The main foci of this collection are the history of Judaism, with stress on its social doctrines and cultural traits, and the comparison of Judaism to its near-companion in time and intellect, Christianity. PART ONE: A summary of the three volumes of Social Teaching of Rabbinic Judaism. PART TWO: The history of religion depends for perspective and insight upon the comparative study of religions that sustain such comparison. Christianity, sharing Scriptures with Judaism, presents an obvious opportunity. PART THREE: An evaluation of the Talmud of Babylonia. PART FOUR: five book review-essays on recent, intellectually ambitious exercises in the study of ancient Judaism.