Talmud Torah Ways to God's Presence through Learning: An Exercise in Practical Theology

by Neusner, Jacob

• ISBN13: 9780761821762
• ISBN10: 0761821767
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-01-30
• Publisher: UPA
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Summary

This is a work of practical theology, a book not about Judaism but of Judaism. Talmud Torah does two things. First, in its pages, which highlight representative sources of the Oral Torah of Judaism, readers study about studying the Torah, which Rabbinic Judaism put forth as the way to God's presence. Second, text by text, readers find that they study Torah everywhere, following the Torah that was set forth by the masters of the normative writings of Rabbinic Judaism. The focus throughout is on text-study, which makes possible both studying about the Torah and the concrete act of studying Torah.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Introduction: Why Did I Write This Book, and For Whom?	ix
Meeting God in the Torah: The Tradition of Sinai	1	(10)
Meeting God in Torah-Study	11	(10)
What Is the Torah's Main Point?	21	(12)
What Do We Mean by ``Torah''?	33	(10)
Values: What Does the Torah Value?	43	(16)
The Torah and Israel, God's First Love	59	(12)
Meeting God in the Torah: The Encounter in History	71	(14)
Meeting God in the Torah: The Encounter in Love	85	(18)
Epilogue: What Now?	103	(4)
Appendix: The Classical Books of the Oral Torah	107