In Speech and in Silence: The Jewish Quest for God

Drawing on the Bible, Talmud, and Midrashic sources, the author traces the Jewish search for God through language. By the author of The Healer of Shattered Hearts. 15,000 first printing. Tour.

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.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A Conservative rabbi (The Healer of Shattered Hearts, 1990) ponders the ways by which words link God and humans. Wolpe wrote this book after his mother suffered a stroke that left her unable to speak or write, and the pages that describe her illness and her family's subsequent prayers are the best here, deepened by the sense of tragedy. For the most part, though, the author steers clear of personal narrative, turning to figures from the Bible--Joshua, Job, Moses--to illustrate his points. His central theme is attractive, if unoriginal: that words are sacred, for they bring us to God, and that, finally, words must be replaced by silence, by ``an understanding that passes beyond words.'' Wolpe speaks with authority of Talmud and Midrash, of song and prayer, and includes some memorable anecdotes (for instance, that Jewish children beginning religious school would be greeted by a chart of letters smeared with honey, tangible proof of the sweetness of words). One big problem, however: Wolpe uses far too many words himself, and shows a particular liking for aphoristic overkill-- ``to be human is to speak''; ``words are swords and they are shields''; ``words sandblast the self,'' and so on. Nietzsche he's not--just the opposite, in fact: a teacher of kindness and common sense who shows no ability to turn a maxim. Good feelings galore, but next time, hold those maxims. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.