C o p y rig h te d M a te ria l

https://www.amazon.com/Moral-Grandeur-Spiritual-Audacity-Essays/dp/0374524955

Moral Grandeur

and Spiritual Audacity

From Library Journal

Susannah Heschel has compiled, edited, and written a biographical introduction to this first collection of
the essays of her father, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-72), a noted scholar and theologian
but also an activist in civil rights and antiwar causes. Although best known until now for such influential
books as Man Is Not Alone, God in Search of Man, and Man's Quest for God, all written in the 1950s,
Heschel also wrote theological essays and popular articles on social and political issues. In clear but
dense prose, the theological essays celebrate the religious culture of pre-World War II Eastern
European Jews, stressing the spiritual and mystical dimensions. Recommended for academic libraries
with Judaica and theology collections.?Harry Frumerman, formerly with Hunter Coll., New York
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable
edition of this title.
From Booklist
Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907^-72), a professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York in
the 1940s and 1950s, fled eastern Europe in 1939, leaving the Hasidic Jewish world in which he was
raised--a world soon to be destroyed in the Holocaust. His most important books were Man Is Not
Alone (1951), The Sabbath (1951), God in Search of Man (1952), and Man's Quest for God (1954),
masterpieces of religious thought. This collection of Heschel's essays has been compiled, edited, and
introduced by his daughter, Susannah Heschel, a Case Western Reserve University professor. She
has divided the essays into five groups: "Existence and Celebration," "No Time for Neutrality," "Toward
a Just Society," "No Religion Is an Island," and "The Holy Dimension." The essays cover all aspects of
Judaism; words of compassion and mercy from the most widely revered American rabbi and spiritual
teacher of his generation. An appendix includes two interviews with Heschel. George Cohen --This text
refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

C o p y rig h te d M a te ria l
 C o p y rig h te d M a te ria l

F a r r a r , S tra u s a n d G ir o u x
19 U n io n S q u a r e W est, N e w Y o rk io o o j

C o p y r ig h t © 1996 b y S y lv ia H e sc h e l
In tro d u c tio n c o p y r ig h t © 1996 b y S u s a n n a h H e s c h e l
A l l rig h ts reserved
D is trib u te d in C a n a d a b y D o u g la s •> M c In t y re L t d
P rin te d i n t h e U n it e d S t a t e s o f ,A m erica
h irst p u b lis h e d i n 1996 b y F a rra r, S tra u s a n d G ir o u x
F irs t p a p e r b a c k e d itio n , 1997
Fourth printing, 2001

T h e L ib r a r y o f C o n g re s s h a s c a t a lo g u e d th e h a r d c o v e r e d it io n a s fo llo w s:
H e sc h e l. A b r a h a m Jo s h u a , 1907-1972.
M o r a l g r a n d e u r Cr s p ir it u a l a u d a c it y . essa ys / e d it e d b y S u s a n n a h
H e sc h e l. — 1st ed.
p. cm .
In c lu d e s b ib lio g r a p h ic a l referen ces ip . ).
I S B N 0-374-19980-9 (h a rd co ver)
1. Ju d a is m — E ssen c e, g e n iu s , n a tu re . 2 . S p ir it u a l lif e —Ju d a is m .
3. Ju d a is m a n d s o c ia l p ro b le m s . I. H e s c h e l, S u s a n n a h . II. T itle .
BM 45.H4549 1906
296—4/020
95-41392
C IP

C o p y rig h te d M a te ria l
 C o pyrigh ted M aterial
N o l i m e fo r N e u t r a lit y } ib i

