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Sabbath Heschel Summary

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Originally published in 1951, The Sabbath is a book driven by the passion and eloquence of its author – rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. The poetic style of Heschel’s writing depicts Jewish spirituality in a way like no other, as each word captivates the reader, projecting a powerful message that continues to resonate with the mind, even long after the book has been read. The book sets out its thesis in the prologue “Architecture of Time”, which projects the idea that Judaism is a religion of time, more specifically, “the sanctification of time” . The structure of The Sabbath compliments Heschel’s thesis as it is constructed in three parts, each comprised of two or more mini chapters. Each chapter has a unique epithet, usually in the form of an …show more content…

Susannah describes her childhood experiences of the Sabbath day, suggesting that it was “the climax of the week” for all Jewish households and not just her own . She proceeds to allude to the spiritual nature of the Sabbath claiming to feel “transformed emotionally and even physically” . These early comments relate to some of the key concepts outlined in the main text, as Heschel speaks of man’s battle to maintain “inner liberty” in an age that enslaves its people to the material world . Through Susannah’s interpersonal account, the reader begins to grasp a firmer understanding of the more abstract ideas that formulate throughout the book, as the contextual foundations for which Heschel’s theology aims to build upon are successfully …show more content…

In “The Splendour of Life”, Heschel refers to Rome’s reputation as the “Eternal City” , relating to the Roman belief in a singular and unique existence. The idea of there being a new life after death was wholly disregarded by the Romans, and with this mentality they sought to create eternity artificially through the construction of great edifices in place of the open air. The allegory of Rabbi Shimeon ben Yohai and his son finding liberation in a cave is an apt illustration of Heschel’s mastery of detail in support and defence of the arguments he presents. When gazing upon the wonders of man’s creations, Rabbi Shimeon asserts “All that they made they made for themselves” . Here, the purpose of one’s labour is portrayed to be an act of selfishness and defiance against the will of God. The rabbi goes further to suggest that the people who work tirelessly day after day do so in vein, as they “forsake eternal life and are engaged in temporary life” . After twelve years in solitary confinement, the rabbi and his son are sentenced to an additional twelve months in exile by God, who is displeased with the rabbi’s comments. This denunciation is signified by a voice that calls out “Have ye emerged to destroy My world? Back to your cave!” . This parable is significant in that it does not suggest that man must choose the sanctity of time over space, but rather insists that

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