Rabbi Israel Salanter was arguably the most influential leader of nineteenth century non-Hasidic Orthodox Judaism. This book is a carefully researched biography and a detailed analysis of his thought and his religious-ethical program to revitalize Judaism. Salanter was a renowned Talmudic genius who, troubled by the breakdown of Orthodox Judaism in nineteenth century Eastern Europe, sought to reform the Jewish world from which he emerged. He introduced an ethical curriculum to fight corruption, spiritual malaise and non-religious forces, a program that still retains impact today. However, these reform measures were initially met with great resistance from the very rabbinic elite of which he was a respected member. Rabbi Israel fought the battle for Musar, as his innovations were called, by founding Talmudic academies and preaching to the masses. His difficult ethical program grew successful as his disciples began founding their own academies and experimenting with derivative Musar methods. As Rabbi Israel's influence grew in Eastern Europe, he left his native lands and traveled to very disparate regions of Western Europe. This book, an adaptation of the author's doctoral dissertation and originally published in 1953, follows Rabbi Israel's life through his travels and documents the successes of his students in his absence. Biographies of some of his most important disciples, such as Rabbi Isaac Blaser, Rabbi Jacob Joseph and Rabbi Joseph Yoizel Horowitz, complete the book's portrayal of Rabbi Israel's lasting legacy.

Israel Salanter: Religious Ethical Thinker, the Story of a Religious-ethical Current in Nineteenth Century Judaism

History

Glenn, Menahem G.

World

Yashar Books Inc

In an effort to respond to the baseless criticism that Jewish law is overly pre- occupied with religious ritual at the expense of issues having to do with interpersonal relationships, Daniel Z. Feldman presents readers with a detailed exploration of the vast attention that the masters of Jewish thought have given to relations between and among individuals. This book is not a legal guide to interpersonal relationships in Jewish life, nor is it a volume of moral exhortation. Rather, Rabbi Feldman aims to convey the importance of his subject bye exhibiting its hallowed place within the structure of Jewish and within the analysis that interpersonal relationships have been given among the giants in the field of Jewish thought. 
Fourteen topics that impact relationships between people are discussed in detail. Among those issues are the prohibitions of humiliation, derogatory nicknames, taking revenge, raising a hand in violence, and the mandates toward peace, love, truth, and generous judgment. For each of these topics, a detailed overview of the discussions found in Jewish classical literature is provided within a conceptual framework that addresses the nature of the relevant concepts involved. 
The author writes, "It is hoped that those who have felt that Jewish law does not sufficiently address these concerns will find the opposite to be the case, and that those who consider these issues to be outside of the realm of obligatory behavior will be convinced otherwise."

The Right And the Good: Halakhah And Human Relations

Politics & Social Sciences

Feldman, Daniel Z.

Philosophy

Long acknowledged as one of the landmarks in Rabbinic scholarship, this work is being republished in English for the first time in over forty years, more than 150 years since the work's original publication in Hebrew. The Student's Guide Through The Talmud dates from the illustrious author's later years and in it he attempts to formulate the nature, extent and authority of tradition. Like the Talmud itself, this book bears a two-fold character and deals with both the Halachah, the legal aspects of the Talmud, and the Aggadah, the non-legal portions. Presenting his analysis with the experience and insight of a world-renowned talmudic scholar, R. Chajes imparts a detailed history and classification of the Talmud and its underlying oral tradition. He presents rational explanations for many of the seemingly irrational statements of the Talmud, describing the methodologies utilized and the rationales behind them. The translator has added extensive footnotes that explain the author's voluminous talmudic citations so that even a novice will be able to follow the work. After completing this book, a reader will have gained insight into the inner workings of the Talmud and an understanding of the history and methodologies of the Oral Torah.

The Students' Guide Through the Talmud

Religion & Spirituality

Zevi Hirsch Chajes

Judaism

Man and Beast presents a comprehensive Jewish perspective on our relationship with the animal kingdom. From the blessings to be recited when visiting the zoo, to understanding what exactly sets us apart from animals, to the issues involved in keeping pets - an entire framework is presented.

Man And Beast: Our Relationships With Animals in Jewish Law And Thought

Slifkin, Natan

Moral Issues Of The Marketplace In Jewish Law

"A striking combination of the wisdom of Jewish law and modern economics. In an age of business scandals and claims that universities neglect instilling moral values in their students, this extraordinary book serves a worthy purpose." —Dr. Dennis Carlton, Professor of Economics, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business; Co-editor, The Journal of Law & Economics ". . . Through his mastery of many disciplines, Rabbi Levine presents a Living Torah which gives constant direction through the vicissitudes of life. This exemplifies a genuine Sanctification of G-d's name [Kiddush Hashem]." —Rabbi David Cohen, Rav of Congregation Gvul Yaabetz and Ohel Foster Homes

Moral Issues of the Marketplace in Jewish Law

Levine, Aaron

Ethics & Professional Responsibility

My Yeshiva College: 75 Years of Memories celebrates the past seventy-years of Yeshiva College, written from the perspective of former students and faculty members, many of whom still teach at and are involved with Yeshiva today. The volume follows the course of the College's history, beginning with the nascent years under founder and first president Rabbi Dr. Bernard Revel, into the years of rapid growth under Rabbi Dr. Samuel Belkin, and into the last two and half decades of leadership under Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm.

