The Thirteen Principles of Faith: A Chasidic Viewpoint

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Summary: Great introduction to Lubavitch ideology.
Review: Library Journal: A knowlegeable proponet of the Lubavitch movement, a Chasidic sect that embodies many of the mystical aspects of Judaism, Gurary has written an extensive interpretation of Judaism. He uses framework of Maimonides's famed 13 principles to attach basic Lubavitch concepts. He correctly distinguishes between normative Judaism and Chasidim and prefaces many statements with "Chasidus explains..." this distiction is particularly important when he addresses controversal areas such as the doctrine of reincarnation orthe concept of the differences between a Jewish and non-Jewish soul. Well sritten, highly recommended

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Summary: The Rambam in Chabad terms
Review: This book provides a Chasidic largely Habad reading of Rambam's thirteen principles of faith. Gurary teaches that the Jew has before birth prior knowledge of God, and that the belief in God is therefore inherent in every Jewish soul. As he understands it all Torah is a manifestation of God, and the learning of the thirteen principles of faith is what he calls ' experiential'and not simply abstract reasoning. Each of the chapters is a meditation on one of the thirteen principles. There is too a chapter on Faith itself, Faith and Experience, Faith and Reason, Faith and Self- Sacrifice, Faith and Life et. al.
The last principle is Resurrection of the Dead and I would like to quote Gurary's closing words in the hope that they may be of some help and inspiration to anyone who reads this.
"Perhaps the reason that Maimonedes final principle is about the resurrection of the dead is in accordance with the maxim" that the beginning is wedged in theend, and the end in the beginning'.
Rightin the beginning we explained that belief in God comes from God Himself, that God Himself is revealed to the soul We conclude with the idea that the relationship of God to the Jewish person as a whole,comprising both soul and body , will ultimately be revealed in the era of the resurrection of the dead. Thus we see that the Essence of God is connected in every way to the life of the Jew in this world.As explained by Chasidus, the final principle emphasizes that this intrinsic connection is everlasting and will ultimately be revealed forever. In this sense, there is no end. The final principle explains how there is no end.'
This work was compiled and edited by Moshe Miller.