Judaism for the World
Reflections on God, Life, and Love
-
-
5.0 • 1 Rating
-
-
- $14.99
-
- $14.99
Publisher Description
An internationally recognized scholar and theologian shares a Jewish mysticism for our times
Judaism, one of the world’s great spiritual traditions, is not addressed to Jews alone. In this masterful book, Arthur Green calls out to seekers of all sorts, offering a universal response to the eternal human questions of who we are, why we exist, where we are going, and how to live.
Drawing on over half a century as a Jewish seeker and teacher, he shows us a Judaism that cultivates the life of the spirit, that inspires an inward journey leading precisely toward self-transcendence, to an awareness of the universal Self in whose presence we exist. As a neo-hasidic seeker, he is both devotional and boldly questioning in his understanding of God and tradition. Engaging with the mystical sources, he translates the insights of the Hasidic masters into a new religious language accessible to all those eager to build an inner life and a human society that treasures the divine spark in each person and throughout Creation.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Green (The Heart of the Matter), a rabbi and founding dean of the Rabbinical School at Hebrew College in Boston, brings together 29 of his most stimulating "essays, short teachings, insights, and readings of Jewish sources" in this illuminating collection. Reflecting over 50 years of Green's experience as a "Jewish seeker and teacher of Torah," the entries are divided into three sections: "Soul" covers his religious journey, including his struggles with observance, the concept of submission to God, and the meaning of prayer; "Year" tracks the Jewish calendar, with Green's reflections on holidays, fast days, and the Sabbath; and "World" addresses Jewish relations with Christians (helped by a recent multi-faith "awakening"), responds to American anti-Semitism after the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, and considers the relationship of American Jews to Israel by arguing Israeli society is approaching "a great self-examination" regarding its stance on security. A prologue makes clear the pieces are meant to be read independently of each other, as there is "no central argument' to this volume, no progression of thought from one essay to the next." Nonetheless, all are animated by Green's view that all true religions function as "a set of tools" to enable humanity to protect "that divine spark" in each human being. Admirers of Green's body of work and newcomers alike will love this humane, accessible collection.
