"This work is particularly significant because it is among the first to develop a dialogue between the classical interests of Jewish Studies - texts and history - and the stuff of cultural analysis - ritual, myth, and meaning." - Tikkun "I greatly enjoyed Beyond the Text. [Hoffman's] way of relating text to community is very skillfully done ... a refreshingly new approach." - Mary Douglas " ... destined not only to contribute significantly to the sum of knowledge but also to alter the way the data are perceived and the arguments framed." - Worship "This powerful and brilliant book revolutionizes the academic study of liturgy." - Religious Studies Review " ... one of the most thoughtful books on Jewish scholarship to appear ... " - Heritage Southwest Jewish Press " ... a profoundly enlightening book ... " - Theological Book Review

• Acknowledgments 1. Introduction: The Focus on Holism 2. Havdalah: A Case of Categories 3. Rites: A Case of Social Space 4. American Jewish Liturgies: A Study of Identity 5. Sacred Myths: I. Premodern Jewish Perspectives 6. Sacred Myths: II. After the Enlightenment Appendix to Chapter 6 Inclusion in the Myth: The Case of Women 7. The Numinous: A Problem of Recognition 8. Conclusion: A Holistic View of Liturgy Notes Index