There are literally hundreds if not thousands of books written about Judaism and Jews, but this book is unlike any previously published. It focuses on the topic of 'circumventing custom' with special emphasis on the ingenious ways Orthodox (and other) Jews have devised to avoid breaking the extensive list of activities forbidden on the Sabbath. After examining the sources of Sabbath observance as set forth in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and rabbinical writings, some of the most salient forms of circumvention are described. These include: riding a special Shabbat elevator, unscrewing the lightbulb in the refrigerator, constructing an eruv (a space extending one's domicile so that objects may be carried outside the home), and relying on the services of the so-called 'Shabbes Goy,' among others. Dundes respectfully analyzes such facets of Jewish characteristics as an undue concern with purity, and a long-established tradition of indulging in nit-picking and argumentation. The resultant picture of Jewish character is drawn from an unusual mixture of religious written texts and oral tradition (jokes and proverbs). The sources range from ancient Israel to works from the twenty-first century. In many ways, it is an authentic and striking Jewish self-portrait that is painted for the very first time in this fascinating volume.

Auteur
Alan Dundes is professor of anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, and a leading authority in the study of folklore. He is the author or editor of more than thirty books including Two Tales of Crow and Sparrow: A Freudian Folkloristic Essay on Caste and Untouchability, Holy Writ as Oral Lit: The Bible as Folklore, and International Folkloristics.

Résumé
This book focuses on the topic of 'circumventing custom' with special emphasis on the ingenious ways Orthodox (and other) Jews have devised to avoid breaking the extensive list of activities forbidden on the Sabbath. After examining the sources of Sabbath observance as set forth in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and rabbinical writings, some of the most salient forms of circumvention are described. Then drawing on Freud's insights as to the obsessive nature of religious ritual and his persuasive delineation of anal erotic character, an attempt is made to analyze such facets of Jewish character (in addition to circumvention) as an undue concern with purity, and a long-established tradition of indulging in nit-picking and argumentation.

Contenu
Part 1 Acknowledgments
Part 2 Prologue
Chapter 3 1 The Concept of Custom
Chapter 4 2 The Sabbath in the Old Testament
Chapter 5 3 The Sabbath in the New Testament
Chapter 6 4 The Sabbath in Rabbinical Tradition
Chapter 7 5 The Shabbat Elevator
Chapter 8 6 The Light in the Refrigerator
Chapter 9 7 The Eruv as Symbolic Space
Chapter 10 8 Other Sabbath Customs
Chapter 11 9 The Shabbes Goy
Chapter 12 10 Circumvention and Jewish Mentality
Chapter 13 11 Obsession and Religion According to Freud
Chapter 14 12 Anal Erotic Character
Chapter 15 13 Self-Imposed Repression
Chapter 16 14 The Love of Argument
Chapter 17 15 Conclusions
Chapter 18 Bibliography
Chapter 19 Index