The Blackwell Reader in Judaism

by Neusner, Jacob; Avery-Peck, Alan

• ISBN13: 9780631207375
• ISBN10: 0631207376
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-02-08
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

The Blackwell Reader in Judaism introduces Judaism in its own words, affording readers a direct encounter with this ancient and enduring faith.

Author Biography

Jacob Neusner is Research Professor of Religion and Theology at Bard College. He has nine honorary degrees, fourteen academic medals and has published more than 800 books.

Alan J. Avery-Peck is Kraft-Hiatt Professor in Judaic Studies at The College of the Holy Cross. His has published widely and is editor of the journal The Annual of Rabbinic Judaism: Ancient, Medieval and Modern.

Table of Contents

List of Contributors	xii
Preface	xvi
Acknowledgments	xxii
Part I The History of Judaism	1	(156)
Defining Judaism	3	(16)
Jacob Neusner
``Judaism: The Religion, Philosophy, and Way of Life of the Jews''	3	(5)
Louis Jacobs
``Old Habits Die Hard: Judaism in the Encyclopaedia of Religion''	8	(11)
William Scott Green
The Religious World of Ancient Israel to 586	19	(12)
Marvin A. Sweeney
Genesis 15:1-21	19	(1)
Exodus 13:1-16	20	(1)
Exodus 15:1-21	21	(1)
Exodus 20:1-14	22	(1)
Deuteronomy 15:1-18	23	(1)
Deuteronomy 16:1-17	24	(1)
2 Samuel 6:1-19	25	(1)
2 Samuel 7:1-16	26	(1)
Isaiah 11:1-16	27	(1)
Jeremiah 7:1-20	28	(1)
Psalm 19	29	(1)
Psalm 132	30	(1)
Judaism and the Hebrew Scriptures	31	(11)
Philip R. Davies
The Habakkuk Pesher from Qumran (1QpHab), cols. 7-9	31	(2)
Antiquities 1:13 (222-236)	33	(2)
Josephus
On the Migration of Abraham 1-5 (1-25)	35	(4)
Philo
Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Genesis 4	39	(3)
Second Temple Judaism	42	(18)
Frederick J. Murphy
Ezra and Nehemiah	42	(3)
Haggai and Zechariah	45	(2)
Daniel	47	(2)
1 Maccabees	49	(3)
2 Maccabees	52	(2)
The Psalms of Solomon	54	(1)
Josephus	55	(3)
4 Ezra	58	(2)
The Formation of Rabbinic Judaism, 70-640 ce	60	(13)
Gunter Stemberger
B. Git. 56a-b: Yohanan ben Zakkai's Escape from Jerusalem	60	(2)
M. Abot 1:1-18: The Chain of Tradition	62	(1)
Y. Peah 2:6, 17a: Written and Oral Torah	63	(2)
Y. Sanhedrin 1:2, 19a: The Ordination of Rabbis	65	(1)
Y. Yebamot 12:6, 13a: Rabbis in the Service of the Community	66	(1)
Leviticus Rabbah 13:5: The Four Kingdoms	67	(3)
B. Baba Qamma 83b-84b: Biblical Foundation of the Mishnah	70	(3)
The Canon of Rabbinic Judaism: The Mishnah and the Midrash	73	(13)
Jacob Neusner
The Mishnah	73	(2)
Martin Jaffee, How the Mishnah Makes a Theological Statement: Mishnah Ma'aserot Chapter One	75	(4)
The Midrash: Genesis Rabbah: The Rules of History Set Forth by Revelation	79	(7)
Judaism and Christianity in the Formative Age	86	(15)
Bruce Chilton
Matthew 12	86	(2)
Thomas (sayings 79-85)	88	(1)
Galatians 2	88	(2)
Hebrews 9	90	(1)
Justin, The First Apology 1-3	91	(1)
Clement of Alexandria, Paidagogos 6.32-6.35	92	(2)
Origen, On First Principles 2.11.2-4	94	(2)
Eusebius, History of the Church 8.8.1-8.9.6	96	(2)
Augustine, The City of God 22.14-22.15	98	(3)
Judaism in the Muslim World	101	(13)
Sara Reguer
A Late Twelfth Century Curriculum of Advanced Study: Joseph b. Judah ibn `Aqnin, Tibb al-Nufus	101	(4)
Maimonides' Philosophy: Introduction to The Guide of the Perplexed	105	(9)
Judaism in Christendom	114	(14)
David R. Carr
Solomon ben Isaac on Forced Conversion	114	(1)
Judah ha-Levi: Poem on Return to Zion	115	(1)
Moses ibn Ezra: Poem on Worldliness	115	(1)
Moses ben Nahman: The Disputation at Barcelona	116	(1)
Solomon bar Simson on the Mainz Martyrs	117	(1)
Abraham ibn Daud of Toledo on Samuel ha-Nagid	118	(1)
