Overview

Ancient Jewish Teachings Applied to a Modern World Drawing from his vast knowledge of Torah, Kabbalah, Talmud, and other ancient writings, Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeshitz continues to teach us about the inner and outer world-more than 250 years after his passing. Rabbi Yacov Barber, a master of inner wisdom, uses ancient and modern wisdom to inspire and motivate the Jewish community throughout the world. In Sparks of Wisdom, he uses his unique skills to transform Rabbi Eybeshitz's eighteenth-century writings into modern terms so that even those with limited knowledge of Judaism can understand the profound and timeless teachings of the esteemed Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeshitz. With easy-to-navigate alphabetical entries, readers will explore searching questions like: Why did G-d create the world? Reincarnation: Is it a Jewish belief? Where are today's miracles? What is Jewish meditation? Why did G-d create me? Which animal has the most spiritual energy and spiritual life force? How does one become a prophet? Love: How do you know when you are in it? How can we change our negative behavior? Ancient teachings meet modern understanding in Sparks of Wisdom to provide practical guidance on the answers to these questions and many more based on established Jewish teachings, laws, and code. Readers of all ages and all levels of knowledge will be able to access and appreciate this essential Jewish wisdom.

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Reviews

The teachings of an 18th-century rabbi are explored in this hybrid translation, commentary, and reference book.Born in Pintshov, Poland, in 1696, Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeshitz's teachings have influenced generations of Jewish scholars, but they have been obscured in the public eye due to a lack of translations from the Hebrew and his esoteric writing style. After a serendipitous encounter with Barber, an internationally acclaimed rabbi and motivational speaker, Eybeshitz's descendant Julie Gerber was inspired to produce an English translation of her ancestor's rich body of work. This collaboration between Barber and Gerber resulted in the 2021 book Pearls of Wisdom, which offered English readers an unfiltered translation of the rabbi's oeuvre. Recognizing the difficulties that many lay readers may have in grasping Eybeshitz's writings, Barber offers this sequel to the general public, which is a more accessible translation of the rabbi's works and is accompanied by a wealth of contextual and religious commentary.The book begins with a brief look at the life and legacy of a charismatic rabbi, an expert on Jewish law, a master Kabbalist, a prolific writer, a peacemaker, and so much more. The bulk of the volume focuses on the Torah Giant's thoughts on topics that span from angels and divine communication to fish and tefillin. On wealth, for instance, Eybeshitz cautions: Money doesn't just go into a person's pocket or bank account; it also goes to a person's head. On the Exodus story where God sends manna for sustenance, the rabbi reminds readers that although we no longer have food falling from heaven...that shouldn't stop us from marveling at the tremendous acts of kindness that God bestowed on our forebearers. Organized alphabetically, the 112 concise chapters follow a similar pattern, interspersing translations of Eybeshitz's writings with Barber's commentary. Eschewing precision for accessibility, the author's translation focuses more on the spirit and ideas of Eybeshitz than on a more literal approach. Each section ends with a modern-day application of the writings. At almost 350 pages, this work is not designed to be read in a single sitting, but ideally a chapter at a time, as readers are encouraged to meditate on the teachings and their implications for contemporary life.The author of multiple books on Jewish history and spirituality, who has received both Rabbinic Ordination and Judiciary Ordination, Barber is an ideal translator and commentator, merging an expertise on complex spiritual teachings with a keen eye toward their applicability. For rabbis and academics, this is a sound reference tool, backed by more than 300 footnotes that demonstrate a full command of the relevant literature. Alternately, Barber's writing style excels at making the esoteric accessible, and he crafts a practical work that will appeal to lay readers, who are eased into complicated topics with ample context and commentary. This user-friendly approach extends to a glossary, the volume's topical organization, and brief introductory chapters that provide important contextualization. Despite the book's emphasis on contemporary relevance, there are some subjects left unaddressed, including LGBTQ+ issues, reproductive rights, and systemic racism. There is still much of value to find in this inspirational volume, particularly its reminder to look beyond people's superficial faults to the core of their beautiful soul. A well-researched, accessible guide to an important but often overlooked Jewish thinker. -Kirkus Reviews

The teachings of an 18th-century rabbi are explored in this hybrid translation, commentary, and reference book. Born in Poland in 1696, Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeshitz's teachings have influenced generations of Jewish scholars, but have been obscured in the public eye due to a lack of translations and his esoteric writing style. After an encounter with Barber, an acclaimed rabbi and motivational speaker, Eybeshitz's descendant Julie Gerber was inspired to produce an English translation of her ancestor's work.This collaboration resulted in the 2021 book Pearls of Wisdom, which offered English readers an unfiltered translation of the rabbi's oeuvre. Recognizing the difficulties that many lay readers may have, Barber offers this sequel, which is a more accessible translation of the rabbi's works.The book begins with a look at Eybeshitz's life and legacy. The bulk focuses on his thoughts on topics that span from angels and divine communication to fish and tefillin. The 112 chapters intersperse translations of Eybeshitz's writings with Barber's commentary. Eschewing precision for accessibility, the author's translation focuses more on the spirit and ideas of Eybeshitz than on a more literal approach. Each section ends with a modern-day application of the writings. . . . readers are encouraged to meditate on the teachings and their implications for contemporary life.The author of multiple books on Jewish history and spirituality, who has received Rabbinic Ordination and Judiciary Ordination, Barber merges an expertise on spiritual teachings with a keen eye toward their applicability. For rabbis and academics, this is a sound reference tool, backed by more than 300 footnotes. Alternately, Barber's writing style excels at making the esoteric accessible; he crafts a practical work that will appeal to lay readers. A well-researched, accessible guide to an important but often overlooked Jewish thinker.-Kirkus Reviews A BookLife Reviews Editor's Pick! Barber's rich second collection of writings and teachings from 18th-century Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeshitz continues the project of offering the English world its first translations of the work of the storied Kabbalist. . . . Illuminating and engaging, a user-friendly collection . . . more suited to browsing-and more welcoming to non-expert readers eager to make a connection to one of the great experts on Jewish law. . . . Barber's distillations of the rabbi's teaching . . . preserves the richness and power of the original writing, in prose that's scrupulously clear and precise. . . . Barber's helpful additions, clearly marked in italics, continue that spirit of lucidity, at times going beyond explanations to offer compelling fresh examples, [and] surprising connections (he draws on Mark Twain in the excellent chapter on Israel). . . . An inviting collection of insights and teachings from a great 18th-century rabbi, freshly translated into English. Production grades: Cover: A-, Design and typography: A, Editing: A, Marketing copy: A -BookLife Reviews

Author Information

Rabbi Yacov Barber was born to Holocaust survivors. He is the father of six children and a proud grand-father. He has lived and studied in Israel, Canada, and Melbourne. He is currently living in New York. Having received both Rabbinic Ordination and Judiciary Ordination, he has also completed courses in palliative care, mediation, family violence, and arbitration.Rabbi Barber is an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker and a much sought-after communicator on ethics as well as spiritual and personal growth. He has lectured across the United States, Europe, Australia, and Canada.He is the author of Generation to Generation: Insights into the Haggadah, Wit & Wisdom: Sermons on the Weekly Torah Reading, and Pearls of Wisdom, a translation of insights of Reb Yehonatan Eybeshitz on the weekly portion and the festivals.Visit his website RabbiBarber.com

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