“One of Judaism’s most distinctive and challenging ideas is its ethics of responsibility, the idea that G-d invites us to become, in the rabbinic phrase, His ‘partners in the work of creation’.The G-d who created the world in love calls on us to create in love. The G-d who gave us the gift of freedom asks us to use it to honor and enhance the freedom of others. G-d, the ultimate Other, asks us to reach out to the human other.
More than G-d is a strategic intervener, He is a teacher. More than He does our will,
He teaches us how to do His.
Life is G-d’s call to responsibility. That is the theme of this book.”
TO HEAL A FRACTURED WORLD – THE ETHICS OF RESPONSIBILITY
by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
We live in an all-too-broken world with broken hearts, broken lives, broken homes, brokenrelationships, broken promises… In a world so desperately in need of healing,can one person really make a difference?
This beautifully written, thought-provoking book sends out a clarion call in response to those who are willing to listen. Rabbi Sacks reminds us that G-d not only knows every need of the world, but He also knows intimately each person He calls to partner with Him in His healing work.
There is a task that only you can perform — a need that only you can fill — by using the unique gifts and opportunities that G-d gives you.
“There is no life without a task; no person without a talent; no place without a fragment of G-d’s light waiting to be discovered and redeemed; no situation without its possibility of sanctification; no moment without its call. It may take a lifetime to learn how to find these things, but once we learn, we realize in retrospect that all it ever took was the ability to listen. When G-d calls, He does not do so by way of universal imperatives. Instead, He whispers our name — and the greatest reply, the reply of Abraham, is simply hineni: “Here I am,” ready to heed your call, to mend a fragment of your all-too-broken world.”
Rabbi Sacks reminds us that all of us at one point or another in our own lives will find ourselves in need of healing.
To Heal a Fractured World is divided into three sections:
- The Call to Responsibility
- The Theology of Responsibility
- The Responsible Life
Each section is filled with stories that bring Rabbi Sacks’s message home.
To Heal a Fractured World is not a light read, but it is one that — if taken to heart — may change your world.
“Someone else’s physical needs are my spiritual obligation.”
Review by Cindy Lou Elliot
10 Responses
This is an amazing and challenging book. All of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ books are life enriching reads. If you are not yet familiar with his work, I would recommend that you invest in a shorter, delightful, and also richly meaningful volume, “CELEBRATING LIFE – FInding Happiness in Unexpected Places.”
❤ That’s one of my planned reads for this special season we are entering into.
That looks beautiful too. I can’t understand why it’s on on Kindle in the UK 🙁
This looks brilliant! Looks like a really important book. Disappointed not to be able to find it on Kindle!
❤ Mary – amazon.com does have a kindle edition – $9.99 – http://www.amazon.com/Heal-Fractured-World-Ethics-Responsibility-ebook/dp/B000OI0G7K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411305141&sr=1-1&keywords=to+heal+a+fractured+world
Ah but not in the UK I fear 🙁
🙁
Mary, are you able to download Kindle via Amazon USA? I was able to from Israel – might work! UK is the one place that SHOULD have all Rabbi Sacks’ books available on Kindle. :/
This book sounds fascinating, just reading this has touch my heart and soul….I like when he says “To those who are willing to listen”… Will definitely be buying this book.
Jenny it touched my heart and soul too ~ I’m on my second read through it – highlighting even more and taking more notes.