Maimonides on Teshuvah is a new translation and commentary on The Ways of Repentance, the first comprehensive study of Teshuvah in Jewish literary history. In this work, Maimonides surveys the philosophical, psychological, and practical aspects of repentance. Carefully weaving threads drawn from the rich tapestry of Jewish religious writings, Maimonides describes the theoretical foundations of teshuvah (free will vs. predeterminism, nature vs. nurture, and conceptions of the afterlife) and provides concrete recommendations for readers who yearn for the cleansing power of teshuvah. Dr. Henry Abramson, a specialist in Jewish history and thought, provides a refreshed 21st century translation of this classic work, along with a running contemporary commentary that combines traditional medieval Rabbinic commentary with his personal reflections.
Discovered in the rubble of the Warsaw Ghetto, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira's wartime writings exemplify the faith of Hasidic Jewry under the unimaginable conditions of the Nazi occupation. Published in 1960 under the Hebrew title Aish Kodesh, the notes of Rabbi Shapira's weekly Sabbath sermons and annotations have been studied by pious Hasidim and secular academics alike, seeking his answers to the searing theological questions posed by the war. Why do the righteous suffer? Where was God during the Holocaust? Torah from the Years of Wrath provides a new and essential scholarly contribution by placing Rabbi Shapira's writings in their immediate historical context.
The Kabbalah of Forgiveness is a new translation of the first chapter of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero s classic work Date Palm of Devorah (Tomer Devorah) with a modern commentary by Dr. Henry Abramson. Emerging from the 16th-century Safed Circle, a group of kabbalists working in northern Israel, Date Palm of Devorah earned a rare place in the history of Jewish ethical literature, primarily based on the glorious introductory chapter that discusses the Thirteen Levels of Mercy and how these Divine attributes can be applied in daily life. Steeped in metaphysics and mysticism, Date Palm of Devorah brings the loftiest, most esoteric concepts of Judaism and translates them to the everyday realities of human interaction.
In 1917, Jewish and Ukrainian activists worked to overcome previous mutual antagonism in an independent Ukraine, but the bold experiment ended in terrible failure as anarchic violence swept the countryside.This revised edition of the 1999 printing includes a new Foreword and Afterword by the author. Praise for the First Edition: ""A highly readable book, breaking new ground and attaining a degree of objectivity that might settle most of the thorny issues involved."" The Journal of Modern History ""A landmark book on Ukrainian-Jewish Relations. Nationalities Papers ""A must for scholars and laymen alike."" Shofar ""Abramson s impressive command of Ukrainian and Jewish sources lends itself to a critical shift Association for Jewish Studies Review ""Abramson s book rises above national agendas to provide an objective analysis."" The Russian Review Abramson provides a serious, thoughtful, and carefully worded workfthe most balanced and complete existing account. Kritika
After hours of careful thought, the Yeshiva administration posted a hand-lettered sign outside the cafeteria door.THE YESHIVA PROVIDES FOOD FOR ONE PORTION ONLYNO STUDENT IS PERMITTED TO STAND IN LINE FOR SECOND PORTIONBy the time I finished lunch, I noticed that some student had altered the sign in a subtle, Talmudic manner: THE YESHIVA PROVIDES FOOD FOR ONE PORTION ONLY?NO STUDENT IS PERMITTED TO STAND IN LINE FOR SECOND PORTION.The Sea of Talmud is a brief introduction to the Talmud, viewed from the perspective of a newcomer to the world of the Yeshiva. Intended for readers with little background to the historical development of the Talmud and its relevance for Jewish observance, The Sea of Talmud hopes to inspire readers with the beauty and glory of traditional Yeshiva study.
After hours of careful thought, the Yeshiva administration posted a hand-lettered sign outside the cafeteria door.THE YESHIVA PROVIDES FOOD FOR ONE PORTION ONLYNO STUDENT IS PERMITTED TO STAND IN LINE FOR SECOND PORTIONBy the time I finished lunch, I noticed that some student had altered the sign in a subtle, Talmudic manner: THE YESHIVA PROVIDES FOOD FOR ONE PORTION ONLY?NO! STUDENT IS PERMITTED TO STAND IN LINE FOR SECOND PORTION.The Sea of Talmud is a brief introduction to the Talmud, viewed from the perspective of a newcomer to the world of the Yeshiva. Intended for readers with little background to the historical development of the Talmud and its relevance for Jewish observance, The Sea of Talmud hopes to inspire readers with the beauty and glory of traditional Yeshiva study.
