Judaism and its Social Metaphors: Israel in the History of Jewish Thought

The current crisis in Palestine is only the most recent manifestation of Israel's historical significance to the Jewish people. Jacob Neusner examines the crucial role of the definition of Israel in the history of Judaic thought. He argues that Judaic sages have constructed various metaphoric images of Israel--as family, as chosen people, as a nation--in order to express changing theological concerns as the religion evolved. The history of the definition of Israel is revealed as the reflect...