Delving deep into the psyche, mystics strive to redeem perceived reality from its immediate meaning. Mystical texts constitute a history of this religious creativity, of man’s attempt to reveal the divine structure underlying the chaos of reality and thereby endow life with hope and purpose. By offering an alternative perspective on the world that gives expression to yearnings for freedom and change, mysticism engenders new modes of authority and leadership; as such it plays a decisive role in moulding religious and social history. For all these reasons, the mystical corpus deserves study and discussion in the framework of cultural criticism and research. This study is a lyrical exposition of the Jewish mystical phenomenon. It is based on a close reading of the hundreds of volumes written by Jewish mystics and incorporates mystical testimonies drawn from the different countries and cultural environments in which Jews have lived. Rachel Elior’s purpose is to present, as accurately as possible, the meanings of the mystical works as they were perceived by their creators and readers. At the same time, she contextualizes them within the boundaries of the religion, culture, language, and spiritual and historical circumstances in which the destiny of the Jewish people has evolved. The author succeeds in drawing the reader into a mystical world. With great intensity, she conveys the richness of the mystical experience in discovering the infinity of meaning embedded in the sacred text; teasing out the recurring themes, she explains the multivalent symbols. Using copious extracts from Jewish mystical sources, she illustrates the varieties of the mystical experience from antiquity to the twentieth century. She succeeds in eloquently conveying how mystics try to decipher reality by penetrating beyond its apparent boundaries: how they experience spiritual powers symbolically, imaginatively, or visually; how hidden truths are revealed in visions or dreams, in an epiphany or as ‘lightning’; how they are ‘engraved’ in the mind or illuminate in the soul. Most of the texts she draws on are written in very obscure language, but the skilful translations communicate the mystical experiences vividly and make it easy for the reader to understand how Elior uses them to explain the relationship between the revealed world and the hidden world and between the mystical world and the traditional religious world, with all the social and religious tensions this has caused. Trade Review‘Will greatly reward the non-specialist reader who is willing to put in some effort in order to receive a taste of this amazing Jewish literary tradition.’ Aaron Howard, Jewish Herald-Voice'A useful overview of Jewish mystical thought, overflowing with interesting insights.'James R. Davila, Journal of Jewish Studies'The book is extremely successful in delineating the existential meaning of the mystical phenomenon, and gives great insight into the popularity and attraction of this highly influential strand of Judaism.'TraditionTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration1 The Jewish Mystical Library and the New Vision of Reality2 The Infinity of Meaning Embedded in the Sacred Text3 The Mystical Figure: Life without Limits4 Mystical Language and Magical Language: 'Had I been using tongues of men and angels'Appendix: Historical and Literary Figures, Kabbalists, and Mystics Mentioned in Jewish Mystical LiteratureBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book offers the reader a voyage in the new world that opened up to the enlightened Jewish reader of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a time when the first glimmerings of emancipation and secular education were giving large numbers of Jews their first exposure to science, literature, and art, and opening their minds to new ideas. And as on any voyage led by a knowledgeable guide, there are fascinating side-trips along the way: insights into the world of scholarship, then and now, and into the nature of knowledge. All this was happening at a time when Jews’ civil status and place in society was undergoing great change in Europe. In this seminal work, Zeev Gries shows that although the history of the book in the Jewish world has long been regarded as the province of librarians and bibliophiles, it is in fact the history of the Jewish intellect. He starts by tracing the awakening of a dormant Jewish intelligentsia—men, women, and children who were thirsty for knowledge. Books were the magic kiss that opened new doors to the modern world; within a century, Jews were making invaluable contributions to the advancement of science and of culture more generally. By surveying the literary output of those years, the author is able to discover what books were being published, where they were published and distributed, and who was reading them. He surveys the fields of halakhic literature, ethical literature, kabbalistic and mystical literature, literature for children and women, and more general literature. He talks about the role of libraries and of book reviews. Above all, he considers the role of books as agents of culture: were they guardians of hallowed sanctity or harbingers of secularization? Gries shows how the types of books favoured by the Jewish reading public offer an insight into the changing nature of their ‘portable homeland’. He then goes on to discuss the Haskalah movement and the tensions between increasing secularization and the more traditional world-view, as well as how the resurrection of Hebrew as a secular literary language contributed to the awakening of Jewish nationalism. Nevertheless, he argues that the study of literary history of the period reveals that secular and Zionist leanings were not the only trends present; Jewish literature continued to be permeated with the spirit of religion.Table of ContentsNote on Transliteration Part I The Awakening of the Dormant Intelligentsia Introduction 1 Readers of Books and the Reading of Books 2 Halakhic Literature and High-Level Commentary 3 Ethical Literature in Hebrew and Yiddish 4 What Can be Learned from a Single Private Library and Something about Public Libraries 5 Kabbalistic Literature in General and its Appearance in Hasidism in Particular 6 Literature for Children and Women, or Literature Intended for Everyone? Part II The Book as Guardian of Sanctity or as Herald of Secularization 7 The New Hebrew Literature: Continuity or Revolution? 8 The Printing and Circulation of Jewish Books in the Nineteenth Century and the Identity of their Authors 9 Book Reviews in the Hebrew Press 10 A Bibliographer and Librarian as an Agent of Culture: The Contribution of Avraham Ya’ari to the Study of Jewish Printing in Eastern Europe Appendix ‘The Young Avraham Ya’ari’ by S. H. Bergman BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThroughout history the image of the non-Jew in Judaism has profoundly influenced the way in which Jews interact with non-Jews. It has also shaped the understanding that Jews have of their own identity, as it determines just what distinguishes them from the non-Jews around them. A crucial element in this is the concept of Noahide law, understood by the ancient rabbis and subsequent Jewish thinkers as incumbent upon all humankind, unlike the full 613 divine commandments of the Torah, which are incumbent on Jews alone. The approach adopted in this now classic study is to consider the history of the idea of Noahide law, and to show how the concept is relevant to practical discussions of the halakhah pertaining to non-Jews and to relations between Jews and non-Jews. The seven chapters that make up the first part of the study examine each of the Noahide laws in turn, with a view to showing their halakhic development in the rabbinic sources, in the codes, and in the responsa literature. The discussion draws primarily on classical texts by traditional commentators as they attempt to deal with living issues from the rabbinic world as equally vital concerns in their own time. The second part deals with the theory of Noahide law, concluding with a consideration of why it is an appropriate starting point for Jewish philosophy today.Trade ReviewFROM REVIEWS OF THE FIRST EDITION'The depth and breadth of this book's treatment of its subject are its great strengths. It is much more sophisticated in both method and content than any other single volume on the subject.' Journal of Religion 'A goldmine of information and philosophical reflection ... a book of major importance.' Jewish Law Association 'The absolute best and most complete book I have found [on righteous gentiles] is Novak's ... it gives the most detailed explanation and digs really deep.'- www.torahforum.org'Any reader interested in understanding how the non-Jew has been perceived throughout Jewish history should certainly turn to The Image of the Non-Jew in Judaism for an authoritative discussion . . . scholarly . . . provides insight, not only into the classical Jewish perceptions of non-Jews and their place in the world, but also into Jewish–Christian and Jewish–Muslim relations and a more sophisticated understanding of Jewish law vis-à-vis the Gentile.' David Tesler, AJL Reviews'Novak demonstrates an intimate acquaintance with Jewish law and philosophy in this work of impressive scholarship. Little changed from the first edition, this second edition includes helpful chapter summaries and a lucid afterword by Matthew LaGrone . . . Novak's account of the myriad ways that Jewish texts and thinkers have thought about "Others"—especially Christians and Muslims—provides historical and philosophical context for contemporary discussions of topics ranging from human rights to interreligious dialogue. Recommended.' S. Gowler, ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Chapter Summaries by MATTHEW LAGRONE 1 The Origins of the Noahide Laws 2 The Law of Adjudication 3 The Law of Blasphemy 4 The Law of Idolatry 5 The Law of Homicide 6 The Law of Sexual Relations 7 The Law of Robbery 8 The Law of the Torn Limb 9 Aggadic Speculation 10 Maimonides’ Theory of Noahide Law 11 Albo’s Theory of Noahide Law 12 Late Medieval Developments 13 Moses Mendelssohn and his School 14 Hermann Cohen and the Jewish Neo-Kantians 15 Conclusion Afterword by MATTHEW LAGRONE List of Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisNational Jewish Book Awards Finalist for the Nahum N. Sarna Memorial Award for Scholarship, 2018.Hasidism, a movement of religious awakening and social reform, originated in the mid-eighteenth century. After two and a half centuries of crisis, upheaval, and renewal, it remains a vibrant way of life and a compelling aspect of Jewish experience. This book explores the profound intellectual and religious issues that the hasidic masters raised in their Torah commentary, and brings to the fore the living qualities of their sermons (derashot). Ora Wiskind-Elper addresses a spectrum of topics: creation, revelation, and redemption; hermeneutics, epistemology, psychology, Romanticism, poetry and poetics, art history, Hebrew fiction, cultural history, and tropes of Jewish suffering and hope. Fully engaged in the texts and their spirituality, she brings them to bear on postmodernist challenges to traditional spiritual and religious sensibilities. This is a comprehensive study, unique in pedagogy, clarity, and originality. It uses the full range of critical scholarship on hasidism as a social and ideological movement. At the same time, it maintains a strong focus on hasidic Torah commentary as a conveyor of theology and value. Each of its chapters presents a fundamentally new approach. Wiskind-Elper’s translations are in themselves an innovative moment in the tradition and spiritual history of the passages she offers.Trade ReviewReviews 'Hasidism, for Ora Wiskind-Elper, is the crucible into which the whole world flows: creation, revelation, redemption; hermeneutics, epistemology, Freudian psychology, Romanticism, poetry and poetics, autobiography (which she calls “self-perception”), art history, Hebrew fiction, social history, the challenge of modernity, and the major catastrophes that befell the Jewish people in the twentieth century. In order to produce this definitive, synoptic work on Hasidic Torah commentary, she has mastered the entire corpus of critical scholarship; the different schools of Hasidic thought from master to disciple; the relevant methodologies of reading and interpretation; and last but not least, a social-historical guide to the early and later masters and their disciples, down to the present day. Hasidic Commentary on the Torah is magisterial; unique in its scope, pedagogy, clarity and original insight.' David G. Roskies Sol & Evelyn Henkind Professor of Yiddish Literature and Culture Jewish Theological Seminary, New York‘Ora Wiskind-Elper’s ability to utilize the fullest range of academic scholarship on Hasidism as a cultural and religious movement, in all its diversity is exemplary, and always done with the stronger focus on the role and dynamics of the Hasidic derashah. . . . [her] choice of thematics – from the self-conception of the masters, to their hermeneutics and use of language and tradition, and including the role of historical or social factors to condition the thematics, is not only superb, but brings to the forefront the living qualities of these spiritual sermons, and demonstrates the powerful hermeneutics at play . . . we get an excellent survey of issues . . . one is brought to a new level of comprehension and also spiritual-hermeneutical insight.'Michael Fishbane, Nathan Cummings Distinguished Service Professor of Jewish Studies, University of ChicagoTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Introduction 1. Dimensions of Collective Self-Understanding Beginnings Receiving, Revealing ‘When Your Wellsprings Will Flow Forth’ To Create New Worlds with Words ‘They Made Their Souls Anew’ To See and to be Seen ‘Well said, Moses!’ 