This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

In this lively and intellectually engaging book, Galit Hasan-Rokem shows that religion is shaped not only in the halls of theological disputation and institutions of divine study, but also in ordinary events of everyday life. Common aspects of human relations offer a major source for the symbols of religious texts and rituals of late antique Judaism as well as its partner in narrative dialogues, early Christianity, Hasan-Rokem argues. Focusing on the "neighborhood" of the Galilee that is the birthplace of many major religious and cultural developments, this book brings to life the riddles, parables, and folktales passed down in Rabbinic stories from the first half of the first millennium of the Common Era.

Elana Sztokman arrived in Israel in 1993 as a young religious mother wearing a long skirt and a hat covering her hair. Today, nearly 30 years later, after spending years fighting for women's rights in Orthodoxy, writing books about gender in religion, and eventually leaving that world behind, she confronts the personal struggles behind the public persona, revealing the traumas from her past that affected her entire relationship with her body. From two-time winner of the National Jewish Book Council Award comes a refreshing and very personal exploration of cultures of the female body in Jewish life. This collection of essays - marking the 25-year anniversary of her feminist awakening and spanning a diverse career of research, writing, and advocacy around Jewish women's experiences - offers political and personal insights and retrospectives on some of the most burning issues today. Topics include: sexuality, relationships, body-image, body-cover, ritual immersion, fat-shaming, slut-shaming, domestic violence, and sexual abuse. Elana brings her characteristic honesty, courage, wit, and profound insight into her writing, and shares some of her own traumas that set her on a sometimes tortuous life path.

In this book, the outstanding religious historian Joachim Wach offers a profound - investigation into the nature of religious experience. The result of a lifetime of scholarship and reflection, the book represents Professor Wach's efforts to develop and articulate a general framework in which scholars of different disciplines interested in religions, as well as adherents of diverse religious faiths, could understand each other. To construct this framework, he analyzes religious expression in thought (myth, doctrine, and dogma), practice devotion and service), and fellowship (the religious community). ‘The Comparative Study of Religions’ reflects Professor Wach's deep belief that the distance separating East from West, and Christian from Jew and Moslem, could be lessened through a scientific study of religion or, Religionwissenshaft. Professor Wach taught the history of religions throughout his academic career of thirty years at the University of Leipzig, Brown University, and the University of Chicago. At the time of his death in 1952, he was preparing this manuscript. His sister, Frau Susi Heigl Wach, and Professor Joseph M. Kitagawa, with whom Professor Wach was closely associated at the Federated Theological Faculty of the University of Chicago, decided to retain the style and content of the book as much as possible . Professor Kitagawa presents, in the introduction, a brief account of the life and thought of Joach Wach.

THE DIVINE STRUGGLE This is a unique work combining inspired and channelled writings with a challenging interpretation of human history as the product of the Divine Struggle. It describes the creation and evolution of the entire visible cosmos and life on Earth as the product of the dynamic interplay between two antagonistic universal forces. On the one side, the highly conservative force of Love, and on the other the force of Creation through descruction and change. The message contained within this work is one of polarity and balance. Humanity has suffered whenever it has veered to one extreme, and this resulted several thousand years ago in the rise of warlike tribes worshipping the force of destructive Creation exclusively in an effort to conquer the more balanced and richer agricultural civilisations. In the last 200 years the fruits of this bellicose dominance can also be seen in the acceleration of scientific knowledge and highly powerful fire based manipulative technologies. The cost has been a destructive acquisitiveness, obsessive creativity of mass produced industrial artefacts and aggression, which is now threatening humanity and all life on EArth with destruction. The book ends with a challenge to the reader to work towards restoring the balance before it is too late.

