The Sefat Emet achieved wide popularity both within and without hasidic circles. In a community openly hostile toward non-Orthodox Jewry, the Sefat Emet embraces the nontraditionalists. Professor Arthur Green, one of the leading scholars of Hasidism and modern Jewish theology, has brought together a wide selection of the Sefat Emet's teachings. The Language of Truth is a remarkable work of Jewish scholarship.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Terrific Book:
Good translation and the subject material in this book creates a deep emotional connection to parashah commentary. Highly recommended. Also the introduction to the book is well written and presents an interesting introduction to the Sfat Emet.
Torah as the unlimited wisdom of G-d:
Arthur Green has done the Torah- learning public in English a great service with this translation and commentary. He elucidates the work of an important Jewish Hasidic thinker, one whose Torah is very much a teaching of the love of Torah. For the Sefat Emet the Torah is the unlimited wisdom of G-d that we can only imperfectly grasp. We human beings are half of our real selves, and the other half which is with G-d comes down to us on Shabbos, but also comes to make us whole whenever we learn Torah.
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Good Job:
Sfat Emet is an incredibly succinct and somewhat enigmatic work. There are portions that are so cryptic that one must read them several times in order to absorb their full meaning. Accordingly, Prof. Green's elucidation can be quite helpful. Furthermore, while Prof. Green taps into the universalism inherent in Sfat Emet, he is generally moderate in his interpretation of the Rebbe's work. As a result, he very rarely offends the sensibilities of the more traditional reader (i.e., one that might refer to "the... more info
Universalism and Judaism:
First published at the end of the 19th century, this is a work of startlingly radical theology. Green summarizes one short comment:
"There is an openness in this teaching to an authentic universalism that is rare in Jewish sources. All the tongues of humanity praise G*d, each in their own distinctive way but as part of the universal chorus. The Moses who "created openings, gates of Torah" in all the places and tongues of the world is not like the religiously imperialistic missionary who translates his own... more info
