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 | | The Book of Letters: A Mystical Alef-Bait (The Kushner Series) by Lawrence Kushner ISBN-10: 9781879045002 ISBN-10: 1-879045-00-1 ISBN-13: 9781879045002 ISBN-13: 978-1-879045-00-2 Hardcover 1990-09 Jewish Lights Publishing Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Amazon.com The Book of Letters: A Mystical Alef-Bait is written in English, but the format is classically Talmudic. The book opens from right to left, ending on the page where most readers are accustomed to beginning. Lawrence Kushner, a Massachusetts rabbi whose writings have helped restore a mystical dimension to popular Judaism in America, wrote The Book of Letters in beautiful calligraphy that is reproduced on every page of this finely bound edition. The text does not so much analyze or explain the letters of the Hebrew alphabet as play with them, teasing their forms and functions for hints of their significance. Noting that aleph, the unpronounceable first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is also the first letter of the names of the first man (Adam), the first Jew (Abraham), and the herald of the last man (Elijah), as well as the first letter of the first commandment, Kushner notes that "The most basic words there are begin with the most primal sound there is." The Book of Letters is full of seriously playful insights like this. It's a marvelous guide to meditation, a primer for students of Hebrew calligraphy, and a fun introduction to learning Hebrew. --Michael Joseph Gross | ||
Book Description In calligraphy by the author. Folktales about and exploration of the mystical meanings of the Hebrew Alphabet. Open the old prayerbook-like pages of The Book of Letters and you will enter a special world of sacred tradition and religious feeling. More than just symbols, all twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet overflow with meanings and personalities of their own. Rabbi Kushner draws from ancient Judaic sources, weaving Talmudic commentary, Hasidic folktales, and Kabbalistic mysteries around the letters. Each letter is illuminated and, together with the comments, is presented in the author s original calligraphy, recalling the look and feel of ancient medieval manuscripts. | ||
Reviews | ||
short and sweet The book was hand written which gave it an artistic appeal. However, I expected a little more detail. The book was cute though and I enjoyed reading it. It is a keeper nonetheless! | ||
Really Good THE BOOK IS VERY GOOD; SIMPLY AND DIRECT TO THE CUESTION; A VERY GOOD GUIDE TO THE MISTYCISM IN THE HEBREW AND JEWISH. | ||
The Book Of Letters Fun Book to read , the Author has a sense of humor and I believe this is a much better way to learn. GGold | ||
Eh... I enjoy Rabbi Kushner's books, but Sefer Otiyot is frankly a bit of a disappointment. Not that there's nothing good about the book -- no; in fact, it is arty and would make a very nice gift book for someone. But if you really want to study the "mystical meaning" of Ketav Ashurit, then I would go with Rabbi Monk's book instead. | ||
Sefer OTiYOT is truly a Prayerbook of Hebrew Letters The first words from the Book Cover, speak literal truth: When opening this Prayerbook-feeling of like pages as "The Book of Letters" you enter a special world of sacred, traditional and religious feeling. More than just symbols, all 22 letters of the Hebrew Alef-Bait become like personalities all their own. The SEFER OTiYOT exist independently of ink and paper or even words. The good Rabbi again spins out his volumes of meaning, much the same as in the Introduction to The BOOK Of WORDS. "The SEFER OTiYOY (written in Hebrew letters) have been a mystical Alef-Bait and fantasy for the Jewish people all through their history...One mythical hope with this book is to keep that tradition alive for so many who have even forgotten some of the letters!" Each beautifully ornamented Hebrew Letter from ALEF...to SHIN... to TAV...is carefully introduced almost in Rabbinical language! I can only quote from SHIN: "Shin is the letter just before the end. It is the fitting together of all the parts. The restoration of all the scattered shards parts. This is Shin: Peace (Hebrew) SHALOM. Completion. Wholeness. Rabbi Kushner likely spent many hours, many days, maybe even many years, creatively putting together these mystical letters and words of the Hebrew Alef-Bait. What a treasure of spiritual depth, learning and wisdom in few pages. Reverently from Retired Chap Fred W Hood | ||