Abraham Joshua Heschel: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters)

I am not a consummate expert on Heschel, by any means, but I found these "Essential Writings" to be highly engaging and informative about Heschel's unique perspective on Judaism. This compilation made by his daughter provides just enough background information to give the beginning reader a sense of who Heschel was, why he believed the Jewish faith (and faith in general) is so important. For Heschel, the spirit of prophetic Justice, of making the world better, had to be guided by an inner life of reverential awe and of prayer. Experts of Heschel may find parts of his writings missing here, for in a career of so many writings, how can one volume summarize it all? Suffice it to say this book is a good way to whet the appetite of those curious for more of Heschel's thought.

This is a wonderful book containing Heschel’s essential writing. It is edited by his daughter who has written an excellent introduction. After reading the intro, I knew so much more about Rabbi Heschel himself. What an unbelievably loving and deeply spiritual man. If you know nothing of Rabbi Herschel, this is a good place to start.

A great book written by a great religious teacher of the 20th century. Mr. Heschel worked tirelessly with other religious leaders of different faiths to fight racism and prejudice in our world. His writings are inspiring for people of all faiths. His daughter, Susana Heschel, selected the writings included and writes an informative introduction for each essay.

Susannah Heschel is the single best writer and interpreter of her father's vision for modern Judaism. Her language is eloquent and her organization of the master's thought produce a very accessible work that will be as significant for progressive Christians as for Jews.

Ramblings...Just OK...

I am enjoying this book.

For advanced students

HESCHEL is an inspiring company in these difficult times. His example of tolerance and inclusion,And the depth of his spiritual life are a precious legacy.

As a Quaker (Chrisitian) I have longed for an accessible book of writings about the Jewish faith that I can use to deepen my own understanding and draw inspiration from. I learned about this book from Rabbi Michael Lerner of the progressive Jewish magazine, Tikkun. I have huge admiration for those Jews who can use their faith to mount a balanced and dignified prophetic critique of the plight of the Palestinians. Lerner does that, but he counts Heschel as his mentor, and being now half way thorugh this book, relishing it like a fine malt whisky, I can see why Heschel is so highly acclaimed.What this book does for me is that it brings up to date the prophetic tradition of such likes as Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Amos. It shows that the message of those crusty old bearded characters in their sandals are still acutely relevant to us today. Heschel places God at the heart of his activism (which included standing side by side with Martin Luther King). I find this powerful, because there is a lot of talk these days about "Godless spirituality", and I don't find that satisfying because it misses out on the very flesh and blood human nature of the love that we are talking about, and to which the activist may be pushed to rest back into, and experience.Another thing I am finding in Heschel is his depth of reflection on Jewish community. I was raised on the Scottish Isle of Lewis, and the same as Heschel says for the Jews could be said for our Presbyterian people. For example, p. 110, "Being a Jew makes anonymity impossible. A Jew represents, stands for, proclaims - even in spite of himself. The world never sees the Jew as an individual but rather as a representative of a whole tradition, of a whole people. A Jew is never alone." And what I like about that is the depth to which it surpasses individualistic spirituality. As that great Jewish mystical teacher, Jesus said, "When two or three are gathered together, I am there." This is not just about me, or you: it is about us, about the community. That is something that the Jewish tradition(s) can teach us so profoundly from their heart. And in saying that, I speak as one who believes we need to go beyond interfaith "dialogue" (in the head), and onwards, as Heschel demonstrates, to what I call interfaith APPRECIATION (in the heart), recognising that we should be wary of criticising one another's traditions from the outside until we find ourselves able to love what is truly spiritual in them from within.One last point: this book is compiled with a commentary by Heschel's daughter, Susannah Heschel. She clearly has a similar depth as the old man. I find reading of the love with which she speaks of "my father" as she expounds his life and ideas deeply touching as an example of what father-daughter relationship can aspire to. There is no sense in her commentary of slavishly trotting out the old man's ideas. Rather, there is a sense of her having reached a stage in life where she can stand in her father's lineage as an equal, and speak of him as a profound friend.This book is a modern spiritual classic. In an era where many of us, myself very much included, are critical of what the state of Israel does to the Palestinians, I would urge that this book is read and used to reveal that state politics and prophetic spirituality are far from being the same thing. As Heschel says in the passage I quote above, "A Jew represents, stands for, proclaims - even in spite of himself." This is a hallmark of authentic spirituality.

Excellent introduction to his important contribution to religious literature .

We live in an age when everything is virtually instant - communication, cooking, relationships, travel, reading, and even life itself, it seems. We don't need to wait any length of time it seems, because we have access to the internet and the world which goes with it as well as the social networks we ply.But is that proving as rewarding to our longings as we would like? Many are finding that there is wisdom is a slower pace of life, of listening to the voices of the past and that not all wisdom is current, sourced in our time. Enter Abraham Joshua Heschel who writes not for the fast paced life of those interested in the instantaneous but for those who are interested in the time-tested truths which work at the soul level rather than the emotional satisfaction to which the immediate caters.This book and its writings need to be savoured! They need to be sipped like a good wine! They need to be permitted to lodge in the mind and encompass the spirit so that our souls, motivations and methodologies in life are transformed by the content we read.The introduction written by Heschel's daughter Susannah is worth the price of the book by itself. Here we gain those intimate insights into the life of the author. Rarely is such touching commentary given in introductions to books written and introduced by colleagues!But when Heschel is allowed to speak, he does so in a condensed manner - like concentrated soup to which water must be added to be enjoyed - his writings are not easily digested in a quick read. His insights into the heart of matters is what gives this book its lasting quality - not content to merely make political or religious blogs, Heschel sees to the heart of matters which cross the feeble delineations which we place on our cultural contact -As a Jewish religious leader and educator, he comes at the topics which encompass the religious sphere from varying perspectives but which together weave a tapestry of wonder and insight seldom appreciated in the current practice of sensationalism.He covers many topics common to all religious persuasions - God, prophecy, prayer, inheritance. But it is in the issue of God's reality where he evokes the most poignant insights, from my perspective. Here he ventures out of the religious and into the political by claiming that our contemporary culture has silenced God, yet he is not silent.It is into the hectic busy-ness of current life that we need to take out the earbuds, turn off the TV, push the off button on the car radio and let the silence be filled with the presence of the God whom Heschel says is available, ready to be involved, if we understand the issues of how he speaks, how he responds to our prayers and how he has provided the guidance of prophecy to lead us into the future.Thank you Suzannah for your work in compiling and editing this work of a wonderful man, great teacher, marvellous example and most insightful Father!