Overview

Inspired by the analytic commentaries of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch on Biblical text, this volume examines the symbolic rituals associated with the Sabbath, High Holy Days and Festivals, as recorded in the Bible. Some fundamental questions addressed are: What is the meaning behind the absolute prohibition of 'creative' work on the Sabbath? What is the inherent symbol of sounding a horn on the New Year? What is the purpose of the grave abstentions on Yom Kippur and the dynamics of atonement? What is the significance of matzah on Passover and the concurrent prohibition of leavening? What is the Biblical symbolism of the succah and four species on Succot? Presented with the relevant source texts in both Hebrew and English, the reader is guided by a series of questions arising from the text; questions which, through analysis, ultimately provide the key to understanding the teachings that underlie these symbolic rituals. The central ideas and concepts behind these observances are illuminated and integrated, giving us a coherent, inspiring explanation of their meaningfulness. Presented in a clear, orderly fashion, and designed for individuals interested in the Bible, at all levels of education, this volume allows the serious reader to gain a fresh appreciation of the purpose, meaning and contemporary relevance of the Sabbath, High Holy Days and Festivals that characterize traditional Jewish practice. Hearing the Biblical Voice is valuable for home study as well as for adult education groups or higher education classrooms.

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9781492984726

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Steve Bailey is a developmental clinical psychologist as well as a Jewish educator and curriculum developer. He is an alumnus of Yeshiva University and received his graduate degrees from Rutgers University. Dr. Bailey served on the psychology and education faculties of American and Canadian universities and was the co-founder of an innovative Jewish high school in Los Angeles (Shalhevet) that accents democratic values and ethical behavior. For over three decades he has been teaching the philosophical concepts of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch in adult education study groups, through weekly Torah studies and through Jewish Day school curricula. Dr. Bailey is the author of Hearing the Biblical Voice: Finding Meaning in Kashrut, Tzitzit and Tefillin, inspired by the Commentaries of Samson Raphael Hirsch. He and his wife, with children and grandchildren, currently reside in Jerusalem where he continues to teach and write.

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