th e o lo g y , n a m e l y , t h e p e c u l i a r r e la t io n s h ip b e t w e e n t h e m ystery a n d the
m e a n in g . It is a c e n t r a l is s u e in u n d e r s t a n d in g Je w is h p h ilo s o p h y . I n m y
o w n w o r k I a lw a y s try to w r e s t le w it h th is r e la t io n s h ip . I .sh all b r ie fly
in d ic a t e t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f th is r e la t io n s h ip to u n d e r s t a n d in g t h e T o r a h .
A g a in , i f I h a d h a d to w r it e t h e B i b l e , d o y o u k n o w w h a t I w o u l d h a v e
d o n e ? 1 w o u ld h a v e d e s c r ib e d G o d s a y in g to A b r a h a m , " Y o u r d e s c e n d a n t s
w ill b e a g r e a t p e o p le . Y o u r d e s c e n d a n t s w ill e n te r F .rctz Is r a e l. T h e y w ill
b e a s u c c e s s f u l p e o p l e .” I n s t e a d , H e m e e t s A b r a h a m in a v i s i o n , a n d w h a t
d o e s H e t e ll h im ? T h e y w i l l b e s la v e s “ B 'e re tz lo la h e m . v a v a d u m v 'in u
o ta m a r b a m eo t s h a r i a h T h e n I w i l l ta k e t h e m o u t ! W h a t k in d o f tovah
h a s I l e d o n e f o r u s ? H e to rtu re s o u r p e o p le fo r 4 0 0 y e a r s ( a c t u a l l y it c a m e
o u t to b e o n l y 2 1 0 y e a r s ) a n d t h e n H e g iv e s t h e m th e a s s ig n m e n t to
c o n q u e r a v e r y d if fic u lt la n d . C a n y o u te ll m e th a t th is is s o te r r ib ly
r a t io n a l? T e r r i b l y c iv i l ? 1 te ll y o u th a t I w o u ld h a v e d o n e it d if fe r e n t ly . I
s e e A b r a h a m , w h o is a g r e a t m a n . a g r e a t p r o m is e . I w a n t h im to b e th e
fa t h e r o f a g r e a t p e o p le . “1 le r e . g o in t o th e la n d a n d h a v e it!” N o . h e h a s
to g o t h r o u g h p a in a n d s t r u g g le . W h y ? T h i s is th e a s p e c t o f m ystery in
b ib lic a l u n d e r s t a n d in g . W e c a n n o t ig n o r e t h e a s p e c t o f m y s t e r y i f w e w a n t
to b e t r u e to J e w is h t h in k in g . S o le t u s n o t a lw a y s s im p l if y is s u e s . Y o u
c a n n o t ( a n d th is is a n o t h e r p r in c ip le th a t I w o u l d lik e to a d v a n c e ) r e d u c e
a n y a s p e c t o f J e w is h t h e o lo g y in t o o n e p r in c ip le . T h e r e a r e a l w a y s tw o
p r in c ip le s . T h e r e is a lw a y s a p o la r it y o f tw o p r in c ip le s . T o p u t it in a
g e n e r a l w a y , th e r e is a m ystery a n d t h e r e is a m e a n in g . T h e r e is a g re a t
d e a l t h a t w c c a n u n d e r s t a n d a n d t h e r e is a g re a t d e a l th a t G o d h o ld s in
s to re fo r H i m s e l f , p e r h a p s l a t i d la v o . ♦

L K T \i E R K L a t K a lit tle s to ry w h i c h I b e l ie v e b e lo n g s to t h is d is c u s s io n ,

I h o p e t h a t it w ill n o t s o u n d to o s t r a n g e , b e c a u s e I a lr e a d y h a v e s a id s o m e
th in g s h e r e w h i c h d e v ia t e fr o m c o n v e n t io n a l H e lle n iz e d Je w is h th e o lo g y .
A b o u t a y e a r a g o I r e c e iv e d a le tt e r fr o m T o r o n t o , f r o m t h e P o n t ific a l
In s t it u te . It is a v e r y im p o r t a n t in s t itu te in m e d ie v a l p h ilo s o p h y a n d p h i ­
lo s o p h y in g e n e r a l. T h e y w e r e c o n v e n i n g a n in t e r n a t io n a l c o n g r e s s o f
C a t h o l i c t h e o lo g ia n s a n d a s k e d m e to s p e a k a b o u t t h e G o d o f Is ra e l a n d
C h r i s t ia n r e n e w a l. I r e c e iv e m a n y in v it a t io n s , b u t th is in v it a t io n I to o k
s e r io u s ly . T h a t s u c h a b o d y s h o u ld in v it e m e to s p e a k a n d g i v e ju d g m e n t ,
s o to s p e a k , o n t h e E c u m e n i c a l M o v e m e n t , a n d fo r m e to s p e a k o n th e
p o in t o f v i e w o f t h e G o d o f Is ra e l a n d C h r is t ia n r e n e w a l, t h is I c o n s id e r e d
to b e s e r io u s . I f e lt t h is to b e a v e r y d if fic u lt a s s ig n m e n t . T h e t h e m e w a s

