Charity is central to the Jewish tradition. In this formative study, Gregg E. Gardner takes on this concept to examine the beginnings of Jewish thought on care for the poor. Focusing on writings of the earliest rabbis from the third century c.e., Gardner shows how the ancient rabbis saw the problem of poverty primarily as questions related to wealth-how it is gained and lost, how it distinguishes rich from poor, and how to convince people to part with their wealth. Contributing to our understanding of the history of religions, Wealth, Poverty, and Charity in Jewish Antiquity demonstrates that a focus on wealth can provide us with a fuller understanding of charity in Jewish thought and the larger world from which Judaism and Christianity emerged.


About the Author
Gregg E. Gardner is Associate Professor and Diamond Chair of Jewish Law and Ethics at the University of British Columbia. He is author of The Origins of Organized Charity in Rabbinic Judaism.


Reviews
"Gardner is able to shed new light on rabbinic poverty relief, and to let rabbinic poverty discourse illuminate other, related areas in rabbinics research." * The Journal of Religion *



Book Information
ISBN 9780520386891
Author Gregg E. Gardner
Format Hardback
Page Count 302
Imprint University of California Press
Publisher University of California Press
Weight(grams) 544g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 25mm