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Hasidism, a movement of religious awakening and social reform, originated in the mid-eighteenth century. After two and a half centuries of crisis, upheaval, and renewal, it remains a vibrant way of life and a compelling aspect of Jewish experience. This book explores the profound intellectual and religious issues that the hasidic masters raised in their Torah commentary, and brings to the fore the living qualities of their sermons.
These memories, written by R. Hayyim Simhah Leiner, preface the family history he compiled and first published in 1909. The grandfather of his childhood is Rabbi Yaakov Leiner, whose teachings are the subject of this book. R. Yaakov (1818-1878) was the rebbe and spiritual leader of a community of Hasidim in Izbica and then in Radzyn, located in the Podalski region of Congress Poland for over 24 years ... The discourses and insights he shared throughout his life were gathered by his sons and grandson in four large volumes entitled Beit Yaakov (The House of Jacob.))
In Torah of the Mothers, contemporary women also reflect upon teachers who have personally influenced and inspired them. Rav Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Nechama Leibowitz, of blessed memories, are among the mentors who played, and continue to play, a meaningful role in their lives.
One of the most radically innovative of Hasidic masters, Reb Nahman of Bratslav transformed images and concepts basic to Jewish thought into new and compelling forms. Tradition and Fantasy in the Tales of Reb Nahman of Bratslav uses comparative literary criticism, a range of Hasidic commentary, and original exegesis of the source texts to bring the complex artistry of Reb Nahman's thought to light making it accessible to a wider audience.
Using key features of Ricoeur's narrative theory, this creative Asian re-reading of Moses' reverse migration in Exodus 4: 18-26 charts the way for a multi-dimensional OT hermeneutic which explores the theme of identity formation in light of the liminal experience of migration.
Ada Rapoport-Albert has been a key partner in the profound transformation of the history of hasidism that has taken shape over the past few decades. The essays in this volume show the erudition and creativity of her contribution. Written over a period of forty years, they have been updated with regard to significant detail and to take account of important works of scholarship written after they were originally published.
Provides an introduction to the world of the Kabbalah, focusing on both the Kabbalist as a person and the major teachings of the Kabbalah.
The most powerful Hasidic teachings made accessible—from some of the world's preeminent authorities on Jewish thought and spirituality. "The teachings of Torah, from beginning to end, are read here as a path toward liberation, a way of uplifting your soul and allowing it to journey homeward, back to its Source in the oneness of all being. Or, even better, to discover that oneness right here, in a loving but transformative embrace of both world and self." —from "To the Reader" While Hasidic tales have become widely known to modern audiences, the profound spiritual teachings that stand at the very heart of Hasidism have remained a closed book for all except scholars. This fascinating selec...
The homiletical literature of hasidism is an innovative contribution to the Jewish hermeneutical tradition and an important element of the intellectual and social history of Judaism. In their sermons (derashot), the hasidic masters contemplate the nature and meaning of existence and provide guidance to disciples in their quest for self-transformation. Ora Wiskind-Elper's original study explores 200 years of hasidic commentary, from the Ba'al Shem Tov to Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, placing a hitherto neglected subject on the map of scholarly enquiry. Drawing creatively on contemporary philosophy and literary theory, she paints a portrait of hasidism by reflecting on the purpose and methods of its biblical exegesis. Among her central themes is the role of external historical forces in shaping the hasidic world-view as it is manifested in original interpretations of Torah.
Make Yourself a Teacher is a teaching book and a book about teaching. It discusses three dramatic, well-known stories about the student and teacher Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus from the Oral Torah. The stories of R. Eliezer serve as teaching texts and models for reflection on the teacher/student relationship in the Jewish tradition and in contemporary culture with special emphasis on the hevruta mode of Jewish learning, a collaborative process that invites the reader into a dialogue with teachers past and present. Susan Handelman considers how teacher/student relations sustain and renew the Jewish tradition, especially during troubled times. As a commentary on historical and contemporary educa...