Yale Judaica Series – serie

The Falashas, who are the most isolated and most ancient Jewish community extant, have preserved their own religious writings through the centuries.  This book offers a cross section of their sacred literature, translated for the first time into English from Ethiopic sources.  In addition, the translator provides a detailed description of the life and mores of the Falashas, based on his personal experience and observation during a prolonged stay in their community.“An excellent, unique, and fascinating volume…an illuminating view of the range of Falasha sacred literature, all freshly rendered into forceful English, and of timeless interest.”—Harry E. Wedeck, National Jewish Monthly“Gives to the English-reading public for the first time an extensive and intimate view of the life and literature of an extremely interesting branch of the Jewish religious community.”—S.D. Goitein, Commentary“The translations in the anthology are notably well done…. For thus presenting in full the evidences of a most extraordinary modern ethnic discovery, Dr. Leslau merits the praise of both scholarly and general public.”—Abraham Burstein, American Jewish Review“This fascinating volume [is] a valuable contribution.” –Alexander Heidel, Near Eastern Studies

The Karaites, a small Jewish sect that arose twelve centuries ago and still exists today, was at one time the most outspoken and productive schismatic division in Judaism. The Karaites contributed much to the Jewish literature of the Middle Ages, for they developed their own corpus of theological dogmas, liturgy, juristic exegesis, metaphysical concepts, secular poetry, apologetics, and sermons. This anthology—the first of its kind in any language of the West—provides excerpts from the early Karaite literature (down to about the year 1500) representing the full range of their thought and belief. All extracts have been translated directly from Arabic, Aramaic, and Hebrew original sources.“This book marks the first attempt in any language to present a chronological exposition of seven centuries of evolution of this interesting Jewish sect through a selection of excerpts from the writings of its spokesmen. . . . [A] pioneering achievement.”—Zvi Ankori, Jewish Social Studies“Will be of real interest. . . to historians of religion, sociologists of religion, students of Judaism, Talmudic scholars, students of comparative religious law, and scholars interested in the relation between Islam and Judaism in the Middle Ages.”—Maurice S. Friedman, The Journal of Religion“The book is an important addition to Qaraite literature in English.”—Isis“The texts are wisely chosen, carefully edited, and supplied with copious notes. An excellent introduction to each writer is given. The book is successful from every point of view.”—Edward Robertson, The Royal Asiatic Society“The commentaries of [the] scholars. . . are important additions to Jewish scholarly research.”—Jewish News

Saadia Gaon, the great ninth century Jewish philosopher, was the father of both scientific biblical exegesis and Jewish philosophic theology.  From his position as head of the great Talmudic academy in Sura, Babylonia, Saadia became the earliest grammarian and lexicographer of biblical Hebrew as well as the Arabic translator and commentator of the Hebrew Bible.  Saadia’s masterpiece, The Book of Beliefs and Opinions, was the first systemic attempt to present Judaism as a rational body of beliefs.  This is the only unabridged translation into modern language of the entire text of Saadia’s classic work.Samuel Rosenblatt’s distinguished translation adheres faithfully to the working of the original and at the same time makes the contents comprehensible to the general reader by cutting up long sentences and adjusting the syntax accordingly.  The treatises have been divided into chapters, and as an additional guide an analytical table of contents has been provided.  Also included is the first translation into a modern language of the variant of the seventh treatise.“Saadia Gaon’s Book of Beliefs and Opinions is the oldest surviving specimen of medieval Jewish philosophy.  It remains also an outstanding specimen of Kalden interpretation of Judaism. Rosenblatt’s translation is a masterly rendition.”—Gerson Cohen, Jewish Theological Seminary“This is the first translation into English of the complete text that influenced the development of systematic Jewish philosophical exposition of the teachings of Judaism. Rosenblatt, who was an excellent Judeo-Arabist and no less a fine Talmudist and rabbinics scholar, introduced the classic in its fullness to the English-speaking world and beyond.”—Judah Goldin, University of Pennsylvania“This complete English translation of Saadia’s masterpiece has itself become a classic and belongs in every serious Judaica library.” –Ivan G. Marcus, Jewish Theological SeminarySamuel Rosenblatt was on the faculty at The John Hopkins University

This is the first English translation of The Fathers According to Rabbi Nathan, one of the richest depositories of rabbinic reflections on the study of the Torah. It is the earliest commentary on Abot, the only tractate of the Mishnah that does not deal with legal matters but exclusively with "agada," an unlimited variety of religious, ethical, and edifying subjects.

This remarkable anthology of sixteen narratives from ancient and medieval Hebrew texts opens a new window onto the Jewish imagination. Presenting the captivating world of rabbinic storytelling, it reveals facets of the Jewish experience and tradition that would otherwise have remained unknown and examines the surprisingly deep connection between the values of classical Judaism and the art of imaginative narrative writing. Virtually all the narratives appear here in English for the first time. Sometimes pious, sometimes playful, and sometimes almost scandalous, they are each accompanied by an introduction and notes. The selections are framed by essays by David Stern and Mark Jay Mirsky that examine the various moods and forms in which the rabbinic imagination found expression and explore the impact that this unique form of narrative has had on modern fiction. The translations are by Norman Bronznick, Yaakov Elman, Michal Govrin, Arthur Green, Martha Himmelfarb, Ivan Marcus, Mark Jay Mirsky, Joel Rosenberg, David Ruderman, Raymond Scheindlin, David Stern, and Avi Weinstein.Yale Judaica Series

Generally referred to by the euphemistic title Sema-Hot ("Rejoicings"), this tractate, dating probably from the third century, is the oldest known Rabbinic text that sets forth the laws governing death, burial, and mourning. The behavior and activities of the mourner are treated in detail, and precise rules of conduct are set down for priests and for close and distant kin of the deceased. Numerous Halakhic and Aggadic passages, not found elsewhere in Rabbinic literature, deal with such matters as the inspection of the dead and the procedure to be followed during the ossilegium. Also included is the classis eulogy delivered by Rabbi 'Akiba for his son. The tractate contains in addition what is perhaps the most complete martyrology to be found in Tannaitic literature. Yale Judaica Series, 17.Mr. Zlotnick is assistant professor in Talmud at the Jewish Theological Seminary of American in New York.

The definitive translation of a classic text of medieval Jewish thoughtConsidered the crowning intellectual achievement of a renowned medieval Jewish poet, The Kuzari stages a fictional dialogue between a Jewish sage and the king of the central Asian Khazars. Comprising five treatises, it constructs a systematic defense of the truth of Judaism against the criticisms and attacks leveled from four different directions: proponents of Aristotelian philosophy, Christianity, Islam, and non-rabbinic Karaite Judaism. By focusing on axial moments in the Jewish narrative, considered empirically true because of the large number of witnesses to these events, Halevi innovates the concept of a Divine Order as the central principle of Judaism, which removes the Jewish people from the normal restraints of nature and history.This translation, the first from the original Judaeo-Arabic in 120 years, features an introduction that traces the life, thought, and impact of this remarkable thinker; detailed notes that provide historical and linguistic context; and an exploration of the text’s enduring influence on Jewish thought and culture.