"The Moral Maxims of the Sages of Israel" is a study of the moral maxims of the sages of Israel, who thrived from 300 B.C.E. to 200 C.E., that are contained in the work known as Pirkei Avot, probably the oldest anthology of its kind in literary history. Although the work has been translated from the original Hebrew numerous times, much of it remains inaccessible because of the epigrammatic rather than discursive style of the original, which employs idiomatic expressions, unusual turns of phrase, grammatically awkward constructions, euphemisms, and plays on words that confound even those who...
"The Moral Maxims of the Sages of Israel" is a study of the moral maxims of the sages of Israel, who thrived from 300 B.C.E. to 200 C.E., that are con...
When Congress enacted Social Secuirty in 1935, with the age of retirement set at age 65, average life expectancy was 62 years. By the time Medicare was enacted 30 years later, life expectancy had risen to age 70. Since the enactment of Medicare, life expectancy has risen to age 76 today and may be expected to increase further in the decades to come. Clearly, the increase in post-retirement life expectancy has significant implications for the level of national expenditures attributable to an aging population. One of the approaches suggested as a solution to the so-called income transfer...
When Congress enacted Social Secuirty in 1935, with the age of retirement set at age 65, average life expectancy was 62 years. By the time Medicare...
"The Ten Commandments" is an exploration into the background, meaning, and implications of the Decalogue from a Judaic perspective. Although they have become a universal symbol of Judeo-Christian civilization, it is only within Judaism that the Ten Commandments have a juridical function that goes beyond the mere announcement of a set of key precepts for man and society. In Judaism, the Ten Commandments are considered an epitome of the vast body of biblical legislation, a concise statement of a mere 172 Hebrew words that was presented as a credo that could easily be memorized and serve as a...
"The Ten Commandments" is an exploration into the background, meaning, and implications of the Decalogue from a Judaic perspective. Although they h...
Rabbinic political thinking has a long and comparatively well documented history extending back to the biblical constitution in Deuteronomy. Though rabbinic political theory conventionally remains unrecognized by political scientists, the rise of religiously-based power in Israel demonstrates the effects of such theory when used to guide policy. In providing a rare systematic study of rabbinic political thinking -- as well as a basis for study of how its underlying theory might apply to contemporary political areanas -- "The Judaic State" proves to be valuable material to scholars of...
Rabbinic political thinking has a long and comparatively well documented history extending back to the biblical constitution in Deuteronomy. Though...
The USSR's different spheres of influence each present their own special problems. This is particularly true of areas outside Eastern Europe and areas non-contiguous with the borders of the USSR. Sicker defines and clarifies the two major Soviet perceptions of policy that radically differ from most western perspectives: patience with long-term policy, and the belief that class struggle law is of primary importance, superseding even international law. The first part of the book considers the pattern and process of expansion that has created the USSR's current configuration in Eurasia. The...
The USSR's different spheres of influence each present their own special problems. This is particularly true of areas outside Eastern Europe and ar...
In his provocative analysis of Soviet goals in Southwest Asia, particularly Iran, Sicker argues that Soviet imperialism in this area exhibits a remarkable consistency from tsarist times to the present. Directly challenging prevailing beliefs of diminished Soviet interest in Iran or the Persian Gulf, Sicker asserts that the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, their history of interest in the area, and the region's growing geopolitical significance all enhance the probability of a Soviet move to bring Iran into its sphere of influence. Moreover, Sicker demonstrates Soviet goals in the area...
In his provocative analysis of Soviet goals in Southwest Asia, particularly Iran, Sicker argues that Soviet imperialism in this area exhibits a rem...
Written for students of Middle Eastern politics and other readers who seek to understand why a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict still seems so remote, this book examines how the question of physical security has constituted the most fundamental concern of Israel since the country came into being in 1948. The author's immediate purpose is to provide the reader with the necessary background to understand why Israel has proved reluctant to agree to the numerous peace plans and processes proposed over the years, demonstrating that--at least from the predominant Israeli perspective--each...
Written for students of Middle Eastern politics and other readers who seek to understand why a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict still seems so...
Its existence is a reality of everyday life, yet the notion of the state is not well understood. How did the state originate and what is the source of its authority? This is the primary focus of Martin Sicker's "Genesis of the State." Sicker does not consider this as just another academic question: The citizen's moral obligation to obey the state is intimately related to the legitimacy of the state's authority and the latter depends largely on its sources. This work examines several major approaches to the question of the genesis of political authority that are reflected in the works of a...
Its existence is a reality of everyday life, yet the notion of the state is not well understood. How did the state originate and what is the source...
