A Letter in the Scroll

A Letter in the Scroll PDF Author: Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 9780743267427
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 276

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Book Description
For too long, Jews have defined themselves in light of the bad things that have happened to them. And it is true that, many times in the course of history, they have been nearly decimated: when the First and Second Temples were destroyed, when the Jews were expelled from Spain, when Hitler proposed his Final Solution. Astoundingly, the Jewish people have survived catastrophe after catastrophe and remained a thriving and vibrant community. The question Rabbi Jonathan Sacks asks is, quite simply: How? How, in the face of such adversity, has Judaism remained and flourished, making a mark on human history out of all proportion to its numbers? Written originally as a wedding gift to his son and daughter-in-law, A Letter in the Scroll is Rabbi Sacks's personal answer to that question, a testimony to the enduring strength of his religion. Tracing the revolutionary series of philosophical and theological ideas that Judaism created -- from covenant to sabbath to formal education -- and showing us how they remain compellingly relevant in our time, Sacks portrays Jewish identity as an honor as well as a duty. The Ba'al Shem Tov, an eighteenth-century rabbi and founder of the Hasidic movement, famously noted that the Jewish people are like a living Torah scroll, and every individual Jew is a letter within it. If a single letter is damaged or missing or incorrectly drawn, a Torah scroll is considered invalid. So too, in Judaism, each individual is considered a crucial part of the people, without whom the entire religion would suffer. Rabbi Sacks uses this metaphor to make a passionate argument in favor of affiliation and practice in our secular times, and invites us to engage in our dynamic and inclusive tradition. Never has a book more eloquently expressed the joys of being a Jew. This is the story of one man's hope for the future -- a future in which the next generation, his children and ours, will happily embrace the beauty of the world's oldest religion.

A Letter in the Scroll

A Letter in the Scroll PDF Author: Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 9780743267427
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 276

Get Book

Book Description
For too long, Jews have defined themselves in light of the bad things that have happened to them. And it is true that, many times in the course of history, they have been nearly decimated: when the First and Second Temples were destroyed, when the Jews were expelled from Spain, when Hitler proposed his Final Solution. Astoundingly, the Jewish people have survived catastrophe after catastrophe and remained a thriving and vibrant community. The question Rabbi Jonathan Sacks asks is, quite simply: How? How, in the face of such adversity, has Judaism remained and flourished, making a mark on human history out of all proportion to its numbers? Written originally as a wedding gift to his son and daughter-in-law, A Letter in the Scroll is Rabbi Sacks's personal answer to that question, a testimony to the enduring strength of his religion. Tracing the revolutionary series of philosophical and theological ideas that Judaism created -- from covenant to sabbath to formal education -- and showing us how they remain compellingly relevant in our time, Sacks portrays Jewish identity as an honor as well as a duty. The Ba'al Shem Tov, an eighteenth-century rabbi and founder of the Hasidic movement, famously noted that the Jewish people are like a living Torah scroll, and every individual Jew is a letter within it. If a single letter is damaged or missing or incorrectly drawn, a Torah scroll is considered invalid. So too, in Judaism, each individual is considered a crucial part of the people, without whom the entire religion would suffer. Rabbi Sacks uses this metaphor to make a passionate argument in favor of affiliation and practice in our secular times, and invites us to engage in our dynamic and inclusive tradition. Never has a book more eloquently expressed the joys of being a Jew. This is the story of one man's hope for the future -- a future in which the next generation, his children and ours, will happily embrace the beauty of the world's oldest religion.