2. Modes of Reading Metaphors We Live By A Parable in Wait Imagining the World The Essence of Being Human Bread-Eaters and Dreamers Know Me in Translation Conclusions So Far How to Teach, How to Learn To Know or Not to Know Finding the Words The Secret of Exile The Secret of Redemption Summing Up 3. Responses to a Shifting Landscape Introduction The Space in the Middle ‘For the Times They are A-Changin’ ’ Reason for Hope The Inward Turn Modernity and Its Discontents ‘God is in the Detail’ Prophets of the Past, Prophets of the Future Deep Blue Sky and Yellow Stars Song of Dust and Ashes Postscript Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTraditional Jewish religious belief speaks of a divinely revealed, perfect text, authoritatively expounded. The question this book addresses is one with which the author has struggled all his life: in the light of historical criticism, advances in knowledge, and changing moral attitudes, is the traditional notion of divine revelation and authoritative interpretation still valid? The focus is on Judaism and the examples are mostly drawn from that tradition, but the arguments are easy to transpose to other religions. Norman Solomon's discussion will appeal to those who seek to identify with a religious community but who are troubled by the claim of divine authority made for the scriptures of that community. Ranging across several academic disciplines, it is addressed to people of all religions who find their heads and their hearts are not in accord with each other. It is accessible to a general readership interested in the relationship of scripture, interpretation, and religious authority, though scholars will find original observations and historical interpretations in many areas. It should find a ready place in university and popular programmes in Jewish studies, general theology, and philosophy of religion.Trade ReviewReviews 'Solomon intends that his book appeal to both popular and academic readership, a task he rather successfully fulfils. His literary style is characterized by the art of brevity . . . Footnotes are concise and not burdened with endless bibliographic citations. For the interested reader, references throughout the book lead to further reading . . . Theologians will benefit from a plentitude of thought-provoking critique and insight. It is for these reasons that I recommend the book . . . interesting and successful in giving a broad historical perspective as well as provoking thought.' Dan Baras, Academia.edu'An excellent resource for researching Jewish intellectual discussion about the Bible.' Zvi Grumet, Bookjed'A courageous new book . . . has an impressive range, from scholarship about biblical times to twenty-first century theology and almost all periods in between . . . despite all the detail in the book, it is very readable and comprehensible even for the beginner. It should be required reading for any modern woman or man who thinks seriously about Jewish theology in general and the question of Torah from heaven in particular.'Martin Lockshin, Canadian Jewish News'An important book for anyone grappling with traditional Judaism . . . stands with Marc Shapiro's The Limits of Orthodox Theology as a seminal work that delves into the richness of our heritage to show that there is more than one way of looking at core religious ideas . . . This book gives us a history of the issues and how different thinkers over the centuries have dealt with the challenges of the Torah. It is a major contribution.' Jeremy Rosen's blog'Judicious and erudite.' Lawrence Grossman, Jerusalem Post'A scholarly book, it is not written in a difficult style. And for a hardback of this print quality, it is a bargain. On one level, it is an invaluable source book on what he calls the “central doctrine” of Judaism.' Simon Rocker, Jewish Chronicle'In this refreshingly fair, sophisticated, and engaging analysis of the doctrine of Torah from Heaven (the Jewish belief in the inerrancy and divinity of scripture), Solomon surveys the history of Jewish biblical interpretation, and concludes that every prior conception of this doctrine is lacking in either intellectual honesty or in its capacity to foster religious conviction. [He] concludes that the only religiously meaningful and intellectually coherent conception of this notion is that of myth . . . can be read by members of any religion whose faith in scripture is challenged by modern archaeological, literary, and scientific evidence . . . The book is sorely needed in Orthodox circles; it should be required reading for all Jewish seminary students, and is highly recommended for any religious individual seeking to establish intellectually stable grounds for belief in the sanctity of scripture.' Daniel Goodman, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Introduction Orientation Orientation Where I Come From - The Seduction of ‘True Belief’ - What Does It All Mean? - Philosophical Beginnings - Facing the Questions - Pulpit and Prejudice - Interfaith Dialogue - Academic Detachment? Part I Revelation Torah from Heaven: Growth of a Tradition 1 Holy Books What is ‘Torah’? - The ‘Sacred Canon’ - Why the Five Books are Special - Philo on Moses and the Ancestral Books - Conclusion 2 Two Torahs? Scripture and the Rabbis Divine Revelation: The Story - Mythic accounts of Torah - The Written Torah and the Oral Torah - Rules of Interpretation - Interpretation Against the Plain Meaning - Conclusion 3 Mystics and Kabbalists Pythagoras, Numerology, and the Book of Creation - Mystical Significance of the Mitzvot - Prophets after the Bible - Nahmanides (Ramban) the Mystic - Conclusion 4 The Great Chain of Being: Philosophers and Kabbalists Platonists and Aristotelians - The Ascent of the Soul - The Descent and the ‘Shells’ - Reasons for the Mitzvot - Conclusion 5 Maimonides: The ‘Classical’ Position Revelation as History - The Oral Torah - Torah and Dogma - Conclusion: Maimonides the Minimalist 6 Oral Torah: What Does It Contain? Does the Torah Teach Science? - The Torah of Kabbalists and Rationalists - Conclusion Summary of Part I Part II Attack The Counter-Tradition: Hard Questions 7 The Counter-Tradition The Alexandrians - Sadducees and Pharisees - Pagan Philosophical Critiques - Gnosticism - Later Developments - Conclusion 8 The Original Torah How Texts Were Written - Evidence of the Scrolls and the Ancient Versions - The Severus Scroll - Can the Original Text be Recovered? - The Masoretes - Rabbinic Responses to Textual Variation - Modern Editions of the Bible - Conclusion 9 Contradictions, Moral Problems, Factual Errors The Reconciling Hermeneutic - Interpreting Aggadah - Historical and Archaeological Problems - Moral Issues - Scientific Inaccuracy - Fantasy, Arbitrariness, Superstition - Conclusion 10 The Rise of Historical Criticism The Beginnings of Biblical Criticism - Deists and Sceptics - The Bible as Literature - From History to Myth - Source Theory - Archaeology - Higher Criticism = Higher Antisemitism? - Conclusion Summary of Part II Part III Defenders of the Faith Repairing the Breach: In Defence of Tradition 11 Defenders of the Faith What Must Be Defended - Ancient Wisdom Restored: The Renaissance - Jewish Bible Commentary Rekindled - Conclusion 12 The Transformation of Judaism: Interpretation, Interpretation, Interpretation Elijah, the ‘Vilna Gaon’ (1720–1799) - Moses Mendelssohn (1729–1786) - Torah— Mystical Code, or Source of Values? 13 Mendelssohn’s Influence I. S. Reggio (1784–1855) - S. D. Luzzatto (1800–1865) - Heinrich Graetz (1817–1891) - Umberto Cassuto (1883–1951) 14 Independents Jacob Zevi Mecklenburg (1785–1865) - Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808–1888) - Meir Loeb ben Yehiel Michael Malbim (1809–1879) 15 In the Steps of the Gaon: Written and Oral Torah Are One N. Z. Y. Berlin (1816–1893) - Meir Simha Ha-Kohen of Dvinsk (1843–1926) - Barukh Ha-Levi Epstein (1860–1942) 16 Hoffman and German Orthodoxy David Hoffman (1843–1921) - Hayyim Hirschenson (1857–1935) - Benno Jacob (1862–1945) and A. S. Yahuda (1877–1951) - Isaac Breuer (1883–1946) - Yehiel Jacob Weinberg (1885–1966) - J. H. Hertz (1872–1946) Summary of Part III Part IV New Foundations Torah from Heaven: The Reconstruction of Belief 17 Non-Orthodox Reconstructions Moses Mendelssohn (1729–86): Revealed Legislation - S. L. Steinheim (1789–1866): Empiricist of Revelation - Samuel Holdheim (1806–1860) - Progressive Revelation: Krochmal, Formstecher, Hirsch, Cohen - Leo Baeck (1873–1956) - Martin Buber (1878–1965) - Franz Rosenzweig (1886–1929) - A. J. Heschel (1907–1972) - Emmanuel Levinas (1905/6-1995) - Review 18 Joseph Dov Soloveitchik and the a priori Torah The Hermeneutics of ‘Torah’ - Historical Criticism - The Oral Torah Problem - Conclusion 19 Feminist Critiques The Sinai Covenant - Language and Gender - Images of God - Equality before the Law - The Need for Change 20 Four Defences of Traditional Belief Halivni: The Maculate Torah - Jacobs: Liberal Supernaturalism - Kellner: Rejection of the Dogmatic Approach - Ross: Cumulative Revelation - Strengths of the Four Approaches 21 Divided by a Common Scripture The Reform Torah - The Orthodox Torah - The Conservative Torah - Go Compare Denominations Summary of Part IV Part V Torah from Heaven 22 Options Justifications - The Community: Costs and Benefits of Belief - The Individual: Costs and Benefits of Belief 23 What Is Truth? What Is Truth? - Excursus: Consistency and ‘Double Truth’ - In What Sense Is ‘Torah from Heaven’ True? - On ‘Narrative Theology’ - Conclusion. ‘Torah from Heaven’: A Myth of Origin 24 Myth of Origin: Opportunities and Dangers What ‘Torah from Heaven’ May Signify - History and Myth Do Not Conflict - ‘Torah from Heaven’: Uses and Abuses - Benefits of Understanding ‘Torah from Heaven’ as Mythos Rather than Logos - Dangers from Understanding ‘Torah from Heaven’ as Logos Rather than Mythos - Things That Worry People 25 Demography versus Reason: The Future of Jewish Religion Does Reason Matter? - ‘Authentic Judaism’ - Survival of the Fittest - Conclusion 26 Confronting Change A Meditation at the Mountains of Fire (January 2004) - Coming to Terms with Modernity - Intellectual Violence - Who Decides? - What I Have Dealt With - What I Have Not Dealt With Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis Many books on Maimonides have been written and still more will appear. Few present Maimonides, as Menachem Kellner does against the actual religious background that informed his many innovative and influential choices. He not only analyses the thought of the great religious thinker but contextualizes it in terms of the ‘proto-kabbalistic’ Judaism that preceded him. Kellner shows how the Judaism that Maimonides knew had come to conceptualize the world as an enchanted universe, governed by occult affinities. He shows why Maimonides rejected this and how he went about doing it. Kellner argues that Maimonides’ attempted reformation failed, the clearest proof of that being the success of the kabbalistic counter-reformation which his writings provoked. Kellner shows how Maimonides rethought Judaism in different ways. It is in highlighting this and identifying Maimonides as a religious reformer that this book makes its key contribution. Maimonides created a new Judaism, ‘disenchanted’, depersonalized, and challenging; a religion that is at the same time elitist and universalist. Kellner’s analysis also shows the deep configuration of Judaism in a new light. If, as Moshe Idel says in his Foreword, Maimonides was able to ‘reform so many aspects of rabbinic Judaism single-handedly, to enrich it by importing such dramatically different concepts, it shows that the profound structures of this religion are flexible enough to allow the emergence and success of astonishing reforms. The fact that, great as Maimonides was, he did not overcome the traditional forms of proto-kabbalism shows that the dynamic of religion is much more complex than subscribing to authorities, however widely accepted.’Trade Review'One of the most important books on Maimonides to be published in the last thirty years and quite possibly one of the most important in the field of Jewish philosophy. The writing is clear and crisp, and the scholarship is impeccable. The book explains not just how radical Mamonides's dissatisfactions with the Judaism of his day was, but how radical his opinions are for most Jews today.'Kenneth Seeskind, AJS Review 'Impressive... lucid... that rare scholarly study that manages not to compromise on academic rigour while daring to state strongly-held convictions that are so relevant in times troubled by the many irrational "surges" of political, military, and religious fundamentalism.'Allan Nadler, Forward 'Kellner has contributed a study of great value not only for an academic audience but for lay and yeshivish audiences as well. The book is a welcome addition to the samizdats currently circulating within the underground yeshiva counter-culture.'James A. Diamond, Meorot 'A spirited, highly stimulating works that reads fluently and fully engages not only with the mind but also the reader's Jewish soul.'Haim Chertok, Midstream 'Interesting and important... extremely valuable in the way that it roots both Maimonides' legal code and his philosophy in the thought-world and social and religious practices of his own time, and dramatizes the ways in which some of his most characteristic formulations function as critical responses to what prevailed in his own culture and environment.'Aryeh Botwinick, Philosophy East & West 'One of those rare combinations of erudite scholarship and accessible style, treating an issue that is not only perennially meaningful, but also particularly salient today-features that characterize a number of his works... Throughout the book, Kellner devises a series of easy-to-follow dualities to structure his argument... many books have been written about Maimonides. What Menachem Kellner's book does uniquely is to isolate the ways in which Maimonides bumps against the mystical and mythical strains that run through ancient and medieval Jewish thought like a river. While any educated Jew knows that Maimonides stands out as a leading rationalist, Kellner presents us with a compelling portrait of the multi-faceted ways in which Maimonides expunges these mystical and mythical veins from the Jewish mine.'Joel Hecker, The Reconstructionist 'Kellner has refocused Maimonidean studies in a new way. In addition, he has done so in a very learned manner: his footnotes cover a vast area of Jewish scholarship; his summaries of scholarship are very concise; and