Holy Men and Hunger Artists - Fasting and Asceticism in Rabbinic Culture

Zusatztext an untypical but revealing book Klappentext The existence of ascetic elements within rabbinic Judaism has generally been either overlooked or actually denied. Diamond shows that rabbinic asceticism does indeed exist. This asceticism is mainly secondary, rather than primary, in that the rabbis place no value on self-denial in and of itself, but rather require of themselves the virtual abandonment of familial, social, and economic life in favor of an absolute commitment to the study of the Torah. It is an asceticism of neglect, rather than negation. He also notes that this asceticism of neglect dovetails with the rabbinic theology of sin and punishment, which encourages delaying gratification in this world in the hopes of a greater reward in the next. Zusammenfassung The existence of ascetic elements within rabbinic Judaism have been either overlooked or denied. Showing that rabbinic asceticism do exist, this book also notes that this asceticism dovetails with the rabbinic theology of sin and punishment, which encourages delaying gratification in this world in the hopes of a greater reward in the next.

Product details

• Authors: Eliezer Diamond, Eliezer (Rabbi Judah Nadich Assistant Pro Diamond, Eliezer (Rabbi Judah Nadich Assistant Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics Diamond, Diamond Eliezer
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 08.01.2004
• EAN: 9780195137507
• ISBN: 978-0-19-513750-7
• No. of pages: 240
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Judaism; RELIGION / Judaism / General, Judaism