Every Person's Guide to Shabbat (Every Person's Guide Series) [Hardcover]

Ronald H. Isaacs (Author)

Book Description

Series: Every Person's Guide Series | Publication Date: December 1, 1998

The Sabbath is the only holiday included in the Ten Commandments, and the observance of it has given the Jewish people an opportunity to rest their minds and bodies. The Sabbath is primarily a home oriented occasion, although there are several prayer services that take place in the Synagogue both Friday evening and Saturday morning, afternoon, and evening. There are also a variety of home rituals which are intended to unify the family and add an aura of sanctity to the home. This volume is a user friendly guide to the Sabbath. Topics include: the origin of the Sabbath from biblical times through Temple times; synagogue and home observance, including detailed how-to Shabbat guidelines; a series of games and activities suitable to be played on Shabbat; the Jewish definition of work on the Sabbath; the laws and customs of the Sabbath and their rationale; Shabbat zemirot (table songs) with illustrations; the liturgy of the Sabbath service and commentary on the various specialized prayers for the Sabbath; Sabbath legends; notable quotations related to the Sabbath; the Sabbath in short story, and a glossary of terms and books for further reading.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rabbi Ronald H. Isaacs is the spiritual leader of Temple Sholom in Bridgewater, New Jersey. He received his doctorate in instructional technology from Columbia University's Teacher's College.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc. (December 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765760193
• ISBN-13: 978-0765760197
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,782,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great potential, June 13, 2000

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This review is from: Every Person's Guide to Shabbat (Every Person's Guide Series) (Hardcover)

This is first draft of a potentially excellent book. The few brief pages about the history of Shabbat observance tantalized me, but I wished that the author had fleshed out the information he provided. Furthermore, the section ends with bullet points, and I wonder why he didn't actually write something about those topics. By reviewing the table of contents, you would expect most of the book to be devoted to history rather than to activities for families with children.

I expect quite a bit from books published by Aronson because of their very high prices. Their publication, "Jewish Views of the Afterlife," was a tremendous feat of accessible scholarship that was entirely worth paying for. "Every Person's Guide to Shabbat" is unfortunately not in the same category. At the very least, an editor should have addressed grammar and writing style.

If you're looking for a good book on the Sabbath, I'd recommend "Friday Night and Beyond" by Lori Palatnik, also published by Aronson. It contains no history lessons, but does present detailed descriptions of Shabbat rituals and numerous anecdotes about the joy and sacredness of the day.