<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Hoffman Rings the Bell for Hebrew Students!
Review: After perusing several books on Kabbalah mysticism, not letting them 'sink-in', I went from Rabbi Kushner's Book of Letters and his Book of Words to this little jewel of Hoffman's mysical use of the 22 Hebrew letters. In his ten-age Part I he moves through developing Hebrew alphabet from the North Semitic tribes more than 3500 years ago, to Ezra the Scribe of the 5th Century, to the Midrash, to the Talmudic commentary on Exodus, to the 13th Century, Zohar (Book of Splendor)!When Hoffman arrives at the Zohar he reflects on the statement that, "God looked into [the letters] of the Torah and created the universe." From one of the early Jewish mystics, Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia he quotes the Hebrew letters as a means to arouse tremendous intuitive capabilities: "Look at these holy letters with truth and belief...[it] will awaken the heart to thoughts of godly and prophetic images." In Abulafia's approach he suggests that one "begin to combine letters, a few or many, reversing and rolling them around rapidly, until [one's] heart feels warm." In teaching dysfunctional children in their teens, I am making good use of Hebrew letters such as: Yud, Reish and Shin...Yud for the words 'yom' or day; names as Yoel [Joel] Yoneh [Jonah] and impulse for good and evil: yetzer hatov and yetzer hara. Also, Reish as Holy Spirit [Ruach Ha-Kadosh]; healing [rafooah] and healer [rofeh]; Shin for words as Shabbat, Shalom and simcha [joy]and shanah [year]. These last ones fit beautifully with the name of one of the girls - Kashanah! Not only is Mr Hoffman's little Jewel great for metaphorical teaching it is an avenue to reach those inquiring, inquisitive, uniquely thoughtful minds.
For them to see the beautiful pictures of Karen Silver is a Plus.
I strongly recommend this to teachers of Special Education!
Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood
Rating: 
Summary: A ray of light
Review: I am not jewish, and I really enjoyed reading this book. I think it helps you understand the passages in the Bible better because you'll understand the jewish context. I wish this book went into even more detail about each letter, but this is a great sampling if you are curious about the powerful meaning of the hewbrew letters. The author, Edward Hoffman, writes beautifully and keeps your focus.
Rating:
Summary: A ray of light
Review: I am not jewish, and I really enjoyed reading this book. I think it helps you understand the passages in the Bible better because you'll understand the jewish context. I wish this book went into even more detail about each letter, but this is a great sampling if you are curious about the powerful meaning of the hewbrew letters. The author, Edward Hoffman, writes beautifully and keeps your focus.
Rating: 
Summary: tiny glossy book that glosses over the facts
Review: This book was written for people who truly do not know anything and do not want to go beyond the superficial. No Jew of any extraction and no Christian high school graduate who had read the Bible would want this book. This is a great book for "I am so cool new agers who wanna be in like Madonna or Brittany" with the latest cool Judaica mysteries. The book is tiny, the pictures of the letters are really pretty and big and shiny, and the writing is pablum. On the plus side, the writing is not inaccurate and it is well written. Great gift idea for kids.Or for seekers who aren't sure if they want to be pagans or monotheists or atheists. Or for Jews to give Christians who have a lot to learn without offending them. It is a pretty gift book, not a scholary tome. I am a Jesus freak and have given this book as a gift to just such folk.
Rating:
Summary: Mystical exploration of the many meanings of Hebrew letters
Review: This richly printed and illustrated little book is a meditation on ideas, mystical experiences and ancient rabbinical stories sparked by each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, a transliteration of the Aleph Bet in the original language. I recommend it to those interested in Jewish studies, in meditation, and in mysticism. It is short but it contains much wisdom. It is also a beautifully designed little book and a fitting travel companion.
Rating:
Summary: Mystical exploration of the many meanings of Hebrew letters
Review: This richly printed and illustrated little book is a meditation on ideas, mystical experiences and ancient rabbinical stories sparked by each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, a transliteration of the Aleph Bet in the original language. I recommend it to those interested in Jewish studies, in meditation, and in mysticism. It is short but it contains much wisdom. It is also a beautifully designed little book and a fitting travel companion.
<< 1 >>
| 
