Longing: Jewish Meditations on a Hidden GodLonging is a universal human experience, born of the inevitable gulf between dream and reality, what we need and what we have. While the experience of longing may arise from loss or the awareness of a void in one’s life, it may also become a powerful engine of spiritual growth, prompting one to draw closer to the hidden yet present “Other.” Across the range of Jewish teachings, longing takes center stage in one’s spiritual life. From the Bible through current frontiers in Jewish belief and practice, God is both known and unknown, immediate and remote, present and in constant eclipse. This book captures the sense of longing in Jewish tradition by creating a dialogue between the author’s own struggles with an estranged father and a wide range of traditional and contemporary sources. Focusing on the story of the Hebrew prophet Elisha, the book takes the reader through a journey of abandonment, creative destruction, and ultimately repair and healing, engaging with currents in biblical theology, rabbinic thought, Kabbalah, and contemporary Jewish philosophy. Written in a familiar yet probing style, this book is an accessible introduction to Jewish thought and spirituality as well as a thoughtful companion for more experienced students. |
Contents
| 17 | |
Turning Toward | 39 |
Finding a Voice | 56 |
only iYou | 79 |
god is not god | 99 |
Sifting through the Broken images | 115 |
Finding Self and Community | 143 |
Toward the other | 163 |
god as ineffable | 190 |
Epiloguegod as Everything and nothing | 207 |
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Common terms and phrases
abandonment Abraham absence actually appears asked became become beginning believe bring called child close completely connection continue created creation distance divine draw Elijah Elisha encounter engage everything exist experience express face fact father feel felt followed friends give god’s healing Hebrew Heschel human ideas imagine inner isolation israel Jewish tradition Judaism kind knew known language light live loneliness longing looked master means mind moment moments moral Moses mystical nature never nothingness obligation ourselves parent perhaps practice prayer presence prophets questions Rabbi reaching reality realize relationship religious ritual seek seems sense shared soul speak spiritual story Talmud teacher teaching things thought tikkun tion Torah turn ultimate understand universe vessels voice wanted whole wonder yearning