Simple Words: Thinking About What Really Matters in Life

by Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz

Defining Ourselves Friends, family, love. God, death, faith. These, and others, are deceptively simple words that we use all the time. Do we know what we mean by these important words? Do we know what other people mean when they use them? We seldom pause to reflect on these words or to make sure that we understand them, yet we continue to use them, so we misunderstand others and they misunderstand us. Adin Steinsaltz examines some of the meanings of these powerful words. He transforms each word into a gem, turning it this way, then that, examining it to see more clearly its brilliant facets and what lies beyond them. He challenges us to think deeply about the connotations of these commonplace words, and in so doing, to see that there may be other ways of looking at things that we have taken for granted in our lives. Simple Words is a thought-provoking -- and surprising -- adventure that may change the way we think, speak, and act.

Genres: Judaism, Self Help, Religion, Philosophy

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 1999

About the author

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz (Hebrew: עדין שטיינזלץ) or Adin Even Yisrael (Hebrew: עדין אבן ישראל) is internationally regarded as one of the leading rabbis of this century. The author of many books, he is best known for his monumental translation of and commentary on the Talmud. Rabbi Steinsaltz founded the Israel Institute for Talmudic Publications. Under its aegis, he has published to date 58 books on the Talmud, Jewish mysticism, religious thought, sociology, historical biography, and philosophy. He teaches at Mayanot in Jerusalem. In 1988, he was awarded the Israel Prize, Israel's highest honor. He has received honorary Ph.D. degrees from Yeshiva University, Bar Ilan University, and Ben Gurion University.

Reviews

[Sleepless Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is okay, 3.5 stars.

I like the idea of this book more than the practicality of it. I studied philosophy for a long time so when I look for a summary of words, I expect something new, a new perspective.

There wasn't enough Jewish philosophy for me. I enjoyed some of the ideas but I think this could have dug deeper. As a Jew, I want arguments, debates, talk to me about controversial issues. Give me a new perspective. I didn't get enough from this book.

I don't have much to say. I have so much things to do, why do I feel so much stress the moment Shabbat ends ahhh.

what I'm taking with me:
• Hollywood as a religion is an interesting concept. The media as a religion. How we look for the models in that, we treat celebrities like Gods and ultimately movies have a representation of godlike concepts such as Venus and just, Aries and war.
• God is everything. We need to connect to the simplistic and basic parts of us.
• Jews like stories.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, but I heavily skimmed. Good insights, but coming from a specific world view.

[Avi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and down to earth book that is still able to get one thinking about seemingly everyday concepts on a much deeper level.

[Seth Rogovoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly inspirational wisdom.

[Mitchell26 McLaughlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

A thinly veiled attempt at deconstruction and the demonstration that words are meaningless. I couldn't even finish it.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful essays on a few choice words.

[Lori Ben-ezra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author explores the depth of simple words like love, family and nature to help readers think more about the richness of these concepts.

[Fernando Lozano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts a lot better than it ends. The book slowly progresses from ordered philosophical thought to old man rant.

Not everything is bad. It allows for some serious thinking in some of its chapters.

[Jennifer Ayers-Belinkis · Rating 2 out of 5]

2016.07.24 Simple Words by Adin Steinsaltz
This book is a little heavy for me at the time, a more difficult read. I put it down since 2016.07.24 and may just pick it back up again to see how it reads to me now...
This is what struck my fancy back then....
Pg. 18
Words are the way we react
The soul is full with words
Words give us the enormous power of transferring ideas to others
When we understand words—not as history or as a dictionary definition, but as living entities—when we grasp both the power and the limits of words, that is the basis of a new relationship with our own ideas.