Customer Reviews

The Alef-Beit: Jewish Thought Revealed through the Hebrew Letters

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Rabbi Ginsburgh takes readers on a fascinating journey through the Hebrew alphabet. Along the way, he reveals each letter's secrets and demonstrates their significance in Jewish spirituality. Rabbi Israel Ba'al Shem Tov, founder of Chasidism, taught that in every letter there are Worlds, Souls, and Divinity. "Worlds" refers to the physical, material, human, moral, and personal; "Souls" means the Jewish religious/spiritual dimension; and "Divinity" signifies the Godly. Each of these dimensions is further reflected in a letter's shape, name, and numerical value, thereby creating nine separate categories of meaning for each letter. In The Alef-Beit: Jewish Thought Revealed through the Hebrew Letters, Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh explores each character in the Hebrew alphabet, summarizing and discussing its essence in relation to these nine dimensions. Rabbi Ginsburgh's close examination of the letters also provides springboards into informative discussions about Jewish life-cycle events, holiday observances, and a wealth of ideas in Jewish thought and belief. His unique observations, combined with wisdom gleaned from talmudic, midrashic, and kabbalistic sources, offer profound insights into many significant ideas in Judaism. This intriguing volume takes readers on a fascinating journey through the Hebrew alphabet. Along the way, Rabbi Ginsburgh reveals each letter's secrets and demonstrates that they are a key to Jewish spirituality.

After reading this book you will discover that it is much more than just a book on the Hebrew Letters. But rather a complete encyclopedia of Kabbalah, Hassidut, mysticism, spirituality and much much more! The book has changed my life. A must for everyone searching for a true way to serve G-d.

This fascinating book reveals the spiritual depth and meaning of the Hebrew letters. It is a must for all those interested in truly learning and understanding Hebrew.

This book breaks down a system of philosophy from a rabbi based on the Hebrew Alphabet This is valuable resource for anyone looking to do an independant study of Hebrew mysticism and the alphabet.

1995 EDITION: (In print) ALEF-Beit; Jewish Thought Revealed Through the Hebrew Letters Yitzchak Ginsburgh / Paperback / Published

Each letter of the alphabet (aleph bet) has meaning. Ginsburgh provides a dissertation on each of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, discussing even the sub-parts which make up the letters and meaning they contribute.

"Jewish soul" are wrong words for it ! The right words are "ISRAEL's soul" ! The cabalistic meaning of "ISRAEL" is: "the one who have striven with GOD". She/he can be anybody of any culture or religion. She/he have only to be so far... This correction will probably make you give 5 stars!

I understand completely being unsettled by the term "Jewish soul" as if it were something higher or different from any other soul. Please understand that the term "Jewish" is only "one who walks the path of G-d". Whatever G-d is to you, the Universe, the Collective Soul/Consciousness, Divine Light... so long as you are seeking to act according to Truth, so long as you struggle to listen, or surrender to hear- constantly or again and again; you who walk towards unity and/or clarity, you may read this book and know that it is indeed addressing you. Do not let language interfere with truth.

Rabbi Ginsburgh has obviously done a great amount of work in gathering all of the ideas that he has presented in this book. Unfortunately the work is severely marred by Mr Ginsburghs horrible beliefs about the difference between "Jewish" and "non-Jewish" souls. We are to believe, that somehow, the Divine Spark dwelling in a Jewish body is fundamentally different to the Divine Spark dwelling in a non-Jewish body. This book is strictly the work of an armchair theorist.