"The Sabbath Anthology delves into one of the earliest Jewish institutions--the holiday the prophet Isaiah characterized as "the day of delight"--elucidating its history, laws, customs and traditions, religious and ethical insights, and observances in different eras throughout the world. A wealth of Jewish creativity past and present--"The Sabbath in Judeo-Hellenistic Literature" by Flavius Josephus and Philo Judaeus; Talmud and midrashim; medieval Jewish literature by Judah Halevi, Abraham ibn Ezra, and Moses Maimonides; modern Jewish literature by Solomon Schechter, Mordecai Kaplan, Sholom Asch, Hayyim Nahman Bialik, and Ahad Ha'am; short stories by S. Y. Agnon, I. L. Peretz, Meyer Levin, and Martin Buber; ceremonial and decorative art; musical compilations and programming--will yield delight for many Sabbaths to come"--back cover.