Holy Living: Saints and Saintliness in Judaism

The Hebrew term hasid is most comonly associated with the hasidic movement, but it has much earlier origins and is more technically used to refer to what may be described as the saint or saintly personality as found in Jewish history and tradition. Holy Living is the only in-depth study of this phenomenon. It offers a scholarly and sensitive portrait of the hasid as a theoretical type, and describes many individuals throughout history who have personified the essence of the hasid. Louis Jacobs, prolific author and highly regarded rabbi and scholar, has combed the literature to present a rich and complete profile of the hasid, which he maintains is a clearly identifiable type in Jewish life and thought. Drawing upon source material from Jewish literature and history--from the most ancient sources to present-day works--Rabbi Jacobs's book is rich with information and inspiration. He also demonstrates the significance of saintliness for religions in general, and analyzes how Jewish saintliness resembles and how it differs from saintliness in other religions.