his bibliography is very full... a very important book. It formulates clearly and comprehensively the hyperrationalist reading of Maimonides which is widely held by scholars of Jewish philosophy. It also offers a new proposal on the subject of the opponents against whom Maimonides wrote. Kellner's erudition has made this so, and his willingness to engage the present and the future has projected the issue beyond medieval philosophy.'David R. Blumenthal, Reviews in Religion & Theology 'The strengths of this book lie in its didactic and ideological clarity... For those interested in the medieval roots of a major dispute within modern Orthodox Judaism this is an extremely useful book packed with detailed examples of contentious topics.'Michael Fagenblat, Speculum 'A thought-provoking study that deals with rather more than its title suggests.'Jeremy Adler, Times Literary Supplement 'Perhaps no author in the last couple of decades has made Maimonides' theology more relevant for contemporary Orthodox dialogue than Menachem Kellner. His works on dogma, belief, rabbinic authority, and other central topics have generated significant debate and even his biggest detractors acknowledge the substantive and stimulating nature of his work... This is an extremely thought-provoking work that deserves serious attention, debate, and discussion.'Tradition Online'Intellectual tour de force... On the one hand, Kellner, in a work of objective scholarship, insightfully decodes what he takes to be two opposing religions that have contended for recognition as the Orthodox expression of Judaism from ancient to modern times. On the other hand, Kellner, as an engaged modern Orthodox thinker who has a stake in this conflict, applies wide learning, critical skills, and expansive control of traditional Jewish sources, intellectual history, and analytic philosophical tools in a sustained argument... Menachem Kellner’s study of Maimonides and the mystics will endure not because it explicates an antiquarian medieval debate; his study talks to moderns who struggle with ideas and ideals, who are both intellectually modern and Jewishly religious.'Alan J. Yuter, Review of Rabbinic Judaism'This is one of the most important books on Maimonides to be published in the last thirty years and quite possibly one of the most important in the field of Jewish philosophy. The writing is clear and crisp, and the scholarship is impeccable.'Israel Book ReviewTable of ContentsForeword by Moshe IdelPrefaceAcknowledgementsNote on Transliteration and Conventions Used in the Text1 Maimonides' Critique of the Jewish Culture of His DayIntroduction * The Judaism Maimonides Opposed * The Philospphical Basis of Maimonides' Opposition * Esotericism and Elitism * Maimonides' Failure * Elements of Proto-Kabbalah * Maimonides' Opposition to the World of Proto-Kabbalah * Excursus: Terminology2 The Institutional Character of HalakhahIntroduction * Two Opposing Views * Maimonides' View * Maimonides' Motivation * Mistakes and Errors in Halakhah / Science / Dogma * Error in 'Science' * Halakhah as Instrumental * Halakhah and Theology * God and Abraham: Who Chose Whom?3 HolinessIntroduction * A Glance at the Biblical Evidence * Maimonides on the Nature of Holiness in General * Holy Persons * The People of Israel * The Sanctity of the Land of Israel and of Jerusalem * Holy Things: Torah, Tefilin, Mezuzot * Holy Times4 Ritual Purity and ImpurityIntroduction: Two Ancient Views on Ritual Purity and Impurity * Judah Halevi on Ritual Purity and Impurity * Maimonides on Ritual Purity and Impurity * Maimonides on the Sacrifical Cult and the Laws of Ritual Purity and Impurity * Maimonides on the Moral Significance of the Laws of Ritual Purity and Impurity * Critiques of Maimonides' Account of the Sacrifices5 The Hebrew LanguageIntroduction * Judah Halevi on the Hebrew Language * Maimonides on the Hebrew Language * Why Did Maimonides Adopt His Position? * Nahmanides' Critique6 Kavod, Shekhinah, and Created LightIntroduction * Shekhinah, Kavod, and Created Light in Rabbinic Texts * Sa'adiah Gaon * Judah Halevi * Maimonides on Kavod in the Guide of the Perplexed * Maimonides on Shekhinah in the Guide of the Perplexed * Maimonides on Created Light in the Guide of the Perplexed * Shekhinah and Kavod in Mishneh torah and Commentary on the Mishnah7 Jews and Non-JewsIntroduction * Theory of the Acquired Intellect * Jews and Non-Jews * Digression: Which of the Thirteen Principles Must Actually Be Accepted to Achieve a Share in the World to Come? * Who is an 'Israelite'? * Wise Non-Jews and the World to Come * Was Maimonides Truly Universalist?8 AngelsIntroduction * Angels in Rabbinic Thought * Angels in Piyutim * Angels in Heikhalot Literature * Sa'adiah Gaon and Judah Halevi on Angels * Maimonides on AngelsAfterword: Contemporary Resistance to the Maimonidean ReformGlossaryIndex of Citations from Moses Maimonides and Judah HaleviBibliographyGeneral Index

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Book SynopsisThe Bible itself calls the Jewish people ‘a company of nations’, suggesting that difference within Judaism is not a new phenomenon. It has continued throughout Jewish history, and this volume investigates how and why such difference has been tolerated. Drawing on examples from different geographical areas and from ancient times to the present, the contributors consider why Jews sometimes attempt to impose constraints on other Jews or relate to them as if they were not Jews at all, but at other times recognize differences of practice and belief and develop ways of handling them. In doing so, they provide an insight into a history of Judaism as a complex web of interactions between groups of Jews despite grounds for mutual antagonism. Substantial introductory chapters lay out the issues and provide an extensive survey of cases of toleration throughout the past two thousand years, outlining possible structural reasons for it. The eight chapters that follow each take a specific case of toleration within Judaism, attempting to explain it in light of the models outlined in the Introduction. Presented in chronological order, the cases have been selected to reflect a spectrum of responses, from grudging forbearance to enthusiastic welcome of difference. Covering both practice and theology, each case is presented in depth, with full documentation. The Conclusion provides an overview of the patterns of tolerance that have emerged and discusses the implications for writing the history of Judaism as a narrative more complex than either the tracing of a linear progression from the Bible to the present, with variations presented as deviations, or as a model of overlapping ‘Judaisms’. This innovative volume sheds light on an important and overlooked aspect of the history of Judaism and should have broad appeal, not only for students and scholars of Judaism but for students of religious studies more generally.Trade Review'This well written and excellent book is recommended.' - David B. Levy, Association of Jewish Libraries ReviewsTable of ContentsPreface Note on Transliteration 1 Introduction: The Study of Toleration2 Toleration within Judaism from the Second Temple to the Present 3 Sadduccees and Pharisees in the Temple Martin Goodman 4 The Houses of Hillel and Shammai in the Mishnah Martin Goodman 5 The Notion of Tolerable Error from the Mishnah to Maimonides Joseph E. David 6 Talmudic Controversies in Post-Talmudic Eyes Joseph E. David 7 Toleration in the Ghetto of Venice: Evidence from Leon Modena's Historia de' riti Hebraici Simon Levis Sullam 8 Prescribing Toleration in the Paris Sanhedrin (1806–1807) Simon Levis Sullam 9 Islets of Toleration among the Jews of Curaçao Corinna R. Kaiser 10 Sitting on Fences: The Toleration of Compromise and Mixed Seating in Orthodox Synagogues in the USA Corinna R. Kaiser 11 Conclusion: Causes of Toleration Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisNational Jewish Book Awards 2019 Finalist for Visual Arts. Richly illustrated and meticulously documented, this is the first comprehensive survey of synagogue textiles to be available in English. Bracha Yaniv, a leading expert in the field of Jewish ceremonial textiles, records their evolution from ancient times to the present. The volume contains a systematic consideration of the mantle, the wrapper, the Torah scroll binder, and the Torah ark curtain and valance, and considers the cultural factors that inspired the evolution of these different items and their motifs. Fabrics, techniques, and modes of production are described in detail; the inscriptions marking the circumstances of donation are similarly subjected to close analysis. Fully annotated plates demonstrate the richness of the styles and traditions in use in different parts of the Jewish diaspora, drawing attention to regional customs. Throughout, emphasis is placed on presenting and explaining all relevant aspects of the Jewish cultural heritage. The concluding section contains transcriptions, translations, and annotations of some 180 inscriptions recording the circumstances in which items were donated, providing a valuable survey of customs of dedication. Together with the comprehensive bibliography, inventory lists, and other relevant documentation, this volume will be an invaluable reference work for the scholarly community, museum curators, and others interested in the Jewish cultural heritage.Trade Review‘Bracha Yaniv has assembled a thorough documentation of ceremonial synagogue textile from every possible perspective in this beautifully illustrated book… It showcases the depth of knowledge of a research of an author who has been studying and writing about these subjects for many years. The amply illustrated text reflects her long-time, exhaustive work with Jewish textiles. It will surely be of use to students of the subject as a reference as well as lovers of historic synagogue textiles.’ Annette B. Fromm, Women in Judaism‘Bracha Yaniv’s monograph on synagogal textiles, originally published in Hebrew in 2009, and translated here by Yohai Goell, is the first English-language publication to investigate this somewhat under-explored aspect of material culture. The book’s importance is self-evident, and it should become essential reading for students and scholars of Judaica, and religious textiles in general.’ Nikolaos Vryzidis, Textile HistoryTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration, Names, Dates, and Other Conventions Used in the Text Part I Ceremonial Synagogue Textiles 1. The Evolution of Synagogue Textiles in Ancient and Medieval TimesA. Wrapping and Storing the Torah ScrollThe Mapah (Wrapper)The Tik (Case)The Tevah (Chest)The Holy Ark (Heikhal, or Aron kodesh)B. The Evolution of the WrappingsThe WrapperThe BinderThe MantleC. The Parokhet (Curtain for the Ark)D. The Cover for the Reading Desk 2. Fabrics and TechniquesA. Luxury FabricsThe History of Silk Production and Trade in EuropeJews in International CommerceB. Embroidered ObjectsEmbroidery by Women DonorsProfessional EmbroideryC. PassementerieD. Professional Training, Organization, and ProductionTrainingOrganizationProductionE. Jewish Law and Tradition in Production 3. The Torah Wrapper and the Torah BinderA. The Wrapper in Italy and the Sephardi DiasporaB. The Binder: Terminology, Customs, and DesignLinen and Silk Binders Embroidered by Female DonorsBinders Made from Random Materials 4. The Torah MantleA. Terminology, Design, and IconographyB. Mantles in Italy and the Portuguese Congregations of Western EuropeItalyThe Portuguese Diaspora in the Netherlands and EnglandC. Mantles in the Sephardi DiasporaMoroccoAlgeriaAnatolia and the BalkansD. Ashkenazi Mantles across Europe 5. The Torah Ark Curtain and ValanceA. Parokhot Made from Luxurious Embroidered or Patterned FabricsB. Parokhot Displaying Jewish MotifsThe Gateway to Heaven MotifMotifs Inspired by the Ark of the CovenantThe Motif of the Temple and its Vessels on Parokhot and KaporotThe Giving of the Torah Motif on ParokhotOther Motifs and Later Developments in the Tradition Epilogue Part II Annotated Plates of Representative Textile Objects in the SynagogueA. ItalyB. The Portuguese Congregations in Western EuropeC. MoroccoD. AlgeriaE. Sephardi Synagogues in the Ottoman Empire and the BalkansF. Ashkenazi CommunitiesG. Central EuropeH. Eastern Europe Part III Dedication of Ceremonial Objects A. Inscriptions as a Reflection of Customs of DedicationThe Content of the DedicationThe Circumstances of the DedicationDedication of Ceremonial ObjectsB. Annotated Corpus of Dedicatory InscriptionsTorah Wrappers (Mapot)Torah Binders (Mapot; Italian colloquial term, fascia)Torah MantlesItaly and the NetherlandsNorth AfricaAnatolia and the BalkansCentral EuropeEastern EuropeTorah Ark Curtains (Parokhot) and Valances (Kaporot)ItalyAnatolia and the BalkansCentral Europe and the NetherlandsEastern Europe AppendicesA. Inventory ListsB. Documents Relating to TextilesC. Miscellaneous Inventories Glossary Bibliography List of Figures List of Museums, Libraries, and Collections Index of Places Index of People Index of Subjects

