"Simple words are by no means simple," states Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz in his introduction to Simple Words. This is certainly true of the words he has teased out from contemporary spirituality to expound upon here. Each chapter is dedicated to so-called simple words such as death, envy, masks, sex, good, and love. Steinsaltz uses familiar language and progressive thinking to offer a greater moral and spiritual understanding to these core concepts.

Although many of the selected words are age-old, the accompanying commentary feels fresh and contemporary. When writing about envy, Steinsaltz explores how this misunderstood emotion can be used to serve the higher good rather than lowly desires. And in addressing the idea of sex, he writes, "Jewish tradition ... does not see sex per se as sinful.... It is a pleasure that is derived from giving and being connected with another--both in the body and beyond the physical plane; it can become a most meaningful expression of love, of charity, of benevolence. Sexual desire, possibly the most powerful human desire, can become an expression of holiness." --Gail Hudson


From Publishers Weekly
In the tradition of Harold S. Kushner (When Bad Things Happen to Good People, 1981), Jerusalem-based talmudic scholar Steinsaltz expounds upon simple words to embrace both Jewish and non-Jewish readers. Steinsaltz, well-known for his popular translation of the Talmud, here offers a homespun presentation of disparate subjects: words, nature, spirit and matter, faith, good deeds, sex, death, envy, Hollywood, masks, friends, family, love and God. Steinsaltz uses elementary language and anecdotal homilies to explain these topics for readers who may or may not be religious. Several of his observations are insightful, especially his argument that envy is not necessarily bad; it can lead to rivalry, which in turn can foster creativity and intellectual growth. Many times, however, "simple" descends into the simplistic, as when he overstates that Hollywood's dream world as depicted in foreign-run movies may have "played a more powerful role in destroying the Soviet regime than all the military vehicles of the United States." Overall, the chapters are a series of missed opportunities: while Steinsaltz notes that "the hidden wisdom of commonplace words is sometimes startling," for example, his opening discussion of words disregards the idea that language not only expresses our ideas but also helps to shape them. In his determination to demystify complex phenomena, Steinsaltz oversimplifies ideas that require a more nuanced, sophisticated approach. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
Rabbi Steinsaltz, the impetus behind the monumental Steinsaltz Talmud (a translation of that work into English) and author of Biblical Images (1984) and many other works, offers meditations on the ``simple words and notions . . . we use [that] contain very complex ideas'': nature, friends, family, God, etc. The essays are a mixed bag, some stale, some spiked with indisputable insight. In ``Sex,'' Steinsaltz forcefully argues that to imbue lovemaking with questions of ownership is a distortion; leave ownership for food and money, says Steinsaltz, but focus on giving when you're in bed with your lover. And yet Steinsaltz's reflections on love are particularly unsatisfying. He defines love as a feeling, ``the emotion of attraction toward an objectthe beloved,'' rather than a choice, a commitment, a mode of living toward one's beloved. The reader is left wondering what Steinsaltz would suggest for those moments when the feeling has evaporated, replaced only by annoyance that our beloved bought the wrong brand of o.j. It is tempting to describe Simple Words as a Jewish version of Kathleen Norris's Amazing Grace, but there is little in these pages that is explicitly Jewish. Parsed another way: unlike Steinsaltz's earlier forays into Jewish mysticism or the Talmud, Simple Words should enjoy a wide, diverse readership. Nonetheless, it is food for thought that one of Israel's most revered rabbis has written a collection of essays in many ways indistinguishable from the musings of a Benedictine oblate. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Review
Rabbi Harold S. Kushner author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People Distilling the scholarship and wisdom of a lifetime, Adin Steinsaltz reminds us of what it really means to be human.


Book Description
Friends, farmily, love, God, death, faith. These are deceptively simple words that we use all the time. But do we know what we mean by these important words? Do we know what other people mean when they use them? Because we seldom pause to reflect on these words, we misunderstand others, and they misunderstand us. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz explores some of the meanings of these powerful words that are so central to our lives. He transforms each word into a gem, turning it this way, then that, examining it to see more clearly its brilliant facets and what lies behind them. He challenges us to think deeply about the connotations of these commonplace words, and in so doing, to see that there may be other ways of looking at things we have taken for granted all our lives. Thus, our notion of "goodness" may become fluid rather than fixed; we may think ourselves not at all spiritual, yet find that we have a deeper involvement in the world of spirit than we realized; and, as Rabbi Steinsaltz explains, we may mean many different things when we use the word love. "Questions of Faith are not philosophical, sociological, or psychological; they are intensely personal, " says Rabbi Steinsaltz. In Simple Words, Rabbi Steinsaltz summarizes a lifetime of spiritual wisdom that will enrich our lives and open us to better and deeper communication with others. Simple Words is a thought-provoking -- and surprising -- adventure that may change the way we think, speak, and act.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Every serious student of Judaism knows Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's ongoing edition of the Talmud. In this gripping words, Rabbi Steinsaltz shows how deep spiritual insights can be gained from commonplace words.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Friends, family, love. God, death, faith. These, and others, are deceptively simple words that we use all the time. Do we know what we mean by these important words? Do we know what other people mean when they use them? We seldom pause to reflect on these words or to make sure that we understand them, yet we continue to use them, so we misunderstand others and they misunderstand us.

Adin Steinsaltz examines some of the meanings of these powerful words. He transforms each word into a gem, turning it this way, then that, examining it to see more clearly its brilliant facets and what lies beyond them. He challenges us to think deeply about the connotations of these commonplace words, and in so doing, to see that there may be other ways of looking at things that we have taken for granted in our lives. Simple Words is a thought-provoking -- and surprising -- adventure that may change the way we think, speak, and act.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly