The Humanist Society


Book Description

What accounts for the rise and fall of so many civilizationsespecially when some of them held more political power than their rivals? Author Joseph Sassoon tackles this question and many others in this, his second volume on self-actualization. As a missionary for humanism, he explores the social conditions that are necessary for the greatest number of people to achieve self-actualization. In presenting his theories, he reviews the work of major thinkers, including Kurt Goldstein and his landmark book, Human Nature in the Light of Psychopathology; Charles Darwin; Buddha; and many others. Sassoon explores the answers to key questions: What is societys role in helping individuals move toward self-actualization? What benefits would society enjoy if more people achieved their potential? What are the main characteristics of a humanist code? What can we do to promote humanist values? A third volume in this series will establish the conditions required to bring about a world federalism based on humanism. In a changing world with competing ideologies, it is more important than ever to establish the importance of humanist values. In this study, Sassoon describes a step-by-step social arrangement leading to self-actualization for the greatest number of people in society.




The Book of Esther


Book Description

This comprehensive bibliography to scholarly works on the biblical book of Esther contains over 1500 references. It includes titles of books, collected works, Festschriften, theses, journal articles, essays in collections, encyclopedia and dictionary articles, and online material. It is a classified bibliography, arranged in three categories -- commentaries, biblical chapters and verses, and subject headings in alphabetical order. The scope of the bibliography is international, and its focus is on research from the last hundred years. Scholars, students, clergy, and librarians -- among them literary scholars, sociologists, historians, linguists, art historians, feminists, and Christian and Jewish scholars -- will find this unique volume an indispensable resource and stimulus to further research.




Forthcoming Books


Book Description




Zohar, the Book of Enlightenment


Book Description

This is the first translation with commentary of selections from The Zohar, the major text of the Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. This work was written in 13th-century Spain by Moses de Leon, a Spanish scholar.







Innerspace


Book Description

Based on a series of lectures that Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan gave to a small group of students in Brooklyn in 1981, this contains transcripts of the series on the Kabbalistic system, and testifies to his wonderful ability to transmit profound ideas in a readily-graspable way. Although this is an introductory text, it contains many perspectives that are expressed in a unique way, so it would be quite valuable even for the more advanced student of Jewish mysticism.




Hide and Seek


Book Description

The traditional Jewish community has long been silent on the very personal yet also public matter of married women covering their hair with hats, scarves, and even wigs. Hide and Seek is the first book to discuss this topic, and includes legal and sociological perspectives of this observance, citing relevant texts and rabbinic discourse, as well as the history, tradition, and customs of Jewish communities from around the world.




Garments of Light: 70 Illuminating Essays on the Weekly Torah Portion and Holidays


Book Description

Garments of Light is a collection of seventy revealing essays that take you on a deeper journey through the Torah and Jewish holidays. How could Adam have lived 930 years? Was Joseph really sold by his own brothers? Why is Rosh Hashanah the New Year? When is Mashiach coming? How do we deal with apparent contradictions between Torah and science? Find the surprising answers to these and other enigmatic questions in the pages of this book. Unravel ancient mysteries and prophecies, and explore the Jewish perspective on reincarnation and the afterlife, astrology, the Messianic Era, and more.




The Kabbalah of Time


Book Description

Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the Alter Rebbe, famously stated that we must "live with the times," thereby experiencing the teachings of the Torah related to each week of the year. Similar to the zodiac, where every month has its own symbolism, every week of the Jewish calendar also has a unique meaning. Kahane and Wainer explain that the calendar is the master key to unlock the hidden rationale behind the formal structure of ancient sacred texts, as well as to understand basic mystical concepts. When comprehended within the context of the Jewish calendar, these works reveal the spiritual energy of each week, serving as a practical guide for self-analysis and development. During this annual journey, we will learn to live with greater harmony, happiness and gratitude by learning from the Kabbalah, from age-old Jewish ethical teachings, and even from animals. The objective is to make the reader be in touch with the spiritual powers of each week, thereby improving one's daily conduct and rediscovering the universal song within each one of us: the song of the soul.