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Book SynopsisIt is commonly asserted that Maimonides' famous Thirteen Principles are the last word in Orthodox Jewish theology. This is a very popular notion, and is often repeated by scholars from all camps in Judaism. Yet such a position ignores the long history of Jewish theology in which Maimonides' Principles have been subject to great dispute. The book begins with a discussion of the significance of the Principles and illustrates how they assumed such a central place in traditional Judaism. Each principle is then considered in turn: the reasons underlying Maimonides' formulations are expounded and the disputes that have arisen concerning them are discussed in detail. Marc B. Shapiro's authoritative analysis makes it quite clear that the notion that Maimonides' Principles are the last word in traditional Jewish theology is a misconception, and that even Maimonides himself was not fully convinced of every aspect of his formulations. Although structured around Maimonides' Principles, this book can also be seen as an encyclopedia of traditional Jewish thought concerning the central issues of Jewish theology. The diversity of opinion in Jewish tradition on such issues as God, Creation, and the Revelation of the Torah is sure to surprise readers.Trade Review'Inspiring and breath-taking ... highly recommended.'- Yisrael Dubitsky, Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter'Marc Shapiro puts an explicit contemporary context on this remarkable collection of sources that disagreed with one part or other of Maimonides' Thirteen Principles ... By showing the extent to which past authors disagreed with those Principles, Shapiro seeks to debunk assertions by contemporary writers that place those Principles at the core of Orthodox belief ... the work is astonishing in its rage. Shapiro uses his daunting biographical abilities and his considerable skill as a writer to present his material-well-known and obscure-cogently and entertainingly. To the reader interested in the limits of the theological imagination of Jews, it is not likely to be soon rivalled.'- Gidon Rothstein, AJS Review'A courageous and meticulously research book that straddles two worlds-that of abstract scholarship and of practical religious vision ... The real tour de force of the book is the enormous amount of material he musters to make his case.'- Bradley Shavit Artson, Conservative Judaism'Combines remarkable erudition with clarity of vision.'- Menachem Kellner, Edah Journal'His research is exhaustive, almost encyclopedic, and it is highly convincing ... his aim is truly constructive and his tone is passionately concerned.'- Erin Leib, Jerusalem Report 'This exhaustive yet readable study ... is astonishingly well researched ... a polemical work of considerable erudition, which will find a broad audience.'- Harvey Belovski, Jewish Chronicle'Ground-breaking ... As Shapiro so clearly demonstrates in this landmark work, the need is not only for theological discussions, but for theology.' - Miriam Shaviv, Jewish Quarterly'Shapiro's book is doubly remarkable: it is at the same time a commentary on Maimonides' Thirteen Principles, and a successful summary of the central themes of Jewish theology, offering deep insight into what the blurb calls traditional Jewish thought".'- Stefan Schreiner, Judaica'Articulate and thought-provoking ... This book is no less important on social than on scholarly grounds. Shapiro presents his stance with great passion, giving readers the sense that he is involved in a truth spreading mission. His passion appears to me justified and legitimate, since abstract theology is indeed an essential element in the shaping of current Orthodox society, particularly in Israel but also outside it. In sum: this book provides scholars with a justification for a view that most of them had already sensed and accepted and opens up to a broader intellectual public a path to understanding Jewish philosophy.'- Dov Schwartz, Review of Rabbinic JudaismTable of ContentsPreface 1 Introduction 2 The Existence and Unity of God 3 The Incorporeality of God 4 Creation Ex Nihilo 5 Only God is to be Worshipped 6 Prophecy and the Significance of Moses 7 Revelation of the Torah 8 Eternity of the Torah 9 God’s Knowledge, Reward and Punishment 10 The Messiah, Resurrection of the Dead Conclusion Appendix Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisMaimonides ends each book of his legal code the Mishneh torah with a moral or philosophical reflection, in which he lifts his eyes, as it were, from purely halakhic concerns and surveys broader horizons. Menachem Kellner and David Gillis analyse these concluding paragraphs, examining their verbal and thematic echoes, their adaptation of rabbinic sources, and the way in which they coordinate with the Mishneh torah’s underlying structures, in order to understand how they might influence our interpretation of the code as a whole—and indeed our view of Maimonides himself and his philosophy. Taking this unusual cross-section of the work, Kellner and Gillis conclude that the Mishneh torah presents not only a system of law, but also a system of universal values. They show how Maimonides fashions Jewish law and ritual as a programme for attaining ethical and intellectual ends that are accessible to all human beings, who are created equally in the image of God.Many reject the presentation of Maimonides as a universalist. The Mishneh torah especially is widely seen as a particularist sanctuary. This study shows how profoundly that view must be revised.Trade ReviewReviews'Kellner and Gillis have written an impressive book that enables readers to enter more deeply into Rambam’s religious worldview. At a time when Rambam is subject to so much misrepresentation and misunderstanding, it is heartening to read a book that seeks to present Rambam’s teachings in a clear, genuine and convincing manner.'Rabbi Marc D. Angel, Jewish Ideas'This book belongs in the hands of anyone who teaches the philosophic halakhah of Maimonides, anyone who teaches topics such as slavery, ethics, or messianism in Maimonidean philosophic law. This book should be a valuable part of the essential library of the High School rabbi or pulpit rabbi looking to give a universalist defense of Judaism. The authors of this book have a sharp eye and acute ear for parallels between passages and echoes to discussions elsewhere in the text. As a literary reading of Maimonides the book is without equal.'Alan Brill, Kavvanah'The book most reads easily, making it accessible to readers not intimately acquainted with Mishneh Torah. And the book’s extensive cross-references to Rambam’s other works a are source of delight to scholars of Maimonidean studies.'Eugene Korn, H-Judaic'By treating these sermonettes to an in-depth study, the authors reveal how they can enhance our understanding of the MT itself and of Maimonides’ philosophical outlook. [...] Kellner and Gillis demonstrate that the reflective endings of MT reveal his understanding of Judaism as an ever-expanding intellectual horizon upon which halakhah was the means not the end in itself. Highly recommended for all libraries.'David B Levy, Association of Jewish Libraries News and Reviews 'This is a valuable book that takes its place among other important recent works of Maimonidean scholarship. A special treat awaits readers as well—namely, the appendix devoted to Maimonides’s cosmic paradigm complete with a helpful illustration of the intellects and the spheres.'Marc B. Shapiro, The Journal of Religion'Offers an inclusive and ethical vision of spiritual life ... Kellner and Gillis also provide fresh, incisive and detailed readings that integrate all of Maimonides’ works and provide the most extensive translations of his messianic writings.' Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl, Canadian Jewish News‘The book’s central thesis is convincing and well argued: that the codas to each book of the Mishneh Torah present a focus of vision that is moral and universal in nature… Maimonides the Universalist offers a provocative and intriguing invitation and guide to that masterwork, highlighting themes of universal resonance and significance.’ Diana Lobel, SpeculumTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Introduction1. Knowledge: To Know Is To Love2. Love: Abraham, Moses, and the Meaning of Circumcision3. Seasons: Hanukah and Purim Reconfigured4. Women: Marital and Universal Peace5. Holiness: Commandments as Instruments6. Asseverations: Social Responsibility and Sanctifying God's Name7. Agriculture: Sanctifying All Human Beings8. Temple Service: The Divinity of the Commandments9. Offerings: The Morality of the Commandments10. Ritual Purity: Intellectual and Moral Purity11. Damages: Who Is a Jew?12. Acquisition: Slavery versus Universal Humanity13. Civil Laws: God of Aristotle in the God of Abraham14. Judges: Messianic Universalism ConclusionAppendix: Maimonides' Cosmic ParadigmBibliographyIndex of CitationsIndex of Subjects

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Book SynopsisTo this day, the commentaries on the Bible and Talmud written by the eleventh-century scholar known as Rashi remain unsurpassed. His influence on Jewish thinking was, and still is, significant. His commentary on the Pentateuch was the first Hebrew book to be printed, giving rise to hundreds of supercommentaries. Christian scholars, too, have relied heavily on his explanations of biblical texts. In this volume Avraham Grossman presents a masterly survey of the social and cultural background to Rashi’s work and pulls together the strands of information available on his life, his personality, his reputation during his lifetime, and his influence as a teacher. He discusses each of his main commentaries in turn, including such aspects as his sources, his interpretative method, his innovations, and his style and language. Attention is also given to his halakhic monographs, responsa, and liturgical poems. Despite Rashi’s importance as a scholar and the vast literature published about him, two central questions remain essentially unanswered: what was Rashi’s world-view, and was he a conservative or a revolutionary? Professor Grossman considers these points at length, and his in-depth analysis of Rashi’s world-view—particularly his understanding of Jewish uniqueness, Jewish values, and Jewish society—leads to conclusions that are likely to stimulate much debate.Trade ReviewReviews ‘Grossman draws heavily from the current Israeli scholarship on Rashi, including his own scholarly works, to present a well-rounded picture of Rashi. It is a work of synthesis; explicating clearly more arcane studies. Gross is a very good teacher, making his arguments clearly and using examples which clarify his own even further. He is especially helpful to explain Rashi’s relationship with the midrashic literature whether in the commentary of the Torah or elsewhere. Recommended for libraries with comprehensive undergraduate programmes and any synagogue library.’ Roger S. Kohn, Association for Jewish Libraries Reviews‘The leading authority of his generation in this field.’ Marc Saperstein, European Judaism‘Avraham Grossman, one of the world's foremost scholars of medieval Judaica . . . reads some famous texts very closely in an attempt to make Rashi come to life for twenty-first century readers . . . a tour de force . . . Grossman’s book, just like the works of Rashi, can be read with profit and enjoyment by both scholars and amateurs.’ Martin Lockshin, H-Judaic‘Arguably the most learned scholar today writing about the life and works of Rashi . . admirable book . . . the scholarly achievements of Avraham Grossman, to which this book attests on every page.’ Ivan G. Marcus, Jewish Review of Books‘The current volume is largely based on Grossman’s earlier and very extensive work, but he has succeeded not only in abbreviating it for present purposes but also in updating various aspects of his impressive scholarship. The result is a volume that will undoubtedly become the standard work in English, for use as much (perhaps, in truth, even more) by scholars as by non-specialists. There is little here that Grossman has not covered . . . his contribution to the topic goes far beyond the thorough and well-sourced provision of sound data and careful assessment. He is also able to offer fresh insights into Rashi the man, the scholar, the rabbi, and the teacher . .. splendid.’ Stefan C. Reif, Journal of Jewish Studies‘An amazing volume that gives the reader a thorough understanding of who Rashi was through his many writings... Grossman’s book is an impressive one... very readable, accessible, and fascinating.’ Ben Rothke, Times of IsraelTable of ContentsTranslator’s Note Note on Transliteration 1 The Social and Cultural Background of Rashi’s Work The Jews’ Political, Economic, and Social Status • The Troyes Community and the Jewish Centre in Champagne • The Twelfth-Century Renaissance • The Jews’ Social Ties to their Surroundings • Jewish--Christian Religious Polemics 2 Rashi: A Biographical Sketch Rashi’s Life • Character Traits • Standing and Fame 3 Rashi’s Beit Midrash Growth of the Beit Midrash • ‘The Great Rabbi’ • Library and Sources 4 Literary Works: Commentary on the Torah The Text of Rashi’s Commentary on the Torah • Rashi’s Interpretative Method • Rashi’s Profound Affection for Midrash • General Characteristics of the Commentary 5 Literary Works: Commentaries on the Prophets and the Writings (Nakh) Language, Grammar, and References to Daily Life • Style of the Commentaries • General Characteristics of the Commentaries 6 Literary Works: Commentary on the Talmud For Whom Did Rashi Write his Commentary on the Talmud? • Extent of the Commentary • Interpretative Characteristics • Connections with Other Interpretative Traditions • Versions and Editions of the Commentary • Changes and Contradictions • Halakhic Rulings in Rashi’s Commentary on the Talmud 7 Literary Works: Rulings, Responsa, Liturgical Poems, and Commentaries on Liturgical Poems Rulings • Responsa • Liturgical Poems • Commentaries on Liturgical Poems 8 Rashi’s World-View: The Uniqueness of the Jewish People Methodological Introduction • The Election of Israel • The Land of Israel • Miracles • Exile and Redemption • The Nations of the World 9 Rashi’s World-View: Values Torah and Torah Study • Reasons for the Commandments • Prayer • Truth and Humility • Human Dignity • Peace and Factionalism 10 Rashi’s World-View: Society Scholars • Community Leaders • Forced and Voluntary Converts from Judaism • The Status of Women and their Place in Society and the Family 11 Postscript: Between Innovation and Conservatism Innovation and Mission • How Did Rashi Attain his Historic Status? Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSomething crucial and quite unprecedented happened to kabbalah in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Though it had previously been considered a highly secretive and esoteric tradition, its practitioners began to spread its doctrines throughout the Jewish world with missionary zeal. Their goal was ambitious: no less than the remodelling of the religious and ethical attitudes of the entire Jewish population, a reformation of Judaism. Few aspects of Jewish life and religious practice were not changed as a result of the spread of kabbalah. These innovations originated mainly in the city of Safed in Galilee. They were introduced by kabbalistic adepts, but would not have gained broad acceptance if they had not made sense to people in terms of their everyday lives. The kabbalistic corpus that emerged should thus be interpreted not just as the elaboration of a secretive literary tradition, but as a response to the needs of Jewish society in its manifest historical context. In addition, Roni Weinstein argues, these kabbalistic innovations were partly a response to changes in the Catholic world-view, revealing an intimate link with Counter-Reformation Catholicism that is explored here for the first time. The religious and political changes taking place in contemporary Ottoman settings also contributed to these changes. The effect of these developments on Jewish culture was nothing short of revolutionary, deeply affecting people’s lives at the time and also laying the foundations for change in future generations. Yet they were not presented as revolutionary: the early modern kabbalists understood that they would only succeed in spreading their message if they presented their doctrines as the natural continuation of what went before. Weinstein’s sociological reading of mystical texts encompasses a number of methodological innovations, including the need to consider the impact of the non-Jewish environment in the fashioning of Jewish texts. He sees the emergence of ‘Jewish modernity’ as the result of developments that were intrinsically Jewish rather than as a response to outside influences during the Enlightenment; controversially, he therefore places its origins in the Mediterranean world of the late sixteenth century rather than in eighteenth-century Berlin. His argument is based on a wide range of Jewish sources—including theological tracts, kabbalistic and ethical literature, hagiographies, mystical diaries, halakhic rulings and responsa, and community and confraternal regulations—as well as the testimonies non-Jewish travellers, and Catholic religious literature. This stimulating new reading of the development of kabbalistic texts and practices opens a new chapter in the understanding of Jewish modernity. The Hebrew edition of this book was awarded the Goren-Gottstein Prize for the Best Book in Jewish Thought 2010–2012.Trade ReviewReviews 'A significant, provocative contribution to the literature.' S.T. Katz, Choice'A truly impressive impressive of original and seminal scholarship . . . extraordinarily informative, exceptionally well-written, organized, and presented, making it unreservedly recommended for both academia as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.' Midwest Book Review‘Roni Weinstein challenges the common assumption that the kabbalistic world-view owes its popularity to its theological and metaphysical content. Rather, he argues, the social context of kabbalistic thought is at least as significant. Weinstein has written an exciting and groundbreaking book which raises important new questions. If he is correct, his book is a landmark breakthrough.’ From the citation for the Goren-Gottstein Prize for the Best Book in Jewish Thought 2010–2012‘Weinstein brings a totally fresh approach to the subject . . . his understanding of kabbalistic texts as a window into the cultural, social, and psychological realities of the beginning of the modern period . . . enables them to be perceived, for the first time, in the wider context of early modern Mediterranean society . . . From this perspective, the kabbalistic texts developed in Safed are not so much the continuation of an earlier tradition but a response to the process of modernization that dominated the period in a way that changed every reality. . . . Weinstein’s explanation of why it was that kabbalah developed in the time and place that it did is convincing . . . Overflowing with original ideas, his work offers a breakthrough that can be considered revolutionary. His connecting the development of kabbalah to the development of modernity makes this a very modern book. . . . eminently readable because it contextualizes palpable human concerns within the broad intellectual panorama of the times rather than limiting itself to the confines of “kabbalah studies” or “Jewish thought”.’ Jonathan Garb Zion'This book is essential for understanding early modern Jewish religious thought and would be a valuable addendum for studies on the broader impact of early modern movements in Christianity. The English is polished and no previous knowledge of kabbalah is necessary for full comprehension. The concise text is rich in content and stimulating in its broad outlook. This study is not only a useful tool for crosscultural comparisons but it itself is a model for such a study. It could only be written by a person who has mastery both in early modern history and in early modern thought both Jewish and general. Luckily, the author meets these requirements and the result is a model monograph.' Shaul Stampfer, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Introduction: A Social Historian Looks at Early Modern Kabbalah 1 A New God: The Theological Innovation 2 Like Giants on the Shoulders of Dwarfs: The Rise of the Jewish Saint 3 Religious Confraternities 4 ‘From my body I shall envision God’: The Body and Sexuality 5 Sin and Repentance: The Jewish Confession 6 Another God. Catholic Tradition in Safed Kabbalah: The Sephardi--Conversos Link 7 Summary: Kabbalah of Safed and Modernity Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn the postmodern, relativist world-view with its refutation of a single, objective, and ultimate truth, it has become difficult if not impossible to argue in favour of one’s own beliefs as preferable to those of others. Miriam Feldmann Kaye’s pioneering study is one of the first English-language books to address Jewish theology from a postmodern perspective, probing the question of how Jewish theology has the potential to survive the postmodern onslaught that some see as heralding the collapse of religion. Basing her arguments on both philosophical and theological scholarship, Feldmann Kaye shows how postmodernism might actually be a resource for rejuvenating religion.Her response to the conception of theology and postmodernism as competing systems of thought is based on a close critical study of Rav Shagar (Shimon Gershon Rosenberg) and Tamar Ross. Rather than advocating postmodern ideas, she analyses their writings through the lens of the most radical of continental postmodern philosophers and cultural critics in order to offer a compelling theology compatible with that world-view. Whether the reader considers postmodernism to be inherently problematic or merely inconsequential, this study demonstrates why reconsidering these preconceptions is one of the most pressing issues in contemporary Jewish thought.Trade ReviewReviews ‘The flourishing of postmodern culture and the development of postmodern philosophy pose important and difficult challenges to Jewish thought, especially in their denial of the existence of a single objective and ultimate truth. The book initiates a multidisciplinary conversation between Jewish thought and Continental philosophy through confronting the outlook of theology with that of postmodernist thought.’ Makor Rishon 'Dr Miriam Feldmann Kaye’s book is an indispensable read for current Jewish theology. She deals with three crucial contemporary issues---community belief, language, and revelation---from a postmodernist perspective. However, you do not have to be a postmodernist (as I am not) to realize the urgent need for this book and to appreciate the brilliance of this defense for the flourishing of Jewish theology.'Jerome Yehuda Gellman, Professor Emeritus, Department of Philosophy, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev'Dr Feldmann Kaye offers a detailed analysis of influential recent trends in Israeli thought associated with postmodernism. It will be an important companion for scholars and intellectuals, whether or not they believe that postmodernist thought advances a worthwhile theory of religious belief and commitment, or even that it provides an accurate diagnosis of our current situation.'Professor Shalom Carmy, Yeshiva University, New York'By subjecting Jewish discourse to the newest ideas in Western philosophy Miriam Feldmann Kaye offers a clear and enriching analysis of issues of fundamental concern and offers a constructive way forward.'Rabbi Professor Naftali Rothenberg, senior research fellow, The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute ‘Kaye has pulled off a tour de force in bridging philosophical and theological thinking by applying postmodern Western philosophy to Jewish religious discourse. She provides order, connects dots, and discerns patterns to a wide-ranging body of new trends, ideas, and texts associated with postmodernism.’ David B Levy, Association of Jewish Libraries'Jewish Theology is valuable both as a careful study of Ross and the Shagar, two voices whose contribution to the contemporary theological conversation is welcome, and also as an instructive and suggestive proposal for the future of postmodern Jewish theology.'Mark Randall James, Journal of Textual Reasoning‘The flourishing of postmodern culture and the development of postmodern philosophy pose important and difficult challenges to Jewish thought, especially in their denial of the existence of a single objective and ultimate truth. The book initiates a multidisciplinary conversation between Jewish thought and Continental philosophy through confronting the outlook of theology with that of postmodernist thought.’ Makor Rishon‘By subjecting Jewish discourse to the newest ideas in Western philosophy Miriam Feldmann Kaye offers a clear and enriching analysis of issues of fundamental concern and offers a constructive way forward. Rabbi Professor Naftali Rothenberg, Van Leer Jerusalem Institute‘Dr Miriam Feldmann Kaye’s book is an indispensable read for current Jewish theology. Kaye deals with three crucial contemporary issues: community belief, language, and revelation, from a postmodernist perspective. However, you do not have to be a postmodernist (as I am not) to realize the urgent need for this book and to appreciate the brilliance of this defense for the flourishing of Jewish theology.’Jerome Yehuda Gellman, Emeritus, Ben-Gurion University of the NegevTable of ContentsIntroduction1. Culture2. Language3. Revelation in a Postmodern Age4. Conclusions BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisSarah Schenirer is one of the unsung heroes of twentieth-century Orthodox Judaism. The Bais Yaakov schools she founded in interwar Poland had an unparalleled impact on a traditional Jewish society threatened by assimilation and modernity, educating a generation of girls to take an active part in their community. The movement grew at an astonishing pace, expanding to include high schools, teacher seminaries, summer programmes, vocational schools, and youth movements, in Poland and beyond; it continues to flourish throughout the Jewish diaspora. Naomi Seidman explores the movement through the tensions that characterized it, capturing its complexity as a revolution in the name of tradition. She presents the context which led to its founding, examining the impact of socialism, feminism, Zionism, and Polish electoral politics on the process, and recounts its history, from its foundation in interwar Krakow to its near-destruction in the Holocaust, and its role in the reconstruction of Orthodoxy in subsequent decades. A vivid portrait of Schenirer shines through. The book includes selections from her writings published in English for the first time. Her pioneering, determined character remains the subject of debate in a culture that still regards innovation, female initiative, and women's Torah study with suspicion.Trade ReviewFascinating new book ... Seidman is one of the most interesting scholars working in Jewish studies today.'Rokhl Kafrissen, Tablet Magazine'Professor Seidman recounts stories, legends, and myths about Schenirer. Here is a towering figure, a revolutionary who changed Jewish Orthodoxy, but who also embodied the values that tradition associated with femininity: simplicity, humbleness, and maternal care… We have empirical proof: Bais Yaakov gave birth to many ethically engaged, Jewish-educated women, among them, Naomi Seidman, author, scholar, and feminist.'Brian Horowitz, H-Judaic'[Sarah Schenirer and the Bais Yaakov Movement] serves as an important first major study of a figure and a movement that marked a significant shift in the position of Orthodox women… Seidman writes with passion, scholarship, and lucid prose.' Jackie Rosensweig, Tradition'Seidman’s study brings women’s voices back to the centre of the history of Orthodoxy. Much of the reason that women have been overlooked in the study of Orthodoxy has been the subjects that scholars and fields of study define as worthy of attention. As Seidman’s study reveals there is an abundance of data and archives to present a full—not simply a male—history of Orthodoxy.' Eliyahu Stern, Shofar'By combining her thoughtful monograph with a full translation of Schenirer’s available Yiddish writings, Seidman has made these important documents widely available in English for the first time… her nuanced portrait will only encourage other scholars to delve further into the many unanswered questions surrounding a movement that she has amply and subtly shown to be “a revolution in the name of tradition.”' Eliyana R. Adler, Shofar'An extremely valuable aspect of the book is its broad context, which allows the reader to see Schenirer’s work against the background of the changes taking place at that time not only within Orthodox Judaism itself but also in the emergent feminist, socialist, Zionist, and Yiddishist movements.' Joanna Lisek, Shofar'Sarah Schenirer and the Bais Yaakov Movement, which so many have been waiting for, does not disappoint. Only after seeing how significant Sarah Schenirer was can we both wonder why it took so long for a rigorous study of Bais Yaakov to appear, and realise how appreciative we have to be to Seidman for removing the veil of hagiography from this subject.' Marc B. Shapiro, Shofar'Naomi Seidman’s book fills a void in the study of modern