TY - BOOK AU - Wolosky,Shira TI - The Sacred Power of Language in Modern Jewish Thought: Levinas, Derrida, Scholem T2 - Perspectives on Jewish Texts and Contexts , SN - 9783111168630 U1 - 100 PY - 2023///] CY - Berlin, Boston : PB - De Gruyter, KW - Jewish philosophy KW - 20th century KW - Language and languages KW - Philosophy KW - Religious aspects KW - Judaism KW - LITERARY CRITICISM / European / General KW - bisacsh KW - Emmanuel Levinas KW - Jewish Thought KW - Postmodernism N1 - Frontmatter --; Acknowledgements --; Contents --; Introduction: People of the Letter --; Chapter 1. The Hebraism of Nietzsche: Metaphysical Critique and the Claims of Language --; Chapter 2. Interpretation Beyond Theology --; Chapter 3. Derrida and Judaic Lettrism: Affirming Language, Negating Theology --; Chapter 4. Levinasian Un/Saying and The Names of God --; Chapter 5. Two Types of Negative Theology --; Chapter 6. Gershom Scholem’s Language Mysticism --; Chapter 7. Tzimtzum --; Chapter 8. Discourse Ethics and Normative Difference --; Primary Texts and Abbreviations --; Index; restricted access; Issued also in print N2 - Judaic cultures have a commitment to language that is exceptional. Language in many form – texts, books and scrolls; learning, interpretation, material practices that generate material practices – are central to Judaic conduct, experience, and spirituality. In this Judaic traditions differ from philosophical and theological ones that make language secondary. Traditional metaphysics has privileged the immaterial and unchanging, as unchanging truth that language can at best convey and at worst distort. Such traditional metaphysics has come under critique since Nietzsche in ways that the author explores. Shira Wolosky argues that Judaic traditions converge with contemporary metaphysical critique rather than being its target. Focusing on the work of Derrida, Levinas, Scholem and others, the author examines traditions of Judaic interpretation against backgrounds of biblical exegesis; sign-theory as it recasts language meaning in ways that concord with Judaic textuality; negative theology as it differs in Judaic tradition from those which negate language itself; and lastly outline a discourse ethics that draws on Judaic language theory. This study is directed to students and scholars of: Judaic thought, religious studies and theology; theory of interpretation; Levinas and other modern Jewish philosophical writers, placing them in broader contexts of philosophy, theology, and language theory. It is shown how Jewish discourses on language address urgent problems of value and norms in the contemporary world that has challenged traditional anchors of truth and meaning UR - https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111168760 UR - https://www.degruyter.com/isbn/9783111168760 UR - https://www.degruyter.com/document/cover/isbn/9783111168760/original ER -