Jon Levenson, Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies, Harvard University
Post lecture response by Sam Meier, Professor of Bible and Ancient Israelite History, The Ohio State University
The love of God is a central aspect of Judaism; in fact, the classical sources require it of Jews. But on what is it based, or, to put the issue more colloquially, what is lovable about God? The tradition also insists that God loves the Jewish people, and here, too, the same question can be asked: Why? What is so lovable about the Jews? The classical sources present a range of answers to both questions and, in the process, reveal much about the dynamics of God and humanity in the Jewish tradition.
Program supported by the Allene N. Gilman Charitable Trust and co-sponsored with the Department of Near Eastern Languages & Cultures and the Department of Comparative Studies.