Discover the Talmud and its universal
values for all people.
While the Hebrew Bible is the cornerstone
of Judaism, it is the Talmud that provides many central values
for living. The Talmud sets out specific guidelines and lyrical
admonitions regarding many of life’s ordinary events, and
offers profound words of advice for life’s most
intractable dilemmas.
This accessible introduction to the Talmud
explores the essence of Judaism through reflections on the
words of the rabbinic sages, from one of American
Judaism’s foremost teachers and writers, Rabbi Dov Peretz
Elkins. Dr. Elkins provides fresh insight into ancient
aphorisms and shows you how they can be applied to your life
today. Topics include:
- Kindness through Giving, Welcoming
and Sharing
- Human Relationships
- Personal Values
- Family Values
- Teaching and Learning
- Life’s Puzzles
Enlightening and inspiring, the values of
the Talmud can be appreciated not just by Jews, but by anyone
seeking a greater understanding of life and its mysteries.
“A reservoir of rabbinic insights
into how we should live our lives—in relationships,
family and community…. Helps all of us in our struggles
with the enduring questions we face as human beings. A must
read for anyone who reflects on what it means to live lives of
holiness and goodness.”
—Dr.
Norman Cohen, provost, Hebrew Union
College–Jewish Institute of Religion;
author, The Way Into Torah
“Beautifully shows the eternal
wisdom of our sages in our contemporary world. Elkins’
personal wisdom is interwoven with ancient texts to illuminate
so many issues with which we are faced today. A valuable
resource for anyone interested in understanding the great worth
of the Talmud.”
—Rabbi
Judith Z. Abrams, PhD, founder and
director,
Maqom: A School for Adult Talmud Study
“For those of us unable to tackle
the multivolume Talmud, this thoughtful and well-written book
gives us the essence of Jewish wisdom on a variety of topics
relevant to our lives today.”
—Ron
Miller, chair, religion department,
Lake Forest College; coauthor,
Healing
the Jewish-Christian Rift: Growing Beyond Our Wounded History
“A sturdy craft for sailing the sea
of Talmud, and Rabbi Elkins is a fine navigator. His choice of
text is solid, his commentary is insightful, and his style is
both enlightening and engaging. This is a book to come back to
over and again.”
—Rabbi
Rami Shapiro, author, Ethics of the Sages: Pirke Avot—Annotated
& Explained
“Clearly and beautifully elucidates
important teachings on spiritual concepts like love, charity,
kindness and companionship—plus some of life’s
sticky issues like greed, sin, and belief. A great book for
anyone wanting to dip into the pool of Judaism’s timeless
wisdom.”
—Rabbi
Elyse Goldstein, editor, The Women’s Torah Commentary and
The
Women’s Haftarah Commentary
“Filled with wise guidance on the
dilemmas humans face every day, mixed with gems from the Jewish
tradition. A great book.”
—Rabbi
Sid Schwarz, founder/president,
PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values; author, Judaism and Justice: The Jewish Passion to
Repair the World
“Wise and accessible, this book
shines. Everything you need to know about how to be a
‘mensch’ —a fully evolved, caring human
being—is here in this treasure trove of practical
inspiration.”
—Joan
Borysenko, PhD, author, Inner Peace for Busy People
“Filled with gems of insight and
inspiration.”
—Rabbi
David Wolpe, Sinai Temple, Los
Angeles, California