Maimonides regarding a Hebrew Translation of Guide of the Perplexed	118	(1)
Judah ibn Tibbon on Education	119	(2)
Joseph ibn Caspi on Education and Philosophy (1332)	121	(1)
Solomon ben Isaac's Exegesis of Torah (1105)	121	(1)
Testament of Eleazar of Mayence on Piety and Charity (ca. 1357)	122	(1)
Maimonides on Law	123	(1)
Maimonides on Art and Idolatry	124	(1)
Solomon ben Adret on Faith and Reason (Second Half of the Thirteenth Century)	124	(1)
Solomon ben Adret's Ban on Study of Philosophy by Youths (1305)	125	(1)
The Book of Splendor (The Zohar) (1286)	126	(1)
Wisdom of the Chaldeans	126	(2)
Philosophy in Judaism: Two Stances	128	(17)
S. Daniel Breslauer
Philosophy Is Judaism; Judaism Is Philosophy	128	(1)
Flavius Josephus
Philosophy is Alien to Judaism	129	(2)
Flavius Josephus
Jewish Philosophy in the Past but Not the Present	131	(1)
Isaac Husik
Philo of Alexandria: Jewish Scripture as Philosophy	132	(3)
Defending Tradition	135	(1)
Saadia Gaon
The Special Function of the Jews	136	(2)
Judah Halevi
The Philosophical Function of Judaism	138	(1)
Maimonides
A Modern Critique of Judaism	139	(2)
Baruch Spinoza
Modern Religion out of the Sources of Judaism	141	(1)
Hermann Cohen
Translating Judaism into Modern Philosophy	142	(3)
Emmanuel Levinas
Jewish Piety	145	(12)
Tzvee Zahavy
Rules for a Bar Mitzvah	146	(1)
Dedication of a House	146	(1)
Laws for Visiting the Sick	147	(2)
Laws of Purification (Taharah) and Shrouds	149	(3)
Order of the Wedding Ceremony	152	(5)
Part II The Principal Doctrines of Judaism	157	(58)
The Doctrine of Torah	159	(14)
Jacob Neusner
Warren (Zev) Harvey, ``Torah''	160	(13)
The Doctrine of God	173	(14)
Alan J. Avery-Peck
George Foot Moore, ``God and the World''	173	(14)
The Doctrine of Israel	187	(15)
Jacob Neusner
Israel as Sui Generis in the Mishnah	187	(3)
The Metaphor of the Family, ``Israel''	190	(9)
Genesis Rabbah
Israel as Sui Generis in the Yerushalmi's Theory of Salvation	199	(3)
The Doctrine of Hebrew Language Usage	202	(13)
David H. Aaron
The Mishnah and Tosefta: Translations Are Appropriate	202	(2)
The Talmud: The Language of Liturgy	204	(3)
The Talmud: Torah Language and Colloquial Speech	207	(1)
The Midrashic Literature: The Preference for Hebrew	207	(4)
Mysticism: The Power of Individual Letters	211	(4)
Part III Modern and Contemporary Judaisms	215	(70)
Reform Judaism	217	(15)
Dana Evan Kaplan
``A Liberal Jewish Approach to Ritual''	217	(3)
Eugene B. Borowitz
``Standards Now''	220	(2)
Walter Jacob
``Moses, Too, Was Once a Marginal Jew''	222	(3)
Eric Yoffie
``Rabbinic Officiation and Mixed Marriage Revisited''	225	(2)
Henry Cohen
A Statement of Principles for Reform Judaism	227	(5)
Orthodox Judaism	232	(24)
Benjamin Brown
Rabbi Moshe Sofer (The Hatam Sofer): A Testament	232	(2)
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, ``Emancipation''	234	(3)
Rabbi Avraham Isaac ha-Cohen Kook on the Unity of Contradiction	237	(2)
Rabbi A. Y. Kook on Ideological Diversity and Unity	239	(2)
Rabbi A. Y. Kook on Secular Zionist Idealism	241	(3)
Rabbi Avraham Yesha'ayahu Karelitz on Israel as a New Torah Center	244	(1)
Rabbi Avraham Yesha'ayahu Karelitz on Extremism	245	(1)
Rabbi Yoel Teitlbaum of Satmar on the Holocaust as Divine Punishment	246	(1)
Rabbi Joseph Baer Soloveitchik on the Objectivity of Halakha	247	(4)
Rabbi Menahem Mendl Schneerssohn of Lubavitch	251	(2)
Yesha'ayahu Leibowitz on Science and Jewish Religion	253	(3)
Conservative Judaism: The Struggle between Ideology and Popularity	256	(12)
Daniel Gordis
Emet Ve-Emunah - A Statement of Principles	256	(4)
A Responsum on Sabbath Observance	260	(2)
Faculty Paper Urging the Ordination of Women	262	(4)
Joel Roth
Position Paper on Homosexuality and Sexual Ethics	266	(2)
Elliot Dorff
New Age Judaism	268	(17)
Jeffrey K. Salkin
``On the New Jewish Spirituality''	268	(3)
Neil Gillman
``Judaism for the Post-Modern Era''	271	(6)
Arthur Green
``What Is Spirituality, Anyway?''	277	(3)
Jeffrey K. Salkin
``Is Jewish Renewal Good for the Jews?''	280	(5)
Jack Moline
Part IV Special Topics in Understanding Judaism	285	(147)
Ethics of Judaism Elliot	287	(29)
N. Dorff
Jewish Ethics: Aaron L. Mackler, ``Cases and Principles in Jewish Bioethics: Toward a Holistic Model''	287	(19)
Jewish Morality: Seymour Siegel, ``A Jewish View of Economic Justice''	306	(10)
Women in Contemporary Judaism	316	(17)
Judith R. Baskin
The Voice of Sarah: Feminine Spirituality and Traditional Judaism	316	(2)
Tamar Frankiel
``Introduction of New Blessings''	318	(2)
Marcia Falk
``Healing After a Miscarriage'' and ``We All Stood Together''	320	(2)
Merle Feld
``Re-Visioning Sarah: A Midrash on Genesis 22''	322	(1)
Ellen M. Umansky
``On Tefillin''	323	(3)
Susan Grossman
Standing Again at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist Perspective	326	(3)
Judith Plaskow
Engendering Judaism: An Inclusive Theology and Ethics	329	(4)
Rachel Adler
Judaism as a Theopolitical Phenomenon	333	(30)
Daniel J. Elazar
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws: Congregation Kehillat Jeshurun, New York (1972)	333	(11)
Constitution and Bylaws of Monmouth Reform Temple, Monmouth, New Jersey (1988)	344	(14)
The Covenant of Petah Tikva (1878)	358	(1)
The Scroll of Independence of the State of Israel (1948)	359	(4)
Theology in Contemporary Judaism	363	(15)
Neil Gillman
Renewing the Covenant: A Theology for the Postmodern Jew	363	(1)
Eugene Borowitz
Quest for Past and Future	364	(1)
Emil Fackenheim
Sacred Fragments	365	(1)
Neil Gillman
Seek My Face, Speak My Name	366	(1)
Arthur Green
``Voluntary Covenant''	367	(1)
Irving Greenberg
A Living Covenant	368	(1)
David Hartman
Judaism and Modern Man - God	368	(1)
Will Herberg
Judaism and Modern Man - Faith	369	(1)
Will Herberg
God in Search of Man	370	(2)
Abraham Joshua Heschel
Questions Jews Ask: Reconstructionist Answers	372	(1)
Mordecai Kaplan
``The Builders: Concerning the Law''	373	(1)
Franz Rosenzweig
in The Condition of Jewish Belief	374	(1)
Richard Rubenstein
Evil and the Morality of God	375	(1)
Harold M. Schulweis
The Body of Faith: God in the People Israel	376	(2)
Michael Wyschogrod
Secular Forms of Jewishness	378	(19)
Paul Mendes-Flohr
``Wrecking and Building''	378	(3)
Michah Joseph Berdichevski
``Apologia Contra Rabbines''	381	(13)
Ben Halpern
``The Faith of Secular Jews''	394	(3)
Yaakov Malkin
Judaism and Zionism	397	(14)
Yosef Gorny
``The Future of the Jews: A People at the Crossroads?''	398	(1)
David Vital
``Exile - Abstract Condition and Concrete Community''	399	(1)
Ben Halpern
``The Present-Day Relationship''	400	(1)
Nathan Rotenstreich
``Israel - A Normative Value of Jewish Existence''	401	(2)
Shlomo Avineri
``Making Israel a Light unto the Nations: Conservative Zionism Reconsidered''	403	(1)
Ismar Schorsch
``What Is Reform Religious Zionism?''	404	(1)
Eugene B. Borowitz
``Survival, Normalcy, Modernity''	405	(2)
Isadore Twersky
``Zionism: A New Course Needed''	407	(1)
Henry L. Feingold
``The Major Goal of Zionism Today: To Build the Spiritual Center''	408	(1)
Eliezer Schweid
``The Need for a New Hibbat Zion''	409	(2)
Yosef Gorny
The ``Return'' to Traditional Judaism at the End of the Twentieth Century: Cross-Cultural Comparisons	411	(21)
M. Herbert Danzger
Return: An Unanticipated Development	411	(2)
Religious Authority in Judaism	413	(6)
Action and Study	419	(5)
Why They Return	424	(8)
List of Abbreviations	432	(2)
Index	434