"The Torah Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom is a milestone in publishing. It includes: Entries on every animal found in the Torah, Prophets and Writings, every reference to the animal in Scripture, a vast range of sources from the Talmud and Midrash, detailed analyses of the identities of these animals, based on classical Jewish sources and contemporary zoology,the symbolism of these animals in Jewish thought throughout the ages, zoological information about these animals and fascinating facts, lessons that Judaism derives from these animals for us to use in our own daily lives, Laws relating to the various different animals, and stunning, full-color photographs, that bring the Scriptural and Rabbinic descriptions to life"--

Noah's Ark: An Annotated Encyclopedia of Every Animal Species in the Hebrew Bible provides a wealth of information on each animal in the biblical text, including taxonomic designation, interesting zoological information, references to legends in Near Eastern mythology, rabbinic insights found in the Talmud, Midrash, and halacha (Jewish law), and a complete concordance that locates each time the species appears in the Holy Scriptures.

“Ask the beast and it will teach thee, and the birds of heaven and they will tell thee.” —Job 12:7 In the Middle Ages, the bestiary achieved a popularity second only to that of the Bible. In addition to being a kind of encyclopedia of the animal kingdom, the bestiary also served as a book of moral and religious instruction, teaching human virtues through a portrayal of an animal’s true or imagined behavior. In A Jewish Bestiary, Mark Podwal revisits animals, both real and mythical, that have captured the Jewish imagination through the centuries. Originally published in 1984 and called “broad in learning and deep in subtle humor” by the New York Times, this updated edition of A Jewish Bestiary features new full-color renderings of thirty-five creatures from Hebraic legend and lore. The illustrations are accompanied by entertaining and instructive tales drawn from biblical, talmudic, midrashic, and kabbalistic sources. Throughout, Podwal combines traditional Jewish themes with his own distinctive style. The resulting juxtaposition of art with history results in a delightful and enlightening bestiary for the twenty-first century. From the ant to the ziz, herein are the creatures that exert a special force on the Jewish fancy.

Dragons, unicorns, mermaids ... all the famous creatures of myth and legend are to be found in the Torah, Talmud and Midrash. But what are we to make of them? Do they really exist? Did the Torah scholars of old believe in their existence? And if not, why did they describe these creatures? Sacred Monsters is a thoroughly revised and vastly expanded edition of the bestselling book Mysterious Creatures. Rabbi Natan Slifkin, the famous "Zoo Rabbi," revisits all the creatures of that work as well as a host of new ones, including werewolves, giants, dwarfs, two-headed mutants, and the enigmatic shamir-worm. Sacred Monsters explores these cases in detail and discusses a range of different approaches for understanding them. Aside from the fascinating insights into these cryptic creatures, Sacred Monsters also presents a framework within which to approach any conflict between classical Jewish texts and the modern scientific worldview. Complete with extraordinary photographs and fascinating ancient illustrations, Sacred Monsters is a scholarly yet stimulating work that will be a treasured addition to your bookshelf

The Challenge of Creation is a completely revised and vastly expanded edition of The Science Of Torah. That work was widely hailed as the best book of its kind for its honesty and thoroughness of approach. The Challenge of Creation builds upon its approach, covering more issues and in greater depth. Carefully, methodically, and eschewing sensationalistic or dogmatic claims in favor of reasoned analysis, it shows how some of the greatest Jewish thinkers explained Judaism and Genesis in a way that complements modern science rather than conflicts with it. The Challenge of Creation is an invaluable resource for anyone grappling with conflicts between science and religion. It is a profound work that is sure to become a classic

V.I:Aach-Apocalyptic lit.--V.2: Apocrypha-Benash--V.3:Bencemero-Chazanuth--V.4:Chazars-Dreyfus--V.5: Dreyfus-Brisac-Goat--V.6: God-Istria--V.7:Italy-Leon--V.8:Leon-Moravia--V.9:Morawczyk-Philippson--V.10:Philippson-Samoscz--V.11:Samson-Talmid--V.12: Talmud-Zweifel.

Exploring the earliest literary evidence for human-animal relations, this volume presents and analyzes biblical and Mesopotamian (Sumerian, Assyrian, and Babylonian) sources from the third millennium BCE through to the consolidation of the biblical literature in the first millennium BCE. Key Features: Provides the first comprehensive study of these texts from an ethical perspective. Examines proverbs, popular aphorisms, myths, epic literature, wisdom literature, historiography, prophecy, and law codes. Applies methodology from current contemporary biblical and ancient Near Eastern scholarship and human-animal ethics, thereby raising new questions that lead to fresh insights. ​An Ethical View of Human Animal-Relations in the Ancient Near East is essential reading for scholars and graduate students of animal ethics, applied ethics and biblical studies.

KNOWLEDGE: Do we obtain reliable knowledge about the world from ongoing supernatural revelation, or from scientific investigation? NATURE: Is it preferable to perceive God as working through nature, or through supernatural miracles? SUPERNATURAL ENTITIES: Are we surrounded by all kinds of supernatural forces and entities, such as endless conscious angels, demons and the Evil Eye? MITZVOT: Do the commandments function solely to change our thoughts and behavior, or primarily to manipulate mystical forces? TORAH: Is Torah a Divine guide for life, or is it also a metaphysical blueprint for existence with all kinds of supernatural qualities? Rationalism vs. Mysticism is a thorough study of how these questions were answered very differently by various rabbinic scholars over history, reflecting two fundamentally different views of the nature of Judaism. It will profoundly deepen your understanding of Judaism and many of the intellectual conflicts that have arisen in Jewish history.

Man and Beast presents a comprehensive Jewish perspective on our relationship with the animal kingdom. From the blessings to be recited when visiting the zoo, to understanding what exactly sets us apart from animals, to the issues involved in keeping pets - an entire framework is presented.