My Yeshiva College: 75 Years of Memories

Americas

SCIENCE Do scientific explanations of phenomena remove the need for a Designer? 
COSMOLOGY How can the scientific account of the development of the universe be reconciled with Genesis? 
EVOLUTION Can Judaism accept the idea that animals and man evolved from lower forms of life via natural selection? 
The Challenge of Creation is a completely revised and vastly expanded edition of The Science Of Torah. That work was widely hailed as the best book of its kind for its honesty and thoroughness of approach. The Challenge of Creation builds upon its approach, covering more issues and in greater depth. Carefully, methodically, and eschewing sensationalistic or dogmatic claims in favor of reasoned analysis, it shows how some of the greatest Jewish thinkers explained Judaism and Genesis in a way that complements modern science rather than conflicts with it. The Challenge of Creation is an invaluable resource for anyone grappling with conflicts between science and religion. It is a profound work that is sure to become a classic. 
With a foreword by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, executive vice president, The Orthodox Union.

The Challenge of Creation: Judaism's Encounter With Science, Cosmology, and Evolution

What divine purpose do the mitzvot, the Biblical commandments, serve? What moral and spiritual goals do the mitzvot envision? The Sefer ha-Hinnukh, one of the principal works in Jewish ethical and halakhic literature, is a primary source for ta'amei ha-mitzvot, the reasons and purpose of the divine commandments in the Torah. A Philosophy of Mitzvot by Rabbi Dr. Gersion Appel sets forth the Hinnukh s objectives and his approach to revealing the religious and ethical meaning of the mitzvot. In his wide-ranging study, the author presents a comprehensive view of Jewish philosophy as developed by the Hinnukh and the classical Jewish philosophers. The Hinnukh emerges in this study as a great educator and moral and religious guide, and his classic work as a treasure-trove of Jewish knowledge, religious inspiration, and brilliant insight in the molding of human character.

A Philosophy of Mitzvot: The Religious and Ethical Principles of Judaism, Their root in Biblical Law and the Judaic Oral Tradition

Appel, Gersion

Unicorns, mermaids, dragons, and phoenixes may feel at home in fantasy literature, but references to these and other mysterious creatures go back much further in history. The Bible, Talmud, and Midrash refer to many such strange creatures. In this beautifully designed and richly illustrated book, Natan Slifkin, the famed "zoo rabbi" and author of Seasons of Life, Nature's Song, and The Challenge of Creation, examines a host of mythic and not so mythic creatures from both their Torah descriptions and modern zoological research, giving us a new perspective on the interface between science, myth, and Torah thought. Greatly expanding on a prior book, Mysterious Creatures, Rabbi Slifkin explores conflicts between the Talmud and science in the context of Torah mysteries of zoology. The Talmud and Midrash discuss a wide range of bizarre creatures, including mermaids, unicorns, griffins, dragons, sea-serpents and phoenixes, as well as strange biological concepts such as spontaneous generation. Sacred Monsters discusses these cases in detail and brings a range of different approaches for understanding them. It is an essential book for any student or educator who has ever struggled with conflicts between the Talmud and science. Strikingly designed, and including extraordinary photographs and illustrations, this is a truly stimulating work. The goal of this book is not merely to persuade readers that the Talmud and Midrash are worthy of their interest. It is important to discuss these creatures for the same reason that the Sages of the Talmud and Torah scholars throughout the ages saw fit to discuss them &amp;emdash; namely, that they are also part of Torah. Torah is not just about history, religious ritual and laws of interpersonal conduct. It is an extremely broad field of study that encompasses many different topics. Some areas of the Torah are more popular or more relevant than others, but we should not neglect the others. The animals of this book are discussed in classical Jewish literature for a variety of reasons. With some, such as the tachash, it is a matter of understanding the construction of the Tabernacle. With others, such as the mermaid, the goal is to clarify a matter of law. And with yet others, such as Leviathan, the point is to convey various theological messages. Furthermore, there is a particular pressing need for a book of this nature. When people encounter references to such creatures in the Talmud, they can be left with anything from gnawing questions to a severe crisis of faith. Did such creatures really exist? Did the Sages of the Talmud really believe in such creatures? What are we to make of it? This book studies the history of the various approaches that have traditionally been taken by Torah scholars in resolving such issues.

Sacred Monsters: Mysterious and Mythical Creatures of Scripture, Talmud and Midrash

Social Sciences

In the Footsteps of the Kuzari is an exciting work that guides readers through Judaism's views on the most pressing philosophical issues of the day. Combining a keen sensitivity to the religious dilemmas of our day with the intellectual rigor of the university, this book serves as an introduction to Jewish philosophy, and unapologetically argues that Judaism presents a coherent and sophisticated worldview that is as relevant today as it has been for millennia. Building on the classic work of Jewish thought, The Kuzari, noted Orthodox thinker Prof. Shalom Rosenberg takes readers through the Jewish views that have been voiced throughout the ages and shows how they can be transformed into a compelling worldview in this post-modern age. Intellectually stimulating and philosophically creative, this important work made large waves when published in Hebrew and is now being offered to the English-reading public. Take a tour through Jewish philosophy over the ages, from the Talmud to Maimonides to Rav Kook and beyond, and learn where the next stage of Jewish thought will take us.

In The Footsteps Of The Kuzari Volume One

Rosenberg, Shalom

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