Discovered in the rubble of the Warsaw Ghetto, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira's wartime writings exemplify the faith of Hasidic Jewry under the unimaginable conditions of the Nazi occupation. Published in 1960 under the Hebrew title Aish Kodesh, the notes of Rabbi Shapira's weekly Sabbath sermons and annotations have been studied by pious Hasidim and secular academics alike, seeking his answers to the searing theological questions posed by the war. Why do the righteous suffer? Where was God during the Holocaust?Torah from the Years of Wrath provides a new and essential scholarly contribution by placing Rabbi Shapira's writings in their immediate historical context. Using a wide variety of primary sources, Abramson situates the sermons within the daily experience of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, demonstrating that Rabbi Shapira's often enigmatic discourses contained veiled messages-opaque to later readers, but readily understood by his congregants at the time-that related directly to the traumatic events endured by his Hasidim. Abramson's reconstruction of the micro-history of the Ghetto reveals that Rabbi Shapira's work represents a sustained act of spiritual heroism, helping his followers place their individual tragedies within the cosmic meta-history of the Jewish people, as expressed in the Torah itself. Torah from the Years of Wrath provides a new and essential scholarly contribution by placing Rabbi Shapira's writings in their immediate historical context. Using a wide variety of primary sources in Yiddish, Hebrew, Polish and German, Abramson situates the sermons within the daily experience of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, demonstrating that Rabbi Shapira's often enigmatic discourses contained veiled messages-opaque to later readers, but readily understood by his congregants at the time-that related directly to the traumatic events endured by his Hasidim. Abramson's reconstruction of the micro-history of the Ghetto reveals that Rabbi Shapira's work represents a sustained act of spiritual heroism, helping his followers place their individual tragedies within the cosmic meta-history of the Jewish people, as expressed in the Torah itself."Extraordinary." Rabbi Moshe Weinberger"A groundbreaking study, a great achievement and a major contribution." Dr. Daniel Reiser
After the fall of the Russian Empire, Jewish and Ukrainian activists worked to overcome previous mutual antagonism by creating a Ministry of Jewish Affairs within the new Ukrainian state and taking other measures to satisfy the national aspirations of Jews and other non-Ukrainians. This bold experiment ended in terrible failure as anarchic violence swept the countryside amidst civil war and foreign intervention. Pogromist attacks resulted in the worst massacres of Jews in Europe in almost three hundred years. Some 40 percent of these pogroms were perpetrated by troops ostensibly loyal to the very government that was simultaneously extending unprecedented civil rights to the Jewish population. Henry Abramson explores this paradox and sheds new light on the relationship between the various Ukrainian governments and the communal violence, focusing especially on the role of Symon Petliura, the Ukrainian leader later assassinated by a Jew claiming revenge for the pogroms. A Prayer for the Government treats a crucial period of Ukrainian and Jewish history, and is also a case study of ethnic violence in emerging political entities. This revised edition contains a new Foreword and Afterword by the author.
LARGE PRINT EDITION. The Kabbalah of Forgiveness is a new translation of the first chapter of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero's classic work Date Palm of Devorah (Tomer Devorah) with a modern commentary by Dr. Henry Abramson. Emerging from the 16th-century Safed Circle, a group of kabbalists working in northern Israel, Date Palm of Devorah earned a rare place in the history of Jewish ethical literature, primarily based on the glorious introductory chapter that discusses the Thirteen Levels of Mercy and how these Divine attributes can be applied in daily life. Steeped in metaphysics and mysticism, Date Palm of Devorah brings the loftiest, most esoteric concepts of Judaism and translates them to the everyday realities of human interaction.
The Kabbalah of Forgiveness is a new translation of the first chapter of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero's classic work Date Palm of Devorah (Tomer Devorah) with a modern commentary by Dr. Henry Abramson. Emerging from the 16th-century Safed Circle, a group of kabbalists working in northern Israel, Date Palm of Devorah earned a rare place in the history of Jewish ethical literature, primarily based on the glorious introductory chapter that discusses the Thirteen Levels of Mercy and how these Divine attributes can be applied in daily life. Steeped in metaphysics and mysticism, Date Palm of Devorah brings the loftiest, most esoteric concepts of Judaism and translates them to the everyday realities of human interaction. The profound value of this work for personal moral development prompted many renowned scholars to exempt it from the ban on the study of Kabbalah for students under the age of 40. The 17th-century Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz (known as the Shela ha-Kodesh) advocated its study in particular during the period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and Rabbi Israel Salanter (the 19th-century founder of the Musar movement) promoted its study during the preceding month of Elul as well. The Hasidic Rabbi Chaim Halberstam (known as the Divrei Chaim) asserted that studying Date Palm of Devorah has the power to cure many diseases, and today many pious students review the book on a monthly basis to address both physical and spiritual ailments.The Kabbalah of Forgiveness is an extended meditation of Thirteen Levels of forgiveness, exploring how we may emulate God to forgive others, and in some cases, to forgive ourselves as well.
