#ktav

Contemporary Uses and Forms of Hasidut by Shlomo Zuckier

The Orthodox Forum Recent years have seen a shift in the approach to religious life among members of the Israeli Religious Zionist and the American Modern Orthodox communities. The trend towards spirituality, and to Hasidic teachings and practices in particular, is noteworthy and deserving of exploration. This volume provides sociological information and historical context situating this trend,…

The Revelation at Sinai: What Does “Torah from Heaven” Mean? by Yoram Hazony, Gil Student, Alex Sztuden (Editors)

The Bible contains commands and narratives that are the foundations of Jewish tradition and Western Civilization. Both the narratives and the law constitute what Jewish tradition calls Torah from heaven, God’s communication to mankind, which reaches its greatest form in God’s revelation of the Torah to Moses at Sinai. What is so important about God’s revelation to Moses at Sinai? How are we to…

The Shemitta Sensation by Rabbi Binyamin Zimmerman

A Deeper Look into the Jewish Sabbatical Year Shemitta, the Jewish sabbatical year, is a sensational holiday year that is often overlooked and at times misunderstood. Shemitta calls for a once-in-seven-year ‘time out’ for an agricultural society. It proclaims a year off, a rest period for the rich and poor al’ike. This break from one’s· regular routine and mindset, provides a year of Shabbat…

Victims, Villains and Women of Valor: Women in the Era of the Biblical Judges by Shera Aranoff Tuchman

The book of Judges depicts a bleak period in the history of the Israelites, characterized by a recurrent cycle of sin, servitude, repentance, and temporary redemption as the Israelites repeatedly fall into the pagan practices of their neighbors. The concluding chapters of Judges portray the Israelites at a shocking moral nadir―committing all three cardinal sins of idolatry, illicit relations, and…

God of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction by Rabbi Shais Taub

God of Our Understanding is a frank and penetrating look at the underlying spiritual dynamics of addiction and its treatment through Twelve-Step programs. Rabbi Shais Taub, a world renown expert in Jewish mysticism as well as a mentor to many thousands of addicts, draws from his unique background to thoroughly address many of the concerns raised by Jewish addicts in recovery while also using…

Contested Holiness: Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Perspective on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem by Rivka Gonen

The book leads the reader into the intricate history, geography, and politics of this unique site. It relates the roots of its holiness, describes the succession of temples built on it, and explains how in the twentieth century its sanctity became intertwined with the national aspirations of both Jews and Arabs. It explains why the Temple Mount is considered the holiest site for the Jews, and how…

Gender Equality and Prayer in Jewish Law by Rabbi Ethan Tucker, Rabbi Micha’el Rosenberg

As gender equality has spread throughout society, including its religiously observant sectors, traditional communities turn to their guiding sources to re-examine old questions. This book opens the reader’s eyes to the wealth of Jewish legal material surrounding gender and prayer, with a particular focus on who can lead the prayers in a traditional service and who can constitute the communal…

Unpacking The Torah: Lessons For Everyday Living by Rabbi Ron Isaacs

Rabbi Ron Isaacs is known as the teaching rabbi. For almost five decades he has taught students of all ages with the goal of presenting a Judaism that would be seen as relevant and meaningful to his students. This book will make for enjoyable reading in the study of the weekly Torah portions. Throughout the book is interesting commentary by both ancient and modern commentators to stimulate the…