A Letter in the Scroll

A Letter in the Scroll PDF Author: Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0743267427
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 272

Get Book

Book Description
For too long, Jews have defined themselves in light of the bad things that have happened to them. And it is true that, many times in the course of history, they have been nearly decimated: when the First and Second Temples were destroyed, when the Jews were expelled from Spain, when Hitler proposed his Final Solution. Astoundingly, the Jewish people have survived catastrophe after catastrophe and remained a thriving and vibrant community. The question Rabbi Jonathan Sacks asks is, quite simply: How? How, in the face of such adversity, has Judaism remained and flourished, making a mark on human history out of all proportion to its numbers? Written originally as a wedding gift to his son and daughter-in-law, A Letter in the Scroll is Rabbi Sacks's personal answer to that question, a testimony to the enduring strength of his religion. Tracing the revolutionary series of philosophical and theological ideas that Judaism created -- from covenant to sabbath to formal education -- and showing us how they remain compellingly relevant in our time, Sacks portrays Jewish identity as an honor as well as a duty. The Ba'al Shem Tov, an eighteenth-century rabbi and founder of the Hasidic movement, famously noted that the Jewish people are like a living Torah scroll, and every individual Jew is a letter within it. If a single letter is damaged or missing or incorrectly drawn, a Torah scroll is considered invalid. So too, in Judaism, each individual is considered a crucial part of the people, without whom the entire religion would suffer. Rabbi Sacks uses this metaphor to make a passionate argument in favor of affiliation and practice in our secular times, and invites us to engage in our dynamic and inclusive tradition. Never has a book more eloquently expressed the joys of being a Jew. This is the story of one man's hope for the future -- a future in which the next generation, his children and ours, will happily embrace the beauty of the world's oldest religion.

The Letter and the Scroll

The Letter and the Scroll PDF Author: Robin Currie
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 1426205147
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 340

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Book Description
Meticulous, scholarly, yet always accessible, this work examines the discoveries and transformations that have effected biblical interpretations over the centuries and places them into their cultural timeline.

Radical Then, Radical Now

Radical Then, Radical Now PDF Author: Jonathan Sacks
Publisher: Bloomsbury Continuum
ISBN: 9780826473363
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The Jewish People in its very being constitutes a living protest against a world of hatred, violence and war. Radical Then, Radical Now is a powerful testimony to the amazing resilience of the Jewish people who have, through their endurance of four thousand years of persecution and exile, earned a unique place in history. Without land or power, they created an identity for themselves through their shared dreams of freedom, justice, dignity and human rights. Yet far more than Jewish history is contained within the pages of this book. Jonathan Sacks reminds us all of the legacy of those dreams and of our responsibility to our fellow man. He challenges us to build a better world.

A Book of Hebrew Letters

A Book of Hebrew Letters PDF Author: Mark H. Podwal
Publisher: Jason Aronson Incorporated
ISBN: 9780876683170
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 64

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Book Description
The twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet are not considered by the Jewish sages to be merely forms that make up words, but rather the fundamental elements that the Almighty uses to create the world. Throughout the centuries these letters have also served to release a well of Jewish creativity. Their graphic beauty and the rich folklore that surrounds them have inspired generations of Jewish artists to sublime efforts. This collection of drawings is such an achievement. Working in a mode that combines traditional Jewish styles with his own distinctive line and vision, Mark Podwal has conceived this series of twenty-two drawings, each illustrating, in Hebrew alphabetic sequence, a term deriving from Jewish tradition and experience. Thus for aleph, the first letter, the artist has chosen to portray Aleph-Beth (alphabet), a fitting introduction to this Book of Hebrew Letters. Tav, the last letter, is represented by Torah. In between are such pictures as Tallit (prayer shawl) for the letter teth, Megillah (scroll) for mem, and Shalom (peace) for shin. Dr. Mark Podwal has distinguished himself as one of the most creative and inventive Jewish artists of our time. His work appears regularly in The New York Times and has been reproduced in publications here and abroad. Dr. Podwal has also collaborated with Elie Wiesel on many projects, creating the drawings for a number of Mr. Wiesel's books. In addition, the Congressional Gold Medal that President Ronald Reagan presented to Elie Wiesel was designed by Dr. Podwal. The drawings in A Book of Hebrew Letters, accompanied by the artist's calligraphy - and enhanced by his illuminating notes - together form a cluster of visual metaphors that will both delight the eye and intrigue the mind.