* "(H iv seed shall be a stranger) in a land which is not theirs, and they will make them serve,
and afflict them four hundred years” (Genesis 15 :11).
1 "In davs to come."

C opyrighted M aterial
 C o p y rig h te d M a te ria l
162 ( Abraham Joshua Heschel

b o ld ly fo r m u la t e d . Y e t i f a c o n g r e s s o f C h r i s t ia n t h e o lo g ia n s in v it e d m e ,
a J e w , t o ju d g e C h r i s t i a n r e n e w a l fr o m t h e p o in t o f v i e w o f t h e C o d o f
Is ra e l— f r o m t h e p o in t o f v i e w o f E l o h e i A v r a h a m , E l o h e i Y i s r a e l , th is
is im p o r ta n t. S o I a c c e p t e d th e in v it a t io n . O n t h e w a y to t h e p r in t e r , th e
title in t h e p r o g r a m w a s e m a s c u la t e d . 1 r e c e iv e d th e c a t a lo g u e a n d it re a d :
“ T h e J e w is h N o t io n o f G o d a n d C h r i s t ia n R e n e w a l . ” W h a t h a p p e n e d ?
It is a t y p ic a l s to r y . R e a li s m w a s r e p la c e d b y “ n o t i o n a l i s m .” T h e re a lity ”
w a s t u r n e d in t o a n o t io n . T h e n o t io n o f G o d . W h a t e ls e h a p p e n e d ?
B i b lic a l w o r d s E lo h e i Y is r a e l w e r e r e p la c e d b y th e ja r g o n o f s c h o la s t ic
m a n u a l s , " t h e n o t io n o f C o d . ” I d o n o t a p p r o v e o f t h e te r m “ t h e n o t io n
o f G o d . ” T h e G o d o f Is ra e l is a n a m e , n o t a n o t io n . T h e r e is a d iffe r e n c e
b e t w e e n a “ n a m e " a n d a “ n o t i o n . ” I a m s u g g e s t in g to y o u : d o n ’t te a c h
n o t io n s o f G o d , t e a c h th e n a m e o f G o d . A n o t io n a p p lie s to a l l o b je c ts
o f s im il a r p r o p e r tie s . A n a m e a p p lie s to a n in d iv id u a l. The n am e "G o d
o f I s r a e l " a p p lie s to t h e o n e a n d o n l y G o d o f a l l m e n . A n o t io n d e s c r ib e s ,
d e f in e s ; a n a m e e v o k e s . A n o t io n is d e r iv e d f r o m a g e n e r a liz a t io n ; a n a m e
is le a r n e d t h r o u g h a c q u a in t a n c e . A n o t io n y o u c a n c o n c e i v e ; a n a m e y o u
c a ll. I e v e n s u g g e s te d th a t n o t io n s a n d t h e n a m e o f G o d o f Is ra e l a r c
p r o f o u n d ly in c o m p a t ib le . A l l n o t io n s c r u m b l e w h e n a p p lie d t o H i m . A
