Israel’s Day of Light and Joy
The Origin, Development, and Enduring Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath
$67.09
- Paperback
296 pages
- Release Date
24 June 2024
Summary
This book begins by exploring the mysterious origins of an institution so familiar that most of us never wonder where it came from—the seven-day week. Jon D. Levenson then focuses on the historical development of the Jewish Sabbath and the rich range of theological and ethical meanings it has acquired over the centuries.
Levenson evaluates the theory that the Hebrew word šabbāt derives from Akkadian and that the Sabbath may have begun as a day of ill omen, only later to be re…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781646022731 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1646022734 |
| Author: | Jon D. Levenson |
| Publisher: | Pennsylvania State University Press |
| Imprint: | Eisenbrauns |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 296 |
| Release Date: | 24 June 2024 |
| Weight: | 386g |
| Dimensions: | 229mm x 152mm x 21mm |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
“In an academic world increasingly defined by methodological parochialism, Levenson’s work has always stood apart. He has the rare capacity to harvest from a wide range of academic fields—history, theology, biblical criticism, rabbinics, and philosophy—in service of extensive and penetrating considerations of enduring theological questions. Levenson writes with exquisite religious sensibility, conveying a sense not only of the outer forms of religious praxis but also of the strivings, emotions, and aspirations that accompany them.”
—J. J. Kimche First Things
“A landmark work.”
—Rory J. Balfour Journal of Theological Studies
“Israel’s Day of Light and Joy provides an in-depth presentation of the origins and evolution of the Sabbath, from its beginnings to the present day. It emphasizes the purpose and spiritual significance of the Sabbath for the contemporary Jewish and non-Jewish societies. Ultimately, Levenson’s book makes a valuable contribution to the study of the Sabbath.”
—Ottilia Lukács Review of Biblical Literature
“This is a masterful piece of scholarship. Levenson has somehow managed to combine a rigorous historical-critical analysis of the Sabbath with a theologically sensitive discussion of the meaning and value of the Sabbath as it has developed into the present day in a fresh, readable volume seasoned throughout with wit and good humor. I learned much reading this book. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to understand the historical development of the Sabbath and its continuing value in a modern culture characterized by individualism, burnout, exhaustion, and (often) the loss of a sense of purpose and meaning.”
—Jason Staples, author of Paul and the Resurrection of Israel: Jews, Former Gentiles, Israelites
About The Author
Jon D. Levenson
Jon D. Levenson is Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard University. Levenson’s many books concentrate on the Hebrew Bible and its interpretations over the centuries, especially in rabbinic midrash, with a focus on theological matters.
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