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An Introduction to Judaism
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This book offers a full and lucid account of Judaism and the Jewish people. Written for Jews and non-Jews alike, whether students, teachers, or general interest readers, the book brings out the extraordinary richness and variety of Judaism: its historical depth, and the vigor and endurance of its traditions--in the home, in the synagogue, in its literature, in individual and community life. It contains illustrative tables and maps, a full glossary, chronology, bibliography and index. This is a stimulating and comprehensive introduction to a major world culture.
An Introduction to the Kabbalah
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Provides an introduction to the world of the Kabbalah, focusing on both the Kabbalist as a person and the major teachings of the Kabbalah.
A Journey into the Zohar: An Introduction to the Book of Radiance
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An introduction to the Zohar, the crowning work of medieval Kabbalah. Includes original translations and analysis. The crowning work of medieval Kabbalah, the Zohar is unlike any other work in the Jewish canon. Written in Aramaic, the Zohar contains complex mystical exegesis as well as the story of the Companions a group of sages who wander through second-century Israel discussing the Torah while meeting up with children, donkey drivers, and various types who have spiritual lessons for them. Nathan Wolski offers original translations of episodes involving this mystical fellowship and goes on to provide a sustained reading of each. With particular emphasis on the literary and performative dimensions of the composition, Wolski takes the reader on a journey through the central themes and motifs of the Zoharic world: Kabbalistic hermeneutics, the structure of divinity, the nature of the soul and above all, the experiential core of the Zohar the desire to be saturated and intoxicated with the flowing fluids of divinity. A Journey into the Zohar opens the mysterious, wondrous and at times bewildering universe of one of the masterpieces of world mystical literature to a wider community of scholars, students, and general readers alike.
Judaism: History, Belief, and Practice
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With a Diaspora that has spread to nearly every continent, the Judaic tradition has been an integral part of the history and development of societies the world over. As the oldest of the world OCOs three major monotheistic religions, Judaism has survived centuries of trial and transformation, all while consistently maintaining a considerable following and identity. This comprehensive volume examines the robust spiritual and cultural heritage of this rich and complex faith as well as the lives of past and present figures whose leadership and intellectual contributions have shaped its development."
The Reader's Guide to the Talmud
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This systematic introduction to the Talmud of Babylonia (Bavli) answers basic questions of form: how is this a coherent document? How do we make sense of the several languages in which it is written? What are the principal parts of the complex writing? Turning to questions of modes of thought, the account proceeds to address the intellectual character of the Bavli and in particular the character and uses of its dialectics. Finally, questions of substance come to the fore: how does the Talmud relate to the Torah? and how does tradition enter in? These basic questions of rhetoric, topic, and logic that anyone approaching the text will raise are dealt with clearly and authoritatively.
Studying Judaism: The Critical Issues
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This volume in the Studying World Religions series is an essential guide to the study of Judaism. Clearly structured to cover all the major areas of study, including historical foundations, scripture, worship, society, material culture, thought and ethics, this is the ideal study aid for those approaching Judaism for the first time. Studying Judaism offers readers the chance to engage with a religious tradition as a diverse, living phenomenon. Its approach is 'critical' in two major respects- its use of the dimensional approach to the study of religions as an interpretive framework, and its focus on matters perceived as problematic by insider and/or outsider commentators, such as gender, demography, geo-politics, the 'museumization' of Jewish cultures and its impact on religion and identity. This book is the perfect companion for the fledgling student of Judaism.
A Tapestry for the Soul : The Introduction to the Zohar
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A Tapestry for the Soul takes the Introduction to the Zohar (as translated in In the Shadow of the Ladder) as its main thread, from its beginning to its end. Excerpts from Rabbi Ashlag's other writings are skillfully placed throughout, in order to explain the Introduction to the Zohar in depth. This is a totally innovative way of teaching. The benefits thus obtained include the fact that the reader can follow Rabbi Ashlag's thought directly, without the need for an intermediary to explain his ideas, thus enabling direct contact between the Master Kabbalist and the reader. Now, even the beginner is able to learn from authentic Kabbalah texts.
The Torah: A Beginner's Guide
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There is no question that the Torah has had an enormous influence on Western Civilization. It is the source of widely known characters like Joseph, Moses, and Noah, and timeless stories such as the Garden of Eden and the Exodus. Jointly authored by professors of Judaism and Christianity, The Torah: A Beginner's Guide takes a unique approach, exploring the interplay and dynamics of how these two religions share this common scripture. Drawing on both scholarly and popular sources, Kaminsky and Lohr examine the key debates, while simultaneously illustrating the importance of the Torah in western jurisprudence, ethics, and contemporary conceptions of the family, morality, and even politics. Joel S. Kaminsky is Professor in the Department of Religion at Smith College where he teaches courses on the Hebrew Bible and on ancient Jewish religion and literature. Joel N. Lohr teaches in the areas of Bible and Old Testament at the department of religious studies at Trinity Western University, Canada.