m o r e a p p r o p r ia t e title m ig h t h a v e b e e n : “ T h e J e w is h E x p e r i e n c e o f th e
C o l l a p s e o f a ll N o t io n s in R e la t io n to G o d . "
Y o u a s k e d m e f o r a m a j o r p r in c ip l e in J e w is h t h e o l o g y , s o I s h a ll
g iv e y o u a p r in c ip le . 1 c o u ld h a v e g iv e n you th e p r in c ip l e o f “ th e
o m n i p o t e n c e " — “ t h e h ig h e s t b e i n g " ; I c o u l d h a v e g iv e n y o u th e p r in c ip le
o f “ c o a le s c e n c e " — G o d and th e p r in c ip l e of c o a le s c e n c e . N o, my
fr ie n d s — th is is n o t J e w is h . T h i s is n o t th e t r u e r e la t io n s h ip o f t h e J e w to
th e G o d o f Is r a e l. I n o t h e r w o r d s , G o d is n o t th e o b je c t o f g e n e r a liz a t io n .
I n a s e n s e I w o u l d s a y th a t a n o t io n is d e f in it iv e , f in is h e d , f in a l. B u t w h a t
w e m u s t s tr iv e fo r is a n u n d e r s ta n d in g .
U n d e r s t a n d in g is a n a c t . It is a s lo w p r o c e s s . T h e in t e n t io n o f it is to
r e c e iv e , re g is t e r , r e c o r d , r e f le c t , a n d r e it e r a te . It is a n a c t th a t m a y g o o n
f o r e v e r . H a v in g a n o t io n o f f r ie n d s h ip is n o t t h e s a m e a s h a v in g a fr ie n d ,
o r l iv in g w it h a fr ie n d . T h e s to ry o f f r ie n d s h ip c a n n o t b e f u l ly t o ld by
w h a t o n e f r ie n d th in k s o f th e b e in g a n d t h e a ttrib u te s o f t h e o t h e r fr ie n d .
T h e p r o c e s s o f f o r m in g a n id e a is o n e o f g e n e r a liz a t io n a n d a b s tr a c t io n .
S u c h a p r o c e s s im p lie s a d is t in c t io n b e t w e e n a s it u a t io n a n d a n id e a .
D is r e g a r d o f th e f u lln e s s o f w h a t tr a n s p ir e s le a d s to t h e d a n g e r o f re g a r d in g
th e p a r t a s t h e w h o le . A n id e a o f a th e o r y o f G o d c a n e a s i ly b e c o m e a
s u b s titu t e fo r G o d . T h i s is w h y I h a v e a l w a y s b e e n c a r e fu l n o t to d e f in e
G o d in te r m s o f o n e id e a . G o d in s e a r c h o f m a n is a n o n g o in g process.
It is n o t a n o t io n , it is a p r o c e s s . T h e p r o p h e t s h a d n o id e d o f G o d . W h a t
th e y h a d w a s a n u n d e r s ta n d in g .

