Religion, Fundamentalism

In Speech and in Silence

Name: In Speech and in Silence
Author: David J. Wolpe
ISBN: 9780805028164

by David J. Wolpe

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Overview

"Blessed be God Who spoke, and the world came into being." In the Jewish tradition, the world is created by words. Judaism ascribes an almost mystical power to language. Indeed, the central sacred object in Judaism is the book, the Torah. Words form a pathway between people and God. And yet, if words are the avenue of spirituality, silence is the destination. Silence signals our connection to the sublime. When we feel so deeply that words fail us, we are as close to God's presence as it is possible for humankind to be. Now, in a deeply moving series of meditations, David Wolpe explores how each of us can use the complexity of language and the simplicity of silence to reach toward God. Writing with the same mastery of sources that so distinguished his first book and with the same beauty of language that made that work a joyful and powerful experience, Rabbi Wolpe brings his compassionate intelligence to bear on a subject as ancient as the tradition that embraces it and as modern as our universal need to connect.

In a series of moving meditations, the author of The Jewish Spectator probes the spiritual uses of prayer and looks at a subject as ancient as the tradition that embraces it and as modern as the universal need to connect. "Eloquent and impassioned."--Harold S. Kushner.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

In Jewish tradition, God created the world with words. In this luminous, often lyrical meditation, of value to Jews and Christians alike, Wolpe ( The Healer of Shattered Hearts ), a rabbi in Los Angeles, explores language as a double-edged sword. Words, he reminds us, have the power to mislead or conceal but also to unlock the spirit, to bring us closer to other humans and to God. With examples ranging from the Tower of Babel to Edvard Munch's famous painting The Scream , Wolpe seeks to redirect the often aimless monologues inside our heads toward more authentic speech. In one chapter he explains how his mother's stroke, which left her barely able to speak or write at age 53, launched his personal inquiry; in others he explores prayer, song and tears as valid forms of communication. Words, he contends, ultimately lead to silence--a stillness by which we let God in, and our ultimate destination. (Oct.)

Library Journal

Propelled by family tragedy to confront the meaning of the loss of the ability to speak, Wolpe became acutely aware of the intensity of the human need to communicate. Speech is the primary means of communication, and in this passionate, eloquent exposition, Wolpe explores the power of language in terms of self-identity, human relationships, and relationships with God. In Judaism, words, per se, have a significant role. Wolpe masterfully explains this concept. Gracefully interweaving quotations from the Bible, Talmud, Midrah, and other traditional sources, he demonstrates how the spoken word (or its absence) affects the course of human conduct and emotions and serves as a link between humans and God. He also brings poignant sources that illustrate that when speech is lacking, tears or even silence can sometimes serve as a vehicle for communication. Highly recommended for religion and psychology collections.-- Carol R. Glatt, VA Medical Ctr. Lib., Philadelphia