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A History of the Jews in America
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Spanning 350 years of Jewish experience in this country, A History of the Jews in America is an essential chronicle by the author of The Course of Modern Jewish History. With impressive scholarship and a riveting sense of detail, Howard M. Sachar tells the stories of Spanish Marranos and Russian refugees, of aristocrats and threadbare social revolutionaries, of philanthropists and Hollywood moguls. At the same time, he elucidates the grand themes of the Jewish encounter with America, from the bigotry of a Christian majority to the tensions among Jews of different origins and beliefs, and from the struggle for acceptance to the ambivalence of assimilation.
Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash
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The classic introduction to rabbinical literature.
Judaism: Between Yesterday and Tomorrow
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Renowned theologian Kung has written a lengthy examination of Judaism's past, present, and future in this first of three volumes in a new series. Christianity and Islam will be explored in the remaining volumes. Judaism provides valuable insight into the religious situation today, and Kung boldly explores the legacy of hate and anti-Semitism Jews have encountered. He forthrightly examines the culpability of those who stood aside during the Holocaust. He also discusses Israel today and offers a prescription for peace.
On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism
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In On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism, Gershom Scholem guides the reader through the central themes in the intricate history of the Kabbalah, clarifying the relations between mysticism and established religious authority, the mystics' interpretation of the Torah and their attempts to discover the hidden meaning underlying Scripture, the tension between the philosophical and the mystical concepts of God, and the symbolism employed in mystical religion. With a new foreword by Bernard McGinn
Stone and Dung, Oil and Spit: Jewish Daily Life in the Time of Jesus
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In Stone and Dung, Oil and Spit Jodi Magness unearths "footprints buried in both archaeological and literary evidence to shed new light on Jewish daily life in Palestine from the mid-first century BCE to 70 CE -- the time and place of Jesus' life and ministry. Magness analyzes recent archaeological discoveries from such sites as Qumran and Masada together with a host of period texts, including the New Testament, the works of Josephus, and rabbinic teachings. Layering all these sources together, she reconstructs in detail a fascinating variety of everyday activities -- dining customs, Sabbath observance, fasting, toilet habits, burial customs, and more.
This Is the Torah
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Utilizes a question and answer format to address over 500 questions frequently asked about the most sacred Jewish text.
To Pray As a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service
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Why do Jews pray? What is the role of prayer in their lives? From how to comport oneself on entering a synagogue to the most profound comments on the prayers themselves, Rabbi Donin's guide to Jewish prayer leads the reader through the entire course of Jewish liturgy. Unsurpassed for beginners as well as the religiously observant, this book is an indispensable guide to a fuller comprehension of the ritual practices and to the vast treasure embedded in Jewish tradition.
Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism
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Only one of the world's mythologies has remained essentially unrecognized--the mythology of Judaism. As Howard Schwartz reveals in Tree of Souls, the first anthology of Jewish mythology in English, this mythical tradition is as rich and as fascinating as any in the world. Drawing from the Bible, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud and Midrash, the Kabbalistic literature, medieval folklore, Hasidic texts, and oral lore collected in the modern era, Schwartz has gathered together nearly 700 of the key Jewish myths. The myths themselves are marvelous. We read of Adam's diamond and the Land of Eretz (where it is always dark), the fall of Lucifer and the quarrel of the sun and the moon, the Treasury of Souls and the Divine Chariot. We discover new tales about the great figures of the Hebrew Bible, from Adam to Moses; stories about God's Bride, the Shekhinah, and the evil temptress, Lilith; plus many tales about angels and demons, spirits and vampires, giant beasts and the Golem. Equally important, Schwartz provides a wealth of additional information. For each myth, he includes extensive commentary, revealing the source of the myth and explaining how it relates to other Jewish myths as well as to world literature (for instance, comparing Eve's release of evil into the world with Pandora's). For ease of use, Schwartz divides the volume into ten books: Myths of God, Myths of Creation, Myths of Heaven, Myths of Hell, Myths of the Holy Word, Myths of the Holy Time, Myths of the Holy People, Myths of the Holy Land, Myths of Exile, and Myths of the Messiah. Schwartz, a renowned collector and teller of traditional Jewish tales, now illuminates the previously unexplored territory of Jewish mythology. This pioneering anthology is essential for anyone interested in the Hebrew Bible, Jewish faith and culture, and world mythology.
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An Encyclopedia of American Synagogue Ritual
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This encyclopedia presents historical accounts of Jewish rituals, the meaning behind their development, and descriptions of how the rituals are practiced among different Jewish communities. Entries discuss how the rituals evolved over time and what they are designed to symbolize. Whether practiced in the personal or public realm, the rituals included in this volume are generally acknowledged as such by the Jewish community, even if they are not practiced by large segments of the community. Comparisons are drawn among rituals as they are practiced by Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Orthodox Jews. This volume brings together a wealth of information about the often complicated rituals practiced in Jewish communities throughout North America. Readers desiring to learn more about Jewish rituals will appreciate the mix of historical and practical concerns each entry details. Specific information is readily accessible in the encyclopedic format. Entries are cross-referenced throughout, and each concludes with references for further research. An index is included.
The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions
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Thanks to these generous donors for making the publication of this book possible: Miles z"l and Chris Lerman; David Lerman and Shelley Wallock The bestselling guide to understanding Jewish traditions, now in paperback This is a comprehensive and authoritative resource with ready answers to questions about almost all aspects of Jewish life and practice: life-cycle events, holidays, ritual and prayer, Jewish traditions and customs, and more. Ronald Eisenberg has distilled an immense amount of material from classic and contemporary sources into a single volume, which provides thousands of insights into the origins, history, and current interpretations of a wealth of Jewish traditions and customs. Divided into four sections--Synagogue and Prayers, Sabbaths and Festivals, Life-Cycle Events, and Miscellaneous (a large section that includes such diverse topics as Jewish literature, food, and plants and animals)--this is an encyclopedic reference for anyone who wants easily accessible, accurate information about all things Jewish. Eisenberg writes for a wide, diversified audience, and is respectful of the range of practices and beliefs within today's American Jewish community--from Orthodox to liberal.
The New Encyclopedia of Judaism
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Winner, The New York Public Library, Best of Reference Award, 2002 New York University Press is proud to announce the return of a valuable resource for both Jewish families and those interested in learning more about the Jewish faith. The New Encyclopedia of Judaism is a comprehensive one-volume encyclopedia that accessibly presents every aspect of the Jewish religion and represents current thinking among scholars in the Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox movements. The original version of the encyclopedia was selected by the American Library Association as an Outstanding Reference Book. This revised and expanded edition updates the original thousand entries and adds nearly 250 new ones. Magnificently illustrated, it also contains a new introduction, a guide for usage, new illustrations, as well as a new annotated bibliography. Its compilation was overseen by the late Geoffrey Wigoder, best known as the Editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Judaica. The articles cover a vast spectrum of topics. There are biographical entries on biblical figures, rabbis, and others whose thoughts and actions have influenced the development of Judaism. Also included are dozens of insightful commentaries on specific prayers. Issues of particular contemporary interest are given special attention, as are women's roles, with a separate entry on the feminist movement and new biographical entries on figures ranging from Miriam and Deborah to Blu Greenberg and Suzannah Heschel. Particularly emphasized are the customs and folk traditions of Jewish outposts the world over. Authoritative and accessible, The New Encyclopedia of Judaism fulfills the promise of the first edition and serves as a standard one-volume Jewish reference work for the new millennium. It is an ideal reference for every Jewish household and synagogue library.
The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion
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This comprehensive dictionary of the Jewish religion contains nearly 2,400 alphabetically arranged entries ranging from short definitions to lengthy essays on major topics. It is the most accessible and complete one-volume resource available for information on the concepts, beliefs, and practices of historical and contemporary Jewish religious practice. The combined effort of Israeli, American, and European scholars, this dictionary reflects the great variety of Jewish religious expression, from the traditional approaches to such recent variations as Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist Judaism. It covers all aspects of Jewish practice, law, and theology as expressed in the Bible and the Talmud and by philosophers throughout history. The work also includes biographical sketches of important personalities associated with the development of the Jewish religion over the centuries, articles on the mystical tradition and folklore, and entries addressing the more recent religious issues posed by the existence of the State of Israel. Whether brief definitions, historical sketches, or explanatory essays, all entries in the dictionary are clearly and concisely written. All Hebrew words and phrases are defined for students and general readers. Numerous cross- references within the text are designed to lead users to entries on related subjects, and useful bibliographies are provided as aids to further reading and research. Offering comprehensive coverage in an easy-to-use format, The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion is the ideal introduction to the Jewish religion and an indispensable resource for students, scholars, and general readers.
