5. The spiritual life—prayer, meditation, Torah
Norman Solomon
Very Short Introductions August 28, 2014 DOI: 10.1093/actrade/9780199687350.003.0006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that prayer is a vital concern in Judaism and a major form of spiritual expression, but that Torah study is equal or perhaps higher in rank. It contends that Torah study is the most universal, accessible, and distinctive form of Jewish spirituality, an expression of love spanning generations that unites those who hand it down with those who receive it. |
Abstract
What does spirituality mean in Judaism? What is prayer and does it work? Prayer is a vital concern in Judaism, and one of the major forms in which spirituality is expressed. Equal in rank, or perhaps even higher, is learning. ‘The spiritual life—prayer, meditation, Torah’ considers the place of spirituality in Jewish worship. The most universal, accessible, and distinctive form of Jewish spirituality is Torah study. Learning the Torah is an expression of love that spans over generations. It is a unity of souls. It unites those who hand it down with those who receive it.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |