Kategoria BISAC: Religion >> Judaism - Theology

-Despite the obvious contradictions, complexity, and apparent randomness that assault any human being day after day, everything is somehow nevertheless connected, orchestrated. The universe is filled with meaning....

In Jewish mysticism, the river is a metaphor for the Holy Oneness that unifies all creation. Just imagine it: a sacred stream, luminous and ubiquitous, a river of light.-
--from the Preface to the Anniversary Edition

This is an invitation to wade into a deeper spiritual consciousness. Taking us step-by-step, Kushner helps us to allow -the river of...

What does it mean to re-vision Torah?

"I use the title ReVisions for this book because I want readers both to revise--in the classic definition of reexamine and alter--and to see the text anew, to have a new vision, a 'revision, ' of Torah.... It begins with the notion that women see the text differently than men do, ask different questions and bring different answers.... This book is not about rewriting the Torah. It is about rereading it."
--from the Introduction

Rabbi Elyse Goldstein--woman, rabbi, scholar, and feminist--challenges and defends,...

The new Jewish spirituality lies somewhere between God's elusive presence in our world and our search for authentic language to describe it. Personal journeys seldom have a clear beginning, and they rarely have a definite end. If there is an end to our journey, surely it is one that leads to some measure of wisdom, and thence back to its own beginning. But somewhere along the way, we come to realize that we must know where we have been going, why we have been going. Most of all, we come to understand as best we can the One who sends us on our way. --from the Introduction Rabbi Arthur Green...

Let the Ten Commandments command your imagination ... and enrich your life.

When the Holy One gave the Torah, no bird chirped, no fowl flew, no ox lowed, not one angel stirred its wing or sang its song. The sea did not roar, creatures did not speak--the whole world was hushed into breathless silence; it was then that the voice went forth: "I am the Lord your God...."
--Exodus Rabba 29:9

Even people who claim not to be "religious" will generally maintain that they do observe the Ten Commandments. Why is it that these ten statements, thousands of years old, continue...

The intellectual legacy of one of the twentieth century's greatest religious thinkers--explained by a leading theologian of our day.

"It is only through experiencing the contradictions in human existence, through being overwhelmed by the divine presence, through the finite human being feeling terror-stricken by the infinite majesty of God that one can develop an authentic religious personality."
--David Hartman (From Chapter 6)

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903-1993) profoundly influenced modern Orthodox Judaism in the United States--and Judaism as a...

An accessible introduction to the Jewish understanding of God
throughout history--and today.

The Way Into Encountering God in Judaism is an accessible introduction to the Jewish understanding of God throughout history--and today.

A Probing and Powerful Look at the Role You Play
in Shaping Your Relationship with God

"No matter how hard we look, the God of Israel cannot be seen. Looking is not seeing, and seeing God is not like seeing an apple. It is much more like making a medical diagnosis on the basis of looking at a complex set of symptoms. Each of the symptoms is a dot. We can look at the dots and still miss the pattern."
--from Part I

The Torah is replete with references to hearing God but precious few references to seeing God. Seeing is complicated. What we look for and see are...

Hear the Voices of Ancient Wisdom in the Modern Language of Science

"Ancient traditions, whose only claim to authenticity is that they are old, run the risk of becoming old-fashioned. But if an ancient tradition can claim to be not only ancient but also timeless and contemporary, it has a far greater chance of convincing each new, young generation of its value. Such a claim requires that each generation's retelling use the new metaphors of the new generation."
--from Chapter 1

In our era, we often feel that we can either speak about God or think scientifically...

A challenge to each of us to take personal responsibility for repairing the world.

"We are taught that every one of us is created in the divine image. All of us can be holy through imitating God.... So, you don't have to look around or look away. You don't have to wait for someone to come and do what you were put on this earth to do in the first place. Judaism empowers you, as one of God's anointed ones, to do more than you ever dreamed possible." --from Chapter 1

The coming of the messiah is anticipated by millions of people of many faiths as the ultimate salve for...

A fascinating exploration of the many faces of God and what they reveal about our own humanity.

He was a whole pantheon in Himself.... He constantly appeared in many and ever-changing roles lest He be frozen and converted into the dumb idols He Himself despised. God was a polyvalent personality who, by mirroring to man His many faces, provided the models that man so needed to survive and flourish. This is the true humanity of God.
--from the Introduction

In scholarly but accessible terms, with many startling and controversial insights, renowned Bible...

Can the teachings of Judaism provide a sacred framework for repairing the world?

In this groundbreaking volume, leading rabbis, intellectuals, and activists explore the relationship between Judaism and social justice, drawing on ancient and modern sources of wisdom. The contributors argue that American Jewry must move beyond "mitzvah days" and other occasional service programs, and dedicate itself to systemic change in the United States, Israel, and throughout the world. These provocative essays concentrate on specific justice issues such as eradicating war, global warming,...

A window into the Jewish idea of responsibility to care for the world--written especially for Christians.

The concept of repairing the world (tikkun olam) is an integral part of Jewish life. It helps shape Jewish social and family relationships, and even mandates how Jews should speak to others. But why is it important for Christians to understand this Jewish approach to life? And what kind of impact can understanding this fundamental aspect of Judaism have on Christians seeking to develop a deeper understanding of their own faith?

With insight and wisdom,...

From Judaism's rich history of prophetic justice comes an inspiring call to action.

Why is it that Jews are so involved in causes dedicated to justice, equality, human rights and peace? Are these trends influenced by religion, history, sociology or something else?

In this provocative exploration, Rabbi Sidney Schwarz, founder and president of PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, sheds light on the relationship between Judaism, social justice and the Jewish identity of American Jews. He traces how the idea of justice, as developed in the sacred...

"Avi doesn't only talk the talk, or even walk the walk. He writes the instruction manual. This book shows a way, perhaps not the only way but one indispensable way, of being an activist on behalf of the Jewish people. Read it and learn."
from the Foreword by Alan M. Dershowitz I

n this age of perpetual strife and conflict, we need now more than ever to find out how to be proactive in repairing our broken world. Rabbi Avraham Weiss's provocative and challenging guidebook will show you just that and so much more.

With easy-to-follow steps, accessible explanations of the...