It seems that a demon daughter of the legendary Lilith had made her home in the mirror and would soon completely possess the unsuspecting girl. Such tales of terror and the supernatural occupy an honored position in the Jewish folkloric tradition. Howard Schwartz has superbly translated and retold fifty of the best of these folktales, now collected into one volume for the first time. Gathered from countless sources ranging from the ancient Middle East to twelfth-century Germany and later Eastern European oral tradition, these captivating stories include Jewish variants of the Pandora and Persephone myths and of such famous folktales as The Fisherman and His Wife, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and Bluebeard, as well as several tales from the Middle Ages that have never before been published. Focusing on crucial turning points in life--birth, marriage, and death--the tales feature wandering spirits, marriage with demons, werewolves, speaking heads, possession by dybbuks (souls of the dead who enter the bodies of the living), and every other kind of supernatural adversary. Readers will encounter a carpenter who is haunted when he makes a violin from the wood of a coffin; a wife who saves herself from the demoness her husband has inadvertently married by agreeing to share him for an hour each day; and the age-old tale of Lilith, Adam's first wife, who refused to submit to him and instead banished herself from the Garden of Eden to give birth to the demons of the world. Drawn from Rabbinic sources, medieval Jewish folklore, Hasidic texts, and oral tradition, these stories will equally entrance readers of Jewish literature and those with an affection for fantasy and the supernatural.

    It is presided over by Emmanuel Sternholz, the proprietor-waiter whose unblinking gaze takes in the tangled web of destinies and desires spun out around him. In this comic, tragic, and compelling mosaic of intertwined lives, Barbara Rogan has created a dazzling work of fiction - and a marvelously illuminating mirror of Israel today. "An inspired, passionate work of fiction." (Kirkus Reviews) "A special book...one you'll remember and want to pass on to a friend." (Erie Times News)

    In a thought-provoking return to the original Hebrew conception of God, which questions accepted conceptions of divine omnipotence, Jon Levenson defines God's authorship of the world as a consequence of his victory in his struggle with evil. He traces a flexible conception of God to the earliest Hebrew sources, arguing, for example, that Genesis 1 does not describe the banishment of evil but the attempt to contain the menace of evil in the world, a struggle that continues today.

    Explains how the Jews and the Church are God's people.

    Clear type, simplified translation and inspiring commentary.

    The classic and ground-breaking work in Christology, with extensive new introduction, evaluating the most recent developments in current scholarship.

    This path-breaking edition provides as close to a literal translation as possible, following the syntax of Mishnaic Hebrew in its highly formalized and syntactically patterned language. Demonstrating that the Mishnah is a work of careful and formal poetry and prose, Neusner not only analyzes the repeated construction but also divides the thoughts on the printed page so that the patterned language and the poetry comprised in those patterns emerge visually.“With meticulous methodology and with rare stylistic beauty of expression, Neusner. . . has produced an incomparable translation of the Mishnah, both new and innovative, which reflects the genius of the original Hebrew idiom. Neusner penetrates the Tannaitic mind, capturing its spirit, its subtle nuances, and its poetic cadences. . . A most impressive volume which transcends all previous versions of the Mishnah.”—Choice“The overall effect is a linguistic purity and simplicity which strives to capture not only the substance, but the spirit and style of the Mishnah’s universe. . . . An artful and impressive addition. . . . It deserves not only admiration but serious attention as well.”—Charles Raffel, Judaica Book News“The work is significant because for the first time it makes available to student and scholar alike a rendition of the Mishnah which attempts to convey not only the substance of that document, but the highly patterned and formalized language which Neusner believes is the key to comprehending its contents.”—Daniel H. Gordis, Hebrew Studies

    It not only suggested the idea, but provided a feasible solution for doing so. During its initial publication, Genesis was on the list of recommended reading at NASA, and has since gone on to enjoy cult status. Its acknowledged list of admirers includes such literary luminaries as Brian Aldiss, Amy Clampitt, Arthur C. Clarke, Thomas M. Disch, Kim Stanley Robinson, and Pulitzer Prize winning poet, James Merrill. It is with great pride that Ilium Press brings this influential and prescient work back into print.

    Volume 1 contains Introduction and Domains with Greek terms arranged and discussed according to 93 semantic domains. Volume 2 contains three indices: Greek, English, and biblical references.

    This second edition of his biography explores the business applications of Maslow's thought.

    Collected from people of all walks of life, they include parables and allegories about life, luck, and wisdom; tales of magic and wonder; stories about rebbes and their disciples; and tales whose only purpose is to entertain. Long after the culture that produced them has disappeared, these enchanting Yiddish folktales continue to work their magic today.Part of the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library

    Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way teaches the Hebrew found in all Jewish prayerbooks. Designed for students who can read Hebrew words but do not know what they mean, this text explains grammar so simply that the non-academic community can easily understand it. Twenty-one lessons include: Oral reviews Vocabulary lists Prayerbook selections Handy grammar and verb charts Exercises Prayerbook and vocabulary selections are based on several Jewish traditions. This self-paced text is suitable for beginning and intermediate students and is perfect for adult learners. A supplement to this book, Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way Companion Audio Tape Set, is also available.

    Giving detailed instructions for observance—the rituals, prayers, foods, and songs—he shows how celebrating the holy days of the Jewish calendar not only relives Jewish history but puts one in touch with the basic ideals of Judaism and the fundamental experience of life. Insightful, original, and engrossing, The Jewish Way is an essential volume that should be in every Jewish home, library, and synagogue.

