A collection of thoughts and quotations by Abraham Joshua Heschel on self-respect, inspiration, dignity, discipline, faith, pilgrimage, faith, prayer and religion.
54 Insightful Quotes By Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Distinguished Jewish Philosopher
Abraham Joshua Heschel was a Jewish theologian, philosopher and rabbi, who was born in Poland but lived in the United States for the second half of his life. After pursuing an orthodox Jewish education, he studied at the University of Berlin, from where he earned his doctorate degree. However, the persecution of Jews by the Nazis forced him to leave Germany and he arrived in New York in 1940. After arriving in the United States, he became a teacher at the Hebrew Union College and later on joined the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He tirelessly contributed in the Civil Rights Movement. Heschel was also very well-known for the numerous books that he had written. Some of the noted books written by him include ‘The Earth is the Lord’s: The Inner World of the Jew in Eastern Europe’, ‘Israel: An Echo of Eternity’, ‘The Prophets’, ‘A Passion for Truth’, ‘Who is Man?’, ‘Man’s Quest for God’ and ‘Heavenly Torah: As Refracted Through the Generations’ among others. He became one of the most well-known rabbis in the United States for his writings, thoughts and work. Here are the most notable sayings and quotes by Abraham Joshua Heschel on celebration, attention, song, ineffable, time, deception, wonder, life, appreciation, knowledge, spirituality and reason.
Remember that there is meaning beyond absurdity. Know that every deed counts, that every word is power...Above all, remember that you must build your life as if it were a work of art.
I have one talent, and that is the capacity to be tremendously surprised, surprised at life, at ideas. This is to me the supreme Hasidic imperative: Don't be old. Don't be stale.
This is one of the goals of the Jewish way of living: to experience commonplace deeds as spiritual adventures, to feel the hidden love and wisdom in all things.
The prophets never taught that God and history are one, or that whatever happens below reflects the will of God above. Their vision is of man defying God, and God seeking man to reconcile with Him.
In Jewish tradition, dying in one’s sleep is called a kiss of God, and dying on the Sabbath is a gift that is merited by piety. For the pious person, my father once wrote, it is a privilege to die.
There is a passion and drive for cruel deeds which only the awe and fear of God can soothe; there is a suffocating selfishness in man which only holiness can ventilate.
The solution of mankind’s most vexing problem will not be found in renouncing technical civilization, but in attaining some degree of independence of it.
We may not know whether our understanding is correct, or whether our sentiments are noble, but the air of the day surrounds us like spring which spreads over the land without our aid or notice.
The surest way to suppress our ability to understand the meaning of God and the importance of worship is to take things for granted...Indifference to the sublime wonder of living is the root of sin.
Man is not a beast of burden, and the Sabbath is not for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency of his work.
Abraham Joshua Heschel
Only that which is good for all men is good for every man. No one is truly inspired for his own sake. He who is blessed, is a blessing for others.
Abraham Joshua Heschel
Faced with the mind-surpassing grandeur of the universe, we cannot but admit that there is meaning which is greater than man.
Abraham Joshua Heschel
This is the status of the Bible in modern life: it is a sublime answer, but we do not know the question any more. Unless we recover the question, there is no hope of understanding the Bible.
Replete is the world with a spiritual radiance, replete with sublime and marvelous secrets. But a small hand held against the eye hides it all,” said the Baal Shem.
Abraham Joshua Heschel
We may assume it is God we care for, but it may be our own ego we are concerned with. To examine our religious existence is, therefore, a task to be performed constantly.
