Divine Feminine in Bibical Wisdom Literature: Selections Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) [Paperback]

Rami M. Shapiro (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2005 | Series: SkyLight Illuminations

The first of God's creations and God's endless delight, Wisdom (also known as Chochma and Sophia) is the Mother of all life, the guide to right living--She is God manifest in the world you encounter moment to moment. Her teachings, embedded in the Holy Scriptures of Jews and Christians, are passionate, powerful calls to live in harmony, love with integrity and act joyously.

Through the Hebrew books of Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes and Job, and the Wisdom literature books of Sirach and the Wisdom of Solomon, the Divine Feminine speaks to you directly, and Her only desire is to teach you to become wise. Rami Shapiro's contemporary translations and powerful commentaries clarify who Wisdom is, what She teaches, and how Her words can help you live justly, wisely and with compassion. This is not a book about Wisdom but the voice of Wisdom Herself, liberating, uplifting and compelling.

Now you can experience the Divine Feminine and understand Her teachings with no previous knowledge of Wisdom literature. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents insightful commentary that explains Sophia's way of wisdom and illustrates the countless opportunities to experience Her creative energy through which God fashions all things.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Sung with sweet authority from within the embrace of Mother Wisdom.... A luminous and deeply moving love song." -- Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown, professor of religious studies, Naropa University; author of Dakini's Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism

About the Author

Rabbi Rami Shapiro is an award-winning storyteller, poet, and essayist, and director of the Simply Jewish Foundation. He is the author of Minyan: Ten Principles for Living a Life of Integrity (Bell Tower); Hasidic Tales: Annotated and Explained; The Hebrew Prophets: Selections Annotated and Explained (both SkyLight Paths) and other books.

Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, PhD, is an Episcopal priest and retreat leader focusing in Christian Spirituality. She is principal teacher for the Contemplative Society in Victoria, British Columbia, and founding director of the Aspen Wisdom School in Aspen, Colorado. Her books include Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, The Wisdom Way of Knowing, Encountering the Wisdom Jesus, Mystical Hope, and Love Is Stronger than Death. She serves on the core faculty for the Spiritual Paths Foundation whose mission is to promote curiosity, respect, and acceptance between people of diverse spiritual traditions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Skylight Paths Publishing (October 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594731098
• ISBN-13: 978-1594731099
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #446,636 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daughter of the Voice, November 2, 2006

By 

Peter M. Schogol (Lexington, KY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Divine Feminine in Bibical Wisdom Literature: Selections Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) (Paperback)

Rami Shapiro once commented "...if I were still in the synagogue business I think I would drop the standard Torah readings and focus on the Wisdom Books of the Bible -- Proverbs, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Job -- and the God who teaches us how to examine life and in so doing discover for ourselves the principles of godliness that we are to live and teach." This God is the Divine Feminine of the present book.

One reviewer criticizes THE DIVINE FEMININE for not being scholarly. The book was not intended for scholars but for seeking laypersons who are coming to the conclusion that a post-nostalgic Judaism groping towards a cosmologically-grounded and naturalistic theism needs new ways of looking at God, Israel, and Torah. THE DIVINE FEMININE offers a refreshing and inspiring approach to all three.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A breath of much needed fresh air, September 26, 2005

By 

BuikD (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Divine Feminine in Bibical Wisdom Literature: Selections Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) (Paperback)

When I got this book in the mail I thought I would just read a couple pages to get a feel for it but I ended up reading the whole thing that night. It is more of a devotional with about 180 pages of selected passages with author notes on the facing page.

The Wisdom Literature the author sites comes from these seven books:

* Psalms

* Proverbs

* Job

* The Song of Songs

* Ecclesiastes

* Wisdom of Solomon

* The Wisdom of Jesus Ben Sirach

The book itself is divided into five topical sections

* Foreward & Introduction (I found his personal story interesting and the historical information on the books a good frame of reference on how to approach the various verses)

* Who Is She?

* Where Is She Found?

* What Does She Teach?

* The Way of the Wise

You would think that with having to read it all the first night I would have given it 5 stars, however I found some of the passages a bit ambiguous in terms of relating to the divine feminine and in some areas he relied heavily on one book or chapter of scripture. I found it to be an excellent starting point, making me want to find and read the two "non-biblical" books he referenced.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Divine Feminine, November 6, 2006

By 

Susan Proctor "Shushanna" (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Divine Feminine in Bibical Wisdom Literature: Selections Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) (Paperback)

As a big fan of Rami Shairo, I was a bit disappointed in this book. I was expecting his usual deep insights that instruct and challenge and ultimately lead me onto untraveled spaces of thinking and spirtuality. Instead, this book reads more like a Bartletts Familar Quotations of Biblical Wisdom Literature. I'm happy to own the book - but probably would not recommend it as one of his best.