    In Growth Through Torah, Rabbi Pliskin, Director of Aish Hatorah Counseling Center, focuses on practical insights from the weekly Torah readings. Portion by portion, ideas and reflections of great Torah scholars are cited that will enable the reader to grow as a person in many areas of his life. Stories from the lives of Torah giants illustrate how to integrate these concepts. This work is geared for both beginners and scholars, young and old. Educators and speakers will find many practical messages that will enhance their talks. Each idea is concise and appropriate for reading at the Shabbos table.

    The only collection of stories in print from Reb Zalman, acknowledged as a unique living kabbalist and esoteric teacher in this tradition. Reb Zalman is one of the great teachers of our time. - Jean Houston, founder of The Mystery School and co-director of The Foundation for Mind Research.

    Idel provides fresh insights into the origins of Jewish mysticism, the relation between mystical and historical experience, and the impact of Jewish mysticism on western civilization.“Idel’s book is studded with major insights, and innovative approaches to the entire history of Judaism, and mastery of it will be essential for all serious students of Jewish thought.”—Arthur Green, New York Times Book Review“Moshe Idel’s original, scholarly, and stimulating study of Kabbalah contains the promise of a masterwork.”—Elie Wiesel“Moshe Idel’s book can help the nonspecialized reader to reconsider the whole of Kabbalistic tradition in comparison with many aspects of contemporary thought.”—Umberto Eco“There can be no dispute about the importance and originality of Idel’s work. Offering a wealth of complementary insights to Gershom Scholem and his school, it will command a great deal of attention and serious discussion.”—Alexander Altmann

    Today, the Jewish population of the former Soviet Union has dwindled to half a million, but remains probably the world's third largest Jewish community. In the intervening century the Jews of that area have been at the center of some of the most dramatic events of modern history -- two world wars, revolutions, pogroms, political liberation, repression, and the collapse of the USSR. They have gone through tumultuous upward and downward economic and social mobility and experienced great enthusiasms and profound disappointments. In startling photographs from the archives of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and with a lively and lucid narrative, A Century of Ambivalence traces the historical experience of Jews in Russia from a period of creativity and repression in the second half of the 19th century through the paradoxes posed by the post-Soviet era. This redesigned edition, which includes more than 200 photographs and two substantial new chapters on the fate of Jews and Judaism in the former Soviet Union, is ideal for general readers and classroom use.

    Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hacohen Kook was the first Chief Rabbi of Palestine, and the 20th century's most important Orthodox Jewish mystic.

    Through a complex dialogue, a rabbi-teacher reveals to his student the techniques of ascent, methods for traveling up through the heavens by means of recitation of hymns. The teacher gives vivid descriptions of the heavenly realm, filled with flaming chariots and a chorus of angels engaged in praising the deity.The emphasis in the text is on language, on the correct recitation of the words to achieve the ritual. The particular focus is on the divine Name, which can be employed in unusual ways. The author relates the structures of the text to the linguistic idealogies. The complex structures of the text begin to unfold in light of the theories about the ritual function of language.The hymns include praise of the deity and voces magicae, words that have no semantic meaning, but draw attention to sounds of letters in God's name. Since God's name is used to create the world, the sounds of the name are creative, but the Name cannot be spoken. The hymns create a multiplicity of Name-equivalents, words that have the functional status of the divine Name and which can be employed in ritual. Voces magicae are not so much nonsense as they are logical extensions of the linguistic theory. The final chapter surveys recent theories of ritual language and then uses the conclusions from the study to refine the general issue of the relationship between the semantic meaning of words and their ritual efficacy.The dialogic structure of the text permits the reader to become the next student in a chain going back to the deity by means of Moses.

    theology, and program for Messianic Judaism. Helps Christians understand God's plan for the Jewish people and their relationship in the Body. today.

    While the women differed in many ways, they all shared a cultural heritage that was marked by the influence that mothers seemed to have in shaping the attitudes of their daughters towards husbands and children. The age at which these women emigrated also affected their subsequent adjustment. Originally published in 1988. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

    It includes numerous conversations, information relating to Rebbe Nachman's lessons, and a variety of his sayings, stories, dreams and visions. Annotated, with full source references and supplementary information.

    The average reader is introduced to the incredible world of subatomic physics: a world of gamma rays, neutrinos, positrons and Z-bosons.

    Halpern is one of the most fertile, exuberant, and audacious minds of his generation. He is witty, learned, and outrageous in turn, a Momigliano of Hebrew historiography. One learns more from one book by Halpern than from a dozen by his plodding peers."-Frank Moore Cross, Harvard University"With characteristic imagination, erudition, and wit, Halpern challenges the established understanding. . . of the Former Prophets. His designation of those books as historiography will surprise those who think that genre began with the Greeks. No one concerned with the roots of historical thinking in the West or with the relationship of the Bible to history can afford to miss this extraordinary volume"-Jon D. Levenson, Harvard Divinity School"It is an impressive and extremely important book. My only regret is that someone didn't write these things long ago-Halpern shows himself to be a master of literature, history, Semitic linguistics, ancient Near Eastern texts, and archaeology. No one in his generation controls all of these tools of the trade as Halpern does."-Richard Elliott Friedman, University of California, San Diego

    The ArtScroll Series presents the comments of the classic giants of ancient and contemporary times in a logical, comprehensible manner, like a master teacher on an exciting voyage of intellectual discovery.

    Wine has provided original celebrations of every variety for a secular Jewish community. This book is the product of his experience. It is an affirmation of the ethical view of life that dramatizes, in prose and poetry, what secular and humanistic Jews feel about their heritage.The celebration material in the book is primarily verbal. It is also strongly intellectual and ideological, as well as reflective and sentimental. The style rests on the conviction that celebration events can touch both the mind and the heart; the content rests on the conviction that reason and emotion, inspiration and integrity, humanism and Judaism, are not separate, but complementary.