Jewish history… This book is a building block in the future research of Orthodoxy and opens new frontiers for scholarship.'Ilan Fuchs, The Lehrhaus'Naomi Seidman is uniquely qualified to write the definitive biography of Sarah Schenirer... Seidman portrays Schenirer as a learned, charismatic educator, worthy of being taken seriously in the field of modern Jewish thought... I recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of Jewish women’s education or allied fields.'Debbie Weissman, NashimTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Introduction PART I. Reading Bais Yaakov 1. `In a Place Where There Are No Men': Before Bais Yaakov 2. `A New Thing that Our Ancestors Never Imagined': Beginnings (1917--1924) 3. Institution and Charisma 4. `So Shall You Say to the House of Jacob': Forging the Discourse of Bais Yaakov 5. `A New Kind of Woman': Bais Yaakov as Traditionalist Revolution Epilogue: Destruction and Rebirth PART II. The Collected Writings of Sarah Schenirer Foreword (1955): Rabbi Shlomo Rotenberg A Note from the Central Secretariat of Bnos Agudath Israel in Poland (1933) A Letter from the Hafets Hayim Introduction Sarah Schenirer's Students in America 1. Pages from My Life (5643--5678 [1883--1917/18]) 2. Bais Yaakov and Bnos Agudath Israel 3. The Jewish Year 4. Jewish Women's Lives: The Sacred Obligations of the Jewish Woman 5. Ten Letters to Jewish Children 6. A Letter from Mrs Schenirer [1935] Epilogue: With Perseverance and Faith: From Krakow to New York Appendices A. Schenirer, `From the Diary' (translated from Hebrew)  Schenirer, `Excerpts from the Diary' (translated from Polish) B. How Many Schools and Students Did Bais Yaakov Have? C. Sarah Schenirer's Family D. Sarah Schenirer's Krakow Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe Habad school of hasidism is distinguished today from other hasidic groups by its famous emphasis on outreach, on messianism, and on empowering women. Hasidism Beyond Modernity provides a critical, thematic study of the movement from its beginnings, showing how its unusual qualities evolved. Topics investigated include the theoretical underpinning of the outreach ethos; the turn towards women in the twentieth century; new attitudes to non-Jews; the role of the individual in the hasidic collective; spiritual contemplation in the context of modernity; the quest for inclusivism in the face of prevailing schismatic processes; messianism in both spiritual and political forms; and the direction of the movement after the passing of its seventh rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, in 1994. Attention is given to many contrasts: pre-modern, modern, and postmodern conceptions of Judaism; the clash between maintaining an enclave and outreach models of Jewish society; particularist and universalist trends; and the subtle interplay of mystical faith and rationality. Some of the chapters are new; others, published in an earlier form, have been updated to take account of recent scholarship. This book presents an in-depth study of an intriguing movement which takes traditional hasidism beyond modernity. Trade Review'Chabad has become a global movement, powered by dedicated emissaries fuelled by a belief in the sacredness of their task and holy potential of every individual, whether Jew or Gentile. Dr Loewenthal masterfully links these ideals and the activism they inspire to their theological roots.'Dr Harris Bor, The Jewish Chronicle'Loewenthal has dug deep into the heart of Chabad’s philosophy... his work is destined to be more than another dusty tome read only by a select cohort of colleagues in his field. Throughout the book, he maintains his humanity, a personal voice that compromises neither his objectivity nor his convictions. The observations of the scholar are considered side-by-side with the insights of school girls. There is no more moving testament to the challenge and the resilience of a postmodern movement; the prior categories exploded, the either/or thinking rejected, while the nucleus—present since the inception—is retained.'Chana Silberstein, Lubavitch MagazineTable of ContentsIntroduction Part I. From the Ba’al Shem Tov to Modern Outreach 1. Hippy in the Mikveh: The Hasidic Ethos and the Schisms of Jewish Society 2. The Ba’al Shem Tov’s ‘Sacred Epistle’ and Contemporary Habad Outreach Part II. 3. The Hasid and the Other 4. Reason and Beyond Reason 5. Finding the Individual 6. Habad Contemplation in Context 7. Women and the Dialectic of Spirituality in Hasidism 8. From ‘Ladies’ Auxiliary’ To ‘Shluchos Network’: Women’s Activism in Twentieth-Century Habad 9. Habad Messianism: A Combination of Opposites 10. ‘From the Source of Raḥamim’: Graveside Prayer in Habad Hasidism 11. Habad, the Rebbe, and the Messiah in the Twenty-First Century Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFollowing tremendous advances in recent years in the study of religious belief, this volume adopts a fresh understanding of Jewish religious life in Poland. Approaches deriving from the anthropology, history, phenomenology, psychology, and sociology of religion have replaced the methodologies of social or political history that were applied in the past, offering fascinating new perspectives. The well-established interest in hasidism continues, albeit from new angles, but topics that have barely been considered before are well represented here too. Women’s religious practice gains new prominence, and a focus on elites has given way to a consideration of the beliefs and practices of ordinary people. Reappraisals of religious responses to secularization and modernity, both liberal and Orthodox, offer more nuanced insights into this key issue. Other research areas represented here include the material history of Jewish religious life in eastern Europe and the shift of emphasis from theology to praxis in the search for the defining quality of religious experience. The contemporary reassessments in this volume, with their awareness of emerging techniques that have the potential to extract fresh insights from source materials both old and new, show how our understanding of what it means to be Jewish is continuing to expand.Trade Review'The insights brought to the knowledge of the Orthodox and especially Hasidic tradition are considerable and always based on the use of unpublished documents. The contribution of No. 33 of the journal Polin is therefore essential in its field.'Daniel Tollet, Revue des études juivesTable of ContentsIntroduction - Ada Rapoport-Albert and Marcin Wodziński PART I: THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY Leah Horwitz’s Tkhine Imohos: A Proto-Feminist Demand to Increase Jewish Women’s Religious Capital - Moshe Rosman ‘A girl! He ought to be whipped’: The Hasid as Homo Ludens - David Assaf Individualism, Truth, and the Repudiation of Magic as the Tsadik's Prerogative: Pshiskhe-Like Elements in the Theology of Rabbi Menahem Mendel of Kosov - Benjamin Brown Table Talk and the Bond of Reading: A Jewish Broadsheet for Meals - Avriel Bar-Levav PART II: THE NINETEENTH CENTURY Shtrayml: An Ethnographic Tale of Law and Ritualization - Levi Cooper The Narcissism of Small Differences? On Rituals and Customs as Hasidic Identity-Markers - Gadi Sagiv The Vilna Talmud as a Reflection of Changing Patterns of Study - Edward Fram Popular Religion and Modernity: Jewish Magical Books in Eastern Europe in the Nineteenth Century - Uriel Gellman Hasidic Performance as a Reconstruction of Biblical Life - Daniel Reiser Preserving a Synagogue: Cultural, Material, and Sacred Values - Sergey R. Kravtsov The Laws of Moses and the Laws of the Emperor: Austrian Marriage Legislation and the Jews of Galicia - Rachel Manekin A Forgotten Network? New Perspectives on Progressive Synagogues in Galicia and the Kingdom of Poland - Alicia Maślak-Maciejewska PART III: 1914–1939 To Enlist the Enthusiasm of the Young: Orthodox Jewish Non-Political Responses to the Challenges of Interwar Poland - Gershon Bacon The Scroll of 19 Kislev and the Construction of an Imagined Habad Lubavitch Community in Interwar Poland - Wojciech Tworek At the Centre of Two Revolutions: Beit Ya’akov in Poland between Neo-Orthodoxy and Ultra-Orthodoxy - Iris Brown (Hoizman) PART IV: HOLOCAUST AND POST-HOLOCAUST Gerer Youths in the Holocaust: A Representative Blind Spot in Holocaust Research - Havi Dreifuss The Afterlife of Religion: Orthodox Memoirs of the Holocaust and the Haredi Spiritualization of Modernity - Naftali Loewenthal Being and Becoming: Polish Conversions to Judaism and the Dynamics of Affiliation - Jan Lorenz PART V: NEW VIEWS Foul-Weather Friends: Reinterpreting Jewish–Christian Urban Interaction in the Final Decades of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth - Curtis G. Murphy The Vilna Pogrom of 19–21 April 1919 - Szymon Rudnicki Jewish Medical Activity in the Ghettos under the Nazi Regime: Characteristics and Broad Historical Context - Miriam Offer

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Book SynopsisFollowing tremendous advances in recent years in the study of religious belief, this volume adopts a fresh understanding of Jewish religious life in Poland. Approaches deriving from the anthropology, history, phenomenology, psychology, and sociology of religion have replaced the methodologies of social or political history that were applied in the past, offering fascinating new perspectives. The well-established interest in hasidism continues, albeit from new angles, but topics that have barely been considered before are well represented here too. Women’s religious practice gains new prominence, and a focus on elites has given way to a consideration of the beliefs and practices of ordinary people. Reappraisals of religious responses to secularization and modernity, both liberal and Orthodox, offer more nuanced insights into this key issue. Other research areas represented here include the material history of Jewish religious life in eastern Europe and the shift of emphasis from theology to praxis in the search for the defining quality of religious experience. The contemporary reassessments in this volume, with their awareness of emerging techniques that have the potential to extract fresh insights from source materials both old and new, show how our understanding of what it means to be Jewish is continuing to expand.Trade Review'The insights brought to the knowledge of the Orthodox and especially Hasidic tradition are considerable and always based on the use of unpublished documents. The contribution of No. 33 of the journal Polin is therefore essential in its field.'Daniel Tollet, Revue des études juivesTable of ContentsIntroduction - Ada Rapoport-Albert and Marcin Wodziński PART I: THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY Leah Horwitz’s Tkhine Imohos: A Proto-Feminist Demand to Increase Jewish Women’s Religious Capital - Moshe Rosman ‘A girl! He ought to be whipped’: The Hasid as Homo Ludens - David Assaf Individualism, Truth, and the Repudiation of Magic as the Tsadik's Prerogative: Pshiskhe-Like Elements in the Theology of Rabbi Menahem Mendel of Kosov - Benjamin Brown Table Talk and the Bond of Reading: A Jewish Broadsheet for Meals - Avriel Bar-Levav PART II: THE NINETEENTH CENTURY Shtrayml: An Ethnographic Tale of Law and Ritualization - Levi Cooper The Narcissism of Small Differences? On Rituals and Customs as Hasidic Identity-Markers - Gadi Sagiv The Vilna Talmud as a Reflection of Changing Patterns of Study - Edward Fram Popular Religion and Modernity: Jewish Magical Books in Eastern Europe in the Nineteenth Century - Uriel Gellman Hasidic Performance as a Reconstruction of Biblical Life - Daniel Reiser Preserving a Synagogue: Cultural, Material, and Sacred Values - Sergey R. Kravtsov The Laws of Moses and the Laws of the Emperor: Austrian Marriage Legislation and the Jews of Galicia - Rachel Manekin A Forgotten Network? New Perspectives on Progressive Synagogues in Galicia and the Kingdom of Poland - Alicia Maślak-Maciejewska PART III: 1914–1939 To Enlist the Enthusiasm of the Young: Orthodox Jewish Non-Political Responses to the Challenges of Interwar Poland - Gershon Bacon The Scroll of 19 Kislev and the Construction of an Imagined Habad Lubavitch Community in Interwar Poland - Wojciech Tworek At the Centre of Two Revolutions: Beit Ya’akov in Poland between Neo-Orthodoxy and Ultra-Orthodoxy - Iris Brown (Hoizman) PART IV: HOLOCAUST AND POST-HOLOCAUST Gerer Youths in the Holocaust: A Representative Blind Spot in Holocaust Research - Havi Dreifuss The Afterlife of Religion: Orthodox Memoirs of the Holocaust and the Haredi Spiritualization of Modernity - Naftali Loewenthal Being and Becoming: Polish Conversions to Judaism and the Dynamics of Affiliation - Jan Lorenz PART V: NEW VIEWS Foul-Weather Friends: Reinterpreting Jewish–Christian Urban Interaction in the Final Decades of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth - Curtis G. Murphy The Vilna Pogrom of 19–21 April 1919 - Szymon Rudnicki Jewish Medical Activity in the Ghettos under the Nazi Regime: Characteristics and Broad Historical Context - Miriam Offer

