Louis Jacobs

Wissenschaft des Judenthums

The new academic study of Judaism examined Jewish religion from the scholarly perspectives of theology, literature, and history.

God’s Withdrawal

Isaac Luria's theory of creation.

Holiness: Everyone’s Duty or a Saintly Ideal?

Is it enough to live up the requirements of Jewish law for one to be holy? Is sanctity in this life possible for all of us—or only for a few saintly people?

The Zohar’s Influence

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

Literature of and on Hasidism

The Hasidim wrote and told stories about their leaders.

Jewish Attitudes Toward Death

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