Jewish Ethical Values: A Sourcebook of Classic Texts and Their Practical Uses for Our Lives
Learn how to live life inspired by the timeless wisdom of Jewish ethical values.
"The works that comprise Jewish ethical literature are self-help manuals in the art form of life. Their primary goal is not to inform but to transform their readers…. No human emotion, no human conflict, no moral problem eludes their grasp."
—from the Introduction
Jewish ethical literature is a genre that has been centuries in the making—and yet the wisdom and guidance offered in these classic texts has transcended the gap between ancient and medieval worlds and our own society today. With insightful commentary, passion and expertise, Rabbis Byron L. Sherwin and Seymour J. Cohen guide us through traditional texts. They give us clear explanations of the historical context of each writing and thoughtful applications of their wisdom on the problems we grapple with today.
Explore some of the most influential Jewish ethical texts, including:
- The Zohar, the cornerstone text of Kabbalah
- The Holy Letter, the first book of its time to apply Kabbalistic ideas to marriage, holiness and sexual relations
- The Path of the Upright by Moshe Hayyim Luzzatto
- Duties of the Heart by Bahya ibn Pakudah
- Nahmanides' Commentary on the Torah
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Book details
- Author
- Seymour Cohen
- Imprint
- Jewish Lights, an imprint of Turner Publishing Company
- Published
- Formats
- Paperback, Hardcover
- Subjects
- Religion › Judaism
Religion › Ethics - Topics
- Jewish ethics · Jewish values · classic Jewish texts · moral guidance · Judaism · Jewish literature · spiritual self-improvement
- ISBN-13
- 9781580238359 (Paperback)9781683361428 (Hardcover)
About the author
DR. SEYMOUR J. COHEN was a rabbi and scholar whose translations brought medieval Jewish ethical literature to English readers. His books include Creating an Ethical Jewish Life, Jewish Ethical Values: A Sourcebook of Classic Texts and Their Practical Uses for Our Lives, and The Holy Letter.
Cohen served as president of the Rabbinical Assembly and the Synagogue Council of America. His translations of classic texts, including The Ways of the Righteous and The Book of the Righteous, introduced a previously little-known genre to a broad readership.
His work engaged with Jewish ethics and interfaith relations across decades. He co-authored Creating an Ethical Jewish Life and Jewish Ethical Values with Dr. Byron L. Sherwin.