Judaism: A Way of Being Book

Truly an exceptional and original book on understanding Judaism from a new perspective. The author breaks down the core of Judaism into four symbolic categories. He sums them up as follows:

"These, in sum, are my themes and their associated questions: 1. Separation: What is the point of halacha, the Jewish religious law? 2. Veil: How can man be in touch with the transcendent, ineffable L-rd as Judaism conceives Him? 3. Perfect Asymmetry: What is the family's role in normative Judaism, and is woman's role (as it seems to many people) an inferior role? 4. Inward Pilgrimage: How can Judaism reconcile an all-powerful, Just, and merciful G-d with cruel reality?" - Pg.7

Most of the book dissects these four concepts in depth 1. Separation 2. Veil 3. Perfect Asymmetry and 4. Inward Pilgrimage. It is a fascinating journey to visualize Judaism through these four lenses. The author does a magnificent job with it.

In addition, there are 3 appendixes to this book. Appendix A: Why Believe in G-d? In this appendix the author constructs one of the best arguments I have ever heard as to why, "nearly everyone in modern society believes that He [G-d] exists - including many who call themselves agnostics or atheists." - Pgs. 193-194

In Appendix B: 'What Makes Judaism the Most Important Intellectual Development in Western History?' the author provides a powerful testament to this notion.

"Notice also that I stake my claim on behalf of Judaism, not Jews. The Jews themselves, as opposed to the Jewish religion, have not been an unalloyed blessing to mankind. On this point merely consult the Bible, which includes harsh condemnations of the Jewish people…

As for Judaism itself, it has given morals and spiritual direction to Jewish Christian, and Muslim society, and indirectly to the modern and postmodern worlds. But not only that. Judaism formed our ideas of G-d and man, of sanctity, justice, and love: love of G-d, family, nation, and mankind. But not only that. Judaism created the idea of congregational worship that made the church and mosque possible. But not only that. Much of the modern liberal state grew out of Judaism by way of American Puritans, neo-Puritans, and quasi-Puritans who revered the Hebrew Bible and pondered and cited it constantly.

But not only that. Also this: the best ideas we possess come straight from Judaism.

"You must love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might." "You must love your neighbor as yourself." "It is no good man's being alone." "Choose life and live, you and your children!" "The day G-d created man, He made him in G-d's image." Man, it has been told you what is good, and what the L-rd requires of you: only to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your G-d." "Justice, justice must you pursue!" "Man does not live by bread alone." "Do not follow a multitude to do evil." "In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man."

All of these thoughts but the last come from the Hebrew Bible, and the last is from the Talmud." - Pg. 198

I would add to the above listing Rabbi Jonathan Sacks's favorite Biblical innovation, "You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of the stranger - you yourselves were strangers in the land of Egypt." (See his book, A Letter in the Scroll Pgs. 93-94.)

Finally there is Appendix C: Jewish and Christian Ethics. This short, 2.5 page appendix is my only issue with the entire book. It is the only part that I found to be erroneous and not well thought through. It does not at all detract from the rest of his magnificent book, and I am still a huge fan of his writing.

"In the "action morality" of Judaism, you must judge your fellow man; this is a strong obligation. Refusing to judge is callous, cowardly, and wrong - although, as Hillel warns, "Do not judge your fellow man until you have been in his place." Understood: a man might judge wrongly; if so, he will have to face the consequences. Those are the responsibilities of adulthood."

He then brings a quote from Primo Levi, the holocaust survivor and author, that "it is our duty to judge him, not to forgive him."

The author then continues, "Why does Judaism insist that to judge is mandatory? …Unexpressed resentment can turn to poison in the metabolism of mind. The Bible anticipates this sharp observation by outlawing festering resentment. "You must not hate your brother in your heart; you must rebuke yes rebuke your neighbor" (Leviticus 19:17).

I believe the author is missing a crucial nuance. Judaism judges actions, it does not judge people. Only G-d can proclaim such judgments. Judaism does not insist that we judge a person based on his actions. Judaism believes in repentance, and it is actually a mitzvah to give people the benefit of the doubt. The two biblical and rabbinic sources sited are actually saying the opposite of what the author is trying to say. It specifically is stating do NOT judge your fellow man. (Primo Levi is a wonderful author, but not a Jewish authority on law or ethics.)

If David steals a chicken from his neighbor, we judge that the theft is wrong and impose consequences on his actions. David must make restitution and amends for his wrongful actions. However, we don't pass judgement on David as a human being. Hillel's admonishment stands, you don't know what type of situation or pressure David felt that drove him to steal. What level of arrogance would be required in order for any person to be able to state that they could withstand some type of enormous pressure and threat that caused a human faltering? Who is immune from this? Who is not human and fallible? We are warned that even the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur is fallible, and that no one can be sure of themselves, of their moral and ethical rectitude, until the day that they die. No, we do not judge people, only G-d can do so. We judge actions.

The author then conflates judgement with self-defense. Once again, he is missing the crucial distinction that self-defense is an action. The Bible exhorts us that if someone comes to kill you, then you shall kill him first, before he kills you. This is not a judgment on the person, this is a judgment on an act. He is going to kill you, so you must neutralize the threat. This is not a judgment on his character, rather it is a threat assessment. You are judging the situation, the threat level, and responding accordingly.

Regardless of this last appendix, I found the rest of the book a delight and very well thought through. I highly recommend it!

The following are a few more excerpts that I found interesting as well:

"An individual might be incapable, physically or spiritually, of keeping all the commandments; the rabbis understood this perfectly. But it is a different thing to impose one's own limitations on Judaism by declaring the laws one cannot keep to be invalid or superseded, to be non-laws. Your being a Jew depends in the last analysis on your beliefs, not on the extent to which you follow the commandments: "When someone believes in all the fundamental Jewish doctrines," writes Maimonides in his Mishnah commentary, "he is part of the Jewish community." And you are part of the normative, Orthodox community if your beliefs make you a part, even if your practice falls short." - Pg. 30

"[Rabbi] Akiba and Jesus both taught the love of G-d and man, sometimes in nearly identical words - for they were both Jews who knew Torah. Both believed in the messiah's imminent coming: Akiba believed that the Jewish revolutionary leader Bar Kokhba was (or might be) the messiah. Both had enemies in the Jewish community, and far more dangerous enemies among the Romans. Both were martyred - bestially tortured to death - by Rome. Each man's martyrdom became a central event to his religious community. But Judaism and Christianity reacted to these two martyrdoms in decisively different ways." - Pg. 167

"In Judaism, male and female are perfectly asymmetric. The force field between maleness and femaleness creates marriage and colors the whole universe. But the modern attempt to make the two sexes interchangeable, shorting out the battery that operates civilization, wiring its poles together, is an act of aggression against both sanctity and humanity." - Pg. 181