Aspects of Rabbinic Theology: Major Concepts of the Talmud

Few writers have crafted such a classic statement of the nature of and concepts within rabbinic theology as did Solomon Schechter. Aspects of Rabbinic Theology distills for the uninitiated the basic principles, concepts, and ideas of Judaism, particularly as they are found in the Talmud and Midrash. Noted Jewish author Louis Ginzberg could say of Schechter, "He showed the . . . special Jewish conception of God and the universe, the special Jewish interpretation of the Bible."

Key aspects of Jewish theology, such as the election of Israel, God's relationship to Israel, and the place of the Law, receive careful examination and vivid explanation. The notion of sin as rebellion and the nature of forgiveness and reconciliation with God, under Schechter's steady hand, likewise are disclosed in fresh and thought-provoking ways. Moreover, since "There is hardly any miracle recorded in the Bible for which a parallel might not be found in the Rabbinic literature" (from the introduction), any student of Judaism or Christianity readily recognizes the tremendous potential for increased understanding. Though written nearly ninety years ago, Aspects of Rabbinic Theology remains a clear and useful distillation of the essence of rabbinic Judaism.

Solomon Schechter (1847-1915) was a leading thinker in Conservative Judaism at the turn of this century. Schechter, born in Romania, studied at the Rabbinical College in Vienna. Following course work in Berlin, Schechter moved to England, becoming a reader in rabbinics at Cambridge University and Professor of Hebrew at University College, London. At the end of his life he was the head of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Among his most significant works are Aspects of Rabbinic Theology and Studies in Judaism, both considered classic statements of Jewish thought.