"In this modest but powerful book the great teacher and scholar Adin Steinsaltz brings the gift of Shabbat's rest and joy to all readers, whether or not they are Jewish or, for that matter, whether or not they call themselves religious at all."
—Robert Pollack, professor of biological sciences and director of the Center for the Study of Science and Religion, Columbia University
"Rabbi Steinsaltz has written an inspiring and illuminating introduction to the Tanya."
—Library Journal
"Adin Steinsaltz's insights into the Sabbath could not be more timely. The light he casts on Judaism's reflective, receptive surrender to the holy day of rest will open both Jewish and Christian readers' eyes to long-lost dimensions of their own spiritual traditions."
—Stephen J. Dubner, author, Turbulent Souls and Confessions of a Hero Worshiper
"For decades, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz has come to be relied upon by countless Jews throughout the world as our teacher and spiritual guide. With The Miracle of the Seventh Day, Rabbi Steinsaltz once again reveals both the basic information we need to know as well as a doorway to the beauty, inner depths, and profound nature of his subject. This is an essential book for every Jewish home where the Sabbath is remembered and observed."
—Arthur Kurzweil, author and teacher
AUTHOR’S INTRODUCTION.
I. Are We Actors with Masks?
Our Ability to Assimilate Has Been Too Effective for Our Own Good.
II. Are We Shattered into Pieces?
Despite What Anti-Semites Have Said, Our Infighting and Historical Circumstances Have Never Allowed Unity nor a Unified Leadership.
III. Are We a Nation or a Religion?
Our People Are Not a Religion, nor a Nation, nor an Ethnic Group, nor a Race.
IV. Do We Have Our Own Set of Character Traits?
Yes, But Sometimes We Use Them and Sometimes We Abuse Them.
V. Is Money Our God?
The Slander, Lies, and Misunderstandings Regarding Jews and Money.
VI. Why Do We Want to Save the World?
Exploring the Jewish Messiah Complex.
VII. Are We Excessively Warm or Excessively Cold?
The Seemingly Contradictory Phenomena of Jewish Emotionalism and Intellectualism.
VIII. Why Are Our People Involved in Idolatry?
Our Theocentric Nature and Our Temptation to Create and Worship Idols.
IX. What Is Our Role in the World?
Our “Chosen” Status Demands That We Be the Priests to the World.
X. How Does Our Jewishness Influence Our Thinking Process?
Marx, Freud, Einstein, and the Jewish Search for Unifying Principles.
XI. How Does Anti-Semitism Affect Other People?
The Correlation Between a Country’s Health and How Well It Treats Its Jews.
XII. What Will Become of the Jewish People?
THE AUTHOR.
THE EDITOR.
INDEX.
Overview
"In this modest but powerful book the great teacher and scholar Adin Steinsaltz brings the gift of Shabbat's rest and joy to all readers, whether or not they are Jewish or, for that matter, whether or not they call themselves religious at all."
—Robert Pollack, professor of biological sciences and director of the Center for the Study of Science and Religion, Columbia University
"Rabbi ...