Online Religious & Non Religious Ebooks & Reviews: June 2009

Beacons on the Talmud's Sea

This publication is based on the Jewish community in nineteenth-century adapted from the Works of The Lubavitcher Rebbe and copyrighted by Sichos in English. It contains analysis of passages from the talmud and issues In Halachah

The essays are arranged in four sections:

Distinctive Stances in the Talmud: Three essays which show how a Sage or a school of Sages follow a distinctive pattern of reasoning (azlinan leshitaso) which sheds light on their characteristic approaches to a variety of seemingly unrelated matters.
Holidays in Torah Law: A treatment of the halachic dimension of the holidays and communal fasts.
Unlocking the Aggadah: The Aggadah teaches the homiletical and ethical dimensions of Torah thought. These four essays demonstrate how the insights of Chassidus can imbue this realm of knowledge with a new and penetrating light.
Issues in the Halachah: In-depth analyses of particular halachic issues or Talmudic passages.

As the term "sampler" implies, the subjects were chosen because they were felt to be indicative of the Rebbe's style of teaching, or because they reflected subjects which the Rebbe would frequently emphasize.

Jewish Literature and Religion

We are referring you to read a monthly periodical devoted to the diffusion of knowledge on Jewish Literature and Religion. The occident and american jewish advocate periodical is edited by Isaac Leeser.

Following are the volume of articles covered in this Judaism online occident history page.

Volume I. April 1843 - March 1844
Volume II. April 1844 - March 1845
Volume III. April 1845 - March 1846
Volume IV April 1846 - March 1847
Volume V. April 1847 - March 1848
Volume VI. April 1848 - March 1849
Volume VII. April 1849 - March 1850
Volume VIII. April 1850 March 1851
Volume IX. April 1851- Dec 1851
Volume X. April 1852 - March 1853

From the following link you can get the electronic archive containing the full searchable text of The Occident and American Jewish Advocate, a periodical published from 1843-1868.

We Become Atheists by Gora

Introduction
We look back into our lives and review them either for ourselves or for others. We weigh the pros and cons of the past from the vantage of the present. Such a retrospect more often than not is colored by our looking at them from a time which is not its own. Our passions cool down and our past views change. It is next to impossible to relive our past, but retrospection is as valuable a psychological process as introspection. They may lead a man into dejection or inspire him to further action.

A man like Gora can hardly find time to spare for writing an autobiography. His life was so active and dynamic that he hardly found time to stand and stare. He was not a man to wait for things to shape his life. He endeavored all his life to shape them. He was of the firm opinion that free humans shape events and create conditions and slaves' lives are shaped by events. In choosing alternatives or giving a turn to events he displayed a rare dynamic spirit. In organizing campaigns for the establishment of social and economic equalities he could not indulge in the pleasure of sharing his personal experiences with others.

Gora suffered and struggled. He put up with hardships patiently and with a smile on his lips. If he had compromised his principles on any issue he would not have been Gora. With his family, friends and colleagues backing him up he weathered many a storm. Those who knew him personally know how he kept sufferings to himself and spared a smile for others. It was not self imposed suffering but he suffered for atheism. All his life was devoted to removing the prejudice against atheism and making it an acceptable and respectable term. He made atheism more positive than negative. In this he differed from other rationalists and agnostics. He fought against all religious racial, communal and caste labels. He stood for democracy, economic and social equalities. All his campaigns were directed towards this goal. He respected human personality and raised his voice against anything that denies or curbs human freewill.

In his hectic life, at the age of 73, he could spare a month to write about his past experiences, rather, in outline. Four days after finishing this draft he breathed his last. He didn't expect to die so early. He hoped to live actively, at least, for ten years more. When he was asked to write an autobiography, he pleaded lack of time. His mind was attuned more to programs of action than to cool retrospection. But he did look back on his life at its far end. We don't know what he would have done if he had lived longer. But what little he has given us of his autobiography is a precious picture of his life and message. Gora's life was intertwined with his philosophy. So, while he was narrating certain experiences and influences in his life he invariably gave expression to his views on human affairs. A careful reader will find in this book the quintessence of his life and views from his own pen. Gora lived and died an atheist.

Atheist Center
Patamata, Vijayawada. LAVANAM 13th November, 1975.

Following are the few topic covered in this Atheism ebook.

Introduction
The Change
Thirst For Knowledge
Clash With Parents
The First Dismissal
An Early Experiment
The Second Dismissal
To a Village
Atheist Awakening
My Children
With Gandhi
Political Action
Between Gandhi and Marx
Economic Equality
Direct Action
Seeking Election
Are They Outrageous?
Spread of Atheism
Atheist Centers
Future of Atheism

Beacons on the Talmud's Sea

Jewish Literature and Religion

We Become Atheists by Gora

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