Rabbi Louis Jacobs

Few post-talmudic works have been as revered as the Zohar, the mystical commentary on the Torah.

The Hasidim wrote and told stories about their leaders.

The Bible would have us offer reproof to others when we ourselves have been wronged; the ancient rabbis encouraged wider use of this sort of speech.

Jewish law's response to slander over the ages moved from strong disapproval to imposing real communal consequences.

Jewish moralist literature sets a high standard of truthtelling, but one not without exceptions.

A brief summary of traditional Jewish views of death--including its tragedy and its inevitability.

Jewish thinking tries to strike a balance between responsibility and forgiveness.

The rabbinic sages and later philosophers and mystics offered many ways to categorize the mitzvot and explain their significance.

Rabbinic sources, both ancient and modern, suggest that tzedakah plays an important role in the spiritual life of the donor.

Some festivals are two days in the Diaspora, but only one day in Israel.