Jewish Ethics And Jewish Mysticism In Sefer Ha Yashar

It deThis is a survey of the manuscripts and printed editions of Sefer Ha-Yashar, one of the most complex spiritual and religious phenomena in 13th-century Judaism, in which ethics merges with mysticism. It deals with the concept of God, creation and problems of evil, the illustration of man and his soul, and the theme of love and fear of God and Devekut in Sefer Ha-Yashar."

Chapters include "how to believe in God, " "how to deal with the ego, " "how to die, " "how to behave sexually, " and "how to parent."

Jewish Mysticism and Jewish Ethics is a ground-breaking study of an ideological miracle, a tale of seven hundred years of diverse Jewish theological creativity. Many extreme, radical, and even seemingly heretical schools of thought were intergrated into a constructive, traditional Jewish ethics within the framework of Hebrew ethical literature. The ability of Jewish ethics to absorb and sustain conflicting ideas, which originated in schools that fought each other fiercely, presents a fascinating chapter in the history of Jewish ideas.

A new approach introducing Kabbalah as a spiritual Jewish way of living, not merely a religious phenomenon. Argues that the Kabbalistic theme of Creation is the central ingredient in the spiritual teachings of Jewish mysticism.

With insightful commentary, passion and expertise, Rabbis Sherwin and Cohen guide us through selections from classic Jewish ethical literature, offering clear explanations of the historic context of each writing and thoughtful applications of their wisdom on the problems we grapple with today.

This book discusses Ramon Llull (ca. 1232-1316), the Christian missionary, philosopher and mystic, his relations with Jewish contemporaries, and how he integrated Jewish mystical teachings (Kabbalah) into his thought system so as to persuade the Jews to convert. Issues dealt with include Llull's attitude towards the Jews, his knowledge of Kabbalah, his theories regarding the Trinity and Incarnation (the Art), and the impact of his ideas on the Jewish community. The book challenges conventional scholarly opinion regarding Christian knowledge of contemporary Jewish thought and questions the assumption that Christians did not know or use Kabbalah before the Renaissance. Further, it suggests that Lull was well aware of ongoing intellectual and religious controversies within the Jewish community, as well as being the first Christian to acknowledge and appreciate Kabbalah as a tool for conversion.

This new approach introduces Kabbalah as a spiritual Jewish way of living, a practical wisdom for living, creativity and well being, and not merely a religious phenomenon or esoteric theology. Professor Shokek suggests that the Kabbalistic theme of Creation is the central ingredient in the spiritual teachings of Jewish mysticism. He skilfully reveals the core questions that emerge from the wisdom of the Jewish sages, opening up a lively avenue of debate in this increasingly popular area of study.