Foundations of Sephardic Spirituality, livre ebook

Who were the Sephardic Jews of the Ottoman Empire?
What lasting lessons does their spiritual life provide for future generations?

“How did the Judeo-Spanish-speaking Jews of the Ottoman Empire manage to achieve spiritual triumph? To answer this question, we need to have a firm understanding of their historical experience…. We need to be aware of the dark, unpleasant elements in their environments; but we also need to see the spiritual, cultural light in their dwellings that imbued their lives with meaning and honor.”
—from Chapter 1, “The Inner Life of the Sephardim”

In this groundbreaking work, Rabbi Marc Angel explores the teachings, values, attitudes, and cultural patterns that characterized Judeo-Spanish life over the generations and how the Sephardim maintained a strong sense of pride and dignity, even when they lived in difficult political, economic, and social conditions. Along with presenting the historical framework and folklore of Jewish life in the Ottoman Empire, Rabbi Angel focuses on what you can learn from the Sephardic sages and from their folk wisdom that can help you live a stronger, deeper spiritual life.

Acknowledgments ix 1 The Inner Life of the Sephardim 1 2 Iberian Roots 19 3 The Ottoman Milieu 37 4 Religious Foundations 47 5 Turning Points 59 6 Midrashic/Kabbalistic Judaism 75 7 The Religious/Social Structure of Life 93 8 Ladino Folklore 119 9 Confronting Modernity 147 10 Lasting Lessons 167 Notes 177 Selected Bibliography 191 Index 197