Masterpieces of Hebrew Literature: Selections from 2000 Years of Jewish Creativity

Description

Masterpieces of Hebrew Literature is a true masterpiece of its own--one of the few collections in which readers can find important works of Jewish tradition and culture by such authors as Rashi, Maimonides, Judah Halevi, and Joseph Caro, all in one place. Curt Leviant includes literature that spans many genres, from fiction and poetry to legal, ethical, and midrashic works; from responsa and Biblical commentary to histories and letters. His brief introductions place the works and their authors in historical perspective. Contents Acknowledgments Preface Apocrypha THE WISDOM OF BEN SIRA THE STORY OF SUSANNA THE SONG OF THE THREE CHILDREN THE BOOK OF TOBIT Pseudepigrapha THE TESTAMENT OF THE TWELVE SONS Josephus — The Jewish War THE FALL OF MASADA Mishnah PIRKE AVOT (ETHICS OF THE FATHERS) ROSH HA-SHANA (FEAST OF THE NEW YEAR) Talmud BERAKHOT Midrash MEKILTA MIDRASH RABBAH The Siddur FROM THE PRELIMINARY MORNING SERVICE WELCOMING THE SABBATH SABBATH AND FESTIVALS Eldad The Danite Nathan ha-Bavli THE INSTALLATION OF AN EXILARCH Hasdai ibn Shaprut THE EPISTLE OF R. HASDAI» SON OF ISAAC (OF BLESSED MEMORY) TO THE KING OF THE KHAZARS THE ANSWER OF JOSEPH, KING OF THE TOGARMI, TO HASDAI, THE HEAD OF THE CAPTIVITY, SON OF ISAAC, SON OF EZRA, THE SPANIARD, BELOVED AND HONORED BY US. Hebrew Poetry — The Golden Age of Spain SAMUEL HA-NAGID God's Assurance A Message to his Son, Joseph, on the Raising of the Siege of Lorca War Israel, Arise The Wounded Lion SOLOMON IBN GABIROL An Apple for Isaac In the Morning / Look for You Epitaph on the Death of Rabbi Yekuthiel To a Friend Prayer From "The Royal Crown״ From “The Royal Crown" MOSES IBN EZRA When the Morning of Life Had Passed The Dove That Nests in the Tree Top Wrung with Anguish Sorrow Shatters My Heart Fate Has Blocked the Way O Brook Drink Deep, My Friend Bring Me the Cup The Garden Dons a Coat of Many Hues The World is like a Woman of Folly Princes Man Only in God / Trust God Hangs the World on Nothing Trembling We Seek the House of Prayer JUDAH HALEVI Where Shall I Find Thee? Back My Soul Song of the Oppressed A Longing A Love Song Wedding Song To Rabbi Moses Ibn Ezra Spring The Physician’s Prayer My Heart Is in the East To Zion Jerusalem The Voyage The Earth in Spring A Prayer Bahya Ibn Pakuda Rashi COMMENTARY ON THE PENTATEUCH Ahimaaz Ben Paltiel A BOOK OF GENEALOGIES Solomon Bar Shimon - The Crusades of 1096 THE CRUSADES OF 1096 Responsa LETTER OF SHERIRA G AON (986 CE.) RABBENU GERSHOM BEN JUDAH (960-1040) ISAAC ALFASI (1013-1103) RABBENU TAM (JACOB BEN MEIR 1100-1171 ) ISAAC BEN SHESHET (1326-1408) SIMON BEN ZEMAH DURAN (1361-1444) Maimonides RESPONSUM EPISTLE TO YEMEN A LETTER TO R. SAMUEL IBN TIBBON Benjamin of Tudela THE ITINERARY OF BENJAMIN OF TUDELA Petachia of Ratisbon THE TRAVELS OF PETACHIA OF RATISBON The Book of Yashar JOSEPH IN EGYPT Judah he-Hasid The Poetic Picaresque TAHKEMONI—JUDAH BEN SOLOMON AL-HARIZI Nachmanides THE DISPUTATION WITH PAULO CHRISTIANI Berechiah ha-Nakdan — Fox Fables FOX FABLES Ethical Wills JUDAH IBN TIBBON THE IDEALS OF AN AVERAGE JEW— TESTAMENT OF ELEAZAR OF MAYENCE THE TESTAMENT OF JUDAH ASHERI The Zohar THE ZOHAR The Letters of Obadiah da Bertinoro LETTER TO HIS FATHER LETTER TO HIS BROTHER David Reubeni THE TRAVEL DIARY OF DAVID REUBENI Joseph Caro — The Shulhan Arukh THE LAW OF HONORING PARENTS THE LAW OF HONORING TEACHERS AND LEARNED MEN LAW OF CHARITY Leon of Modena ON GAMBLING JEWS AND MUSIC—RESPONSUM LIFE IN LOMBARDY Moses Hayim Luzsatto — The Path of the Upright Nachman of Bratslav Errata Sources