Search results for ""author lawrence a. hoffman""

Lawrence A. Hoffman’s inquiry into the reasons for the canonization of the Jewish style synagogue service between the eighth and eleventh centuries presents a novel reinterpretation of the available evidence that will have repercussions for studies of Jewish and Christian liturgy. The author suggests that Babylonian Jewish authorities attempted to fix Jewish liturgy during the height of the geonic period (c. 750-1025 A. D.) in response to changing social and economic conditions, and that this period, customarily considered as a whole, should be divided instead into three distinct eras. Because the changing attitude toward liturgical canonization during this period reflects the Jewish community’s self-perception and its view of other groups with whom it dealt, Professor Hoffman’s findings cast fresh light on such important matters as the Karaite schism and the condition of the medieval Palestinian community. In addition, many of the ancient liturgical alternatives discussed provide essential background for studies of both Jewish and Christian liturgies of antiquity. To enhance usefulness of the book for nonexperts, this volume contains a glossary of liturgical terms and rubrics, introductory surveys of the history of the prayers discussed, and full biography and notes for further reading.

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Central to both biblical narrative and rabbinic commentary, circumcision has remained a defining rite of Jewish identity, a symbol so powerful that challenges to it have always been considered taboo. Lawrence Hoffman seeks to find out why circumcision holds such an important place in the Jewish psyche. He traces the symbolism of circumcision through Jewish history, examining its evolution as a symbol of the covenant in the post-exilic period of the Bible and its subsequent meaning in the formative era of Mishnah and Talmud. In the rabbinic system, Hoffman argues, circumcision was neither a birth ritual nor the beginning of the human life cycle, but a rite of covenantal initiation into a male "life line." Although the evolution of the rite was shaped by rabbinic debates with early Christianity, the Rabbis shared with the church a view of blood as providing salvation. Hoffman examines the particular significance of circumcision blood, which, in addition to its salvific role, contrasted with menstrual blood to symbolize the gender dichotomy within the rabbinic system. His analysis of the Rabbis' views of circumcision and menstrual blood sheds light on the marginalization of women in rabbinic law. Differentiating official mores about gender from actual practice, Hoffman surveys women's spirituality within rabbinic society and examines the roles mothers played in their sons' circumcisions until the medieval period, when they were finally excluded.

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This volume inaugurates a series celebrating the liturgical and ecumenical breakthrough that has marked the past several decades. Both Jews and Christians have come to new, even revolutionary, views of worship, not only how it began but also what it is today. The first volume describes how the liturgies of synagogue and church were born and how they evolved through the ages. This dual focus on both past and present, by no means accidental, shows clearly that from a liturgical point of view there is no such thing as purely academic scholarship. In an age that values tradition even as it criticizes it, the reconstruction of yesterday's liturgical practice has an impact upon today's spirituality. The idea for Bradshaw's and Hoffman's three-volume series came from what may have been the first-joint Jewish and Christian conference on liturgy, held at the University of Notre Dame in June, 1988. The first two volumes of this series contain some of the papers delivered at the conference itself, and other contributions that were specially written to complement them. Contributors: Paul F. Bradshaw, Lawrence A. Hoffman, Tzvee Zahavy, Marilyn J. S. Chiat and Marchita B. Mauck, Stefan C. Reif, Eric L. Friedland, John F. Baldovin, S.J., and Susan J. White.

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Passover and Easter constitute for Jews and Christians respectively the most important festivals of the year. Although sharing a common root, the feasts have developed in quite distinct ways in the two traditions, in part independently of one another and in part in reaction against the other. Following the pattern set in earlier volumes in this series, these two volumes bring together a group of distinguished Jewish and Christian scholars to explore the history of the two celebrations, paying particular attention to similarities and connections between them as well as to differences and contrasts. They not only present a convenient summary of current historical thought but also open up new perspectives on the evolution of these annual observances. Volume 6 focuses on the contexts in which they occur—the periods of preparation for the feasts in the respective calendars and their connection to Shavuot/Pentecost—as well as to their traditional expression in art and music. Volume 5, also in the series, focuses especially on the origins and early development of the feasts and on the way that established practices have changed in recent years. At the same time, the essays raise some fundamental questions about the future. Have modern human beings so lost the sense of sacred time in their lives, for instance, that these great feasts can never again be what they once were for former generations of believers? And what about recent attempts by some Christians to enter into their heritage by celebrating a Jewish Seder as part of their annual Holy Week and Easter services? Specialists and general readers alike will find much to interest and challenge them within these two additions to what has become a highly regarded series in the world of liturgical scholarship.

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"In these companion volumes of essays, Jewish and Christian liturgical scholars examine, from historical, theological, and aesthetic perspectives, the practices and intricate interrelationships of Passover and Easter. Several essays lament the antisemitism that has infected the Easter liturgy, and one-Israel Yuval's 'Easter and Passover as Early Jewish-Christian Dialogue'-pushes beyond the oft-told tale of Jewish-Christian enmity to explore ways the development of worship patterns of the two faiths have influenced one another. Both volumes are required purchases for libraries supporting liturgical studies. Volume 5 would also be a good choice for broader collections in the history of Judaism and Christianity." -Choice

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WHAT YOU WILL SEE INSIDE A SYNAGOGUE will: . Satisfy kids' curiosity about what goes on in synagogues attended by their friends, broadening awareness of other faiths at an important age when opinions and prejudices can first form. . Provide Jewish children with a deeper understanding of the practices of their own religious tradition. . Give children the opportunity to ask questions, making them more active participants. Colourful full-page photographs set the scene for concise but informative descriptions of what is happening, the objects used, the clergy and laypeople who have specific roles, the spiritual intent of the believers, and more. The What You Will See Inside. series is designed to show children ages 6-10 the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How of traditional houses of worship, liturgical celebrations and rituals of different world faiths, empowering them to respect and understand their own religious traditions - and those of their friends and neighbours.

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