Judaism's Great Debates: Timeless Controversies from Abraham to HerzlThanks to these generous donors for making the publication of this book possible: David Lerman and Shelley Wallock; D. Walter Cohen, Wendy and Leonard Cooper; Rabbi Howard Gorin; Gittel and Alan Hilibrand; Marjorie and Jeffrey Major; Jeanette Lerman Neubauer and Joe Neubauer; Gayle and David Smith; and Harriet and Donald Young. Ever since Abrahamęs famous argument with God, Judaism has been full of debate. Moses and Korah, David and Nathan, Hillel and Shammai, the Vilna Gaon and the Baęal Shem Tov, Spinoza and the Amsterdam Rabbis . . . the list goes on. Jews debate justice, authority, inclusion, spirituality, resistance, evolution, Zionism, and more. No wonder that Judaism cherishes the expression machloket lęshem shamayim, –an argument for the sake of heaven.” ž In this concise but important survey, Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz presents the provocative and vibrant thesis that debate and disputation are not only encouraged within Judaism but reside at the very heart of Jewish history and theology. In his graceful, engaging, and creative prose, Schwartz presents an introduction to an intellectual history of Judaism through the art of argumentation.Beyond their historical importance, what makes these disputations so compelling is that nearly all of them, regardless of their epochs, are still being argued. Schwartz builds the case that the basis of Judaism is a series of unresolved rather than resolved arguments. ž Drawing on primary sources, and with a bit of poetic license, Schwartz reconstructs the real or imagined dialogue of ten great debates and then analyzes their significance and legacy. This parade of characters spanning three millennia of biblical, rabbinic, and modern disputation reflects the panorama of Jewish history with its monumental political, ethical, and spiritual challenges. |
Contents
Rabbinic Judaism | 37 |
Modern Jud aism | 65 |
Afterword | 95 |
Notes | 97 |
Questions for
Reflection and Discussion | 99 |
Recommended Reading | 103 |
Other editions - View all
Judaism's Great Debates: Timeless Controversies from Abraham to Herzl Barry L. Schwartz Limited preview - 2012 |
Judaism's Great Debates: Timeless Controversies from Abraham to Herzl Barry L. Schwartz No preview available - 2012 |
Common terms and phrases
Abba Sikra Abraham Geiger added dialogue Amsterdam Rabbis argue Baal Shem Tov Beit Hillel Beit Shammai believe Betraying Spinoza Bible biblical Bratslav challenge chapter collective punishment commandments confront congregation Contemporary Issues direct quotes dispute dissent divine ethical example excommunication faith father Frankel God’s Gunther Plaut halakhah Hasidic Hebrew Herzl and Wise Hillel and Shammai Hillel the Elder holy homeland inheritance innocent Israel Israelite italics are direct Jerusalem Jewish community Jewish debate Jewish law Jewish Publication Society Jews Judaism’s Great Debates King David legacy Lord marry Mitnagdim modern Moses and Korah Moses’s Nathan nation Numbers ofGod ofIsrael ofJudaism philosophical prayer print is added prophets question Rabbi Yochanan Reform Judaism Reform rabbis regular print religion religious ritual sages Samson Raphael Hirsch Samuel spiritual story Talmud Telushkin Text Torah column traditional tribal leaders tribe Vilna Gaon women Yavneh Yochanan ben Zakkai York zealots Zecharias Frankel Zionism