Judaism for the World: Reflections on God, Life, and Love

by Arthur Green

Overview

National Jewish Book Award winner

An internationally recognized scholar and theologian shares a Jewish mysticism for our times in this " humane, accessible " book (Publishers Weekly, Starred Review)

“Green challenges traditional notions of God, Israel, and Torah, offering a radically new understanding and stimulating the reader to join him in a journey of discovery.”—Daniel Matt, Graduate Theological Union

Judaism, one of the world’s great spiritual traditions, is not addressed to Jews alone. In this masterful book, winner of the 2020 National Jewish Book Award in the Con­tem­po­rary Jew­ish Life and Practice category, 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300249989
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	09/22/2020
Pages:	408
Sales rank:	1,160,302
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Arthur Green is the Irving Brudnick Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Hebrew College and rector of the Rabbinical School, which he founded in 2004.

Table of Contents

To the Reader ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Soul: Thoughts on the Inward Journey

Neo-Hasidism: A Judaism for Monists 3

How I Practice Judaism-and Why 23

Howl Pray 36

Barukh Atah: Reflections on the Prayer Book 52

The Seeker Returns 71

All about Being Human: The Commandment to Remember 81

Judaism as a Path of Love 91

Year: On the Jewish Calendar

Seasons: A Reflection on the Jewish Year 117

Shabbat: A New Introduction 124

Rosh Hashanah: A Season of Rebirth 129

Yom Kippur: Learning to Respond 136

Sukkot: Dwelling in God's Shade 142

Simhat Torah: The Word as Tree of Life 148

Hanukkah: All about the Light 153

Purim: Living in an Upside-Down World 157

Pesah: Some Questions of My Own 162

Shavu'ot: Speaking in Thunder 169

Tish'ah be-Av: Struggles with Sacred Space 177

World: Living in God's Creation

Creation: Awakening to God's World 189

Religion and Environmental Responsibility: An Address to Jews and Christians 214

Judaism as Counterculture 223

Wandering Jews 239

Scholarship Is Not Enough 244

Dear Brothers and Sisters: A Letter to Israelis 254

American Jews after Pittsburgh … and Monsey … and … Where Do We Stand? 273

Jewish Mysticism and Its Healing Power 278

My Own Jewish Education: A Memoir 291

My Rabbinate: A Fiftieth-Anniversary Reflection 317

Pilgrimage 2019 326

Glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish Terms 349

Notes 353

Index 383

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/13/2020

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. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Admirers of Green’s body of work and newcomers alike will love this humane, accessible collection."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers.”— J. D. Sarna, Choice

“Written by a master of religious life. That mastery includes both learning and living, and this volume gives equal weight to both the scholarship and the being of its author.” Beth Kissileff, Christian Century

Winner of the National Jewish Book Award, Con­tem­po­rary Jew­ish Life and Practice category, sponsored by The Jewish Book Council 

“With a precise, poetic simplicity and a quality of judicious wonder, Arthur Green addresses the reader directly and unceremoniously. This book encompasses a lifetime of impressive scholarship and deep human experience, sustained by a radical awareness of the eternal and the transcendent.”—Avivah Zornberg, author of Moses: A Human Life

“Arthur Green draws on a lifetime of scholarship, teaching, and activism to offer unparalleled insights and rare depths of soul. Written by a spiritual master, this book constitutes a religious classic that will inform and inspire all who open its pages.”—David Ellenson, Hebrew Union College

"Judaism for the World is a singular work of theological reflection, speaking with personal directness to contemporary Jews seeking an honest, spiritual Judaism in a Neo-Hasidic mode. Arthur Green has distilled a lifetime of study and practice into a powerful, autobiographical voice. Every word is wrought with integrity."—Michael Fishbane, University of Chicago

“This beautifully written book demonstrates Green’s unique ability to share the depths of scholarly knowledge in ways that are both personal and poetic, both deep and accessible."—Melila Hellner-Eshed, Hebrew University

“Green challenges traditional notions of God, Israel, and Torah, offering a radically new understanding and stimulating the reader to join him in a journey of discovery.”—Daniel Matt, Graduate Theological Union

From the Publisher

09/04/2020

Central to the Jewish faith is the ongoing study of the Torah and Judaism's sacred texts. " 'Who is wise?' the ancient rabbis asked. 'One who learns from every person.' " This inclusive statement seemingly encompasses beliefs within Christianity and Islam, and toward that end, Green (philosophy & religion, Hebrew Coll.; Keter) seeks to elucidate Jewish beliefs in a scholarly account that remains accessible to all faiths. Essays are divided into three sections, reflecting inwardly on the "Soul," outwardly on the Jewish "Year," and universally on the "World." Judaism is posited as a balm for the soul, "religion as a set of tools for the purpose of cultivating interiority, the life of the spirit." Green identifies as a "neo-hasidic heterodox traditionalist," and if this label is daunting, this book will prove challenging. The work strives for accessibility but will mostly appeal to academics or those with a solid knowledge base of Judaism. Hebrew and Yiddish words appear throughout. There is also a glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish terms; although defined in the back matter, footnotes would have greatly improved text comprehension for novices. VERDICT This contemporary analysis of tenants of the Jewish faith will be welcomed by informed and ambitious readers of religion and Judaic studies.—Jessica Bushore, Xenia, OH

Library Journal