Judaism Is About Love

Recovering the Heart of Jewish Life

De: Shai Held

Narrado por: Josh Bloomberg

Duración: 15 h y 30 m

Resumen del Editor

A profound, startling new understanding of Jewish life, illuminating the forgotten heart of Jewish theology and practice: love.

A dramatic misinterpretation of the Jewish tradition has shaped the history of the West: Christianity is the religion of love, and Judaism the religion of law. In the face of centuries of this widespread misrepresentation, Rabbi Shai Held—one of the most important Jewish thinkers in America today—recovers the heart of the Jewish tradition, offering the radical and moving argument that love belongs as much to Judaism as it does to Christianity. Blending intellectual rigor, a respect for tradition and the practices of a living Judaism, and a commitment to the full equality of all people, Held seeks to reclaim Judaism as it authentically is. He shows that love is foundational and constitutive of true Jewish faith, animating the singular Jewish perspective on injustice and protest, grace, family life, responsibilities to our neighbors and even our enemies, and chosenness.

Ambitious and revelatory, Judaism Is About Love illuminates the true essence of Judaism—an act of restoration from within.

A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

©2024 Shai Held (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Erudite . . . The author balances the academic strength of a scholar with the pastoral sensitivity of a rabbi. Readers will be intrigued by the dizzying array of references to Jewish teachers across the centuries, as well as philosophers, Christian theologians, and others, and he approaches topics such as family relations with practicality and nuance. A highly literate, thought-provoking, persuasive argument for the centrality of love in the Jewish faith."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"[A] paradigm-shifting study . . . Held avoids dogmatism and is never anything less than transparent . . . Held draws profound meaning from Judaism that 'we are capable of living lives animated by love, mercy, compassion, and generosity.' This has the power to reshape Jews' views of their faith."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“This is a truly magnificent book, necessary for our troubled times. Shai Held, one of Judaism’s leading scholars and thinkers, rebuts facile stereotypes of Judaism that contrast Jewish law with Christian love, and demonstrates the centrality of love, imagination, and compassion in the Jewish tradition. Held’s discussion is nuanced: love of strangers is an unequivocal mandate; concerning the love of enemies, however, there are goals, but no easy answers. Nonetheless, Judaism commands, in all of the traumatic situations of our lives, an exacting self-development of emotions and imagination, so that we can hope to live together well with others, as strangers and fellows, in this difficult world. Held’s book should be required reading for Jews and non-Jews alike.”—Martha C. Nussbaum, Distinguished Service Professor of Philosophy and Law, The University of Chicago

Fresh approach to dogma

Short but usual in Judaism literature preaching of "zdaka" and focus on Torah study and commandments. Like we didn't do exactly that for millenia and nothing happened until we started doing. For that four stars in story. Otherwise excellent book almost on par with Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks writings. Certainly recommended listening.

What All Religion Should Be

One of America’s foremost Bible scholars writes an erudite and widely sourced argument for what religion should be. The flow of the book would have been improved by more forewarning of the book’s structure, which sometimes approaches haphazard. In the audio version, the reader has a pleasing voice, but annoyingly mispronounces plain English words—beneficence, eschew, revel.