Living a Joyous Life: The True Spirit of Jewish Practice [Hardcover]

Rabbi David Aaron (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 14, 2007

Secular and religious Jews alike will find wisdom and inspiration in this new book in which Rabbi David Aaron reveals the joy that living a Jewish life can bring. With his characteristic humor, enthusiasm, and insight, Rabbi Aaron looks at key, and often misunderstood, aspects of Jewish practice—our relationship with God, Torah study, prayer, living the commandments, celebrating the Sabbath, and keeping kosher—and shows us how they enable us to access and express the godliness within us.   

Celebrating Shabbat, for example, reminds us that we are created in the image of God, empowered with free choice and intention; studying the Torah releases our chen, or inner beauty and grace; and observing kosher laws helps keep us in touch with our human sensitivity. Rabbi Aaron clarifies why many Jews today feel disconnected from their heritage. He invites readers who have lost touch with their Jewish roots to "unpack their spiritual baggage" and discover the true spirit of Judaism.

Rabbi Aaron is one of the most dynamic and accessible teachers of Kabbalah and Jewish wisdom today, and this book is a warm invitation to anyone struggling to find fresh meaning in Jewish practice.

To learn more about the author, Rabbi David Aaron, visit his website at www.rabbidavidaaron.com. 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Aaron's mission, to offer uncommon answers to common questions that people ask about Jewish identity, faith, and daily Jewish practices begins with an unpacking of negative spiritual baggage. He encourages readers to take a deep look at the oppressive, distorted images of Judaism that hold them back from true delight in the tradition. Many Jews don't love being Jewish because they don't understand who they are or why they would want to live what Judaism teaches, asserts Aaron, a mystic and teacher (Inviting God In). In an analogy from the Zohar, the mystical classic, he compares those who do not know the whys of Judaism to a cow that chews its cud mindlessly. To go from the oy to the joy he provides accessible, readable chapters on God, Torah, prayer, Shabbat and kashrut. Each chapter asks a complex theological question (Who is God? Why pray?), then proceeds to answer it simply and clearly, with personal anecdotes, analogies and teachings from Jewish sources. Because Aaron himself grew up without a strong religious background, his empathic insights strike a note resonant enough to reawaken the spiritual taste buds. (Aug. 15)
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Review

"To go from 'the oy to the joy,' [Aaron] provides accessible, readable chapters. . . . Each chapter asks a complex, theological question, then proceeds to answer it simply and clearly, with personal anecdotes, analogies, and teachings from Jewish sources. Because Aaron himself grew up without a strong religious background, his empathetic insights strike a note resonant enough to reawaken the spiritual taste buds."—Publishers Weekly

"Rabbi Aaron takes these ancient [Jewish] traditions and makes them relevant to modern life while respecting that they are filled with mystery. It is evident that he loves being Jewish, and in this capacious volume that enthusiasm shows through on every page."—Spirituality and Health

"With energy and enthusiasm, Rabbi Aaron infuses the Jewish way of life with joy, which is, as his subtitle phrases it, 'the true spirit of Jewish practice.' . . . Written in a felicitous style that succeeds in being both straightforward and inspirational, Living a Joyous Life offers a way to begin this New Year with Jewish meaning, knowledge, and joy. New understanding will help sustain Jewish practice, so that belief and behavior become one."—Chicago Jewish Star

"With his trademark common sense and extraordinary range of poignant and telling anecdotes, Rabbi Aaron presents a Jewish vision that can guide one to a life of holiness and joy."—Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author of A Code of Jewish Ethics and Jewish Literacy

"This book is not about Judaism; it is Judaism itself. It is truly a joy to read—clear, incisive, inspiring, witty, and entertaining."—Rabbi Berel Wein, author of Tending the Vineyard

"This book will convince you that God loves you—far more than you can possibly imagine."—Dr. Miriam Adahan, author of It's All a Gift

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Trumpeter; 1 edition (August 14, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590303954
• ISBN-13: 978-1590303955
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #801,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks again Rabbi Aaron!!!, September 17, 2007

By 

Rabbi Shloime Ehrlich (usa) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Living a Joyous Life: The True Spirit of Jewish Practice (Hardcover)

This book brings to life many of the concepts written in Rabbi Aarons' previous books. Once again, he has taken the very foundations of yidishkeit;ie- shabbos, kashrus, prayer... and together with his reknown clarity and depth created a masterpiece. It is written for a multi-leveled audience- where beginners to yiddishkeit as well as ffb's can easily follow along, grow and enjoy. Being the most recent book in an outstanding collection, I truly feel that it is indeed like the ribbon on a wrapped gift!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rabbi David Aaron realy knows the way to one's soul, July 24, 2008

By 

Ivette Liht Sigall "Ivette Serur" (Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Living a Joyous Life: The True Spirit of Jewish Practice (Hardcover)

I have read all of Rabbi David Aaron's books and each one is a treasure, this book shows how we can have a wrong view of what it means to live life within the religious jewish rules, the Rabbi gives a very humorous perspective of the way each and every one of us paints life the way we choose to live.
Rabbi Davis Aaron has a wonderfull disposittion to make a joke on what we could think as a very serious matter an turn it into a day to day subject, aPaths of Faithfulness: Personal Essays on Jewish SpiritualityThe Jewish Book of Why reality to embrace as part of life.
Rabbi please, keep up with your work, which you call; your reason to be part of God's plan, and let me, thru your lessons be part of it too.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, November 1, 2010

By 

LandonsBaby - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living a Joyous Life: The True Spirit of Jewish Practice (Hardcover)

This book was fantastic. I read it all but a few pages in one sitting. This was my first book by the Author but I don't think it'll be the last.