Organized as a series of authoritative discussions, this book presents the application of Jewish law - or Halakhah - to contemporary social and political issues. Beginning with the principle of divine revelation, it describes the contents and canons of interpretation of Jewish law. Though divinely received, the law must still be interpreted and 'completed' by human minds, often leading to the conundrum of divergent but equally authentic interpretations. Examining topics from divorce to war...

Originally published in 1981. The meaning and objectives of literature, argues David Bleich, are created by the reader, who depends on community consensus to validate his or her judgements. Bleich proposes that the study of English be consciously reoriented from a knowledge-finding to a knowledge-making enterprise. This involves a new explanation of language acquisition in childhood, a psychologically disciplined concept of linguistic and literary response, and a recognition of the intelle...

Martin D. Yaffe's Judaism and Environmental Ethics: A Reader is a well-conceived exploration of three interrelated questions: Does the Hebrew Bible, or subsequent Jewish tradition, teach environmental responsibility or not? What Jewish teachings, if any, appropriately address today's environmental crisis? Do ecology, Judaism, and philosophy work together, or are they at odds with each other in confronting the current crisis? Yaffe's extensive introduction analyzes and appraises the antholo...

A critique of male-dominated modes of language use, their roots in higher education, their effects, and their spill over into popular culture.David Bleich sees the human body, its affective life, social life, and political functions as belonging to the study of language. In The Materiality of Language, Bleich addresses the need to end centuries of limiting access to language and its many contexts of use. To recognize language as material and treat it as suc...

Understanding Halakhah requires appreciating the subtle interplay betweentimeless principles and complex, ever-changing realities. The contemporarystudent of Halakhah must assess not only the questions of today, but also anticipate the questions of tomorrow. In this volume of Contemporary Halakhic Problems, Rabbi J. David Bleich not only offers a compelling analysis of the principles and methodology of Jewish law, but also provides lucid summaries and analyses of classic hala...

This volume includes discussions of the axiological principles of faith that define the essence of Judaism, analyses of particular principles such as the nature of the Deity, providence, prophecy and revelation. Other topics addressed are tikkun olam and Jewish responsibilities in a non-Jewish society and obligations derived from natural law or a moral conscience.

The Diabetes LIFEMAP changes the way chronic diabetes care is delivered forever.The LIFEMAP raises diabetes care for the primary care and ancillary healthcare provider to the level of world renown diabetes expert, David Bleich, MD. For patients, the LIFEMAP provides real-time diabetes care that changes a “tough-to-manage” disease into a shared, personal, and efficient management experience. The LIFEMAP can be used as a stand-alone diabetes management tool ...

Autobiographical Writing Across the Disciplines reveals the extraordinary breadth of the intellectual movement toward self-inclusive scholarship. Presenting exemplary works of criticism incorporating personal narratives, this volume brings together twenty-seven essays from scholars in literary studies and history, mathematics and medicine, philosophy, music, film, ethnic studies, law, education, anthropology, religion, and biology. Pioneers in the development of the hybrid genre o...

Frühsommer 980. Otto II., Sohn und Nachfolger Ottos des Großen, steht unter Erfolgsdruck. Da es für ihn diesseits der Alpen kaum noch Gegner von Bedeutung gibt, plant der junge Kaiser, sich durch einen Sieg über den Islam als Beschützer der Christenheit zu profilieren. Sizilien ist in der Hand der Araber, von dort aus verheeren sie die byzantinischen Provinzen Kalabrien und Apulien. Vertriebe er sie vom Festland, könnte er endlich über ganz Italien herrschen; sein Anspruch, Nachfahre der r...