Drawing on more than three hundred Hebrew roots, the author shows that Jewish thought employs Hebrew concepts and categories that are altogether distinct from those that characterize the Western speculative tradition. Among the key categories that shape Jewish thought are holiness, divinity, humanity, prayer, responsibility, exile, dwelling, gratitude, and language itself.
While the Hebrew language is central to the investigation, the reader need not have a knowledge of Hebrew in order to follow it. Essential reading for students and scholars of Judaism, this book will also be of value to anyone interested in the categories of thinking that form humanity's ultimate concerns.

David Patterson holds the Bornblum Chair in Judaic Studies at the University of Memphis. He has written numerous books on Jewish thought, Holocaust studies, and other topics. He received the Koret Jewish Book Award for his study of Holocaust diaries Along the Edge of Annihilation (1999).

Introduction 1. Opening Remarks on the Holy Tongue 2. First Things 3. Giving Voice to G-d 4. The Good 5. For the Sake of Another 6. The Soul 7. Exile 8. Dwelling 9. The House of the Book 10. The Word 11. The Holy 12. Closing Remarks. Hebrew Roots of Words Examined