JUDAISM - Heschel Flashcards
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Heschel Background
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- Heschel: January 11, 1907 - December 23 1972
- Born in Warsaw, Poland
- Parents came from important Hasidic dynasties
- Studied in Berlin, Germany
- Expelled by Nazis from Germany back to Poland in 1938
- When the Nazis invaded Poland, he fled to London in 1938 then to USA.
- He had various academic appointments
- Involved in the struggle for civil rights movement
- Considered to be one of the great theologians of the 20th century
- Dies in New York City.
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contributions to Judaism
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- Theological and Philosophical Beliefs
- Social Justice
- Interfaith Relations
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Theological and philosophical beliefs
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Hasidism and Kabbalah
Hasidism = Jews who observe strict Orthodox principles i.e. generally wearing all black clothes
Kabbalah = The mystical notion of an encounter with God as necessary for all Jews.
- Heschel was influenced by his family connection to Hasidism.
- He attempted to synthesise the Hasidic world of his youth in Poland with that of his modern life in America.
- The ideology of Hasidism clashed with modern world and Heschel attempts to identify its relevance with Kabbalah:
- Hasid’s were known to emphasise the mystical practice of Kabbalah.
- Heschel uses mystical statements and teachings to combat secularism and encourage Jews to know God.
- Heschel’s famous words: to stand in ‘radical amazement’ and become intoxicated with God.
- Heschel advocated Jews to bear witness to God’s greatness and this would lead to justice and righteousness.
- Heschel encouraged secular Jews to ‘meet’ God again using Kabbalistic and Hasidic imagery in writing to excite, facilitate and experience God.
- Through his works Heschel aimed to spread his love for Hasidic life and his profound moral and ethical concern for the entire world. Heschel offers contemporary society an authentic theology for people to be inspired in the ancient teachings in order to find solutions to modern problems.
Zionism = the support of Jewish sovereignty over the land of Israel.
• Heschel taught that the purpose for Israel (Zion) is Tikkun Olam
• Heschel supported Zionism as essential to Jewish identity and proof of God’s fidelity
• Jews are bound to the land of Israel by the Covenant which is at the core of their relationship with God.
• As Jews have been gifted this land as a sign of connection with God it must be a symbol of peace and Tikkun Olam
4
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theology - major works
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Much of Heschel’s career was devoted to study and writing. He established a reputation as a scholar and thinker and attempted to synthesise the Chassidic world of his youth in Poland with that of modern life in America.
“A Jew is asked to take a leap of action rather than a leap of thought. He is asked to do more than he understands in order to understand more than he does”
Some of his major works include:
- Man Is Not Alone (1951 POST WWII)
- The Prophets (1952)
- God in Search of Man, Man in Search of God (1952)
- The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man (1951)
- Prophetic Inspiration After the Prophets
- Torah min HaShamayim (Heavenly Torah)
- The Earth is the Lord’s (1951)
- Israel: Echo of Eternity
Man is not alone (1951)
- Man Is Not Alone: A Philosophy of Religion offers Heschel’s views on how man can approach God, who is beyond comprehension.
- Judaism views God as being radically different from man, so Heschel explores the ways that Judaism teaches that a person may have an encounter with the ineffable. A recurring theme in this work is the radical “amazement” that humans experiences in the presence of the Divine.
- Heschel also explores the problems of doubt and faith, what Judaism means by teaching that “God is one,” the essence of humans and their needs, the definition of religion and Judaism, and man’s yearning for spirituality.
The prophets (1952)
- This work started out as his Ph.D. thesis in German but was later expanded and translated into English
- Originally published in a two-volume edition, it covers their life and the historical context that their missions were set in, summarizes their work, and discusses their psychological state.
- In it Heschel promulgated what would become a central idea in his theology: that the prophetic (and, ultimately, Jewish) view of God is best understood not as anthropomorphic but rather as anthropopathic—that God has human feelings.
- He emphasized the social role of the prophets as men who courageously spoke the truth to those in power, be they kings, priests, or those who controlled great wealth. It remains widely read today.
5
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contribution - Social justice
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Selma March 1965
- Heschel first met Martin Luther King Jr January 1963. They became close friends.
- Joined the famous Selma March 1965. He was welcomed into the front row of marchers with Dr King. After he walked with Dr King in Selma he reflected, ‘My feet were praying.’
- King used Heschel’s translation of Amos 5:34 in his famous ‘I have A Dream’ Speech. (Look up the translation in the Bible)
- Six months after the Selma March he founded what became one of the strongest organisations opposed to war in Vietnam.
- Promoted pacifism.
Tikkun Olam
- Tikkun Olam = acts of kindness that repair the world – social teaching found in the Mishnah
- Tikkun Olam was at the centre of all Heschel’s thinking.
- He saw the teachings of the Prophets as a call to social justice.
- In Heschel’s eyes Prophets like Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah and Habakkuk are spiritual radicals of ancient Israel who challenged expectations.
- Like the Prophets, Heschel was an advocate for social justice for all people.
Vietnam War
- Heschel entered the anti-war movement in 1965, as the most visible traditional Jew – compared to many Orthodox Rabbis who rejected political protest entirely; this stance ended up being controversial amongst the community.
- He declared that public opposition to the Vietnam war was a religious obligation and ‘a supreme commandment’, seeing the need to stop the war as a central religious concern and an act of violence against God.
- Although religious law required Jews to obey rules of the country where they lived, it was also decreed that ‘whenever a decree is unambiguously immoral, one nevertheless has a duty to disobey it’.
- Heschel saw the need for involvement, stating; “I learned from the prophets that I have to be involved in the affairs of man”
Organisations
- Organised ‘Clergy and Laymen Concerned about Vietnam’ (CALCAV) seeks to bring leaders of different religious traditions together to oppose war; “in a free society some are guilty and all are responsible”.
