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G-d Versus Gods: Judaism in the Age of Idolatry Hardcover – May 26, 2021

by Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein (Author)

4.8 57 ratings

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God versus Gods: Judaism in the Age of Idolatry seeks to understand the Bible's accounts of polytheism, follows its history, and focuses on the struggle between Jewish Monotheism and pagan/idolatrous cults in the Biblical period. An extended section is devoted to understanding the Talmudic concept concerning the paradigm shift which emptied the world of the Evil Inclination for Avodah Zarah, and its implications from a religious perspective.
This unique work delves into the Bible's view of the history of idolatry, as well as the hermeneutical, philological, Kabbalistic, and Halachic approaches to this topic taken by various Rabbinic figures through the ages. The second part of this book consists of an encyclopedia that lists and elaborates upon ever foreign deity mentioned in the Bible. The author also compares and contrasts traditional Jewish views to those of modern-day academia (addressing archeology and philology of the Levant), offering proofs and difficulties to both approaches.
As the old saying goes, "Two Jews, three opinions." In almost every chapter, more than one way of looking at the matter at hand is presented. In some cases, the differing opinions can be harmonized, but ultimately many matters remain subject to dispute. Hopefully, the mere knowledge of these sources will whet the reader's intellectual curiosity to learn more.
Written by a brilliant young scholar, God versus Gods: Judaism in the Age of Idolatry is ground-breaking, intriguing, and remarkable.

Print length

398 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Mosaica Press
Publication date

May 26, 2021
ISBN-10

1946351466
ISBN-13

978-1946351463
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Most of us think of avodah zarah as something repugnant, forbidden, and entirely outside our scope of interest. But its treatment in Tanach and by Chazal shows much complexity that we gloss over. Rabbi Klein, a talmid chacham and scholar, does the heavy lifting for us, uncovering what we need to know - and entirely in the spirit of Chazal and our mesorah.
-Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein, Director of Interfaith Affairs, Simon Wiesenthal Center

Much of the Bible is an attack on various pagan rituals that were practiced by the Israelites and their neighbors... But the exact meaning and nature of what is being condemned and why are shrouded in mystery - with the result that large parts of our own sacred texts are simply not understood. Rabbi Klein is providing a very useful service in filling this lacuna.
-Rabbi Dr. Yitzchak Breitowitz, Rav, Kehillat Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem, Israel
Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein has once again presented us with an important work that will elucidate one one of the most oft-discussed topics in the Torah--avodah zarah. Much of the message that the Torah is trying to teach us about avodah zarah is lost to us, because we have very little understanding of the details of those practices... Certainly the explanations thereof are vital. Rabbi Klein has worked hard organizing and collecting information and making it accessible to a Torah student... -Rabbi Aharon Shraga Lopiansky, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva of Greater Washington
Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein once again combines traditional rabbinic scholarship with historical and archeological information to give us a complete and comprehensive treatment of a vast topic...Engaging and informative, this unique book is highly recommended for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of the main obstacle to the Jewish People's relationship with G-d in the time of the Bible. -Rabbi Dr. Zvi Ron, Editor, Jewish Bible Quarterly

About the Author

Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein is the author of God versus Gods: Judaism in the Age of Idolatry (Mosaica Press, 2018). Mosaica Press published his first book, Lashon HaKodesh: History, Holiness, & Hebrew, in 2014, and it became an instant classic. Rabbi Klein has also published papers in several prestigious journals, including Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society (New York), Jewish Bible Quarterly (Jerusalem), Kovetz Hamaor (Monsey), and Kovetz Kol HaTorah (London). His weekly articles also appear in the Ohrnet, Jewish Press, Oneg Shabbos, and other publications. Many of his writings and lectures are available for free on the internet.
Rabbi Klein is a native of Valley Village, CA and graduated Emek Hebrew Academy and Yeshiva Gedolah of Los Angeles, before going to study at the famed Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem and in Beth Medrash Govoha of America in Lakewood, NJ. He received rabbinic ordination from leading authorities Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, Rabbi Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Lerner, and Dayan Chanoch Sanhedrai. He is also a member of the RCA, an alumnus of Ohr LaGolah, and was awarded a summer fellowship at the Tikvah Institute for Yeshiva Men in 2015.

