Spirituality and Law is an in-depth evaluation of martyrdom impulses in Christianity and Judaism. Author Abraham Gross analyzes the spiritual yearning of martyrdom in each religion over a period of 1,500 years, from the 2nd to the 16th century. Special attention is given to the Roman period, 9th century Cordova, and 13th-15th century Franciscans.

This monograph discusses the disagreement within the Jewish community concerning the medieval practice of active martyrdom, including slaughter of children and suicide, from the 11th until the 16th centuries.
It covers the mainly implicit reservations about and objections in Jewish society to this practice. It is suggested that such opinions existed throughout the period when this practice was accepted in halakhic (legal) terms and by the most outstanding Jurists. It is argued that this was the case during the persecutions of the First Crusade in Germany and in the following centuries in...