C o p y rig h te d M a te ria l
 C o p y r i g h t e d M a t e r ia l
No Time for Neutrality ]
K i n a ll y . w h a t I s u g g e s te d to t h e m w a s a s ta t e m e n t b y R a b b i S i m o n b e n
Y o h a i fo u n d in t h e S ifr e .
W h e n I q u o t e d th is fo r th e firs t t i m e , I r e c e iv e d le tte rs fr o m a l l p arts
o f t h e c o u n t r y : “ S u c h a M id r a s h d o e s n o t e x i s t . " T h i s is t h e S ifr e : A tern
e y d a i n u m h a s h e m , v a n i e l .1 " Y o u a r e m y w it n e s s e s ( s a v s G o d ) a n d I
a m G o d . S a y s R a b b i S i m o n b e n Y o h a i , th e d is c ip le o f R a b b i A k i b a : " I f
y o u a r e m y w it n e s s e s , I a m G o d ; i f y o u a r e n o t m y w it n e s s e s , I a m n o t
G o d . " 2 N o w . th is is p e r h a p s o n e o f t h e m o s t p o w e r fu l s ta t e m e n ts fo u n d
in r a b b in ic lit e r a t u r e . It is p a r a d o x ic a l, to b e s u r e , in th a t it in d ic a t e s w h a t
I m e n t io n e d to y o u b e fo r e — t h e n e c e s s it y o f c o o p e r a t io n . I n th is w o r ld
G o d is n o t G o d u n le s s w e a r e H is w itn e s s e s .
T h e s u p r e m e is s u e is n o t w h e t h e r in th e in f in it e d a rk n e s s th e r e is a
b e in g o f g r a n d e u r th a t is t h e o b je c t o f m a n 's u lt im a t e c o n c e r n , b u t w h e t h e r
th e r e a lit y o f G o d c o n fr o n t s u s a s a p a th o s — G o d s u lt im a t e c o n c e r n w ith
g o o d a n d e v i l — o r w h e t h e r G o d is m y s t e r io u s ly p r e s e n t in t h e e v e n t o f
h is to r y . W h e t h e r b e in g is c o n t in g e n t u p o n c r e a t io n , w h e t h e r c r e a t io n is
c o n t in g e n t u p o n c a r e , w h e t h e r m y lif e is d e p e n d e n t u p o n H is c a r e ,
w h e t h e r i n t h e c o u r s e o f m y lit e I c o m e u p o n H is g u i d a n c e . 1, t h e r e fo r e ,
s u g g e s t th a t G o d is e it h e r o f n o im p o r t a n c e o r o f s u p r e m e im p o r t a n c e .
G o d is H e w h o s e re g a rd fo r m e is m o r e p r e c io u s t h a n l if e . O th e r w is e
H e is n o t G o d . G o d is the m e a n in g b e y o n d th e m ystery.
P e r h a p s I s h o u ld r e a d to y o u a s to ry fo u n d in S h e v e t Y e h u d a h w h ic h
I r e a d to t h e C a t h o l i c c o n g r e s s . “ I n 1 4 9 2 t h e J e w s o f S p a in w e r e g iv e n
t h e c h o i c e to b e c o n v e r t e d o r to b e e x p e lle d . T h e o v e r w h e l m in g m a jo rity '
left t h e ir h o m e la n d . S h i p s o v e r c r o w d e d w it h fu g it iv e s fo u n d d if fic u lt y
l a n d in g , o w i n g to t h e d is e a s e b r e a k in g o u t a m o n g t h e m w h i l e o n b o a rd
s h ip . O n e o f th e b o a ts w a s in fe s t e d w it h t h e p la g u e . T h e c a p t a i n o f th e
b o a t p u t t h e p a s s e n g e r s a s h o r e a t s o m e u n in h a b it e d p la c e . T h e r e m o s t o f
t h e m d ie d . S o m e o f t h e m s e t o u t 0 11 fo o t a n d g a t h e r e d s tr e n g th in o r d e r
to s e a r c h fo r s e t t le m e n t . T h e r e w a s o n e J e w a m o n g t h e m w h o s tru g g le d
o n fo o t t o g e t h e r w it h h is w ife a n d tw o s o n s . T h e w if e g r e w f a in t a n d d ie d ,
n o t b e in g a c c u s t o m e d to s u c h d if fic u lt w a lk in g . 'T h e h u s b a n d p ic k e d u p
h is c h ild r e n a n d c a r r ie d t h e m in h is a r m s u n t il h e a n d t h e y fa in te d fr o m
h u n g e r . W h e n h e r e g a in e d c o n s c io u s n e s s , h e fo u n d t h a t t h e s o n s h a d
d ie d a ls o . In g r e a t g r i e f h e ro s e to h is fe e t a n d ra is e d h is e y e s to h e a v e n
a n d c r ie d o u t : “ L o r d o f t h e U n iv e r s e , m u c h h a v e y o u d o n e to m a k e m e
d e s e r v e m y fa t e , b u t th is is a c e r t a in t y , th a t a J e w 1 a m , a n d a J e w I s h a ll
r e m a in . N o t h in g th a t y o u h a v e b r o u g h t u p o n m e is l ik e l y to b e o f a n y
.."1
a v a il.
I f y o u a n a l y z e th e t h e o lo g y o f th is o c c u r r e n c e , y o u w i l l fin d a k in d o f
a u d a c it y t h a t d e fie s th e u s u a l d e f in i t i o n s o f fa ith .

C o p y rig h te d M a te ria l