Listening for God in Torah and Creation
A weekly encounter with conscience and soul
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- £3.99
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
'The essence of Jewish life is not the bland performance of the Torah's commandments, but rather love of Torah and the way of life to which it is the guide.'
Tap into the wisdom of one the world's ancient religions by meditating on Rabbi Wittenberg's engaging, contemporary, spiritual, social and ethical insights to the Torah. Rooted in decades of devoted immersion in Jewish learning, humanist literature, concern for people at all ages and stages of life, environmental activism and a love of nature, Rabbi Wittenberg offers wisdom relevant to Jews, Christians and spiritual seekers of all and no faiths.
Over the hundred and more passages, key issues considered include: Compassion and kindness; Creation and wonder; Emotional struggles; Environment and our relationship to nature; Ethical challenges; Illness and suffering; Identity and community; Justice and Social Justice; Refugees and strangers; Remorse and repentance; Responsibility; Searching for meaning; Seeking God.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In these searching meditations, rabbi Wittenberg (Things My Dog Has Taught Me About Being a Better Human) utilizes the weekly Torah reading to tackle such eternal questions as, "What does it mean to live a values-driven life?" Some essays wade into the messy gap between ideals and reality. For example, Wittenberg writes that while the biblical phrase, hinenni ("here I am") connotes living with utmost "presence and sensitivity," in reality "our relationships are often more ambiguous than that" ("I've been there for others," he admits. "But I've also often not been there, at least not fully, and at times not at all"). Elsewhere, he analyzes a lesser-known biblical story from Numbers, in which Zelophechad's five daughters petition Moses to inherit their father's land. While the outcome is mixed (the women do inherit the land, but are forced to marry men from their tribes so their shares aren't lost), Wittenberg contends that Zelophechad's daughters exemplify generations of women who've worked to advance their rights in Judaism, "often all too painfully." Skeptical readers will appreciate Wittenberg's willingness to probe—without falling back on platitudes—what it means to "live in a generous, compassionate and committed way in the face of uncertainties." Insights gleaned from the works of John Milton, Gandhi, and Leonard Cohen add depth and dimension. Wittenberg's creativity and insight more than justify the existence of yet another Torah commentary.
