Judaism by: Isidore Epstein

Judaism
Isidore Epstein
Penguin
ISBN 9780140135527

I have read this book for three different university courses. Each time I have gleaned more from its wisdom and presentation of the Jewish Tradition. This is a classic in Jewish Studies and can be found in almost any used book store. The last time I read it I had 8 pages of journal notes. In point form here are some of my notes from this great book:

Judaism remains to the present day essentially a product of the bible as well as the period that followed the return of the Jewish Exiles from Babylon.

God is: omnipotent, one & only God, beside whom there is no other; omnipresent; all knowing, all wise, omniscience, all holy transcendence.

The human body is a sacred vessel comprehending the divine spark, the soul, and as such must be kept healthy, sound and clean. To neglect the body and its physical requirements is to offend against God.

Moderation and sobriety, combined with cheerfulness and joy, constitute the key note of Judaism.

The harmonization of the physical needs and moral and spiritual aspirations spells contentment.

It is an excellent book for the scholar or just a lay student of religion.

(First written as Journal Reading Notes in 1999.)