Sacred Writings category: 300 books

In the ancient Jewish practice of the kavannah (a meditation designed to focus one’s heart on its spiritual goal), Lawrence Kushner and David Mamet offer their own reactions to key verses from each week’s Torah portion, opening the biblical text to new layers of understanding. Here is a...

This comprehensive and accessible entrée into the world of Kabbalah covers 1,600 years of Jewish mystical thought and features a variety of thinkers—from the renowned to the obscure—unavailable in any other volume. It’s a fresh take on an ancient tradition compiled by Edward Hoffman, a psychologist...

The Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of 972 documents discovered between 1946 and 1956, are of immeasurable religious and historical significance. They include the oldest known surviving copies of Biblical-era documents. The manuscripts shed considerable light on forms of Judaism never known before....

A diverse and exciting collection of commentaries on the traditional Haggadah Hebrew text in two volumes and with a new translation designed to let you know exactly what the Haggadah says. Introductory essays help you understand the historical roots of Passover, the development of the Haggadah, and how to make sense out of texts and customs that evolved from ancient times.

Although Jewish tradition gives tremendous importance to the Hebrew Bible, from the beginning Jewish interpretation of those scriptures has been practiced with remarkable freedom. Karin Hedner Zetterholm offers a clear and concise introduction to the legal, theological, and historical presuppositions...

The Book of Zohar (Book of Radiance) is perhaps the most mysterious composition ever written. It contains the secrets of the whole of Creation, but until recently these secrets were shrouded in mystery and misconceptions. Now The Zohar is openly unfolding its wisdom, to show humanity a way forward....

This engaging and informative book provides an introduction to the liturgy of the Siddur--the Jewish prayerbook. More than a "how-to" guide, this resource deals with basic issues for the modern worshiper, the historial compilation of the Siddur, and much more.

This lively, easy-to-follow guide to Kabbalah introduces the ancient Jewish mystical tradition that has captured the interest of Hollywood stars and the general public alike. With celebrities like Madonna, Paris Hilton, Demi Moore, and Britney Spears announcing their fascination with Kabbalah,...

The first anthology of Jewish mythology in English, Tree of Souls reveals a mythical tradition as rich and as fascinating as any in the world. Drawing from the Bible, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud and Midrash, the kabbalistic literature, medieval folklore, Hasidic texts, and oral lore collected in...

In this intensive study of Hebrew letters and words, Rabbi Matityahu Glazerson uses gematria (interpretive Jewish numerology) to reveal the mysterious correlation between Jewish ethics and practices and the numeric values of Hebrew words which name and describe them. This profound and lucid exploration...

This is the book that has been missing from the ever-expanding bookshelf of Torah commentariesa collection of messages on each Torah portion, aimed specifically for teens. It shows them how each Torah portion contains worlds of meaning for them, for what they are going through in their lives, and how they can shape their Jewish identity as they enter adulthood.

Living Waters - The Mei HaShiloach: A Commentary on the Torah by Rabbi Mordechai Yosef of Isbitza (1800-1854) is the collected teachings on the Torah by the hasidic master Rabbi Mordechai Yosef of Isbitza. Born in Poland to a rabbinic family, Reb Yosef was a student of Reb Simcha Bunem of Pshiske....

Discover the wisdom and traditions of the world's oldest religion. What do Jews believe about God? How can Jewish wisdom help people of all faiths live with greater happiness and fewer regrets? 

Justice for All demonstrates that the Jewish Bible, by radically changing the course of ethical thought, came to exercise enormous influence on Jewish thought and law and also laid the basis for Christian ethics and the broader development of modern Western civilization. Jeremiah Unterman...