"The most important book on Jewish learning of this season, and one of the leading works published within the past few years....The work is a pioneer of its kind, in English as well as in other languages, in so far as it is a 'systematic' study of the subject....All other attempts made hitherto by German and other Jewish scholars at a presentation of Jewish theology have been of a limited scope....Kohler, on the other hand, through writing from the standpoint of the Reformer, does not refrain from giving the viewpoint of Orthodox or Conservative Judaism, which he endeavors to present fairly, howsoever much he disagrees with it....And never does Dr. Kohler better sustain his reputation as a scholar, nor use his vast learning to greater advantage, than in this splendid compendium of Jewish theology....Kohler's work covers the entire range of Jewish theological development, thus justifying its claim that it is a 'systematic' exposition of the subject where other works of a like nature dealt only with a partial survey. A mere glance at the table of contents reveals the immensity of the task performed, while a careful study of the book itself shows that the work is not only all-inclusive and exhaustive, but that it was executed with a charm and grace seldom to be met with in a work of so 'dry' a nature....The book is a truly valuable contribution to the treasure-house of Jewish learning for which its eminent author deserves the gratitude of the Jewish community. It is a book which will be read with pleasure and profit by student and layman alike." -The American Jewish Chronicle "In truth, Dr. Kohler's extended work of Jewish theology, the first of its kind, is an epoch-making contribution not only in the field of Jewish theological study, but also in the larger field of the study of comparative religion. Judging by the many favorable and even enthusiastic criticisms with which the book was received by scholars in the non-Jewish world, we are justified in believing that this work was, and will be instrumental in no small degree in correcting the utterly vicious and false view of Jewish theology, broadcasted in Christian circles.... Father Time often rectifies the encomiastic estimates made of living men so that men who were exalted in their day sink into insignificance and sometimes into oblivion with the passing of those who knew them. In the case of Dr. Kohler, I believe, that we may say, even now, that in the light of his signal and path-finding contributions in the field of Jewish scholarship, his eminence as a scholar in Israel will not be fugitive." -Hebrew Union College Monthly "Of all branches of Jewish study theology was hitherto the most neglected one. While here and there articles were written dealing with certain theological problems, no comprehensive book covering the entire field of Jewish theology and presenting a systematic treatment of the fundamental beliefs and doctrines of Judaism has heretofore appeared. Dr. Kohler's book is the first attempt in this direction....The method of Dr. Kohler in treating the subject of Jewish theology is a very excellent one and should be take as a starting point by future writers on the subject. He divides the subject into three parts God, where all questions relating to God, his nature and relation to the world are discussed; Man, dealing with man's relation to God and the world; and Israel and the Kingdom of God, describing the Jewish Mission and the destiny of Israel in history...The great scholarship displayed in it, the warmth and enthusiasm, the beautiful and simple style...and the zeal and earnestness, as well as the store of knowledge on traditional theology contained in it, will always serve as a source of inspiration to all those who respect earnestness and scholarship no matter how much their opinions may differ from the author's." -The Jewish Forum

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

"Josephus" by Norman Bentwich is a biography that provides a comprehensive and insightful account of the life and works of Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian and scholar from the first century AD. Bentwich delves into Josephus' early years, his experiences during the Jewish-Roman War, and his subsequent collaboration with the Roman Empire. The book explores Josephus' significant contributions to Jewish historiography, particularly his works "The Jewish War" and "Jewish Antiquities," which document the events and culture of ancient Judea. Bentwich analyzes Josephus' writings in the context of his political circumstances, shedding light on his motivations and the challenges he faced as a Jewish leader collaborating with the Romans. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Bentwich paints a vivid picture of Josephus' life, offering readers valuable insights into the political, social, and religious dynamics of ancient Judea. The biography also explores Josephus' controversial reputation among Jews and Christians, his impact on historiography, and his enduring influence on the understanding of Jewish history.

An unabridged edition translated by J. H. Connelly and L. Landsberg from Nicolas Notovitch's 1887 Discovery -

This interpretive study aruges that a trialogue between the three forms of monotheism must be something deeper than merely a meeting of Jewish, Christian and Muslim intellectuals, and that cooperation among them is essential to defend the West against Asian religious nihilism.

In this thought-provoking text, scholar David Margoliouth defends the historical accuracy and reliability of the Bible against its critics. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

In this book, Lombroso explores what happens after death from a scientific and philosophical perspective. He combines his knowledge and research on criminal psychology and spirituality to provide compelling insights on the afterlife. Kennedy's translation captures Lombroso's ideas and makes them accessible to English-speaking readers. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

A major new novel about sex and the citizen by the award-winning author of Being Dead The timid life of actor Felix Dern is uncorrupted by Hollywood, where his success has not yet been shackled with any intrusive fame. But in the theaters and the restaurants of his own city, "Lix" is celebrated and admired for his looks, for his voice, and for his unblemished private life. He has succeeded in courting popularity everywhere, this handsome hero of the left, this charming darling of the right, this ever-twisting weather vane. A perfect life? No, he is blighted. He has been blighted since his teens, for every woman he sleeps with bears his child. So now it is Mouetta's turn. Their baby's due in May. Lix wants to say he feels besieged. Another child? To be so fertile is a curse... In" Genesis, Jim Crace, winner of the National Book Critics' Circle Award and the Whitbread Novel of the Year, charts the sexual history of a loving, baffled man, the sexual emancipation of a city, and the sexual ambiguities of humankind.

