Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith [Hardcover]

Rabbi Yehudah ha-Levi (Author), N. Daniel Korobkin (Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0765799707 | ISBN-13: 978-0765799708 | Publication Date: January 1998 | Edition: annotated edition

"The Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith" is the first new translation into English of "The Kuzari" since 1905, annotated and explained based on the classic commentaries. Written by Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi of Spain over a period of twenty years and completed in 1140, "The Kuzari" has enthralled generations of Jews and non-Jews alike with its clear-cut

Editorial Reviews

Review

Translated and annotated by N. Daniel Korobkin, this new edition of The Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith was inspired by the author's need for a suitable text to use in his synagogue's philosophy class. Upon investigation, he discovered that only two translations were available.... Both texts were unacceptable, but instead of changing topics or texts, Korobkin decided to create a new annotated translation of the Kuzari, based upon the first Hebrew translation of HaLevi's work and incorporating the comments of classic commentaries. The result is a wonderful, easy-to-read text, that loses none of the excitement of the original, nor the depth of discussion.... When necessary, key Hebrew words remain in their original (this is especially true of his section on Hebrew grammar) and others are transliterated. But in general, the style of the writing is simple and clear.... Finally, after so many years, the English speaking world is able to study the Kuzari in all its glory and without unnecessary difficulty. -- Jewish Book World, Leonard A. Matanky

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Hebrew

Product Details

• Hardcover: 507 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson; annotated edition edition (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765799707
• ISBN-13: 978-0765799708
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,391,754 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The translation is lucent, intelligent, very readable., October 2, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith (Hardcover)

I found that Yehuda Halevi gives answers to questions that are very pertinent today. He makes Judaism such a LOGICAL religion. The device he uses of questions and answers between a rabbi and the king of the Kuzars, is ingenious as it keeps the reader's interest. That this book was written several hundred years ago and yet is so germain today, shows that the Jewish religion is immutable regardless of the changes in society around us. Morality and ethics do not change regardless of the passage of time. The translation by N. Daniel Korobkin is nothing short of brilliant. Anyone who knows Hebrew will recognize what a magnificent job he has done in converting the archaic style of Yehuda Halevi's day so that it is accessible to the modern reader. I strongly recommend this book to anyone seeking to know the basics of Judaism. You don't have to read anything else -- it's all there.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a perfect addition to any Jewish library, April 24, 2001

By 

Samuel (Long Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith (Hardcover)

This book is not only logical and thought provoking, but inspiring. Ha-Levi wrote a highly philosophical book that touches on the issues of finding truth in the midst of religious controversy, esoteric searching and the emptiness left by western philosophy. It presents Judaism as not only logical but rational and intimate because of Israel's personal experience with the Divine. It makes it claim again Islam and Christianity, whom Ha-Levi says have divided the world amongst themselves in warfare, and calls people to live by morality and a peaceful nature. It demands people to find the usefulness of religion, but not fall into ascentism that leads to contention. This text is not just a translation; it has great commentary on the text and contains the full Hebrew text to reference.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easily the best Kuzari translation, July 14, 2007

By 

Mikha'el (Michael) (Jerusalem Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kuzari: In Defense of the Despised Faith (Hardcover)

This is easily the best Kuzari translation available.

The Feldheim translation has no commentary and only a few footnotes (enough to count on your hands), while the Hartwig Hirschfeld translation (Schocken Books, Sefer ve'Sefel, and other publishers) has a decent number of footnotes with Talmudic sources. The Korobkin version, on the other hand, has extensive annotations explaining Greek philosophical subjects and summarizing the major Jewish commentaries on the Kuzari. Plus appendices with detailed explanations of Greek philosophy and other matters make this Korobkin version unmatched. (It is therefore a shame that it is out of print and almost $100 at the time of the writing of this review.)