Aryeh Kaplan

Prolific and original explicator and teacher steeped in Science and Torah, ranging from volumes based on Talmudic and Kabbalistic wisdom to translations into English of the Torah (The Five Books of Moses[?]) such as "The Living Torah" , the primary text of Judaism, and introductory pamphlets. His talent was first discovered by the founder of NCSY the Orthodox Union's (OU) youth outreach arm.

Having passed away at 48, his works continue to attract a wide readership. He has been praised by Rabbi Pinchas Stolper[?] his original sponsor, for never fearing to speak his mind. As a master of both Torah and science he saw a world of harmony where others saw otherwise. He put forward creative and original ideas and hypotheses, all the time anchoring them in the Torah and Talmud of Jewry and their ancient rabbis.

Rabbi Kaplan translated from Ladino, a Spanish-Hebrew dialect used by Sefardic Jews[?] for centuries, into English, a 45 volume rabbinic work called Me'am Loez[?]. He also translated into English and wrote copious notes and introductions to classic works on Jewish mysticism[?] and the Kabbalah, such as Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation), the Bahir[?] (Illumination) , Jewish Meditation[?] , Meditation and Kabbalah, and more.

He wrote and translated works related to Hasidism and the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov[?]. His works are read and studied by both novices and the newly religious. A Baal teshuva finds them invaluable, and scholars looking for both clarity and interpretation enjoy the deep research Rabbi Kapln put into his works.All written in lucid modern English , yet retaining the original feelings of Judaism's vast written legacy. Translations have subsequently been made into other languages such as Russian and Modern Hebrew.

External Links

• A brief history (http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/kaplan.htm)
• Rabbi Kaplan's popular writings (http://www.ou.org/publications/kaplan#rabbi)
• Mystical writings and translations of classical texts of Kabbalah into English (http://www.milechai.com/product2/rabbi_aryeh_kaplan.htm)
• His life and works (http://www.aryehkaplan.com/)
• Translator of the Sefardic classic Me'am Lo'ez (http://www.sephardicstudies.org/kaplan)