On Law, Spirituality, and Society in Judaism: An Exchange Between Jacob Katz and Chava Weissler

On Law, Spirituality, and Society in Judaism: An Exchange Between Jacob Katz and Chava Weissler: "f the three words listed in the title of this article, only the third -- so­
ciety -- is a well-defined term. Law in the Jewish context may indicate
the observance of the halakhic prescriptions or the study of the litera­
ture dealing with them. Spirituality may also be derived at least from
three different sources: the Aggadah, that is, the theological, ethical,
and other ideological portions of the Talmudic literature; the religious
philosophy of the Middle Ages and of modern times; and finally, the
mystical lore of the Kabbalah. All the subjects in the two first terms, law
and spirituality, may have some relationship with the third, society. The
nature of these relationships is the focus of this article.

Adherence to certain sets of religious precepts has its social conse­
quences. It sets apart, at least to some degree, those who are involved
in this religious praxis from those who are not. Jewish religion, at least
in its classical, so-called normative phase, covering the postbiblical

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