Repentance: The Meaning and Practice of Teshuvah

Author:   Dr. Louis E. Newman (Dr. Louis E. Newman)
Publisher:   Jewish Lights Publishing
ISBN:  

9781580234269


Pages:   224
Publication Date:   12 May 2010
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   In Print   Availability explained
Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock.

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Repentance: The Meaning and Practice of Teshuvah


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Overview

Almost every day, in ways large and small, we hurt others, most often those closest to us, in ways that we regret. We know in our hearts that our words and our deeds do not reflect our best selves. These inevitable shortcomings, if not addressed and redressed, bring guilt and shame in their wake, undermine our relationships and can even erode our self-esteem. We may want to undo what we have done, but how? We may want to reclaim our integrity, but where do we begin? REPENTANCE explores both the practical and philosophical dimensions of teshuvah-acknowledging our transgressions, confessing, feeling remorse, apologising, making restitution, soul-reckoning and avoiding sin when the next opportunity arises. It also raises profound questions about human freedom, our relationship to God and to ourselves and the nature of moral development. * How do we overcome our evil impulses? * How can we repent to those who have died or who are no longer reachable? * What are the traits we most need to cultivate in order to repent? * How can teshuvah enable us to make peace with our transgressions while also helping us develop a stronger sense of responsibility?

Full Product Details

Author:   Dr. Louis E. Newman (Dr. Louis E. Newman)
Publisher:   Jewish Lights Publishing
Imprint:   Jewish Lights Publishing
Dimensions:   Width: 15.30cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.001kg
ISBN:  

9781580234269


ISBN 10:   1580234267
Pages:   224
Publication Date:   12 May 2010
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   In Print   Availability explained
Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock.

Table of Contents

Foreword: The Yet of Teshuvah-Turning xv Preface: Our Human Capacity for Change xix Acknowledgments xxi Introduction: Exploring Teshuvah 1 Part I: The Nature of Sin 13 1. Dimensions of Sin 15 2. Sin as Illness 19 3. Suffering Shekhinah 22 4. Reverence for Sin 25 5. Sin, Guilt, and Impurity 28 6. Sin, Idolatry, and Truth 32 Part II: Release from Sin 37 7. Between Two Absolutes: God's Demands and God's Forgiveness 39 8. Responsibility and Accountability 43 9. Freedom, Fate, and Repentance 47 10. Atoning through Sacrifice 51 11. Day of Atonement 58 12. Suffering Atones 62 13. Death as Atonement 65 Part III: The Way of Teshuvah 69 14. Turning: The Meaning of a Metaphor 71 15. Step-by-Step on the Path of Repentance 77 16. It Is I 83 17. Remorse 85 18. Announce Your Sins 89 19. Apologize Yet Again 92 20. Making Others Whole Again 95 21. Soul Reckoning 97 22. Teshuvah, Complete and Unending 101 Part IV: Teshuvah in Three Dimensions 105 23. Repentance, Prayer, and Righteousness 107 24. Being Fully Oneself 111 25. The Dignity of Penitents 115 26. Reconciliation and Divine Forgiveness 118 27. Teshuvah of Love versus Teshuvah of Fear 122 28. Returning to the Source 125 Part V: Experiencing Teshuvah 129 29. A Theological Virtue 131 30. Devotion to Truthfulness 134 31. Cultivating Humility 137 32. God's Role in Teshuvah 140 33. One Day Ahead 145 34. Seeing the Goodness 148 35. Faith in the Certainty of Renewal 151 36. Turning Faults into Merits 153 Part VI: Teshuvah: Its Problems and Limits 157 37. Sinning Against Repentance 159 38. Jonah, Justice, and Repentance 162 39. Irredeemable Sinners 165 40. A Hardened Heart 170 41. Repenting to the Dead 173 Part VII: Teshuvah: Its Moral and Spiritual Meaning 177 42. Overcoming Guilt 179 43. As God Sees Us 182 44. Divine Freedom 185 45. Primordial Teshuvah 188 46. Past and Future 191 47. Ahead of the Righteous 195 48. Repentance and Redemption 198 49. The Mystery of Teshuvah 202 Conclusion: Teshuvah in Our Time 205 Notes 214 Suggestions for Further Reading 223

