ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL
No Jewish voice has so deeply informed my personal views of Scripture as that of the late Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. He was a modern sage of profound intuition. A scholar of the Hebrew Bible, master of Talmudic and rabbinic texts, and raised in the sacred environment of Chassidic Judaism, his remarkable grasp of spirituality makes him arguably the most important voice in American Judaism to this very day. The influence of Rabbi Heschel’s reach is truly striking: beyond his important contributions to Jewish thought, his compelling arguments made at the Second Vatican Council were strong enough to force the altering of traditional liturgical passages critical of Jews that were previously standard in the Catholic Church. His participation in the Civil Rights movement earned him the revered status of “a truly great prophet” in the words of none other than Martin Luther King, Jr. All of his works are worth consuming with careful attention.
Presented here are several of the most accessible and significant among them.
Presented here are several of the most accessible and significant among them.
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As an Amazon Associate I earn commission from qualifying purchases made from the following links.
As an Amazon Associate I earn commission from qualifying purchases made from the following links.
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I Asked for Wonder: A Spiritual Anthology,
by Abraham Joshua Heschel A perfect introduction to the broad scope of Rabbi Heschel's supernal acumen. It is arranged topically with brief but remarkable quotes from across the spectrum of his writings. You will undoubtedly be left wanting more. If you are new to his works or optimistically skeptical of the claims of his visionary wisdom, start with this!
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The Sabbath,
by Abraham Joshua Heschel A beautifully captured portrait of the transcendent sanctity we are invited to experience each week. Within deceptively brief pages is a true classic providing rich light through which the Sabbath will come to be held even dearer to those who endeavor to honor the holiness of the day. This book, like the Sabbath day itself, possesses a worth far surpassing the boundaries of its pages.
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Man is Not Alone: A Philosophy of Religion,
by Abraham Joshua Heschel It could be said that the prime concern of mankind is how to relate to the reality of the Divine. No greater matter has met the heart and mind of man than attempting to comprehend the Presence of the Creator. This work explores those themes of the interface between the finite and the infinite—the present and the transcendent and how those factors bear upon faith and doubt, and the path forward for humanity in light of these details.
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God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism,
by Abraham Joshua Heschel Intended as a sequel of sorts to Man is Not Alone, this equally insightful work focuses on what the Creator offers in the realm of man’s capability to experience the supernal in a world so entrenched in seemingly mundane meaning. The gift of revelation is presented as the key experiential moment for humanity. It is the opening of the reality of the Divine to mankind and the highest of requests for man to respond in a covenant fealty to His eternal ways.
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The Prophets,
by Abraham Joshua Heschel A treatise on the prophetic books of the Hebrew Bible, this work is a vital addition to any serious student of Scripture. Its perspective is transformative, stripping back the mystical veil so often thrown upon the person of the prophet and illuminates the Divine concern for man’s well-being and promotion of justice that pours through his words and actions. The prophets are portrayed as partners with the Creator, feeling what He feels and learning to love what He loves—care for even the least of those formed in His image.
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Heavenly Torah: As Refracted Through Generations,
by Abraham Joshua Heschel Easily Heschel’s magnum opus, this three-volume revelation addressing the enormous topics of Jewish theology from rabbinic to aggadic notions, it covers as well views from the Mishnah to the Midrash on the unique nature of the Torah given as Divine law and spiritual revelation. It is a commanding expression, published only in full posthumously, of a man whose own spiritual reach transcended the boundaries of any normal believer’s experience.
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AMAZON AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER:
As an Amazon Associate I earn commission from qualifying purchases made from the following links.
As an Amazon Associate I earn commission from qualifying purchases made from the following links.