Every generation of Jews in every denomination of Judaism finds itself facing complex legal questions. The status of same-sex unions and the plight of the agunah (a woman who cannot obtain a divorce), are just two of a myriad of thorny questions Jewish legal experts grapple with today. These are not esoteric problems but issues with a profound impact on the daily happiness of countless people. How do the rabbis who draft responses to these questions reach their conclusions? What informs their decisions and their approach to Jewish law?

Acclaimed writer and legal expert Elliot Dorff addresses these and other questions in this intelligent, accessible guide to the philosophy behind Jewish law. In his view, Jewish law is an expression of the love we have for God and for our fellow human beings. This theme permeates his discussion of important aspects of the law. For example, what motivates modern Jews to follow Jewish law? How does Jewish law strike the balance between continuity and change? On what grounds and under what circumstances do human beings have the authority to interpret or even change God's laws?

Dorff also offers a systematic comparison of Jewish law and U.S. law, based on his course on this subject at UCLA School of Law.

Whether you are a lawyer or simply interested in the philosophy behind recent rabbinic decisions, this is a book that will deepen your understanding of the Jewish legal system and its role in the modern world.

An intelligent, accessible look at the theory behind Jewish law

For the Love of God and People A Philosophy of Jewish Law Elliot N. Dorff Every generation of Jews in every denomination of Judaism finds itself facing complex legal issues. The status of same-sex unions and stem-cell research are just two of a myriad of thorny questions Jewish legal experts grapple with today. How do the rabbis who draft responses to these questions reach their conclusions? What informs their decisions and their approach to Jewish law?

Written in a clear, direct style, For the Love of God and People will interest rabbis, lawyers, and anyone looking to understand the Jewish legal system and its role in the modern world. Elliot N. Dorff, a Conservative rabbi, is Rector and Sol and Anne Dorff Distinguished Service Professor in Philosophy at the American Jewish University (formerly University of Judaism). He was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary and earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from Columbia University with a dissertation in moral theory. He has written over 150 articles on Jewish thought, law, and ethics, and many books, including three JPS volumes--Matters of Life and Death, To Do the Right and the Good, and Love Your Neighbor and Yourself. Dorff is co-editor of Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary and of the forthcoming JPS series Jewish Choices, Jewish Voices.

Praise for, For the Love of God and People: A Philosophy of Jewish Law by Elliot N. Dorff:

"Elliot Dorff has long been famed as a foremost student of Jewish thought and Jewish law, and his legal writings and decisions have gained international acclaim and attention. In For the Love of God and People, he offers a comprehensive vision of his own understanding of the Jewish legal system and rare insight into the philosophy that informs his own legal opinions. This book will be a treasure for scholars and thoughtful laypeople alike." --David Ellenson, president, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Praise for Love Your Neighbor and Yourself by Elliot N. Dorff: "This book is a rich ethical feast, not only for Jewish readers, but for all of us who care deeply about God's ways with humankind." --Richard J. Mouw, president, and professor of Christian Philosophy, Fuller Theological Seminary

Praise for To Do the Right and the Good by Elliot N. Dorff:

"A lucid scholarly contribution to contemporary Jewish theological thinking .... This is a book to be read and studied by anyone in search of deeper appreciation of the relationship between social ethics and Jewish faith." --Rabbi Maurice Corson, from his review in Jewish Book World.