Radical Responsibility: Celebrating the Thought of Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

Rabbi Sack and his teachings help provide the student with thought experiments to challenge and enlighten the individual, culture and society in general. This world is a better place because of people like Rabbi Sacks.

His understanding of history, his facts , his writing style is so clear makes it easy to read and opens your ability to learn.. Read it !

wide ranging collection of essays, most are superbtopics are current and contributors are varied.well organized and easy to read format

Thirteen distinguished scholars wrote articles to honor the Chief Rabbi on the occasion of his sixty-fifth birthday and his retirement from his high position. The essays are incorporated into this book.Joshua Berman, for example, gives a penetrating, insightful, and original interpretation of the rather strange episode in the biblical book Joshua 7. The Bible states that a man called Achan stole some booty after the Israelite victory at Jericho, just after the Israelites entered Canaan under the leadership oh Moses' successor Joshua. Achan acted alone in violating God's clearly enunciated ban against taking any booty. Yet, despite the Bible's clear statement that he acted alone, Scripture tells us that all the Israelites were punished because of his deed: Israel lost its next battle against the city of Ai and suffered thirty-six casualties. Complicating the events, Scripture states that Achan's guilt was only discovered after God instructed Moses to conduct a series of lots. When Achan's guilt is revealed, he and his family (according to one interpretation of Scripture) are executed.The story raises many questions, such as: Why did Achan violate a clear divine command? Why was an entire society punished for the crime committed by one man? Dr. Berman tells readers the views of some ancient and modern scholars and then offers his own explanation of the episode, and he explains when there should be collective responsibility for the crime committed by a single individual.Menachem Kellner, to site another example, also offers Chief Rabbi Sacks and us another penetrating, intelligent, and original discussion. Most rational individuals recognize that Jews are not disparaging non-Jews when they use the term "chosen people," but are referring to what they, as Jews, feel is their responsibility. Jews recognize that other nations, cultures, and individuals might agree that they have the same goals or they might have different goals, which also help improve them and society.One exception to this rational approach was the poet Yehudah Halevi (1075-1141) who presented a radical view in his book Kuzari, a view that Professor Kellner calls "insane." Halevi insisted that Jews are "biologically superior" to non-Jews. He wrote that individuals who convert to Judaism cannot be as good as Jews because the conversion does not change their biology. Dr. Kellner shows the absurdity of this one-of-its-kind view and compares it with the teaching of the great Jewish rational philosopher Moses Maimonides (1138-1204) who stressed that all humans were created by God who loves them all. Maimonides taught that Jews can and should learn much from non-Jews, for the truth is the truth no matter what its source.This book was published jointly by London School of Jewish Studies, YU Press, and Maggid Books. The other ten contributors are Alasdair MacIntyre, David Shatz, Binyamin Lau, Michael Walzer, Moshe Halbertal, Michael J. Broyde, Charles Taylor, Jacob J. Schacter, Ronald Heifetz, David Berger, and Avivah G. Zornberg.

Koren have sent me a review copy of Radical Responsibility: Celebrating the Thought of Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks edited by Michael J. Harris, Daniel Rynhold, and Tamra Wright. Usually I'm able to read a book over a few days, but this one has taken me over a month to read because it is so good and so full of provocative ideas.Radical Responsibility is a festschrift on the occasion of Lord Sacks's retirement from the position of Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the [British] Commonwealth. The contributors include leading names in both Jewish and non-Jewish philosophy.For those unfamiliar with the concept of a festschrift, it's a collection of essays by the honoree's students and colleagues, on subjects that are dear to the honoree and, usually, in which he was the teacher of the contributors. So this book contains no essay by Rabbi Sacks, but it illuminates his thoughts by their reflection in the thoughts of others.The essays are generally of a very high caliber. They are accessible to the lay reader, and explore issues which Rabbi Sacks has grappled with in his writings. Several essays rewarded immediate re-reading, because they are so full of insights and are carefully constructed. I was particularly struck by Joshua Berman's close and radical re-reading of the seventh chapter of the book of Joshua; it wrestles effectively with some troubling issues.I also particularly relished the contributions of Alasdair MacIntyre, who sets the stage for the whole book with humor and grace; Michael Walzer and Moshe Habertal, who each consider whether it is possible to establish an objective standard of interpersonal responsibility (and, concluding that there is not, each explores how one can form a moral subjective stance); Michael J. Broyde, who uses what seems at first to be a dry legalistic question to illuminate the tensions in our deepest held beliefs; Jacob J. Schacter, who is innovative in his suggestion of a framework in which the American ideal of personal autonomy flourishes within the structure of a halachic life.Some of the essays fall short of this standard; there is the occasional wince-inducing run-on sentence that reads like a parody of academic excess. But far more often, there are sentences that are just as long and complex, but that string together multiple themes in an effective way to prove a powerful point.Radical Responsibility is a worthy tribute to a man who, through his teaching, his books, and his personal example has helped to define what it is to be a committed Jew who is engaged in the moral struggles of the world. As I said at the outset, I am generally a speedy reader, but this book forced me to slow down to make sure I didn't miss a thing. I highly recommend it.

I was very disappointed by Radical Responsibility. It was written by a group of academics that write like academics. And while their articles are very detailed, most felt like they belong in a scholarly journal. I felt the entire collection disjointed and unfulfilling. It saddens me that Rabbi Sacks' name is attached to this work.There was one excellent chapter about collective responsibility that followed very much in Rabbi Sacks' style of a close reading of scripture to illucidate poignant ideas.Rabbi Sacks has a clarity easily conveyed to the masses. I can't wait to share his insights at the Sabbat table. But that isn't this book and it should be avoided except perhaps by academians.-by Seth Speiser

and everything he writes. I especially like what he says about our responsibility for the world and the people around us.If we are religious, it is not for going into a hiding place and enjoy religion there, although many seem to feel good this way,but to live our life within the world with Responsibility.

While an excellent book be under no illusion. This is not a lightweight collection of the Chief Rabbi's thoughts but a heavy collection of deep reflections by other writers looking at the topics on which he focussed.