Encyclopedia of Jewish American Popular Culture

Encyclopedia of Jewish American Popular Culture PDF Author: Jack Fischel
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0313087342
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 513

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Book Description
This unique encyclopedia chronicles American Jewish popular culture, past and present in music, art, food, religion, literature, and more. Over 150 entries, written by scholars in the field, highlight topics ranging from animation and comics to Hollywood and pop psychology. Without the profound contributions of American Jews, the popular culture we know today would not exist. Where would music be without the music of Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand, humor without Judd Apatow and Jerry Seinfeld, film without Steven Spielberg, literature without Phillip Roth, Broadway without Rodgers and Hammerstein? These are just a few of the artists who broke new ground and changed the face of American popular culture forever. This unique encyclopedia chronicles American Jewish popular culture, past and present in music, art, food, religion, literature, and more. Over 150 entries, written by scholars in the field, highlight topics ranging from animation and comics to Hollywood and pop psychology. Up-to-date coverage and extensive attention to political and social contexts make this encyclopedia is an excellent resource for high school and college students interested in the full range of Jewish popular culture in the United States. Academic and public libraries will also treasure this work as an incomparable guide to our nation's heritage. Illustrations complement the text throughout, and many entries cite works for further reading. The volume closes with a selected, general bibliography of print and electronic sources to encourage further research.

Sofer

Sofer PDF Author: Eric Ray
Publisher: Torah Aura Productions
ISBN: 9780933873988
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 36

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Book Description
A Jewish scribe explains in detail how he shapes the Hebrew letters he uses in transcribing the Torah and how he prepares the scrolls themselves.

Essential Torah

Essential Torah PDF Author: George Robinson
Publisher: Schocken
ISBN: 0805241868
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 621

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Book Description
Whether you are studying the Bible for the first time or you're simply curious about its history and contents, you will find everything you need in this "accessible, well-written handbook to Jewish belief as set forth in the Torah" (The Jerusalem Post). George Robinson, author of the acclaimed Essential Judaism, begins by recounting the various theories of the origins of the Torah and goes on to explain its importance as the core element in Jewish belief and practice. He discusses the basics of Jewish theology and Jewish history as they are derived from the Torah, and he outlines how the Dead Sea Scrolls and other archaeological discoveries have enhanced our understanding of the Bible. He introduces us to the vast literature of biblical commentary, chronicles the evolution of the Torah’s place in the synagogue service, offers an illuminating discussion of women and the Bible, and provides a study guide as a companion for individual or group Bible study. In the book’s centerpiece, Robinson summarizes all fifty-four portions that make up the Torah and gives us a brilliant distillation of two thousand years of biblical commentaries—from the rabbis of the Mishnah and the Talmud to medieval commentators such as Rashi, Maimonides, and ibn Ezra to contemporary scholars such as Nahum Sarna, Nechama Leibowitz, Robert Alter, and Everett Fox. This extraordinary volume—which includes a listing of the Torah reading cycles, a Bible time line, glossaries of terms and biblical commentators, and a bibliography—will stand as the essential sourcebook on the Torah for years to come.

My Very Own Letter

My Very Own Letter PDF Author: Zalmy Hecht
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781929628896
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 20

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Book Description
Some mitzvos are done daily, some weekly, and others, once a year. But this inspiring picture book for young children focuses on a mitzvah that can be fulfilled once in a lifetime!"When I was a baby, so cute and so small,I got a great gift, the most special of all!Can you guess what it was? What could my gift be?"Each and every Jew is charged with writing a Sefer Torah. It is a mitzvah obligation to this very day, and something that even a young child can accomplish by owning one letter in a Sefer Torah. What an excitement and love of Torah this cultivates! What better way to unite all Jews and to embrace their participation this precious mitzvah?The young brother and sister in the book are so proud of having one holy letter of their own, and a certificate that tells them the Parsha in which their letter is found. Beautiful, action-packed illustrations bring the characters to life!

Secrets of the Cave of Letters

Secrets of the Cave of Letters PDF Author: Richard A. Freund
Publisher: Humanities Press International
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
One of the most spectacular archaeological discoveries In Israel took place in 1960 when the legendary Yigael Yadin excavated a cave in the Dead Sea area subsequently called the "Cave of Letters." The cave contained the largest cache of ancient personal correspondence and documents ever uncovered in Israel.