Judaism: a way of being

247 Pages·2011·1.374 MB·English

by  Gelernter, David Hillel

Judaism
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Judaism
A Way of Being
DAVID HILLEL GELERNTER
Yale University Press New Haven and London
Copyright © 2009by David Hillel Gelernter.
All rights reserved.
This book may not be reproduced,in whole or in part,
including illustrations,in any form (beyond that copying
permitted by Sections 107and108ofthe U.S.Copyright Law
and except by reviewers for the public press),without written
permission from the publishers.
Set in Minion type by Integrated Publishing Solutions,
Grand Rapids,Michigan.
Printed in the United States ofAmerica by Sheridan Books,
Ann Arbor,Michigan.
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gelernter,David Hillel.
Judaism :a way ofbeing / David Hillel Gelernter.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN978-0-300-15192-3(hardcover:alk.paper)
1. Judaism. I. Title.
BM562.G45 2009
296—dc22
2009020159
Color plates (between pages 82 and83):All paintings are by the
author,in acrylics and mixed media on panel (except for Ein Sof,
which is on paper).Photos by Ken Lovell ofthe Yale Digital Media
Center for the Arts,except for Shma,Echad,andNariah,
by David Ottenstein ofOttenstein Photography.
A catalogue record for this book is available from
the British Library.
This paper meets the requirements ofANSI/NISO Z39.48–1992
(Permanence ofPaper).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For my Jane and for Neal Kozodoy
TThhiiss ppaaggee iinntteennttiioonnaallllyy lleefftt bbllaannkk
Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
ONE Picturing Judaism 1
TWO Separation 22
THREE Veil 55
FOUR Perfect Asymmetry 88
FIVE Inward Pilgrimage 122
SIX David’s Dance 174
viii Contents
Appendix A.Why Believe in God? 191
Appendix B.What Makes Judaism
the Most Important Intellectual Development
in Western History? 197
Appendix C.Jewish and Christian Ethics 203
Notes 207
Index 217
Color plates appear between pages 82and83
Preface
This is a book about Judaism,but I believe you’ll find it unlike
any other book on Judaism you’ve ever read or are likely to
read.
It is not a book about Jewish history, although history
crops up frequently in the discussion.
It is not a book about Jewish religious practices or holi-
days,or the Jewish life cycle—although many prayers and prac-
tices and holidays are important to the argument.
It is not a book about Jewish teachings or religious doc-
trine, although it is full of Jewish teachings, including many
that have become the common property of mankind—and
many others that,although they are equally important,are vir-
tually unknown to the world at large.
This is a book that answers,from the standpoint of nor-
mative,or “Orthodox,”Judaism,the great questions ofhuman
existence:
1.How do we understand our place in the unspeak-
able vastness ofcreation,and our urge to encom-
pass and comprehend all this vastness within the
microminuscule specks ofour own human minds?
x Preface
2.Is physical creation all there is,or is there some-
thing beyond that gives it meaning,and requires
us to grasp not only matter and energy but justice
and injustice,truth and falsehood,good and evil?
And can this “something”(also known as God)
be known? Approached?
3.How do I order my life as a human being, as a
sexual being,as one part of a family?
4.Does life have a goal beyond comfort, power,
prosperity, survival? Is the goal salvation? Re-
demption? Are we on our own,or can we look to
God for help,intervention,a guiding hand?
These questions sound philosophical,and they can’t be
discussed unless we dip into philosophy now and then. But
here is the unusual (or strange) thing about this book: these
four questions and their answers will present themselves not
as philosophical propositions but as themes that resonate
throughout a lived Jewish life,like melodies traveling up and
down and all around an orchestra (from the violins to flutes to
oboes to brass) over the course of a symphony.These themes
are presented in this book just as they present themselves to
practicing Jews:visually;as mental images.Observant Jews,as
they concentrate on each detail ofJewish life,aren’t necessarily
aware of these images coalescing into themes,and the themes
coalescing into the richly reverberant,soaring architecture of
Judaism. (A pianist caught up in the beauty—or technical
difficulty—ofsome phrase might not have the larger theme in
mind,or the architecture ofthe composition as a whole,which
is created by separate themes just as the themes are created by
separate phrases and the phrases by separate notes.) But any
observant Jew will recognize my image-themes; and I hope