Halakhah : the Rabbinic idea of law.

Saiman, Chaim N.

ISBN 10: 0691164827 / ISBN 13: 9780691164823

About this Item

Princeton : Princeton University Press, 2018. Paperback. xiv, 296 pp. 25 cm. - How the rabbis of the Talmud transformed everything into a legal question-and Jewish law into a way of thinking and talking about everything Though typically translated as Jewish law, the term halakhah is not an easy match for what is usually thought of as law. This is because the rabbinic legal system has rarely wielded the political power to enforce its many detailed rules, nor has it ever been the law of any state. Even more idiosyncratically, the talmudic rabbis claim that the study of halakhah is a holy endeavor that brings a person closer to God-a claim no country makes of its law. In this panoramic book, Chaim Saiman traces how generations of rabbis have used concepts forged in talmudic disputation to do the work that other societies assign not only to philosophy, political theory, theology, and ethics but also to art, drama, and literature. In the multifaceted world of halakhah where everything is law, law is also everything, and even laws that serve no practical purpose can, when properly studied, provide surprising insights into timeless questions about the very nature of human existence. What does it mean for legal analysis to connect humans to God? Can spiritual teachings remain meaningful and at the same time rigidly codified? Can a modern state be governed by such law? Guiding readers across two millennia of richly illuminating perspectives, this book shows how halakhah is not just law but an entire way of thinking, being, and knowing. Content : Part I. The Nature of Halakhah -- The Idea of Halakhah -- Non-Applied Law -- Halakhah and Governance -- Halakhah as Torah -- Part II. Talmudic Readings -- Halakhah as Theology -- Halakhah as Education -- Halakhah as Aggadah -- Thinking Legally -- Part III. Between Torah and Law : Halakhah in the post-Talmudic period -- Transitioning to Law -- The Idea of Halakhah in the Codes -- The Idea of Halakhah in Responsa -- Halakhah's Empire : the Yeshiva and the House of Brisk -- The State of Halakhah and the Halakhah of the State -- Glossary. Condition : as new copy. ISBN 9780691164823. Keywords : ISLAM, philosophy of law.

Seller Inventory # 292711

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Halakhah : the Rabbinic idea of law.
• ISBN 10: 0691164827
• ISBN 13: 9780691164823
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: as new

About this title

Synopsis

A concise and authoritative introduction to Islamic political ideas

In sixteen concise chapters on key topics, this book provides a rich, authoritative, and up-to-date introduction to Islamic political thought from the birth of Islam to today, presenting essential background and context for understanding contemporary politics in the Islamic world and beyond. Selected from the acclaimed Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought, and focusing on the origins, development, and contemporary importance of Islamic political ideas and related subjects, each chapter offers a sophisticated yet accessible introduction to its topic. Written by leading specialists and incorporating the latest scholarship, the alphabetically arranged chapters cover the topics of authority, the caliphate, fundamentalism, government, jihad, knowledge, minorities, modernity, Muhammad, pluralism and tolerance, the Qur'an, revival and reform, shariʿa (sacred law), traditional political thought, ‘ulama' (religious scholars), and women. Read separately or together, these chapters provide an indispensable resource for students, journalists, policymakers, and anyone else seeking an informed perspective on the complex intersection of Islam and politics.

The contributors are Gerhard Bowering, Ayesha S. Chaudhry, Patricia Crone, Roxanne Euben, Yohanan Friedmann, Paul L. Heck, Roy Jackson, Wadad Kadi, John Kelsay, Gudrun Krämer, Ebrahim Moosa, Armando Salvatore, Aram A. Shahin, Emad El-Din Shahin, Devin J. Stewart, SherAli Tareen, and Muhammad Qasim Zaman.

A new afterword discusses the essays in relation to contemporary political developments.

About the Author

Gerhard Bowering is professor of Islamic studies at Yale University and the editor of The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought.