Dr. Blau's Jewish
Philosophy Story
`Gateway to Judaism' Encyclopedic Guide
Albert M. Shulman has been a
Ten years ago, Dr. Joel Blau
It should be noted that such
of Columbia University produced rabbi for 37 _years. He has served practices as arranging of mar-
"The Story of Jewish Philosophy" Temple Beth El in South
riages and the character of the
which he introduced as, to his Ind., since 1934, and has been shadhan are clarified. There are
knowledge, "the only book of its rabbi emeritus since 1967. He has many matters that often confuse
kind in any language- written for Preached and written, and his Jews, especially resurrection, im-
the non-specialist and attempting studies now - result in a most il- mortality, etc.
to see the continuities and changes luminating two-volume encyclo-
Under "Immortality and Resur-
that have -taken place in Jewish pedic outline of Jewish beliefs,
philosophic thought from the Bible costoms, regulations, fantasies, rection," Rabbi Shulman has in-
cluded
these guidelines:
to the 20th Century."
folklore—every imaginable theme
"The Bible has little .to say
This volume was instantly ac- in Jewish experience.
about life after death. The pro
claimed as a valuable contribu-
"Gateway to Judaism—an En-
tion to Jewish philosophic study. cyclopedic Guide to the Doctrines,
phets, especially Ezekiel, speak
of symbolic resurrection. The
Reissued by Ktav, it draws re- Ceremonies, Customs, Languages
'Preacher' in the book of Ec-
newed attention for the popular and Community Life of the Jews"
clesiastes denies any hope for
approach it provides to plillosophic is his two-volume compilation of
thought relating to rabbinic inter- informative material, containing
a future life. It was not until
long after the Babylonian exile
pretations, the Kabala, in the more than 1,000 pages, published
that Judaism started to incorpo-
Judeo-Arabic Spanish, and subse- by Thomas Yoseloff.
quent periOds.
rate the idea of resurrection and
If the reader seeks informa-
immortality of the soul. Much of
Dr. Blau's work takes into ac-
tion about the Holy Scriptures,
it came from the impact of the
count the period of Emancipation,
the festivals, the calendar, diet-
religion of Zoroastrianism. Re-
emergence of Reform, Spinozisfn.
ary
laws.
nomenclature,
Jewish
ligious ideologies of early Israel
Many of the eminent Jewish
literature through the ages, the
were divided. 'The Essenes ac-
thinkers in the eras under review
Talmud and the Mishna fan-
cepted immortality only; the
are described and their views
tasies, mystical formations like
Sadducees rejected both; the
analyzed. Dr. Blau points out in
ABRACADABRA and the wear-
Pharisees accepted both, even
his conclusion:
ing
of
amulets
in
the
belief
that
though they are essentially con-
"Not every Jewish philosopher
they
cure,
and
scores
upon
scores
tradictory.
has been mentioned, nor has every
of other subjects, he'll find the
"The Rabbinic view postulat-
theme been discussed. Enough has
explanations in Rabbi Shulmaii's
ed an OLAM HA-BA—a WORLD
been said to make it clear that
immense
work.
Judaism has been not only a re-
TO COME. This was the domain
ligion of practice and of faith, but
of the soul, the spiritual world
Also to be met in these pages
of afterlife. Here the soul merged
also a stimulant to intellectual are many of the historic Jewish
reflection. In those periods in his- personalities and the factors that
with the essence of God and con-
tory when Jews lived a life that will impress the reader are that
tinued its existence, since life
was largely enclosed, shut away the author deals as effectively with
did not terminate with death."
from the currents of thought in the the Decalogue as he does with
Ancient Israel's history gets pro-
surrounding world, the philosophic regulations in Jewish teachings on per attention in the resume pro-
reflection of the Jews was carried capital punishment, explanations of vided here.
on as a kind of interior monologue. many beliefs and the view of them
Jewish organizational life is de-
In those periods when the Jews 'n Jewish traditional teachings.
fined extensively in the second
lived in close contact with their For e x a in p 1 e: "Reincarnation: volume, and the reader
is led to
neighbors in the world, and were Judaism does not subscribe to the
subject to the influences of their belief in the rebirth of the soul an understanding of the religious
movements,
the
philanthropic
ele-
intellectual environment, Jewish in different forms. At death the
philosophy became more of a dia- body returns to the earth to be- ments, Zionism and the move-
ment's
varying
parties.
logue, an exchange of thought that come dust, and the soul returns
Also—there are introductions to
enriched all the participants." -
to God."
the various Jewish communities
In- the sphere of adult educa-
There are many superstitions, throughout the world, and the read-
tion, as well as in the higher
and Rabbi Shulman tackles them er learns about the populations in
classes of our schools, discussion
definitively. At the same time many lands and their roles.
on Jewish philosophy could well
he tells about.resort to talismans,
be augmented by use of the Blau
sorcery, soothsaying and related
book, which is justifiably acknowl-
fantasies.
edged as perhaps the best of its
Rabbi
Shulman presents kind of
kind on the subject as a textbook
for laymen and as a - guide for a challenge when he states: "This
teachers treating Jewish philo- work was conceived on the as-
sumption that the average modern
sophic subjects.
Not only are national Jewish or-
ganizations listed, but the author
provides assistance to the reader
who may need them by ._spend-
ing the addresses to the listings.
The fact that the index occupies
126 pages is an indication of the
extent of material presented in the
two volumes. Rabbi Shul-tan has
rendered a genuine sere ice with
Jew is a dropout from Judaism
following BarlAitzva or confirma-
tion. Few acquire any further for-
mal Jewish education in the uni-
versity, in synagogues, Or in Jew-
ish centers. 'Gateway to Juda--
ism' will not prevent dropouts, but
NEW YORK (JTA) — Prime hopefully, as the title implies, it
may
lead some people to a knowl-
Minister Golda Meir has invited
150 prominent business and com- edge of, and to a pride in, the
munal leaders from the United rich heritage of the Jewish peo-
ple."
_
We:4*
'1 president.
er..,leitif
the smiling photographer
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Friday, January 28, 1972 - 37
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Franklin Racquet Club Features
SIX WEEKS OF TENNIS INSTRUCTION
_
FEB. 14th through MARCH 26th
Indeed, even those who are not
dropouts but who did not take the
trouble to find and learn the facts
LADIES' CLINIC: Morning and afternoon sessions begin-
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week. Evening sessions on Monday and Wednesday night.
Practice sessions will also be available.
about Jewish life and traditions,
or who did not know where to look
for them, will be rewarded with
the material available in Rabbi
Shulman's"compiled data.
- Where necessary, and in ex-
tensive- measures, Rabbi Shul-
man uses Hebrew - texts, and
these are especially valuable in
the flefhdng. of the- festivals, :in
MEN'S CLINIC: Evening sessions on Tuesday, Thursday
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JUNIOR' CUNIC: Morning and afternoon sessions start-
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collection of guidelines inCits--ftvo
Rabbi Shulmarit;firiajae-
vqtek "rigosnace to "Care of
the /300:1, e and. in explaininOhe
sharfire'eare -61 .
singles player for Michigan ,State University. Current Tennis professional at S.L.R.C.
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