Hasidism: Writings on Devotion, Community, and Life in the Modern World, collected, edited, and introduced by Ariel Mayse and Sam Berrin Shonkoff, two rising scholars in the field, is a significant addition to The Brandeis Library of Modern Jewish Thought. While numerous volumes of Hasidic texts translated into English already exist, Mayses and Berrin-Shonkoff have presented a historically contextualized cross-section of Hasidic literature, each with a brief introduction, including relevant annotations and notes. In a sweeping and cogent Introductory essay, the authors examine the problematic notion of modernity as applied to Hasidism, suggesting a more fluid understanding of modernity in order to situate the Hasidic movement within its orbit. The author’s periodization, stretching from Hasidim’s origins through neo-Hasidism to the present, enables their readers to witness the changing vicissitudes of Hasidic literature as it moves through time. Especially welcome is the attention to gender, and the role of women, in Hasidic life and letters. An indispensable resource for those interested in Hasidism and its role in Modern Jewish Thought.
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