Discusses Christianity's rise to power in the 4th century, with concomitant Jewish powerlessness, as decisive factors in forming Torah Judaism, which was the Jewish way of life until the impact of secularism. Ch. 6 (pp. 225-253), "Zionism: Reversion to an Invented Past, " stresses Jewish self-emancipation as a response to the failure of Europe's promise to emancipate the Jews. Zionism called for a Jewish state, where all Jews could live and be free of antisemitism. Claims that history proved that Zionism was right regarding the danger that led to the Holocaust; thus, Zionism increasingly gained adherents, especially after World War II. Ch. 7 (pp. 254-284), "The American Judaism of Holocaust and Redemption, " focuses on the centrality of the "myth" that connects the Holocaust and the State of Israel. Against the background of American antisemitism in the 1930s-40s and the lethal Nazi antisemitism, stresses how third-generation Jewish Americans construct their identity and way of life. American Jews accept their Jewishness, since antisemitism has proved there is no escape from being a Jew. After the Holocaust, American Jews view themselves as being among the "saved" but do not believe they need to make aliyah, as the Zionist response to antisemitism requires. Instead, they busy themselves with sacred activities related to surviving as Jews, especially preserving Israel as a refuge from antisemitism.

The Worship of Augustus Caesar is a book written by Alexander DelMar that explores the cult of Augustus Caesar in ancient Rome. The book delves into the origins of the cult, the rituals and practices associated with it, and the political and social implications of its establishment. DelMar provides a detailed analysis of the ways in which Augustus Caesar's image and power were used to create a sense of unity and loyalty among the Roman people, and how this worship of the emperor became an integral part of Roman society. The book also examines the role of religion in the political and social structures of ancient Rome and the ways in which Augustus Caesar's cult helped to shape these structures. Overall, The Worship of Augustus Caesar offers a fascinating insight into the religious and political landscape of ancient Rome and the enduring legacy of Augustus Caesar's rule.1899. Derived from a study of coins, monuments, calendars, aeras and astronomical and astrological cycles, the whole establishing a new chronology and survey of history and religion. Contents: cycle of the eclipses; ancient year of ten months; Ludi Seculars and Olympiads; astrology of the divine year; Jovian Cycle and worship; various years of the incarnation; aeras; cycles; chronological problems and solutions; Maetho's false chronology; forgeries in stone; the Roman Messiah.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Every work on Jewish thought and law since the twelfth century bears the imprint of Maimonides. A. N. Whitehead's famous dictum that the entire European philosophical tradition 'consists of a series of footnotes to Plato' could equally characterize Maimonides' place in the Jewish tradition. The critical studies in this volume explore how Orthodox rabbis of different orientations--Shlomo Aviner, Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin (Netziv), Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, Joseph Kafih, Abraham Isaac Kook, Aaron Kotler, Joseph Soloveitchik, and Elhanan Wasserman--have read and provided footnotes to Maimonides in the long twentieth century. How well did they really understand Maimonides? And where do their arguments fit in the mainstream debates about him and his works? Each of the seven core chapters examines a particular approach. Some rabbis have tried to liberate themselves from the influence of his ideas. Others have sought to build on those ideas or expand them in ways which Maimonides himself did not pursue, and which he may well not have agreed with. Still others advance patently non-Maimonidean positions, while attributing them to none other than Maimonides. Above all, the essays published here demonstrate that his legacy remains vibrantly alive today.

More than any other topic, prophecy represents the point at which the Divine meets the human, the Absolute meets the relative. How can a human being attain the Word of God? In what manner does God, when conceived as eternal and transcendent, address corporeal, transitory creatures? What happens to God's divine Truth when it is beheld by minds limited in their power to apprehend, and influenced by the intellectual currents of their time and place? How were these issues viewed by the great Jewish philosophers of the past, who took the divine communication and all it entails seriously, while at the same time desired to understand it as much as humanly possible in the course of dealing with a myriad of other issues that occupied their attention? This book offers an in-depth study of prophecy in the thought of seven of the leading medieval Jewish philosophers: R. Saadiah Gaon, R. Judah Halevi, Maimonides, Gersonides, R. Hasdai Crescas, R. Joseph Albo and Baruch Spinoza. It attempts to capture the `original voice' of these thinkers by looking at the intellectual milieus in which they developed their philosophies, and by carefully analyzing their views in their textual contexts. It also deals with the relation between the earlier approaches and the later ones. Overall, this book presents a significant model for narrating the history of an idea.

Text: English, German (translation)

The Greek and Jewish diasporas are the most significant diasporas of Western civilisation. "Homelands and Diasporas" is the first book to explore the similarities and differences between these two experiences. In the process it sheds fascinating light on their fundamental importance for both Greek and Jewish societies. The authors examine Greek and Jewish diasporas throughout history, from classical and Biblical times to the present, and all over the world - in Greece, the Balkans, Turkey, Russia, the Near and Middle East, Spain and the US. They analyse the very nature of diaspora, examining both the Greek concept of noble expansion and the Jewish idea of enforced exile, and analyse community structures as well as social and religious networks, combining Scriptural analysis with cultural and political history. Diaspora is a difficult and emotive concept but "Homelands and Diasporas" offers a balanced and perceptive guide to the connected histories of these two peoples away from their homelands.