Creating an Ethical Jewish Life: A Practical Introduction to Classic Teachings on How to Be a Jew

A handbook of Jewish ethical values and literature. Life as an art form—an invitation to Jewish ethical living.

“It is the human task to complete God’s unfinished artistic masterpiece—the human person.”
—from the Introduction

The classic texts of Jewish ethical literature—works little-known to most of us—are now readily available for personal study. This one-of-a-kind book brings the genre of Jewish ethical literature from its origins in the ancient and medieval worlds, straight into our 21st-century lives.

An invitation into a history rich with wisdom and guidance, Creating an Ethical Jewish Life offers traditional texts, clear explanations, and ways for us to use them in our lives. Rabbis Sherwin and Cohen highlight a wide variety of classic texts, including the Zohar, The Holy Letter, The Path of the Upright by Moshe Hayyim Luzzatto, Duties of the Heart by Bahya ibn Pakudah, and Nachmanides’ Commentary on the Torah. These timeless texts are combined with the authors’ insightful commentary to address the ultimate human moral issue, the most intimate personal question: How can I best live the life God has entrusted into my care?

With expertise and passion, Sherwin and Cohen show us how these unusual texts not only inform—but can transform our lives.