Listening for God in Torah and Creation: A Weekly Encounter with Conscience and the Soul

Jonathan Wittenberg. Hodder Faith, $29.99 (448p) ISBN 978-1-529-39583-9

In these searching meditations, rabbi Wittenberg (Things My Dog Has Taught Me About Being a Better Human) utilizes the weekly Torah reading to tackle such eternal questions as, “What does it mean to live a values-driven life?” Some essays wade into the messy gap between ideals and reality. For example, Wittenberg writes that while the biblical phrase, hinenni (“here I am”) connotes living with utmost “presence and sensitivity,” in reality “our relationships are often more ambiguous than that”

(“I’ve been there for others,” he admits. “But I’ve also often not been there, at least not fully, and at times not at all”). Elsewhere, he analyzes a lesser-known biblical story from Numbers, in which Zelophechad’s five daughters petition Moses to inherit their father’s land. While the outcome is mixed (the women do inherit the land, but are forced to marry men from their tribes so their shares aren’t lost), Wittenberg contends that Zelophechad’s daughters exemplify generations of women who’ve worked to advance their rights in Judaism, “often all too painfully.” Skeptical readers will appreciate Wittenberg’s willingness to probe—without falling back on platitudes—what it means to “live in a generous, compassionate and committed way in the face of uncertainties.” Insights gleaned from the works of John Milton, Gandhi, and Leonard Cohen add depth and dimension. Wittenberg’s creativity and insight more than justify the existence of yet another Torah commentary. Agent: Jonny Geller, Curtis Brown UK. (Mar.)