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Podcast: New Books in Jewish Studies
Episode: Geoffrey D. Claussen, "Jewish Ethics: The Basics" (Routledge, 2024)
Description: In the Jewish world, we often hear people cite “Jewish values” as defense for their positions. The irony, however, is that in the same argument, two people will cite text and law from the same book to defend their views. They will both shout to the other that Jewish values are on their side.
The multivocal nature of Jewish ethics is what makes the study of it so difficult, so maddening.
Most books try to pin down Jewish ethics, to find an authentic outlook. They try to explain what Judaism has to say about this contr...