Letters Of Light

As a carpenter employs tools to build a home, so G-d utilized twenty-two letters of the Alef-Bais to form the heaven and earth. They are the metaphorical wood, stone and nails, the cornerposts and crossbeams of our earthly and spiritual existence.In Letters of Light, Rabbi Aaron Raskin explores the essence of these holy letters, and how by their very nature they continue to be a source of creation, reflection, prayer and inspiration in our everyday lives. Each letter is examined in terms of its graphic design, its Gematria and its Hebrew meaning. Rabbi Raskin?s insights are themselves guided by the rich foundation of Chassidus and particularly by the illuminations of Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe. The result is an original and insightful examination of how Torah ? indeed the very letter of the law ? can inform every aspect of our lives, both religious and secular.

Arabic script remains one of the most widely employed writing systems in the world, for Arabic and non-Arabic languages alike. Focusing on naskh—the style most commonly used across the Middle East—Letters of Light traces the evolution of Arabic script from its earliest inscriptions to digital fonts, from calligraphy to print and beyond. J. R. Osborn narrates this storied past for historians of the Islamic and Arab worlds, for students of communication and technology, and for contemporary practitioners. The partnership of reed pen and paper during the tenth century inaugurated a golden age of Arabic writing. The shape and proportions of classical calligraphy known as al-khatt al-mansub were formalized, and variations emerged to suit different types of content. The rise of movable type quickly led to European experiments in printing Arabic texts. Ottoman Turkish printers, more sensitive than their European counterparts to the script’s nuances, adopted movable type more cautiously. Debates about “reforming” Arabic script for print technology persisted into the twentieth century. Arabic script continues to evolve in the digital age. Programmers have adapted it to the international Unicode standard, greatly facilitating Arabic presence online and in word processing. Technology companies are investing considerable resources to facilitate support of Arabic in their products. Professional designers around the world are bringing about a renaissance in the Arabic script community as they reinterpret classical aesthetics and push new boundaries in digital form.

'Letters of Light' is a translation of over ninety passages from a well-known Hasidic text, 'Ma'or va-shemesh', consisting of homilies of Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Krakow, together with a running commentary and analysis by Aryeh Wineman. With remarkable creativity, the Krakow preacher recast biblical episodes and texts through the prism both of the pietistic values of Hasidism, with its accent on the inner life and the Divine innerness of all existence, and of his ongoing wrestling with questions of the primacy of the individual vis-a-vis of the community. The commentary traces the route leading from the Torah text itself through various later sources to the Krakow preacher's own reading of the biblical text, one that often transforms the very tenor ofthe text he was expounding. Though composed almost two centuries ago, 'Ma'or va-shemesh' comprises an impressive spiritual statement, many aspects of which can speak to our own time and its spiritual strivings.

Arabic script is one of the world’s most widely used writing systems, for Arabic and non-Arabic languages alike. J. R. Osborn traces its evolution from the earliest inscriptions to digital fonts, from calligraphy to print and beyond. Students of communication, contemporary practitioners, and historians will find this narrative enlightening.

This collection of essays is a tribute to Rachel Elior’s decades of teaching, scholarship and mentoring. If a Festschrift reflects the individuality of the honoree, then this volume offers insights into the scope of Rachel Elior’s interests and scholarly achievements in the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jewish apocalypticism, magic, and mysticism from the Second Temple period to the later rabbinic and Hekhalot developments. The majority of articles included in the volume deal with Jewish and Christian apocalyptic and mystical texts constituting the core of experiential dimension of these religious traditions.

On April 19, 1973, Rosemarie D'Alessandro's daughter, Joan, said "Goodbye, Mommy," as she ran out the door. Joan was a Brownie Scout, and she was excited about delivering the last two boxes of Girl Scout cookies to a neighbor. Her mother didn't know it would be the last time that she would see her seven-year-old child alive. Her neighbor sexually assaulted and brutally murdered her joyful little girl. The crime stunned the suburban community of Hillsdale, New Jersey, and the entire nation. The emphasis on child safety changed overnight. Rosemarie was numb with grief, but she was able to get some peace and solace by her belief that there was a hopeful message in the significant days Joan was killed and found. Twenty years later, when her killer shockingly had a chance to get out of prison, she started a grassroots movement and the community united together to get over one hundred thousand signatures opposing his parole. Rosemarie saw that laws had to be changed to stop the injustice that her family had to go through. Her efforts led to the passage of five laws on the state and federal level that would help to protect children and give victims more rights. An unimaginable turn of events took place when a man brought her 332 letters that Joan's killer wrote. After he died in 2021, Rosemarie felt free to share all the letters in their entirety, which gives the reader a rare opportunity to see inside the mind of a killer. In this book, The Message of Light amid Letters of Darkness, the letters are included with Rosemarie's summaries and comments, and she tells the parallel story of her life and activism during the time period the letters were written. Her story shows the power of the human spirit as Rosemarie finds a way to make something hopeful out of horrendous tragedy. She perseveres to go for what she believes in despite unexpected obstacles and hardships. She doesn't let hate and animosity take her down, freeing her to go forward and become Joan's voice. Fifty years later, Joan's legacy of hope, justice, and love shines brighter than ever.

Letters of Light is a translation of over ninety passages from a well-known Hasidic text, Ma'or va-shemesh, consisting of homilies of Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Krakow, together with a running commentary and analysis by Aryeh Wineman. With remarkable creativity, the Krakow preacher recast biblical episodes and texts through the prism both of the pietistic values of Hasidism, with its accent on the inner life and the Divine innerness of all existence, and of his ongoing wrestling with questions of the primacy of the individual vis-a-vis that of the community. The commentary traces the route leading from the Torah-text itself through various later sources to the Krakow preacher's own reading of the biblical text, one that often transforms the very tenor of the text he was expounding. Though composed almost two centuries ago, Ma'or va-Shemesh comprises an impressive spiritual statement, many parts of which can speak to our own time and its spiritual strivings.

Hebrew language utilizes an alternate letters in order when contrasted with English language. The Jewish alphabet is frequently called the "alefbet," in light of its initial two letters. The Hebrew letter set comprises twenty-two letters. They are intriguing and captivating to find out about in light of the fact that each letter in the Alefbet contains various implications and imageries.Each letter is a symbol, brimming with numerous and more profound implications, from strict direct significance, to internal otherworldly importance. Understanding the letters gives basic knowledge into the more profound implications of the Torah and the Holy book.The in and out significance of the Hebrew letters goes beyond the sound for which they stand. The letters form the core of the Jewish language and that of the religion.The twenty-two (22) letters of the Hebrew letters in order each has an emblematic importance. Each letter in Hebrew likewise has a specific numerical value known as "Gematria." A profound investigation on the more inciting implications of the letters can change, widen and develop our learning and can lead us to more profound degrees of otherworldly experience. This book is a small section point into a more extensive and more profound field of study, which could be followed for a lifetime.