It provides a detailed sketch of the historical background of the early Hasidic movement and charts its central ideas within the wider intellectual and historical context of Jewish religious and mystical thought."--BOOK JACKET.

A National Jewish Book Award-winning autobiography that's "an astonishing fusion of learning and psychic intensity; its poignance and lucidity should be an authentic benefit to readers, Jewish and gentile" (The New York Times Book Review). Children have obligations to their parents: the Talmud says "one must honor him in life and one must honor him in death." Beside his father’s grave, a diligent but doubting son begins the mourner’s kaddish and realizes he needs to know more about the prayer issuing from his lips. So begins Leon Wieseltier’s National Jewish Book Award–winning autobiography, Kaddish, the spiritual journal of a man commanded by Jewish law to recite a prayer three times daily for a year and driven, by ardor of inquiry, to explore its origins. Here is one man’s urgent exploration of Jewish liturgy and law, from the 10th-century legend of a wayward ghost to the speculations of medieval scholars on the grief of God to the perplexities of a modern rabbi in the Kovno ghetto. Here too is a mourner’s unmannered response to the questions of fate, freedom, and faith stirred in death’s wake. Lyric, learned, and deeply moving, Wieseltier’s Kaddish is a narrative suffused with love: a son’s embracing the tradition bequeathed to him by his father, a scholar’s savoring they beauty he was taught to uncover, and a writer’s revealing it, proudly, unadorned, to the reader.

"The prayer book is our Jewish diary of the centuries, a collection of prayers composed by generations of those who came before us, as they endeavored to express the meaning of their lives and their relationship to God. The prayer book is the essence of the Jewish soul." This stunning work, an empowering entryway to the spiritual revival of our times, enables all of us to claim our connection to the heritage of the traditional Jewish prayer book. It helps rejuvenate Jewish worship in today's world, and makes its power accessible to all. The sixth volume probes the theological complexities of human nature as presented in Tachanun, the prayers that acknowledge human sin and petition divine pardon. It also illuminates the prayers that conclude the standard Jewish service: Kaddish, Alenu, and K'dushah D'Sidra; and provides a detailed treatment of Maimonides' thirteen principles of faith. The personal call for judgment combined with hope for the universal reign of God define Judaism as a religion for individuals and the world, with a liturgy that affirms both. Vol. 6--Tachanun and Concluding Prayers features the traditional Hebrew text with a new translation that lets people know exactly what the prayers say. Introductions explain what to look for in the prayer service, and how to truly use the commentaries to find meaning in the prayer book. Commentaries from eminent scholars and teachers from all movements of Judaism examine Tachanun and Concluding Prayers from the viewpoints of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as a myriad of other perspectives. Even those not yet familiar with the prayer book can appreciate the spiritual richness of Tachanun and Concluding Prayers. My People's Prayer Book enables all worshipers, of any denomination, to create their own connection to 3,000 years of Jewish experience with the world and with God. Contributors include: Marc Brettler * Elliot N. Dorff * David Ellenson * Ellen Frankel * Alyssa Gray * Joel M. Hoffman * Lawrence A. Hoffman * Lawrence Kushner * Daniel Landes * Nehemia Polen

This little work is intended to be neither a textbook nor a devotional commentary, but has been written as a scriptural exposition, to assist, as far as may be, those who would ‘pray with the understanding.’ Thoughtful prayer is not a contradiction in terms, nor does meditation necessarily involve the suspension of our reasoning faculty. We need to keep our devotion informed if we are to make any real progress in the spiritual life.

A renowned political speechwriter rediscovers Judaism, finding timeless wisdom and spiritual connection in its age-old practices and traditions. “Sarah Hurwitz was Michelle Obama’s head speechwriter, and with this book she becomes Judaism’s speechwriter.”—Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take, Originals, and co-author of Option B After a decade as a political speechwriter—serving as head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama, a senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama, and chief speechwriter for Hillary Clinton on her 2008 presidential campaign—Sarah Hurwitz decided to apply her skills as a communicator to writing a book . . . about Judaism. And no one is more surprised than she is. Hurwitz was the quintessential lapsed Jew—until, at age thirty-six, after a tough breakup, she happened upon an advertisement for an introductory class on Judaism. She attended on a whim, but was blown away by what she found: beautiful rituals, helpful guidance on living an ethical life, conceptions of God beyond the judgy bearded man in the sky—none of which she had learned in Hebrew school or during the two synagogue services she grudgingly attended each year. That class led to a years-long journey during which Hurwitz visited the offices of rabbis, attended Jewish meditation retreats, sat at the Shabbat tables of Orthodox families, and read hundreds of books about Judaism—all in dogged pursuit of answers to her biggest questions. What she found transformed her life, and she wondered: How could there be such a gap between the richness of what Judaism offers and the way so many Jews like her understand and experience it? Sarah Hurwitz is on a mission to close this gap by sharing the profound insights she discovered on everything from Jewish holidays, ethics, and prayer to Jewish conceptions of God, death, and social justice. In this entertaining and accessible book, she shows us why Judaism matters and how its message is more relevant than ever, and she inspires Jews to do the learning, questioning, and debating required to make this religion their own. “Searching for meaning in the ancient scripture and traditions of Judaism, Sarah Hurwitz takes us along on an enriching journey of discovery. In Here All Along, she explores her birthright as a Jew and finds timeless and valuable life lessons.”—David Axelrod, director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and former senior advisor to President Barack Obama

Explore your spiritual life. Create a personal theology. Challenge and test your faith—all using the Book of Psalms. The Book of Psalms has been beloved by generations of readers. It offers solace in times of trouble, holds out hope for rescue and redemption, and helps to answer some of the difficult questions raised by faith. The Book of Psalms is more personal than other books of the Bible; instead of telling stories with God as the central actor, the psalmists talk to—and about—God. Keeping Faith with the Psalms leads you into the Bible to discover ways you can use the Psalms to shape your own personal spiritual outlook. Daniel Polish does not give any simple solutions, but reveals how you can discover answers for yourself through the Psalms. You will explore: Meeting God in Nature Finding God in Torah Finding God through the Historical Experience of the Jewish People The Problem of Evil in Our World Facing Our Mortality Finding Our Relationship with God Jerusalem as Symbol and Reality What Does the Lord Require? The Call to Social Justice Through the threads of meaning, questions, and perspectives offered in the psalms themselves, Rabbi Polish’s guide offers an intimate look at the issues that touch and influence your personal theology.