He is a long-time member of the Kollel of Yeshivas Mir in Jerusalem and lives with his wife and children in Beitar Illit, Israel. Questions and comments can be directed to rabbircklein@gmail.com
The author is available for research, writing, and translation projects, as well as speaking engagements.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mosaica Press; First Edition (May 26, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 398 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1946351466
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1946351463
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.69 pounds

Best Sellers Rank: #1,693,131 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #123 in Theism Religion
- #833 in Jewish Theology
- #2,443 in Comparative Religion (Books)

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4.8 57 ratings

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Reuven Chaim Klein

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Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein is the author of God versus Gods: Judaism in the Age of Idolatry (Mosaica Press, 2018). Mosaica Press published his first book, Lashon HaKodesh: History, Holiness, & Hebrew, in 2014, and it became an instant classic. Rabbi Klein has also published papers in several prestigious journals, including Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society (New York), Jewish Bible Quarterly (Jerusalem), Kovetz Hamaor (Monsey), and Kovetz Kol HaTorah (London). His weekly articles also appear in the Ohrnet, Jewish Press, Oneg Shabbat, and other publications. Many of his writings and lectures are available for free on the internet.

Rabbi Klein is a native of Valley Village, CA and graduated Emek Hebrew Academy and Yeshiva Gedolah of Los Angeles, before going to study at the famed Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem and in Beth Medrash Govoha of America in Lakewood, NJ. He received rabbinic ordination from leading authorities Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, Rabbi Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Lerner, and Dayan Chanoch Sanhedrai. He is also a member of the RCA, an alumnus of Ohr LaGolah, and was awarded a summer fellowship at the Tikvah Institute for Yeshiva Men in 2015.

He is a long-time member of the Kollel of Yeshivas Mir in Jerusalem and lives with his wife and children in Beitar Illit, Israel. Questions and comments can be directed to rabbircklein@gmail.com

The author is available for research, writing, and translation projects, as well as speaking engagements.

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HW

Well researched. Well written. Fascinating.

Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2023

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Many of the most infamous idolaters in Tanach were actually great Torah scholars and kept Torah law scrupulously. Rabbi Klein explains how they could have stooped to idolatry, an act we cannot understand today.
I also appreciated the index of idols mentioned in the bible where Rabbi Klein explains what the idol worship we learn about actually entailed. It also includes many fascinating stories and legends that deepen our understanding of idolatry's culture.
I'm eagerly awaiting volume 2.

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Gil Weinreich

What Happened to the Idolatrous Urge?

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2023

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One of the most frequently recurring themes in the Hebrew Bible, from beginning to end, is man’s disloyalty to God via idolatrous worship. Yet the fact that we do not worship idols, nor know anyone else who does so, challenges our ability to fully relate to this foundational text many of us learn daily.Thanks is therefore due to Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein for his dazzlingly encyclopedic presentation of this topic.
Reading this book will not only help better understand the Bible but should deepen our ability to genuinely understand our present world.

Indeed, a midrash dating from the geonic period foretells a comeback for idolatry in pre-messianic times, portraying the last king to rule the world prior to the final redemption as planting idolatrous trees and worshipping Baal. If this seems far-fetched, consider that New Age and neo-pagan cults have made a significant comeback in the past few decades, and that Gaia-appeasing language is nowadays freely mixed into presidential discussions about climate science and environmental policy.

Among the lessons of this book is that one of the repercussions of idolatry and its modern equivalents is a dulled conscience. Rabbi Klein cites a midrash about the elders worshipping idols in “hidden places,” noting that since nobody objected, they shifted their worship to “behind the door.” When nobody objected to this, they moved to the rooftops. Hearing no objection, they brought their idols to their gardens. When nobody protested, they began worshiping on mountaintops. Since nobody protested, they placed their altars upon the furrows of the field. From there, idolatry moved front and center to every crossroad, every street, every urban square, the suburbs and ultimately to the Holy of Holies of the Temple, now ensuring its destruction and the exile of the two remaining tribes of Judah and Benjamin to Babylon.

After this entire terrible history, which Rabbi Klein records in colorful detail, when given the chance to return from exile and rebuild the Temple, the Sages of Israel beseeched God to remove the desire to worship idols. There is no free lunch, as the economists tell us, so we lost prophecy in the exchange. The author offers numerous interpretations of this trade-off, which all help to understand the lost formerly powerful attraction to idolatry. One of these interpretations, advanced by Menashe ben Israel, suggests that idolatry conveyed some sort of effective power, parallel to the power of prophecy to foretell the future. Consequently, pagans could use witchcraft or other dark forces to inform them of the future as well. He explains that such contaminating spirits still exist in Eastern lands based on Abraham’s gifts to the children he had with Keturah, even when general access to occult powers was curtailed.

