“It is more important to me to explain a [philosophical] principle than any other thing that I teach.” (Rambam, Mishna Berachot, 9:7) Illuminating Jewish Thought is a contemporary, multi-volume series that surveys the theological foundations of Jewish faith. With the approach and scope of a master educator for undergraduate and rabbinical students at Yeshiva University, Rabbi Wiederblank brings together a wide array of Jewish texts ranging from philosophi­cal to Kabbalistic, ancient to modern, in a clear and accessible source book.

Machashava, learned properly, illuminates our lives. Without it, we grope in darkenss – not only the darkness of ignorance, but utter darkenss in which we are blinded from living a meaningful religious life, and worse, darkness from loving encounters with our Creator. Illuminating Jewish Thought Volume I attempts to reveal some of that light by surveying the theological foundations of Jewish faith. This title is part of the RIETS Hashkafa Series.

In Illuminating Jewish Thought Volume II, the author shows the richness of the Jewish scholastic tradition relat­ing to three fundamental yet esoteric topics: free will, the afterlife, and the messianic era.