by Rabbi Yoel Bin-Nun and Rabbi Binyamin Lau Maggid Studies in Tanakh series (MST)
Many consider Isaiah to be the prophet of world peace, a utopian visionary who transcends the boundaries of political reality and inhabits the realm of ideal cosmic harmony. As the herald of peace, he has become the most influential among the Hebrew prophets; his vision of the End of Days is among the most celebrated of biblical passages: “And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift sword against nation, nor shall they learn war any more” (2:4). Yet there is another dimension to Isaiah – a political thinker who spent decades around the royal palace in Jerusalem, promoting justice and charity, speaking truth to power, struggling to avert disaster. Reading his prophecies in their historical context, Isaiah: Prophet of Righteousness and Justice allows us to see beyond the surface. By recapturing the prophet’s voice and highlighting the dilemmas faced by the rulers he challenged, this work presents Isaiah’s story in all its vitality and drama.
By Chaim H. Schimmel
Since the Torah was given to all of Am Yisrael at Sinai, how did disputes as to its meaning arise? How did the Sages act when new situations arose that were not provided for in the tradition? What is the difference between Rabbinic interpretation and Rabbinic legislation, and to what extent are these guided by logic or moral reasoning? To what extent did the Sages enjoy the power to interpret tradition and legislate? Did the Sages rely on legal fictions to change the law?
These questions, among others, are of great importance to anyone who wants to understand the most essential aspects of Judaism. This newly revised and expanded edition aims to educate both the Torah scholar and the interested layman in the complexities of the Oral Law.
Insights on the Holidays and Avoda Based on the Writings of the Slonimer Rebbe
by Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein
God’s loving providence has always brought our people the thinkers they needed as times changed. Rav Shalom Noach Berezovsky, the Slonimer Rebbe, brought a rare combination of gifts to his landmark work, the Netivot Shalom. Blending the warmth of the Hassidic approach with the sharp clarity of the Lithuanian yeshiva, the Slonimer Rebbe responded to new intellectual challenges and offered words that were a source of inspiration and solace to the Jewish people.
This volume grows out of a conviction thatNetivot Shalomwill be appreciated as one of the most influential works of this generation. The Slonimer Rebbe did not shy away from addressing the faults and failures he found in the community – even major ones. With absolute honesty, he speaks again and again about doubt, spiritual estrangement, wrestling with base desires and temptations, and serial failure. For each challenge of modern life, the Rebbe offers both prescriptions and encouragement. Through his teachings on the holidays andavodat Hashem, the service of God, theNetivot Shalomnot only offers sparkling insights on the meaning of time and history, but also enables us to flourish and grow amidst the challenges of a new era.
The Steinsaltz Ketuvim is the long-awaited English version of Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz’s pioneering translation and commentary on the Writings. Like his monumental translation and commentary of the entire Talmud, the new Steinsaltz Ketuvim includes a treasure trove of information to make the text clear, fascinating, and relevant to users of all backgrounds. Here, Rabbi Steinsaltz’s commentary seeks to connect the reader directly to the peshat, the plain reading of the text. He includes references to many commentaries, while he aims to remove any ‘barriers’ to the text. This brand-new volume features several innovative elements including:
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds