Heschel

I like NPR. Admitting that probably puts me a step or two closer to being one of those elite, overeducated, liberal snobs you hear so much about, but so be it, you know. I like lattes, too.

Especially, I like the program Speaking of Faith, and I recommend it very highly. All the shows are free as mp3s, so you can download them anytime. I like to listen to them when I’m doing boring, monotonous jobs like washing the dishes or scrubbing the toilets so that I can get the smell of asparagus pee out of them.

Today, I listened to an archived show while rearranging the books on the shelves in my library. The program was about the Jewish theologian Abraham Heschel. I’ve definitely heard of Heschel before as a biblical scholar (chiefly of the prophets), and everyone’s seen him in some famous pictures taken at Selma during the civil rights movement. This was really my introduction to Heschel, though.

They quoted him several times during the show, and like all of the best theologians I’ve read, he’s as much a poet as he is a theologian. I just thought I’d post some of his quotations here. Maybe you’ll go listen to the broadcast about him, too.
I’m going to use this quotation in my composition class this year. I’m going to paste it right at the top of the syllabus:

“I would say a lot of things to the young. To them, I would say let them remember that there is a meaning beyond absurdity. Let them be sure that every little deed counts, that every word has power, and that we can do everyone our share to redeem the world and that in spite of all the absurdities, all the frustration, all disappointment and above all remember that the meaning of life is to build life as if it was a work of art. You’re not a machine. And the young, start working on this great work of art called existence.”

The second was him responding to a question about the efficacy of prayer. I think I agree with Heschel more than with the common understanding of prayer:

“Let us not misunderstand the nature of prayer, especially in the Jewish tradition. The purpose of prayer is not to make requests. The primary purpose of prayer is to praise, to sing, to chant. The essence of prayer is a song, and man cannot live without a song. Prayer may not save us, but prayer may make us worthy of being saved. Prayer is not requesting. There is a partnership of God and man. God needs our help.”

I think this third one was the one that most struck me. I was reading the poet Rilke one day recently, and he always repeats the mantra, “Hold to the difficult.” Heschel here is responding to a question from Frank Reynolds, and I thought he was articulating in a different and valuable way why we must hold to the difficult, even if it’s going to make ourselves vulnerable:

Frank Reynolds: You speak of reverence for the word. You know, I'm reminded that it's only in the last few years that we enacted a piece of legislation called "Truth in Advertising." Why should any of us be surprised at statements made by politicians or by diplomats who are after all interested in their own well-being, or the well-being of their country. Why should we be surprised at the abuse of language when we see it all around us? Isn't it built into our society today?

Abraham Joshua Heschel: I would say about individuals, an individual dies when he ceases to be surprised. What keeps me alive — spiritually, emotionally, intellectually — is my ability to be surprised. I say, I take nothing for granted. I am surprised every morning that I see the sun shine again. When I see an act of evil, I am not accommodated — I don't accommodate myself to the violence that goes on everywhere. I'm still surprised. That's why I'm against it; why I can fight against it. We must learn how to be surprised, not to adjust ourselves. I am the most maladjusted person in society.”