Die Gottesdienstlichen Vortrag Der Juden, Historisch Entwickelt

In its time a groundbreaking book, Die gottesdienstlichen Vortrage der Juden was the first systematic study of Aggadah and Midrash. It gives a historical overview of the development of biblical interpretation and preaching, from the Bible up to Zunz's own time. It focuses on the phenomenon of Aggadah or Haggadah (non-legal Jewish writing) in its various forms: the Targurnim, the classical Midrashim, mystical literature, ethical works and historical works. Typical for Zunz is that his scientific concerns mingled with his desire for religious reform in his own time. He wanted to base revival of rabbinic sermons in the reformed synagogues on the long and rich heritage of traditional Jewish learning and preaching, approached in a modern scientific way. The first edition of the book appeared in 1832. The second edition, which is reprinted in the present volume, was slightly revised by N. Brll, and contains, apart from Zunz's own Preface to the first edition, a Preface by Moritz Steinschneider to the second edition.