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Angel not only draws on Jewish traditions and the Bible, but spreads his net over a wide expanse of philosophy and religion from Buddhist and Hindu literature to the work of Kirkegaard, Freud and Kubler-Ross in this study of bereavement, which won the 1988 National Jewish Book Award.
Who were the Sephardic Jews of the Ottoman Empire? What lasting lessons does their spiritual life provide for future generations? “How did the Judeo-Spanish-speaking Jews of the Ottoman Empire manage to achieve spiritual triumph? To answer this question, we need to have a firm understanding of their historical experience.... We need to be aware of the dark, unpleasant elements in their environments; but we also need to see the spiritual, cultural light in their dwellings that imbued their lives with meaning and honor.” —from Chapter 1, “The Inner Life of the Sephardim” In this groundbreaking work, Rabbi Marc Angel explores the teachings, values, attitudes, and cultural patterns that characterized Judeo-Spanish life over the generations and how the Sephardim maintained a strong sense of pride and dignity, even when they lived in difficult political, economic, and social conditions. Along with presenting the historical framework and folklore of Jewish life in the Ottoman Empire, Rabbi Angel focuses on what you can learn from the Sephardic sages and from their folk wisdom that can help you live a stronger, deeper spiritual life.
"This book challenges readers to consider the issues relating to halakhic conversion, and to rethink historic attitudes and policies concerning conversion. Whereas for many centuries conversion to Judaism was relatively rare, in modern times it is a significant phenomenon. This book will enable readers to better understand the phenomenon and to appreciate the need for halakhic conversions."--BOOK JACKET.
A fascinating exploration of biblical texts attributed to the ancient King Solomon—Ecclesiastes, Proverbs and the Song of Songs—and what they teach us about life's meaning and mission, the significance of each human being in the vastness of space and eternity of time, ethics, righteousness, spirituality and our relationship with God.
Over the centuries, Jewish communities throughout the world adopted customs that enhanced and deepened their religious observances. These customs, or minhagim, became powerful elements in the religious consciousness of the Jewish people. It is important to recognize that minhagim are manifestations of a religious worldview, a philosophy of life. They are not merely quaint or picturesque practices, but expressions of a community's way of enhancing the religious experience. A valuable resource for Sephardim and Ashkenazim alike.
A challenging look at two great Jewish philosophers, and what their thinking means to our understanding of God, truth, revelation and reason. Moses Maimonides (1138-1204) is Jewish history's greatest exponent of a rational, philosophically sound Judaism. He strove to reconcile the teachings of the Bible and rabbinic tradition with the principles of Aristotelian philosophy, arguing that religion and philosophy ultimately must arrive at the same truth. Baruch Spinoza (1632-77) is Jewish history's most illustrious "heretic." He believed that truth could be attained through reason alone, and that philosophy and religion were separate domains that could not be reconciled. His critique of the Bible and its teachings caused an intellectual and spiritual upheaval whose effects are still felt today. Rabbi Marc D. Angel discusses major themes in the writings of Maimonides and Spinoza to show us how modern people can deal with religion in an intellectually honest and meaningful way. From Maimonides, we gain insight on how to harmonize traditional religious belief with the dictates of reason. From Spinoza, we gain insight into the intellectual challenges which must be met by modern believers.
Rabbi Benzion Uziel (1880-1953) was one of the leading rabbinic figures of his generation. He served as Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Jaffa and Salonika before becoming the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of the land of Israel (1938), a post he held until his death. This book draws on the various published writings of Rabbi Uziel to present his grand religious worldview. He dealt with issues that are of continuing concern to the Jewish people, such as conversion, halakhah in a modern Jewish state, the role of women in Jewish law, Jewish nationalism, and tolerance.
In the rush to meet the challenges and pressures of life, we don't always allow ourselves the time to contemplate the meaning of our realities. Why are we here? What do we hope to accomplish with our lives? Where are we headed? What is genuinely important? We live in an exciting, fast-paced world that can provide us with many good things. On some level, however, we find ourselves feeling stuck in a rat race that lacks ultimate meaning. This book sheds light on the obstacles of the rat race, stimulates thought about the direction of our lives, and helps us draw on our strengths to get beyond the mundane.
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Rabbis Marc and Hayyim Angel provide an analysis of the teachings of Rabbi Halevy on a wide range of topics: confronting modernity, rabbinic responsibility and authority, Jewish education, governing the Jewish State, and more. Rabbi Halevy was a gentle, thoughtful scholar and a courageous thinker who was not afraid to consider old questions in a new light, and to break new ground in the field of Torah studies.