In her commentary on the book of Exodus—the stories of slavery and liberation, the burning bush, the revelation at Sinai, the golden calf, the shattering of the tablets, the building and consecration of the tabernacle—Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg weaves a magnificent tapestry of classical biblical, talmudic, and midrashic interpretations; literary allusions; and insights from the worlds of philosophy and psychology into a narrative that gives us fascinating new perspectives on the biblical themes of exodus and redemption.
"A masterly analysis of the Book of Leviticus, the newest volume in the award-winning series of commentaries on the Hebrew Bible by "a celebrated biblical scholar, keen on weaving together traditional Jewish exegesis, psychoanalysis, and postmodern criticism" (The New York Times Book Review). The image of the Golden Calf haunts the commentaries that thread through Leviticus. This catastrophic episode, in which the Israelites (freed from Egyptian slavery and forty days after their momentous encounter with God at Mount Sinai) worship a pagan idol while Moses is receiving the Torah from God on the mountaintop, gives the mostly legalistic text a unique depth and resonance. According to midrashic tradition, the post-traumatic effects of the sin of the Golden Calf linger through the generations, the sin to be "paid off" in small increments through time. Post-biblical perspectives view this as the diffusion of punishment, as well as a way of addressing the on-going phenomenon of idolatry itself. These after-effects of the Golden Calf incident are imaginatively explored in Avivah Zornberg's magnificent textual analysis. She brings the rabbis of the Talmud, medieval commentators, Hasidic scholars, philosophers, psychoanalysts, and literary masters-from Aristotle and Rashi to the Baal Shem Tov, Franz Rosenzweig, Sigmund Freud, and George Eliot-into her pathbreaking discussion of the nature of reward and punishment, good and evil, Eros and Thanatos, and humankind's intricate and ever-fascinating encounter with the divine"-- Provided by publisher
NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD WINNER • A brilliant interpretation of familiar biblical narratives that "deserves to be the most widely read book on the Bible in years, perhaps decades." (Jewish Exponent). Since its publication in 1995, The Beginning of Desire has opened new pathways in the reading of the Bible. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg’s innovative use of midrash, literature, philosophy, and psychoanalysis draws deeply upon the familiar biblical narratives to produce interpretations that are at once startlingly beautiful and completely authentic. Illuminating the tensions that grip human beings as they search for an encounter with God, Zornberg gives us a brilliant analysis of the stories of Adam and Eve; Noah; Abraham and Sarah; Isaac and Rebecca; Jacob, Rachel, and Leah; and Joseph and his brothers.
The book delves into the complex journey of the Israelites from Mount Sinai to the Holy Land, exploring their paradoxical desire to return to slavery in Egypt despite experiencing divine miracles. Through a rich analysis, Zornberg reveals the depth of human complaint and lament while highlighting the extraordinary spiritual experiences of the wilderness generation. Drawing on kabbalistic and Hasidic sources, she portrays this group as engaged in a profound dialogue with God, showcasing their ecstatic faith and spiritual yearning amidst their challenging journey.
