"Be Thou Holy:  A Heartfelt Introduction to Judaism"

by Stone Zvi Altman

Table of Contents

Introduction

Notes to the Reader      

Part One – Stories from the Family Album                   

Chapter 1 – Abraham                                      

A New Name and A New Destiny                   

Sodom and Gomorrah and the Quest for Justice

A Revolutionary Concept of God                      

The Akedah - The Binding of Isaac

Chapter 2 – Moses                                

Slavery in Egypt

Moses – Reluctant Leader

Free Will

Exodus and the Giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai

Chapter 3 – From Promised Land to Diaspora

Judges and Kings

First Temple Period

Rebuilding the Temple

Rome and Late Second Temple Judaism

Jewish Sectarianism

A Jewish Sect Breaks From Its Roots

Rabbinic Judaism

Part Two – People of the Book

Chapter 4 – Sacred Text and Sacred Law

Significance of Study in Jewish Life and History

What is Halacha?

Chapter 5 – The Bible

The TaNaKh – The Jewish Bible

TORAH - The Teachings

NEVI'IM – The Prophets and Their Message

KETUVIM - The Writings

The Bible and Western Civilization

Chapter 6 – Talmud: Law and the Oral Tradition

From Oral Tradition to Written Talmud

Practical Talmud: Understanding and Interpreting Law

Centrality of Law in Judaism

Chapter 7 – Halacha: The Jewish Way of Life

Religious Observance

Jewish Values: Halacha in Action

Life Takes Precedence Over Law

Part Three – Jewish Life

Chapter 8 – Worship

The Synagogue

Jewish Clergy

Synagogue Behavior and Ritual Items

Prayer Books

Religious Observance by Women

Women in Judaism – A Personal Perspective

Chapter 9 – Cycle of Life: Rituals and Customs

Birth Matters

Bar/Bat Mitzvah

Marriage

Divorce

Illness, Death and Mourning

Part Four – Jewish Perspectives

Chapter 10 – The Jewish Project

Chapter 11 – Jewish Points of View

The Covenant: The Jewish People and God

Be Thou Holy

By Works or By Faith? Perspectives on Jewish Law

Sin and Atonement

Do Jews Believe in an Afterlife? Heaven? Hell?

Are Jews Waiting For the Messiah?

Afterword - The Future of Judaism

Living Judaism

Appendix

The Books of the Torah

The Books of the Nevi’im, or Prophets

The Books of the Ketuvim, or Writings

Bibliography and Further Reading

Acknowledgments

 

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Excerpts from Be Thou Holy copyright © 2006

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Copyright © 2006 TESHUVAH INSTITUTE FOR LIVING JUDAISM
Last modified: January 17, 2007