Levinas and the Torah: A Phenomenological Approach (SUNY series in Contemporary Jewish Thought)

Contents
Preface
	Encountering Levinas
	A Brief Biography of Emmanuel Levinas
	Levinas’s Philosophical Works
	The Importance of Levinas to Contemporary Jewish Thought
	The Burden of Post-Holocaust Jewish Thought: The Radicalizing of Levinas’s Philosophical Thinking on the Holocaust
	Levinas’s Phenomenological Approach
Acknowledgments
Note to the Reader
	The Jewish Bible
	Torah and Interpretation
	The Order of the Book
	New Word Concepts Advanced by Levinas
	On Transliteration from Hebrew to English
Key to Abbreviations of Works by Levinas
Genesis Bereishis
	On Genesis
	Facing Responsibility (Beresheis: In the Beginning)
	The Love of Wisdom and the Wisdom of Love (Noach: Noah)
		The Meta-Covenant
		Humanism without Transcendence
	A New Paradigm for the Human Subject: The Other before the Self (Lech Lecha: Go Out of Yourself)
		Covenant
	On Justice and Its Surplus (Vayeira: The Lord Appeared)
		Moral Reasoning: Explanation and Justice
	The Binding of Isaac: The Yours (Akedah: Binding)
	The Death of the Other (Chayei Sarah: The Life of Sarah)
		Continuity and Discontinuity
	Generational Responsibility (Toldos: Generations)
		Rebecca’s Fourfold Responsibility
	Love and Work in Exile (Vayeitze: He Went Out)
	Fear and Anguish (Vayishlach: He Sent)
		Before Dawn: Jacob/Israel
	Settling (Vayeshev: He Settled)
		Teshuva: Turning
		Yehuda and Tamar: The Face, Rectitude, and Voluptuosity
	Dreams, Hermeneutics, and Action (Mikeitz: At the End Of)
		Bread and Work
		Fraternity and Responsibility
	Substitution and Solidarity (Vayigash: And He Approached)
		Eglah Arufah: Assigning Responsibility
	Intimations of a Messianic Time (Vayechi: And He Lived)
Exodus Shemos
	On Exodus
	Proper Names (Shemos: Names)
	The Fourfold Promise (Va’eira: I Appeared)
	Making Time (Bo: Go)
	Taste and Meaning (Beshalach: Sent Out)
	The Language of Revelation (Yisro: The Giving of the Torah)
		Time and Revelation
		The Order of Meaning vs. the Meaning of Order
	Economic and Social Justice (Mishpatim: Laws for Which Reason Is Easily Adduced)
		Social Justice: Its Prescriptions and Promise
	Feeding the Hungry (Terumah: Portion)
	Daily Fidelity (Tetzaveh: Command)
		In the Absence of Moses
	The Trace (Ki Sisa: Take a Census)
		Expression and Discourse
		The Incalculable: Suffering and Justice
	After Fire (Vayakhel: Assembling)
		The Portability of the Ark
		Generosity
	Accountability (Pekudei: Reckonings of the Tabernacle)
Leviticus Vayikra
	On Leviticus
	The Saying and the Said (Vayikra: To Call)
	Speech in the Imperative Mode (Tzav: Command)
		On Ritual
	Questioning, Responding, and Answering (Shementi: Eighth)
	The Skin of Others (Tazria: Skin Disease)
		From One’s Own Skin toward the Skin of Others (Excursus on Job)
	The Sincerity of the Saying (Metzora: The Afflicted)
	The Paradox of Pardon: Teshuvah and Time (Acharei Mos: After the Death)
		Jonah (Excursus): Teshuvah Further Explored
	Holiness (Kedoshim: The Laws of Holiness)
	Time, Holiness, and Alterity (Emor: Say)
	On Biblical Social Ecology (Behar: At the Mountain)
	An Ethical Eschatology (Bechukoshai: Laws for Which Reasons Are Not Given)
Numbers Bamidbar
	On the Book of Numbers
	On the Irreplaceability of the Human (Bamidbar: In the Wilderness)
	Intimations of Peace (Nasso: Count)
	The Itinerary: Redirection (Beha’ Aloscha: To Raise Up)
	Permission for the Promised Land: Granted, Denied, Postponed (Shelach: Send)
	Beyond Power Politics: Mutuality and the Asymmetry of Ethical Life (Korach)
	The Mystery of Death: Transcendence and the Limits of Intelligibility (Chukkas: Laws That Are Supra-rational)
	Prophetism: Inspiration and Prophecy (Balak)
	Urgency: Devotion vs. Fanaticism (Pinchas)
	Word and Deed (Mattos: Tribes)
		Infinite Time
		A Difficult Piety: Keeping a Promise
	Journeys and Refuge beyond Our Intentions (Massei: Journeys)
Deuteronomy Devarim
	On Deuteronomy
	First Reiteration (Devarim: Words)
	Prayer and Pedagogy (Va’Eschanan: Pleaded)
	Sanctifying Everyday Life (Ekev: Hear)
	Economic Justice (Re’eh: See)
		Justice and Charity
	On Righteousness and Responsibility (Shoftim: Judges)
		The Limits of War
		Infinite Responsibility
	Social Justice (Ki Seitzei: Go Out)
		Workers’ Rights
	The “Pact” (Ki Savo: Enter)
	Time and Covenant (Nitzavim: Standing)
	Going Forward (Vayeilech: Went)
	The Song of the Torah (Haazinu: Listen)
	The Blessing (Vazos Haberachah: Blessing)
Epilogue
Appendix 1: Glossary of Talmudic and Biblical Terms
Appendix 2: Glossary of Some Key Philosophical Terms and Phrases Used by Levinas
Biblical Translations and Commentaries
	Hebrew Bible
	Glossary of Commentators Cited or Consulted
Works Cited
Index