Beyond a Code of Jewish Law

The <em>Ḥayei Adam</em>, an abridged code of Jewish law, was written by Rabbi Avraham Danzig (1748-1820) and was first published in 1810. This code spread quickly throughout Europe, and the demand for it required a second publishing which the author printed in 1818. <em>Beyond a Code of Jewish Law</em> attempts to understand the implicit message of its author and discuss various approaches of its writer to both Judaism and Jewish law. While the <em>Ḥayei Adam</em> without any doubt unveils Rabbi Danzig to be a brilliant rabbinic scholar, with a comprehensive knowledge of Jewish law as well as a coherent and concise system of presentation, it also expresses his great concern for the Jewish community and each individual Jew. Aspects of this concern such as <em>Hasidism, musar, kabbalah</em>, are explored.<br>