First published in 1939, As a Driven Leaf is still regarded as a major influence on contemporary Jewish life and thought.
After the latest edition was released featuring a new foreword by the renowned American Rabbi, David J. Wolpe, Rabbi Professor David Golinkin gathered his own sources and notes to reveal the sources quoted or hinted at in the book and to explain the historical background, and some of the day-to-day items and actions described in the book. We get glimpses into Milton Steinberg's deep knowledge when we see that details, such as the way the Sanhedrin members arranged themselves when deliberating, or that they wore their tefillin all day long, are rooted in actual practices of the time. We can also broaden our own knowledge of Talmud and other sources with Golinkin's help by tracing quotes in the book back to their sources.
Rabbi Golinkin shared his sources and notes with hope that they will help readers understand the book and delve more deeply into the subjects mentioned in them and we are delighted to make them available here. The sources are divided by chapter with a catchword or phrase from the book.
You can review Rabbi Golinkin's sources and notes here.
About As a Driven Leaf
The age of the Talmud is brought to life in a breathtaking saga. This masterpiece of modern historical fiction tells the gripping tale of renegade Talmudic sage Elisha ben Abuyah's struggle to reconcile his faith with the allure of Hellenistic culture. Set in Roman Palestine, As a Driven Leaf draws readers into the dramatic era of Rabbinic Judaism. Watch the great Talmudic sages at work in the Sanhedrin, eavesdrop on their arguments about theology and Torah, and agonize with them as they contemplate rebellion against an oppressive Roman rule.
Great American rabbi and writer Milton Steinberg served as the Rabbi of the prestigious Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City from 1933 until his early passing in 1950. Steinberg was revered for his thought-provoking sermons that combined contemporary philosophical ideas with insights into traditional Jewish texts.
Rabbi David Wolpe is an author, lecturer and rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, California. He has has been listed as one the most influential rabbis in America by Newsweek Magazine, The Foreward, and the Jerusalem Post. Wolpe’s weekly column “Musings”, appears weekly in The Jewish Week.
Purchase your copies of As a Driven Leaf here.
