Item Description:

Not included in the canon of the Jewish Bible, these books - Mishlei Ben Sira, the Book of the Maccabees, and the Book of Enoch - comprise the Hebrew Apocrypha. In spite of their not being considered holy, they contain a wealth of information regarding Jewish life, history and thought. The study of this information shows the relevance to the understanding of the Jewish world at that time and an opportunity to grasp the broader story of the Jewish people.

Individual lectures:

Mishlei ben Sira - An almost perfect imitation of King Solomon's Book of Proverbs, Mishlei of Ben Sira resembles the Bible more than any other book in the Apocrypha. Analyzing its influence on both the Jewish and Christian worlds, Rabbi Wein carefully picks out facts from fiction and analyzes the book's eternal themes of Torah study, marriage, money, and injustice.

The Book of the Maccabees - The four books of the Maccabees are our main historical source about the Hasmonean dynasty. From the Chanukah miracle to the corruption that pervaded the dynasty in the following decades, these fascinating apocryphal books illustrate how a family of Jewish heroes descended into extinction.

The Book of Enoch - The most mystical of the Apocrypha, this book was written to explain what happened when "God took Enoch." With descriptions of Heaven, angels, and the Messianic era, this book was unfortunately adopted by the Christian Church and its text was doctored. Because of this, the Jews now reject it, but its supernatural themes will undoubtedly fascinate all listeners.