Yet while Easterners apparently still see results from idolatry, its curtailment had a powerful secularizing effect on Westerners. Whereas the whole world in Biblical times deeply felt a sense of the transcendental, be it through worship of God or via idols, the Western world following the abolition of the idolatrous urge came to believe in man. With this dulling of spiritual awareness came an emphasis on physical pleasures and the replacement of idols with various isms. Rabbi Klein's forthcoming sequel will offer a comprehensive discussion of the ideas and actions which are modern-day equivalents of idolatry, so now is the time to read this unique and original first volume.

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Yaakov Chaitovsky

Comprehensive, masterful and accessible

Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2023

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I thoroughly enjoyed R Klein's masterful book, God Versus gods. Its detailed and comprehensive survey of the ins and outs of avodah zarah as presented in Tanakh is meticulously researched and well written. It effectively weaves a dizzying array of academic/modern sources into an otherwise traditional, mesorah based presentation on the significant, but often puzzling, role avodah zarah/idolatry plays throughout Tanakh. R Klein's work can help the scholar and layperson alike better understand the challenges that idolatry presented to Biblical Judaism and why the Torah devotes so much space to warning us about its dangers. The book earns a place in every serious Torah student's library.

Yaakov Chaitovsky
Denver CO

Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2021

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Klein makes a really strong case for why we should be worshipping idols. I hope he's are ready for the consequences!
At the intersection of Judaism and idolatry, this book is an amazing blend of history, Tanach, and Jewish outlook. Klein smoothly synthesizes Torah true values unapologetically with history and respectfully diminishes the claims of academia in its own terms. I'm thoroughly impressed by the level of scholarship and depth of research he put into every detail.
I love exploring the intersect of Halacha and history. Avodah Zarah. Two years of learning Sanhedrin and Avodah Zarah in yeshiva have given me a real excitement for Avodah Zarah, as it neatly fits into the two things I enjoy learning the most. Deep in the sugyas of Asheirah, I found myself reading the Wiki page on Deities in the Bible quite religiously. Anyone seeking to understand the facts behind Tanach, Sanhedrin, Avodah Zarah, or just the calendars we live by, must read Klein's book. There is so much "Da Mah LeHashiv" to sow into our back pockets. I paid special attention to the monotheistic vs. Jewish polytheism point and hope I remember it well.
My wife is a history teacher, and she even took the book away from me so she could read it herself. We're both enjoying it.

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RM

Great perspective on the long conflict with idolatry

Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2023

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This book is a fascinating, well-researched survey and analysis of the forms of idolatry Jews have had to confront since ancient times. Now, when other forms of bad thinking are causing more trouble than "Idolatry Classic", we need a reference like this to understand the discussions of idolatry and its elimination that appear in our Bible and other sacred writings.

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new man

The best contemporary book I've read in many years

Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2021

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This book is a must-read for anyone who yearns to deepen their understanding of Judaism and the history of the Jewish people. It takes some of the most difficult-to-understand concepts and breaks them down into bite-size nuggets that are easy to digest. All this without insulting one's intelligence.
The writing is of highly quality, with sources clearly listed. Any academic will be able to appreciate this work, but so can the lay man with a good grasp of the English language.
The best part is that Rabbi Klein examines the Holy books through the vantage point of traditional, Torah-based sources. Jewish books should be viewed through a Jewish lens, shouldn't they?
I have only one complaint: That volume II isn't yet available!

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Moshe Mankoff

A thorough exposition of Torah sources on Hebrew idolatory

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 29, 2021

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Rabbi Klein has done a great service by painstakingly providing a comprehensive account of how the Torah commentaries viewed and understood idolatory in the Tanach. The book is not cheap, but comes with a high quality cover and printed on high quality paper. If you are looking for an academic history of the people of Tanach (the Hebrew Bible) this book is not for you, as it must be understood that the theories of the Torah commentaries reflect more the lessons they wished to learn and their personal environment rather than an accurate historical account of events as they unfolded. Rabbi Klein correctly points out that academia fails to take the Tanach's interpretation into account when they theorise that "Yahweh" was one of many Hebrew Gods and only achieved supremacy in the post-exilic period. A second volume is referenced several times and is eagerly awaited.

jose

A truly jewel

Reviewed in Canada on April 3, 2020

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Excellent book ! Amazing ! Highly recommended . A true scholar research on the avoda Zara and The Real Avoda Hashem . Thank you rabbi for working on this great Sefer

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