Birth and Rebirth Through Genesis: A Timeless Theologic
Genesis at Cool Beans: Preface to a Timeless Theological Conversation by Paul Pines
Sunday, August 17th, 2008Reading Michael’s book, Birth and Rebirth in Genesis, A Timeless Theological Conversation, I am delighted to find that the heart-thoughts of our past conversations have made it to the Rabbi’s tongue. In these pages, he has uncovered the pulse in the book of Genesis; to feel it is to renew the longing which is the precondition for psychological growth; to hear it is to revive the memory of an origin and destination buried in each of us.
The book is a profound exploration of metaphors, symbols and structures in Genesis that embody the design of divine mind projected as source and destination, that through the unfolding of this ever increasing complexity we move toward the recovery of wholeness. Rabbi Samuel does this through an inter-disciplinary approach that calls upon the Biblical scholar’s command of history, tradition and philology, the humanist’s grasp of literary narrative, the application of anthropological/sociological resources of the social scientist, and the analytical psychologist’s understanding of developmental and archetypal patterns. His ability to synthesize the intelligence from these disciplines allows him to distinguish the Jungian archetype of The Shadow, that part of the dark material in the individual and collective psyches that must be integrated rather than projected, from the objective existence of Evil, “which has an ontology all of its own” derived from primordial chaos. He discusses The Fall not as the grand betrayal of God by man, but the true awakening of consciousness that can only proceed from the painful separation from the unconsciousness of Eden.
Prof. Marvin Wilson’s Foreword to Birth and Rebirth through Genesis
Thursday, July 3rd, 2008I believe that all who carefully read this book are in for a deeply rewarding experience. A study of the text and commentary of Birth and Rebirth through Genesis will contribute greatly to an understanding of the rich and diverse fabric of biblical narrative and provide an appreciation for its creative application to the problems of the modern world. In making the above observation, however, I am reminded there is yet a deeper point to be made, one powerfully illustrated by the following Hasidic story. Once, a relatively young talmid (disciple), with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, came up to his Rebbe. The disciple excitingly exclaimed, “Rebbe, you will be pleased to know that I have gone through the Talmud three times!” Sitting back and stroking his white beard, the Rebbe replied, “My son, the question is not how many times you have gone through the Talmud, but how many times the Talmud has gone through you.”
Rabbi Samuel’s work, Birth and Rebirth through Genesis, provides a valuable tool for both Jew and Christian to help the student grasp and retain the meaning of the Torah. The commentary is lucidly written and its various indexes make it very “user friendly” as a tool for research. This work will enable any serious student, in the words of the Mishnah, to be more like “a sponge” type of learner so he “soaks up everything” rather than “the funnel” type who “takes in at this end and lets out at the other” (Avot 5:15). Any neophyte of biblical literature quickly knows the early chapters of Genesis are no place for “speed reading” the biblical text. Readers need all the assistance they can get to grasp what the text is saying and how it may be understood so that it will “stick.” Here Rabbi Samuel and his “educator’s eye” provides for the reader a highly effective source of study by locating key themes and sub themes, and by breaking the text down and analyzing it so its meaning can be readily “soaked up.”
In addition to our friendship, Rabbi Samuel and I share much in common. Professionally, each of us is trained in Hebraic and Semitic sources, and each of us has a high appreciation of the Torah as the Word of God. We have each been mutually enriched by our discussions of the Torah and Hebraic heritage. Yet, at the end of the day, on a personal level, each of us comes to the Book of Genesis through a slightly different set of lenses or theological grid. Rabbi Samuel approaches this material from his Jewish perspective and I from through my Christian orientation and world view. Birth and Rebirth through Genesis is a Jewish theological commentary, yet one which connects the Jewish world to the Christian world, and the Christian world to the Jewish world.
One of the things I like most about this work is the fact it is a work from which both Jews and Christians can read with much profit. Specifically, in this commentary, Christians will especially appreciate the sensitive, thoughtful and respectful manner in which Rabbi Samuel engages Christian scholarship. The verse by verse discussions in this manuscript on Genesis indicate a willingness to listen and weigh carefully what Jewish and Christian scholarship are saying, a tremendous service which helps to clarify and expand the discussion on this “Book of Beginnings” so that it might be of optimum value to both Jewish and Christian readership. An important underlying premise of this book –one which I greatly celebrate– is that Christians can learn from Jews and Jews from Christians.