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Man Is Not Alone A Philosophy of Religion Abraham Joshua Heschel 9780374513283 Books

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Man Is Not Alone A Philosophy of Religion Abraham Joshua Heschel 9780374513283 Books

Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972) was a Polish-born American rabbi and one of the leading theologians and philosophers of the 20th century; he also participated in the civil rights movement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (such as the march on Selma). He also wrote books such as , God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism,Man's Quest for God: Studies in Prayer and Symbolism,The Prophets,The Sabbath, etc.

He wrote in the second chapter of this 1951 book, “Wonder rather than doubt is the root of knowledge. Doubt comes in the wake of knowledge as a state of vacillation between two contrary or contradictory views; as a state in which a belief we had embraced begins to totter. It challenges the mind’s accounts about reality and calls for an examination and verification of that which is deposited in the mind. In other words, the business of doubt is one of auditing the mind’s accounts about reality rather than a concern with reality itself; it deals with the content of perception rather than with perception itself.” (Pg. 11) He continues, “Inquire of your soul… It will tell you only no-thing is taken for granted; each thing is a surprise, being is unbelievable. We are amazed at seeing anything at all… amazed… at the unexpectedness of being as such, at the fact that there is being at all.” (Pg. 12)

He observes, “For religion is more than a creed or an ideology and cannot be understood when detached from actual living. It comes to light in moments in which one’s soul is shaken with unmitigated concern about the meaning of all meaning, about one’s ultimate commitment which is part of his very existence; in moments, in which all foregone conclusions, all life-stifling trivialities are suspended; in which the soul is starved for an inkling of eternal reality; in moments of discerning the indestructibly sudden within the perishably constant. There is much we can achieve in our quest for God by applying rational methods, provided we remember that, in matters that concern the totality of life, all higher attainments of our personality should be brought into play, particularly our sense of the ineffable.” (Pg. 55-56)

He suggests, “Yet… the certainty of the existence of God does not come about as a corollary of logical premises, as a leap from the realm of logic to the realm of ontology, from an assumption to a fact. It is, on the contrary, a transition from an immediate apprehension to a thought, from being overwhelmed by the presence of God to an awareness of His essence.” (Pg. 84)

He states, “Man was the first to hide himself from God, after having eaten of the forbidden fruit, and is still hiding. The will of God is to be here, manifest and near; but when the doors of this world are slammed on Him, His truth betrayed, His will defied, He withdraws, leaving man to himself. God did not depart of His own volition; He was expelled. God is in exile.” (Pg. 153)

He says, “Belief without faith is a formal act, often as poor in spiritual meaning as a proof for the existence of God produced by a calculating machine. Faith, on the other hand, is not only the assent to a proposition, but the staking of a whole life on the truth of an invisible reality. It is as little reducible to an assent as love and its adequate expression is not a sober assertion but an exclamation.” (Pg. 167)

He notes, “Reason is a necessary coefficient to faith, lending form to what often becomes violent, blind and exaggerated by imagination. Faith without reason is mute; reason without faith is deaf.” (Pg. 173)

He summarizes, “Man is not an innocent bystander in the cosmic drama. There is in us more kinship with the divine than we are able to believe. The souls of men are candles of the Lord, lit on the cosmic way, rather than fireworks produced by the combustion of nature’s explosive compositions, and every soul is indispensable to Him. Man is needed, he is a need of God.” (Pg. 215)

He concludes, “The deepest wisdom man can attain is to know that his destiny is to aid, to serve. We have to conquer in order to succumb; we have to acquire in order to give away; we have to triumph in order to be overwhelmed. Man has to understand in order to believe, to know in order to accept. The aspiration is to obtain; the perfection is to dispense. This is the meaning of death: the ultimate self-dedication to the divine. Death so understood will not be distorted by the craving for immortality, for this act of giving away is reciprocity on man’s part for God’s gift of life. For the pious man it is a privilege.” (Pg. 296)

This profound book will (along with Herschel’s other works) be “must reading” for those interested in contemporary theology and spirituality.


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Man Is Not Alone A Philosophy of Religion Abraham Joshua Heschel 9780374513283 Books Reviews

One of my favorite works of theology, and one of the best works on deep Jewish thought for Jews or non-Jews to ponder and learn from.
Words cannot express the admiration I have for the teachings of Rabbi Heschel. His writings are both enlightening and very useful in living your everyday life. He is able to connect to the better part of you through your heart and Soul. Reading Rabbi Heschel will truly change your way of thinking and living for the better!
This book will stand the test of time. Truly a classic! Heschel makes the case for God and God's ongoing involvement in his created world. Magnificently done.
As a Buddhist I still found lots of historical facts and philosophies within these texts and can truly appreciate the views of all. Intriguing as well as entertaining, highly recommend to all those that have expanded minds.
Abraham Heschel is an excellent writer to stimulate thinking skills into a different and new direction. An outstanding book that everyone should read. Heschel presents in an unfolding manner our purpose in this world and we are not alone. Beautiful work of writing art.
I read this many years ago and decided to read it again. It's just as beautiful this time around. Heschel's writing is like poetry-- thoughtful, poignant, and transformative. This book will speak to anyone who is open to the experience of something more than themselves.
I love Heschel. My first foray into his works was "The Sabbath" which I immediately fell in love with. His bigger works were a little bit more daunting, but I read Man is Not Alone (this book) and God in Search of Man, which are known to be companion volumes to each other. I loved them both.

Heschel has a kind of writing that is very apparently typical of continental philosophers of his time. My friend, an analytic philosopher, didn't take too well to it, but his style resounded in my soul. The language is reflective, thoughtful, and pensive. It's as though you are sitting at the feet of a mystic and he is expounding his knowledge to you not systematically, not analytically, not dogmatically, but kindly, lovingly, and experientially.

I liked this book a little better than I did God in Search of Man, since it can relate to a broader audience, but also because it discusses the human heart and its struggles. Heschel is what is referred to as a mystic, but really, he is a man acquainted with the mind and questions of a seeker. I love the way he uses language and the descriptions he uses. It made me feel that I was not alone in this search and not alone on this road. I'm glad I read both books and would recommend the same for others.
Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972) was a Polish-born American rabbi and one of the leading theologians and philosophers of the 20th century; he also participated in the civil rights movement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (such as the march on Selma). He also wrote books such as , God in Search of Man A Philosophy of Judaism,Man's Quest for God Studies in Prayer and Symbolism,The Prophets,The Sabbath, etc.

He wrote in the second chapter of this 1951 book, “Wonder rather than doubt is the root of knowledge. Doubt comes in the wake of knowledge as a state of vacillation between two contrary or contradictory views; as a state in which a belief we had embraced begins to totter. It challenges the mind’s accounts about reality and calls for an examination and verification of that which is deposited in the mind. In other words, the business of doubt is one of auditing the mind’s accounts about reality rather than a concern with reality itself; it deals with the content of perception rather than with perception itself.” (Pg. 11) He continues, “Inquire of your soul… It will tell you only no-thing is taken for granted; each thing is a surprise, being is unbelievable. We are amazed at seeing anything at all… amazed… at the unexpectedness of being as such, at the fact that there is being at all.” (Pg. 12)

He observes, “For religion is more than a creed or an ideology and cannot be understood when detached from actual living. It comes to light in moments in which one’s soul is shaken with unmitigated concern about the meaning of all meaning, about one’s ultimate commitment which is part of his very existence; in moments, in which all foregone conclusions, all life-stifling trivialities are suspended; in which the soul is starved for an inkling of eternal reality; in moments of discerning the indestructibly sudden within the perishably constant. There is much we can achieve in our quest for God by applying rational methods, provided we remember that, in matters that concern the totality of life, all higher attainments of our personality should be brought into play, particularly our sense of the ineffable.” (Pg. 55-56)

He suggests, “Yet… the certainty of the existence of God does not come about as a corollary of logical premises, as a leap from the realm of logic to the realm of ontology, from an assumption to a fact. It is, on the contrary, a transition from an immediate apprehension to a thought, from being overwhelmed by the presence of God to an awareness of His essence.” (Pg. 84)

He states, “Man was the first to hide himself from God, after having eaten of the forbidden fruit, and is still hiding. The will of God is to be here, manifest and near; but when the doors of this world are slammed on Him, His truth betrayed, His will defied, He withdraws, leaving man to himself. God did not depart of His own volition; He was expelled. God is in exile.” (Pg. 153)

He says, “Belief without faith is a formal act, often as poor in spiritual meaning as a proof for the existence of God produced by a calculating machine. Faith, on the other hand, is not only the assent to a proposition, but the staking of a whole life on the truth of an invisible reality. It is as little reducible to an assent as love and its adequate expression is not a sober assertion but an exclamation.” (Pg. 167)

He notes, “Reason is a necessary coefficient to faith, lending form to what often becomes violent, blind and exaggerated by imagination. Faith without reason is mute; reason without faith is deaf.” (Pg. 173)

He summarizes, “Man is not an innocent bystander in the cosmic drama. There is in us more kinship with the divine than we are able to believe. The souls of men are candles of the Lord, lit on the cosmic way, rather than fireworks produced by the combustion of nature’s explosive compositions, and every soul is indispensable to Him. Man is needed, he is a need of God.” (Pg. 215)

He concludes, “The deepest wisdom man can attain is to know that his destiny is to aid, to serve. We have to conquer in order to succumb; we have to acquire in order to give away; we have to triumph in order to be overwhelmed. Man has to understand in order to believe, to know in order to accept. The aspiration is to obtain; the perfection is to dispense. This is the meaning of death the ultimate self-dedication to the divine. Death so understood will not be distorted by the craving for immortality, for this act of giving away is reciprocity on man’s part for God’s gift of life. For the pious man it is a privilege.” (Pg. 296)

This profound book will (along with Herschel’s other works) be “must reading” for those interested in contemporary theology and spirituality.