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Book SynopsisAda Rapoport-Albert has been a key player in the profound transformation of the history of hasidism that has taken shape since the 1970s. She has never lacked the courage to question conventional wisdom, but neither has she overturned it lightly. The essays in this volume show the erudition and creativity of her contribution to rewriting the master-narrative of hasidic history. Thanks to her we now know that eighteenth-century hasidism evolved in a context of intense spirituality rather than political, social, economic, or religious crisis. It did not represent the movement’s ‘classic period’ and was not a project of democratization, ameliorating the hierarchical structuring of religion and spirituality. Eighteenth-century hasidism is more accurately described as the formative and creative prelude to the mature movement of the nineteenth century: initially neither institutionalized nor centralized, it developed through a process of differentiation from traditional ascetic-mystical hasidism. Its elite leaders only became conscious of a distinctive group identity after the Ba’al Shem Tov’s death, and they subsequently spent the period from the late eighteenth to the early nineteenth century experimenting with various forms of doctrine, literature, organization, leadership, and transfer of authority. Somewhat surprisingly there was no attempt to introduce any revision of women’s status and role; in the examination of this area of hasidism Rapoport-Albert’s contribution has been singularly revealing. Her work has emphasized that, contrary to hasidism’s thrust towards spiritualization of the physical, the movement persisted in identifying women with an irredeemable materiality: women could never escape their inherent sexuality and attain the spiritual heights. Gender hierarchy therefore persisted and, formally speaking, for the first 150 years or so of hasidism’s existence women were not counted as members of the group. Twentieth-century Habad hasidim responded to modernist feminism by re-evaluating the role of women, but just as Habad appropriated modern rhetorical strategies to defend tradition, so it adopted certain feminist postulates in order to create a counter-feminism that would empower women without destabilizing traditional gender roles. The essays in this volume are a fitting statement of Professor Rapoport-Albert’s importance to the study of hasidism, to Jewish studies as a whole, and to the academic scrutiny of religion. Written over a period of forty years, they have been updated for this volume with regard to significant detail and to take account of important works of scholarship written after they were originally published.Trade Review'Ada Rapoport-Albert is one of the most striking figures on the field of modern Judaic studies.'Galina Zelenina, Judaic-Slavic Journal Table of ContentsNote on Transliteration and Conventions Used in the Text Introduction Moshe Rosman PART I HISTORY Becoming a Movement 1. Hasidism After 1772: Structural Continuity and Change Conceptualizing Leadership 2. God and the Tsadik as the Two Focal Points of Hasidic Worship 3. Confession in the Circle of R. Nahman of Braslav Fashioning the Past 4 Hagiography with Footnotes: Edifying Tales and the Writing of History in Hasidism PART II GENDER Women Out? 5. From Prophetess to Madwoman: The Displacement of Female Spirituality in the Post-Sabbatian Era 6. On Women in Hasidism: S. A. Horodecky and the Maid of Ludmir Tradition Women In? 7. The Emergence of a Female Constituency in Twentieth-Century Habad Hasidism 8. From Woman as Hasid to Woman as ‘Tsadik’ in the Teachings of the Last Two Lubavitcher Rebbes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisMoshe Rosman's revolutionary approach has become a cornerstone of Polish Jewish historiography. Challenging conventions, he asserts that the 'marriage of convenience' between the Jews and the Polish--Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dynamic relationship that, though punctuated by crisis and persecution, developed into a saga of overall achievement and stability. With that fundamental message this book forges a thematic survey of Jewish history in early modern Poland. These essays, written by Rosman over the course of a distinguished career, have all been updated and enhanced with new detail and nuanced arguments, taking account not only of new archival material and research but also of the ongoing evolution of the author’s own knowledge and perspectives. Some appear here in English for the first time. The volume's structure highlights key topics for understanding the Polish Jewish past: relations between Jews and other Poles; Jewish communal life; Polish Jewish women; and hasidism. One section analyses how this past has been presented in both scholarly and popular modes. The essays are crafted to place them in dialogue with each other. Analytical introductions weigh their significance in the light of modern and postmodern Jewish and Polish historiography. An extensive general introduction sets the context of the history portrayed here, while a thoughtful conclusion elucidates the larger motifs that emerge.Trade ReviewReviews'This is a book I myself would want!'Antony Polonsky, author of the three-volume History of the Jews in Poland and Russia'The pieces . . . are all of high quality, and bringing them together fills the need for a book that can supplement existing narrative histories, especially for graduate students who need to learn not only the history but the historiography of the subject. The inclusion of pieces that have not previously appeared in English is a real contribution.'David Engel, New York University‘In a rare and fascinating overview of his field, Rosman evaluates changes in the study of Polish Jewry and the perceptions altered by his own distinguished research as well as others’.’ Sara Jo Ben Zvi, SegulaTable of ContentsIntroduction PART I HISTORIOGRAPHY Introduction 1. A New Scholarly Foundation: The Historiography of Polish Jewry Since 1945 2. The Verdict of Israeli Historiography on Hasidism 3. POLIN: The Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the New Polish Jewish Metahistory PART II JEWS AND OTHER POLES Introduction 4. Jewish Perceptions of Persecution and Powerlessness in the Commonwealth 5. A Minority Views the Majority: Jewish Attitudes Towards the Commonwealth and Interaction with Poles 6. Dubno in the Wake of Khmelnytsky 7. The Question of the Jews in the Constitution of the Third of May PART III THE JEWISH COMMUNITY Introduction 8. Jewish Autonomy in Poland and the Polish Regime 9. The Authority of the Council of Four Lands Outside Poland--Lithuania 10. The Indebtedness of the Lublin Kahal in the Eighteenth Century 11. Everyday Violence in Jewish Communities of the Commonwealth 12. The Image of Poland as a Torah Centre after 1648 PART IV WOMEN Introduction 13. History of Jewish Women in the Commonwealth I: An Assessment 14. History of Jewish Women in the Commonwealth II: From Facilitation to Participation 15. A Proto-Feminist Demand to Increase Jewish Women’s Religious Capital: Leah Horowitz’s Tkhine Imohos PART V HASIDISM Introduction 16. The Rise of Hasidism 17. Międzybóż and Rabbi Yisra’el Ba’al Shem Tov 18. Stories that Changed History: The Unique Career of Shivḥei habesht 19. Hasidism as a Modern Phenomenon Conclusion: Theme Decoding

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Book SynopsisFor Louis Jacobs, the quest—the process of engaging with and thinking about Jewish faith—was a lifelong pursuit. He offered a model in the 1960s, a period characterized by general religious crisis, of an observant, committed, but intellectually curious Judaism that empowered individual seekers to address challenges to faith. In Orthodox Judaism at the time a battle was under way for religious control. Generating a widespread controversy in British Jewry known as the ‘Jacobs Affair’, his thought offers a lens for examining the trajectory of Orthodoxy. In a contemporary context marked by the changing cultural and intellectual concerns of a ‘post-secular’ age, the focus of some of these debates over religious control has shifted. Yet Jacobs’ emphasis on a personal quest is as relevant as ever, perhaps more so. This first book-length analysis of his theology unpacks the building blocks of his thought. It argues that, despite its particularities and limitations, his approach can provide a powerful model for contemporary religious seekers in the context of a growing impetus away from established, denominationally bound forms of religion. Many orthodox believers across a range of faiths continue to prefer the certainty of unquestionable religious truth claims rather than pursuing a subjective search for religious meaning. For those seeking alternative models for the contemporary Jewish quest, a reconsideration of Jacobs’ theology can offer valuable tools.Trade Review‘A major study of an important twentieth-century Jewish thinker and religious leader, whom I was privileged to know and learn from.’ David Novak, Fellow of St. Michael's College, University of TorontoTable of ContentsIntroductionPart I. The Grinning Cheshire Cat 1. The Making of Louis Jacobs2. Tradition vs. Orthodoxy3. The Jew in the PewPart II. Liberal Supernaturalism: The Theology of Louis Jacobs 4. God5. Torah6. IsraelPart III. The Contemporary Jewish Quest: From Cheshire Cat to Tinkerer7. Revelation in Context: From Louis Jacobs to TheTorah.com8. The Tyranny of Labels9. Mysticism and the New Age10. Truth and FaithConclusion: Reconsidering Jacobs for the Contemporary Jewish Quest Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThoroughly researched, this study highlights the historical scholarship that is one of the lasting legacies of interwar Polish Jewry and analyses its political and social context. As Jewish citizens struggled to assert their place in a newly independent Poland, a dedicated group of Jewish scholars fascinated by history devoted themselves to creating a sense of Polish Jewish belonging while also fighting for their rights as an ethnic minority. The political climate made it hard for these men and women to pursue an academic career; instead they had to continue their efforts to create and disseminate Polish Jewish history by teaching outside the university and publishing in scholarly and popular journals. By introducing the Jewish public to a pantheon of historical heroes to celebrate and anniversaries to commemorate, they sought to forge a community aware of its past, its cultural heritage, and its achievements---though no less important were their efforts to counter the increased hostility towards Jews in the public discourse of the day. In highlighting the role of public intellectuals and the social role of scholars and historical scholarship, this study adds a new dimension to the understanding of the Polish Jewish world in the interwar period.Trade ReviewReviews'This is an important subject not only for those concerned with the modern history and culture of Polish Jews but also for anyone interested in the relations between academy and community or in the social role of scholars and scholarship'.David Engel, New York University'Historical scholarship was a main feature of Polish-Jewish culture between the wars and is one of the main legacies of Polish Jewry. This book, analysing the political and social context and the metahistory of that work, promises to be a landmark piece of scholarship.'Moshe Rosman, Bar-Ilan University‘Natalia Aleksiun’s important new book […] gives voice to these largely unknown historians who may have doubted the efficacy of their enterprise but never their right to undertake it […] Thanks to Aleksiun’s carefully researched and evocative book, we now know their names and their scholarship.’Nancy Sinkoff, Sources'Aleksiun weaves a powerful narrative about public intellectuals, historical scholarship, and Polish-Jewish relations... Conscious History is an innovative and exemplary contribution to scholarship about Polish Jews and interwar Poland that deepens our understanding of many of the questions that continue to animate historians today.'Joanna Sliwa, H-Poland'Pioneering in many aspects... Aleksiun’s book serves as a collective biography of the Jewish historians working in Poland at the turn of the century and during the Second Republic. The author skillfully describes their legacy as well as their complicated and sometimes tragic relations with the Poles.'Rafał Stobiecki, H-Soz-Kult'[Conscious History's] strength is exactly where it deals with the richness of Jewish history in Polish, Yiddish and Hebrew, bringing to life a largely forgotten community... it is a must-read both for those interested in the Jewish history of Central Europe and historians of scholarship from and of the region.' Jan Surman, Jewish Culture and History‘Aleksiun’s Conscious History is an important book and essential read for anyone interested in the history of Polish Jewry, its writers, and inter‐war Poland more broadly. Its relevance goes beyond the classroom and its academic audience. The rise of nationalism worldwide reminds us of the importance of historical debates in the public sphere, as well as our own duty as civic activists.’ Oskar Czendze, H-Judaic‘This book is great on many levels. But for me the most important is cultural inheritance. The people about whom Professor Aleksiun has written have acquired a voice anew through her and she has demonstrated her membership in the club; she too is a Polish-Jewish historian, just like the ones about whom she writes. And her book is not only about historians, but is also a testament to them.’ Brian Horowitz, Gal-EdTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Historical Beginnings 2. The Making of Professional Polish Jewish Historians 3. Becoming Mainstream 4. Beyond the Ivory Tower 5. Themes and Trends of Historical Enquiry Epilogue Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSa’adyah Gaon was an outstanding tenth-century Jewish thinker—a prominent rabbi, philosopher, and exegete. He was a pioneer in the fields in which he toiled, and was an inspiration and basis for later Jewish writing in all these areas. The last major English-language study of his work was published in 1921, long before Genizah research changed the understanding of the time in which he lived. Robert Brody’s masterly work, covering Sa’adyah’s biography and his main areas of creativity in an accessible way, is therefore a much-needed reassessment of an outstanding figure. The opening chapter, on the geonic period that formed the background to Sa’adyah’s life (a period on which there are few works in English), is followed by an overview that brings out the revolutionary aspects of his work and the characteristic features of his writings. Subsequent chapters consider his philosophical works; his Bible commentaries; his pioneering linguistic work; his poetry; his halakhic activity (including an examination of his use of the Palestinian Talmud compared to that of the Babylonian Talmud); and his activity as a polemicist, notably against the Karaites. An Epilogue sums up his importance in medieval Jewish culture. Particularly valuable features of the book are the copious quotations from Sa’adyah’s works, which facilitate familiarity with his style as well as his ideas; the clarity in presenting complex and difficult concepts; the constant assessment of his relationship to his predecessors in his various fields of study and his own unique contributions to each field; and the contextualization of his contribution within the political, cultural, and religious climate of his times so that both revolutionary and conservative elements in his thought can be identified and evaluated.Trade Review'Gives you a sense of who Sa'adyah was, and the impact of his works. It's a fascinating work, about one of the most fascinating personalities in Jewish thought.'Ben Rothke, The Times of IsraelTable of Contents1 The Geonic Period and the Background of R. Sa'adyah Gaon's Activities2 The Revolutionary Champion of Tradition3 The Philosopher4 The Biblical Commentator5 The Linguist6 The Poet7 The Man of Halakhah8 Sa'adyah, Polemicist and PublicistBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisMidrash is arguably the most ancient genre of Jewish literature, forming a voluminous body of scriptural exegesis over the course of centuries. There is hardly anything in the ancient rabbinic universe that was not taught through this medium. The diversity and development of that creative profusion are presented here in a new light. The contributors cover a broad range of texts, from late antiquity to the modern period and from all the centres of literary creativity, including non-rabbinic and non-Jewish literature, so that the full extent of the modes and transformations of Midrash can be fully appreciated. A comprehensive introduction situates Midrash in its historical and cultural setting, pointing to creative adaptations within the tradition and providing a sense of the variety of genres and applications discussed in the body of the book. Bringing together an impressive array of the leading names in the field, the volume is innovative in both its scope and content, seeking to open a new period in the study of Midrash and its creative role in the formation of culture. It should be of interest to all scholars of Jewish studies, as well as to a wider readership interested in the interrelationships between hermeneutics, culture, and creativity, and especially in the afterlife of a classical genre and its ability to inspire new creativity in many forms. Contributors: Philip Alexander, Sebastian Brock, Jacob Elbaum, Michael Fishbane, Robert Hayward, William Horbury, Sara Japhet, Ephraim Kanarfogel, Naftali Loewenthal, Ivan G. Marcus, Alison Salvesen, Marc Saperstein, Chava Turniansky, Piet van Boxel, Joanna Weinberg, Benjamin Williams, Elliot Wolfson, Eli Yassif.Trade Review'[Midrash Unbound] is, both in the field of Judaism but also in the various historical disciplines of religious studies and theology, indispensable.'Görge K. Hasselhoff, Brill Review 'Midrash Unbound is a significant and substantial contribution to the study of midrashic literature, method and process as manifested in diverse Jewish sources and select non-Jewish writings, from Late Antiquity to the Modern age. Fishbane and Weinberg have brought together an impressive array of scholars to explore the nature of Midrash in varied historical and geographical contexts, pointing out, as the aptly chosen title suggests, transformations and innovations in the development of the genre. [...] It is a volume that enriches and meaningfully extends discussion on how we can understand Midrash and its development in diverse literary forms and historical contexts.' Dr Helen Spurling, BAJS ReviewTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Introduction - Michael Fishbane and Joanna Weinberg Part I Origins and Subsurface Traditions 1 Midrash and the Meaning of Scripture - Michael Fishbane 2 The Hand upon the Lord’s Throne: Targumic and Midrashic Perceptions of Exodus 17: 14--16 - Robert Hayward 3 Unwashed Hands: A Midrashic Controversy in the Gospel of Matthew - Piet van Boxel 4 ‘Tradunt Hebraei . . .’ The Problem of the Function and Reception of Jewish Midrash in Jerome - Alison Salvesen 5 Midrash in Syriac - Sebastian Brock Part II Later Midrashic Forms 6 Piyut and Midrash: Between Poetic Invention and Rabbinic Convention - Michael Fishbane 7 The Mourners of Zion and the Suffering Messiah: Pesikta rabati 34---Structure, Theology, and Content - Philip Alexander 8 The Toledot jeshu as Midrash - William Horbury 9 Storytelling as Midrashic Discourse in the Middle Ages - Eli Yassif 10 Performative Midrash in the Memory of Ashkenazi Martyrs - Ivan G. Marcus Part III Medieval Transformations 11 Midrash in a Leixical Key: The Arukh of Nathan ben Yehiel - Joanna Weinberg 12 Rashi’s Choice: The {H.}umash Commentary as Rewritten Midrash - Ivan G. Marcus 13 The Pendulum of Exegetical Methodology: From the Peshat to the Derash and Back - Sara Japhet 14 Midrashic Texts and Methods in Tosafist Torah Commentaries - Ephraim Kanarfogel 15 Zoharic Literature and Midrashic Temporality - Elliot Wolfson Part IV Early Modern and Modern Traditions 16 The Ingathering of Midrash Rabbah - Benjamin Williams 17 Midrash in Medieval and Early Modern Sermons - Marc Saperstein 18 Rabbi Judah Loew of Prague and his Attitude to the Aggadah - Jacob Elbaum 19 The Destruction of the Temple: A Yiddish Booklet for the Ninth of Av - Jacob Elbaum and Chava Turniansky 20 Midrash in Habad Hasidism - Naftali Loewenthal Notes on Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisNational Jewish Book Awards Finalist for the Anthologies and Collections Award, 2012.Two of the most pervasive aspects of modern Jewish life are interaction with people of other faiths and exposure to their beliefs to a degree unknown in the past. Jewish thinking regarding other religions has not succeeded in keeping pace with the contemporary realities that regularly confront most Jews, nor has it adequately assimilated the ways in which other religions have changed their teachings about Jews and Judaism. Many Jews who grapple with Jewish tradition in the contemporary world want to know how Judaism sees today’s non-Jewish other in order to affirm itself. Re-examining Jewish tradition, they seek guidance in understanding their interfaith relationships in the light of a Jewish religious mission. Jewish Theology and World Religions advances this conversation, exploring critical issues that Jews and Jewish thought face when relating to Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. It also analyses the philosophical issues raised by pluralism, non-exclusive approaches to religious truth, and appreciating the religious other. The contributors to this volume represent a range of disciplines and denominations within Judaism and share the conviction that articulating contemporary Jewish views of other world religions is an urgent objective for Judaism. Their essays show why formulating a Jewish theology of world religions is a priority for Jewish thinkers and educators concerned with reinvigorating Judaism's contribution to the contemporary world, and how it coheres with maintaining Jewish identity and continuity.Trade ReviewReviews 'An indispensable title for graduate and undergraduate programmes emphasizing world religions and interfaith/interreligious dialogue . . . Highly recommended.' R.A. Boisclair, Choice'These skilfully edited essays are rich food for reflection and future work . . . It is this kind of creative thinking—regardless of past historical experiences and the foundational texts of the Jewish religious tradition . . . that might well prove a substantial breakthrough in both the present and the future for all religious communities in contact with each other . . . Goshen-Gottstein and Korn are to be commended for assembling the scholars initially in a conference and joining them together in this volume. One hopes that this project is only the beginning of several volumes addressing the multitude of questions, observation, and insights raised herein.' Steven L. Jacobs, H-Judaic'Superb . . . nothing less than a conspectus of the critical issues that Jews face when relating to Christians and Muslims—and, yes, to Buddhists and Hindus as well . . . Rare is the anthology of essays that holds together thematically, but this book is a happy exception—well organized, with the essays carefully curated. It moves seamlessly from a general discussion of Jewish philosophical perspectives on pluralism to empirical treatments of Judaism and the “Other” to a series of culminating essays on Judaism and Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism . . . breaks new ground in our understanding of other faiths from a Jewish perspective . For this contribution, theologians, halakhists, religious communal leadership, and lay readers should offer prayers of thanksgiving.' Jerome A. Chanes, Jewish Ideas Daily'Every so often a book comes along that clarifies something you've been thinking about but which has never presented a clear path to understanding. This is one of those happy occurrences. If you've been wondering how Judaism relates to the other great religions of the world, and how this religious pluralism affects contemporary Jews and their sense of identity, [this book] is the place to look . . . The two editors of this volume hold outstanding credentials . . . the writing is solid and the ideas accessible.' Linda F. Burghardt, Jewish Book World'The rich volume under review portrays theological reflections on Jewish identity, Jewish norms concerning other religions, and Jewish relations with non-Jewish “others” . . . also new perspectives are offered and there is a sincere search of possible inspiration from other religions.' Ephraim Meir, Modern Judaism'The rudiments of Jewish theology were established in the biblical, Talmudic, and medieval eras, yet, while the world has substantially progressed from those times, Orthodox Jewish theology has not. Goshen-Gottstein and Korn recognized this dilemma, and responded to it by compiling a thorough and much needed work of Orthodox interfaith theology that addresses twenty-first century Jews. The multiple contributors in this volume each acknowledge that interfaith relationships are profoundly different than they were in the medieval era, and have constructed interfaith theologies in accord with this new reality . . . a Jewish theology of Eastern religions had been keenly lacking, and it is presented here in a sensitive fashion.' Daniel Ross Goodman, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsNotes on Contributors Note on Transliteration Preface - Eugene Korn Introduction: Towards a Jewish Theology of World Religions: Framing the Issues - ALON GOSHEN-GOTTSTEINPart I Philosophical Perspectives on Jewish Pluralism 1 Jewish Views of World Religions: Four Models - ALAN BRILL 2 Justifying Inter-Religious Pluralism - AVI SAGI 3 Pluralism out of the Sources of Judaism: The Quest for Religious Pluralism without Relativism - RAPHAEL JOSPE 4 Respectful Disagreement: Reply to Raphael Jospe - JOLENE S. KELLNER and MENACHEM KELLNER Part II Judaism and the Other 5 Can Another Religion Be Seen as the Other? - STANISLAW KRAJEWSKI 6 The Violence of the Neutral - MEIR SENDOR 7 Jewish Liturgical Memory and the Non-Jew: Past Realities and Future Possibilities - RUTH LANGER Part III Judaism and World Religions 8 Rethinking Christianity: Rabbinic Positions and Possibilities - EUGENE KORN 9 Maimonides’ Treatment of Christianity and its Normative Implications - DAVID NOVAK 10 The Banished Brother: Islam in Jewish Thought and Faith - PAUL FENTON 11 Encountering Hinduism: Thinking Through Avodah zarah - ALON GOSHEN GOTTSTEIN 12 Judaism and Buddhism: A Jewish Approach to a Godless Religion - JEROME (YEHUDA) GELLMAN Concluding Reflections - ALON GOSHEN-GOTTSTEIN Index

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Book Synopsis‘A remarkable contribution to Maimonides scholarship.’ Rabbi Jeremy Rosen, The AlgemeinerTrade ReviewReviews'Carefully and convincingly, Diamond and Kellner show that Maimonides’ written words were repeatedly appropriated by Jewish religious thinkers in the 20th century to promote theological positions that Maimonides would never have subscribed to.' Martin Lockshin, The Canadian Jewish News‘A striking example of Rambam's universalistic world view: all people of all backgrounds have access to God if they suitably devote themselves to the Almighty.’ Rabbi Marc Angel'Much can be learned from each of the articles... each of these thinkers reads Rambam [Moses Maimonides] differently. Rambam continues to evoke serious thought. He remains a powerful guide…and a formidable challenge.'Rabbi Marc Angel, Ideals'How should we... invoke the authority of Maimonides in a way that shows fidelity both to intellectual history and to contemporary significance? Historical studies alone are insufficient for this task. In the writings of eight contemporary Orthodox writers, we catch a glimpse of how they try to carve out the current meaning and significance of Maimonides for their religious visions and ways of life. Kellner and Diamond have done us an important service by bringing these rabbinic thinkers and their readings of Maimonides to our attention.'Alex Sztuden, Tradition'James A. Diamond and Menachem Kellner are not afraid to tangle with the heart of Jewish tradition and ask provocative questions... [they] do an excellent job of executing their goal of analyzing selected Orthodox rabbis’ writings,' Ethan Prager, Reading ReligionTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Note on Sources Introduction James A. Diamond and Menachem Kellner 1. Rabbi Naftali Tsevi Yehuda Berlin: The Love of Israel versus the Love of the Mind James A. Diamond 2. Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik and Maimonides Menachem Kellner 3. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and the Mystification of Maimonidean Rationalism James A. Diamond 4. Maimonides and R. Kalonymus Kalman Shapira: Abandoning Reason in the Warsaw Ghetto James A. Diamond 5. Rav Elhanan Wasserman on Maimonides, and Maimonides on ‘Reb Elhanan’ Menachem Kellner 6. Each Generation and Its Maimonides: The Maimonides of Rav Aharon Kotler Menachem Kellner 7. What, Not Who, Is a Jew: Halevi-Maimonides in Those Days, Rabbi Aviner and Rabbi Kafih in Our Days Menachem Kellner Afterword Seth Avi Kadish Bibliography Index

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