'Reclaiming Redemption Vol. II': Tracing Jewish survival from exile to war - book review

Rabbi Moshe Taragin, an educator at Yeshivat Har Etzion, has authored 'Reclaiming Redemption Vol. II: Faith, Identity, Peoplehood, and the Storms of War,' a book written during the past three years of conflict. It re-examines core tenets of faith, identity, peoplehood, and redemption by viewing contemporary challenges through the broader sweep of Jewish history and Torah. The work aims to place today's events within this historical continuum, offering insights into the Jewish people's return to their homeland.

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Over the past 500 years, humanity has yanked itself out of the shadows and launched major revolutions advancing the human condition.

Taragin posits that history is shifting, with humanity gradually recovering its "divine image" and preparing for redemption. Over the last 500 years, significant revolutions in science and the development of democracy and civil societies have advanced the human condition. He suggests the world is inching closer to a state where it can be inspired by God through the people of Israel. The book raises questions about whether the Jewish people are ready to reclaim their universalist voice and inspire others, especially after 2,000 years of focusing inward, and whether this outward turn can occur without diluting their inner world.

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Are we capable of reclaiming our universalist voice? Have we forgotten that every single person possesses this divine image and divine potential – and that it is our duty to inspire them?

This "shift of consciousness and of national identity," Taragin argues, is crucial for the continued moral and religious evolution of history. He addresses the profound, unanswered questions stemming from the Holocaust and acknowledges that current trials have also shaken the Jewish people, leaving them grappling with uncertainty. While awaiting ultimate answers, the book stresses the importance of holding onto faith and seeking resilience in those who illuminate the path of belief through unwavering trust.

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One day, the answers will come. Until that day, we hold on to faith.

Ultimately, Taragin emphasizes that faith is not solely rooted in grand philosophical or theological ideas, but fundamentally in people. He asserts that it is individuals who embody and live these ideas that move us, rather than abstract concepts alone. The book draws strength from the echoes of Jewish faith throughout history, encouraging loyalty to past generations and summoning the faith they exemplified and expected from their descendants.

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It is not ideas that move us, but those who live and embody them.