Reviews

Masterful.... [Newman's] analysis of sin and repentance is ... much clearer, much deeper, and more adequate to the phenomena of sin and repentance than any previous treatment of the subject. Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff, PhD, rector and distinguished professor of philosophy, American Jewish University; author, The Jewish Approach to Repairing the World (Tikkun Olam): A Brief Introduction for Christians Blesses [us] with insights into the frailty and divinity of the soul. Dr. Newman teaches us that the past can be transformed, the sinner can be reborn, the God of justice can become the God of forgiveness. In short, he has given us the way of hope. Rabbi Naomi Levy, author, To Begin Again and Talking to God Beautiful, wise, thorough ... reminds us that our greatness will not be judged by our supposedly grand accomplishments, but by how each of us deals with our inevitable moral failings, however great or small. Rabbi Nancy Flam, co-director of programs, Institute for Jewish Spirituality In easily accessible language both religiously and psychologically informed, Newman guides us through our own return. Don t go near the High Holy Days without this wise and inspiring moral classic. Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, Emanu-El Scholar, Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco; author, The Way Into Jewish Mystical Tradition and Kabbalah: A Love Story Amazing. Readers seeking to redress their own misdeeds will find not only a gentle guiding toward the path of repentance but a treasury of Jewish wisdom about that path. Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, The Shalom Center; author, Godwrestling Round 2


Masterful.... [Newman's] analysis of sin and repentance is ... much clearer, much deeper, and more adequate to the phenomena of sin and repentance than any previous treatment of the subject. Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff, PhD, rector and distinguished professor of philosophy, American Jewish University; author, The Jewish Approach to Repairing the World (Tikkun Olam): A Brief Introduction for Christians Blesses [us] with insights into the frailty and divinity of the soul. Dr. Newman teaches us that the past can be transformed, the sinner can be reborn, the God of justice can become the God of forgiveness. In short, he has given us the way of hope. Rabbi Naomi Levy, author, To Begin Again and Talking to God Beautiful, wise, thorough ... reminds us that our greatness will not be judged by our supposedly grand accomplishments, but by how each of us deals with our inevitable moral failings, however great or small. Rabbi Nancy Flam, co-director of programs, Institute for Jewish Spirituality In easily accessible language both religiously and psychologically informed, Newman guides us through our own return. Don t go near the High Holy Days without this wise and inspiring moral classic. Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, Emanu-El Scholar, Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco; author, The Way Into Jewish Mystical Tradition and Kabbalah: A Love Story Amazing. Readers seeking to redress their own misdeeds will find not only a gentle guiding toward the path of repentance but a treasury of Jewish wisdom about that path. Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, The Shalom Center; author, Godwrestling Round 2


Author Information

Dr. Louis E. Newman is the John M. and Elizabeth W. Musser Professor of Religious Studies at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. He is author of Past Imperatives: Studies in the History and Theory of Jewish Ethics; An Introduction to Jewish Ethics; and the LifeLights (TM) pastoral care booklet Doing Teshuvah: Undoing Mistakes, Repairing Relationships and Finding Inner Peace (Jewish Lights). Dr. Newman is available for scholar-in-residence weekends and repentance workshops. Dr. Louis Newman is available to speak on the following topics: Repentance: It's Easier Than You Think, It's Harder Than You Imagine Curses and Stumbling-blocks: How to Relate to the Vulnerable among Us Judaism and Politics: Is Torah Liberal or Conservative? Whistle-blowing: Am I My Brother's (and Sister's) Keeper? The Narrative and the Normative: The Value of Stories for Jewish Ethics Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, one of the most respected spiritual leaders and teachers of his generation, has been a rabbi at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California, for close to forty years. He is the founding chairman of the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, an organization that identifies and offers grants to those non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews threatened by the agents of Nazi savagery. He is also the founder of Jewish World Watch, which aims to raise moral consciousness within the Jewish community. Synagogues and other religious institutions are now supporting this effort across the country. Rabbi Schulweis is the author of many books, including: Conscience: The Duty to Obey and the Duty to Disobey (Jewish Lights), Approaches to the Philosophy of Religion, For Those Who Can't Believe, Finding Each Other in Judaism, In God's Mirror, and two books of original religious poetry and meditation-From Birth to Immortality and Passages in Poetry. His Evil and the Morality of God is regarded as a classic. Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar teaches matters of the spirit to groups throughout the U.S. She is senior rabbi at Congregation B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in the Chicago area, and the inspiring author of The Bridge to Forgiveness: Stories and Prayers for Finding God and Restoring Wholeness; Our Dance with God: Finding Prayer, Perspective and Meaning in the Stories of Our Lives and God Whispers: Stories of the Soul, Lessons of the Heart and contributed to May God Remember: Memory and Memorializing in Judaism-Yizkor; Who by Fire, Who by Water-Un'taneh Tokef and All These Vows-Kol Nidre (all Jewish Lights).

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