The heart of the matter
Subtitle: studies in Jewish mysticism and theology
By: Arthur Green
Series: JPS scholar of distinction series; JPS scholar of distinction series
Publisher: The Jewish Publication Society; Jewish Publication Society
Published: 2015
Place of publication: Philadelphia
Language: eng
Number of pages: 366
ISBN-13: 9780827612136; 9780827612273
Copyright date: 2015
Subjects: Mysticism; Judaism
Description: "Judaism, like all the great religions, has a strand within it that sees inward devotion as an opening of the human heart to God's presence. This voice is not always easy to hear in a tradition where so much attention is devoted to the how rather than the why of religious living. The devotional claim, certainly a key part of Judaism's biblical heritage, has reasserted itself in the teachings of individual mystics and in the emergence of religious movements over the long course of Jewish history. This volume represents Rabbi Arthur Green's own quest for such a Judaism, both as a scholar and as a contemporary seeker. This collection of essays brings together Green's scholarly writings, centered on the history of early Hasidism, and his highly personal approach to a rebirth of Jewish spirituality in our own day. In choosing to present them in this way, he asserts a claim that they are all of a piece. They represent one man's attempt to wade through history and text, language and symbol, an array of voices both past and present, while always focusing on the essential question "What does it mean to be a religious human being, and what does Judaism teach us about it?" This, the author considers to be the heart of the matter."--Publisher's description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.