The Mitzvot: The Commandments and Their Rationale

Chill, Abraham

Religion & Spirituality

Bloch Pub. Co

Minhagim: The Customs and Ceremonies of Judaism, Their Origins and Rationale

Judaism

Hermes Pub Co

"The Minhagim: The Customs and Ceremonies of Judaism, Their Origins and Rationale", Rabbi Abraham Chill. Sepher Hermon 1978. ISBN 0-87203-077-6

The Minhagim: The Customs and Ceremonies of Judaism, Their Origins and Rationale

Sepher Hermon Pr

To live Jewishly is to weave an elaborate and intricate fabric fashioned from the divine commandments, the mitzvot. This pattern of Jewish life is embellished by a fascinating network of minhagim, customs which have evolved in the course of centuries, often varying from place to place, inspired by faith and devotion to the fulfillment of God's will. By means of minhag the spiritual leaders of old aimed to preserve the folk-thinking, conscience and character of their communities. For the individual Jew the minhag was, and is, the vehicle through which he demonstrated his devotion to God in a manner wholly spontaneous and embracing something of his own personality. The word minhag, generally translated as ''custom'', denotes a time-hallowed religious practice superimposed on a mitzvah of Biblical or Rabbinic origin. There are various types of minhagim, some even reflecting the influence of the non-Jewish environment. Most minhagim have in the course of time attained the status of law. According to Talmudic maxim ''minhag supersedes halakhah''. A vast body of literature has been produced in Hebrew dealing with all aspects of minhag. This is the first book in the English language to present the whole range of the minhagim as observed by the Jew every day of his life, on his festivals and fast days, in his days of happiness and of sorrow from the cradle to the grave. In his aim to present the origin and rationale of each minhag, the author draws on the entire range of our traditional literature from Pentateuch and the Talmud, the Kabbalah and Hassidic masters, as well as numerous works of the minhag literature.

The Minhagim: The Customs and Ceremonies of Judaism Their Origins and Rationale

Ktav Pub & Distributors Inc

Recognized as a classic in the field, this book is a pioneering study dealing with the traditional rationale behind the 613 commandments, or mitzvot, in the Torah. The author draws on the considerable literature to present the interpretation of the great rabbinical thinkers on each biblical commandment throughout the ages. Excerpts from the key commentaries are given in English translation. The book provides easy reference for the student interested in the systematic study of the mitzvot and for anyone interested in additional information on a particular commandment.

Reference

Encyclopedias & Subject Guides

Urim Publications

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