“Legs are not lips, walking is not kneeling. And yet our legs uttered songs. Even without words, our march was worship. I felt my legs were playing”
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contribution - interfaith relations
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- After the Holocaust, process began in which Christian and Catholic identity needed to understand Jewish identity
- Vatican II (1962-1965) – aim was to ‘open up the windows and let in the fresh air’
- Heschel was invited to Vatican II. He was asked to submit suggestions to the Council along with his American Jewish colleagues to improve Catholic-Jewish relations.
- Made three suggestions: that the Church ‘reject and condemn those who assert that the Jews as a people are responsible for the crucifixion of Christ; that the Council acknowledge the integrity and permanent preciousness of the Jews and Judaism; that the Church set up programs to fight prejudice and derogatory stereotypes.
- The final statement issued by the Council 28 October 1965 was a compromise document, but Heschel believed it to be a landmark in Jewish-Catholic relations that opened up a new era of better understanding and mutual respect.
Nostra Aetate
- Declaration ‘Nostra Aetate’ prepared by Cardinal Augustin Bea and Rabbi Abraham Heschel removed anti-Semitic words and accusations of blame for the death of Jesus and gave Jews dignity as a Jew, not as converts to Christianity.
- At the Council, Rabbi Heschel met Pope Paul VI. The Catholic Church acknowledged the validity of God’s covenant with Israel. The Council recommended and fostered respect between Jews and Christians.
- Pope Paul VI promulgated the text as official church doctrine, an encyclical. It established a solid foundation for Jewish-Christian dialogue and co-operation.
- Abraham Heschel’s contribution to Jewish-Christian dialogue has been of utmost importance.
- He built respect and understanding between Christianity and Judaism.
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theological/philosophical impact of heschel on judaism
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- Heschel inspired many in a renewal in their personal experience of religion.
- Heschel constructed a modern philosophy of religion based on the ancient and medieval Jewish tradition.
- Heschel’s teachings on theology are prominent in Jewish scholarship and education eg: Yahrzeit (anniversary of Heschel’s death) This is often commemorated throughout the American Jewish population through seminars at some synagogues to explore his teachings.
- Renewal of Meaning in Jewish practices such as Shabbat. These concepts are largely discussed in education initiatives and seminars in an attempt to emphasise a renewed purpose during Shabbat and combat secularisation
- Women’s League for Conservative Judaism: devoted an International Day of Study to the Sabbath and the teachings of Abraham Joshua Heschel. It emphasised the Sabbath as a key feature of Jewish identity.
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social justice impact of heschel on judaism
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- Heschel inspired a generation of Jews to partner with God in the work of Tikkun Olam, ‘repairing the world’ through actively pursuing social justice issues, especially in the United States.
“Heschel became the existentialist voice for social justice”. (Rabbi Marcello Bronstein) - Bend the Arc: Jewish Action: This is a progressive Jewish group committed to social justice action.
- Heschel’s commitment to social justice is constantly cited as inspiration for their initiatives.
- For example, in 2015 they asked Heschel’s daughter Susannah to speak to a forum regarding her Father’s participation in the Selma march as part of the civil rights movement. This display of social justice, and others, inspired them to create a petition against the changes to immigration policy by Donald Trump in 2017.
- Movements for Peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
- Heschel’s advocacy for peace in Israel and its transformation into a centre for Tikkun Olam can be seen in various Jewish initiatives since.
- 3.Heschel Sustainability Centre: An Israeli centre which advocates for a democratic Israel with a healthy environment for future generations. They currently run a program titled ‘The Sustainability Leadership Fellows’ which targets leaders in all areas of society to undertake a course which teaches them sustainable values centred around improving the quality of life for others and also assisting in healing the environment
9
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interfaith relations impact of herschel on judaism
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- Heschel’s work to usher in a new era of mutual understanding and respect through interfaith dialogue contributed enormously to the development and expression of Judaism by allowing Judaism to thrive in a post -Holocaust world.
- Heschel was active and immensely influential in Interfaith relations. ‘Nostra Atetate’
- Heschel’s role in Interfaith Dialogue continues to influence Jewish involvement in interfaith initiatives especially Jewish-Christian relations: eg: Rabbi Skorka and Pope Francis (then cardinal) co-authored a book ‘On Heaven and Earth’ (2010) Rabbi Skorka claimed Heschel as spiritual guide for the book:
“In our live dialogue, one drew from the other…In this manner, Francis undoubtedly drew spiritually from Heschel.”- Rabbi Skorka - Institutions such as the ‘World Jewish Congress’ continue to promote Jewish-Christian dialogue to discuss ‘mutual theological knowledge.’
10
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contributions beyond judaism
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- Relationship with non-Jewish world.
- “We have here the extraordinary phenomenon of a religious Jewish thinker, utterly, profoundly Jewish, from a long Chassidic line, who not only reached out to, and touched the lives of Christian theologians and two popes, but who influenced the outcome of the Church’s relationship to Jews through Nostra Aetate.”
- Inspired generations of scholars.
- Theology open to a broad range of interests.
- Faith and morality.
11
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Heschel quotes
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- “God is of no importance unless He is of utmost importance.”
- “Racism is man’s gravest threat to man - the maximum hatred for a minimum reason.”
- “Wonder rather than doubt is the root of all knowledge.”
- “A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers no harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair.”
- “Self-respect is the fruit of discipline, the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.”
- “Life without commitment is not worth living.”
- “In regard to cruelties committed in the name of a free society, some are guilty, while all are responsible.”
- “Never forget that you can still do your share to redeem the world in spite of all absurdities and frustrations and disappointments.”
- “When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.”
