Torah of Reconciliation

by Sheldon Lewis

In the aftermath of 9/11, Rabbi Sheldon Lewis sought solace and a path to reconciliation in Jewish texts. Peacemaking is arguably the key pillar among Jewish values, and Torah of Reconciliation seeks to reveal this primary value in diverse scriptural and rabbinical texts. Following the annual cycle of Torah readings, thematic verses or passages are interpreted and expanded through the lens of rabbinic commentary and the author s personal reflections, revealing the rich, wise resources available in Judaism for the crucial task of peacemaking in the modern world.

350 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2012

Reviews

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of Torah thoughts organized around the themes of peace and unity, with a few pages devoted to each Torah portion. My guess is that the author intended this book to be a resource for sermons- and I think it is probably pretty good at that task. But because the selections tend to be somewhat repetitive, it is not that much fun to read cover to cover.

Having said that, a few of the selections are genuinely interesting. In discussing the Divine destruction of Korah's rebellion (Numbers 17) the author points out that "when anger is unleashed, even God's anger, it often is not contained. There will be severe damage far beyond those who sinned when anger reigns." Thus, Lewis is reinterpreting the story as an example of the dangers of anger.