About Aryeh Kaplan
Lived 1934 – 1983 (aged 48). Aryeh Kaplan was an American physicist, rabbi, translator, bible translator and writer.
Aryeh Moshe Eliyahu (Leonard) Kaplan (; October 23, 1934 – January 28, 1983) and Fannie Kaplan
After his time in Los Angeles, Kaplan had a few small jobs including teaching at a Hebrew school in the Bronx and at Beth Torah in Richmond, Virginia (February 1955). and beginning in the 1957 fall semester studied at University of Louisville, where he joined Sigma Pi Sigma, the Woodcock Society, and Phi Kappa Phi and eventually completed his bachelor's degree in physics on June 11, 1961.
Pulpit roles Adas Israel (1965–1966): On February 19, 1965, Kaplan moved to Mason City, Iowa, where he became the Rabbi of Adas Israel, and Hasidut, all without ignoring science.
Death
Kaplan died at his home of a heart attack on January 28, 1983, at the age of 48.
His works have been translated into Czech, French, Hungarian, Modern Hebrew, Portuguese, Russian, German and Spanish.
In 2021, NCSY republished Kaplan's works. A chapter titled "Creation," in which Rabbi Kaplan "presents evolution as part of the basic tenets of Judaism," was omitted from publication. "Torah Anthology," a 45-volume translation of Me'am Lo'ez from Ladino (Judæo-Spanish) into English. Rabbi Kaplan was the primary translator. "Made in Heaven: A Jewish Wedding Guide" (Moznaim, ) "Tefillin: God, Man and Tefillin"; "Love Means Reaching Out"; "Maimonides' Principles"; "The Fundamentals of Jewish Faith"; "The Waters of Eden: The Mystery of the Mikvah"; "Jerusalem: Eye of the Universe" — a series of highly popular and influential booklets on aspects of Jewish philosophy and various religious practices. Published by the Orthodox Union/NCSY Kaplan also translated and annotated Until the Mashiach: The Life of Rabbi Nachman, a day-to-day account of Rebbe Nachman's life, for the Breslov Research Institute. In conjunction with Rosenfeld, Kaplan translated and annotated Rabbi Nachman's Tikkun (based on the Tikkun HaKlali). Kaplan translated and annotated classic works on Jewish mysticism — Sefer Yetzirah, Bahir, and Derekh Hashem — as well as produced much original work on the subject in English. His Moreh Ohr, a Hebrew-language work, discusses the purpose of Creation, tzimtzum and free will from a kabbalistic point of view. "If You Were God," his final work, was published posthumously in 1983. It encourages the reader to ponder topics concerning the nature of being and Divine providence.
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Important facts
People in Aryeh Kaplan's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Aryeh Kaplan's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Aryeh Kaplan?
American rabbi and physicist (1934–1983)
When was Aryeh Kaplan born?
Aryeh Kaplan was born on 23 October 1934 in The Bronx.
When did Aryeh Kaplan die?
Aryeh Kaplan died on 28 January 1983 in Brooklyn.
What was Aryeh Kaplan's occupation?
Aryeh Kaplan was a physicist, rabbi, translator, bible translator and writer.
What nationality was Aryeh Kaplan?
Aryeh Kaplan was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Aryeh Kaplan. https://biography.guide/aryeh-kaplan/
MLA: "Aryeh Kaplan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/aryeh-kaplan/.
Chicago: "Aryeh Kaplan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/aryeh-kaplan/.
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