Studies in Jewish Civilization, Volume 13 Spiritual Dimensions of Judaism (Studies in Jewish Civilization Series) » (Illustrated Edition)

Leonard J. Greenspoon holds the Klutznick Chair in Jewish Civilization at Creighton University. Ronald A. Simkins is an associate professor of theology and director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at Creighton University.

What is the enduring spiritual power of Judaism? How have Jewish men and women from different walks of life, past and present, drawn on their faith to find spiritual meaning in their lives? In this absorbing collection of essays, scholars from a range of disciplines examine different paths to and expressions of spirituality in Judaism. As a whole, the essayists conclude that a quest for spirituality is authentically Jewish; that textual materials form the basis for any spiritual journey in the religion; that in-depth religious study is a necessary precursor to, though not a substitution for, action; that a concern with spirituality inevitably elevates one's consciousness to the level of the community; and that the quest for Jewish spirituality is arduous but rewarding.

Subjects covered in this volume include an overview of past and present models of Jewish spirituality as well as probing looks at sources of spirituality in the past, ranging from the Aqedah to the prophet Micah, from the three pillars in the rabbinic period to the thoughts and actions of Rabbi Bahya ibn Pakuda, Rabbi Isaac Luria, and Baal Shem Tov. The remaining essays illuminate an array of vehicles of Jewish spirituality in the modern world: Jewish art, synagogue architecture, prayer books, liturgy, and rites of passage.