The Intellect and the Exodus

by Jeremy Kagan

Developing emuna, or faith in God, is extraordinarily challenging in our day. Emuna may have sat comfortably with us as we dwelt among the worshiping cultures of the ancient Near East. But several thousand years of exposure to rationally based Western cultures has transformed our consciousness, personalities, and outlook to the point that God often seems like an idea pasted incongruously onto our vision of reality. How can we achieve an emuna that is integrated, consistent with our rational context, yet still retains its Near Eastern soul? In 'Intellect and the Exodus', award-winning author Rabbi Jeremy Kagan traces the history of our experience of emuna, building on the perspective it provides to gain powerful insights into the nature of emuna in the modern world. He then shows how the story of the Exodus is structured to foster a perception of reality in us, out of which an awareness of God emerges naturally. That perceptual component, however, must be complimented with an inner sense of God that has a genuine basis. That basis is to be sought in the depths of the self.

316 pages, Hardcover

Published December 24, 2018

Reviews

[Ben Rothke · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to Wikipedia, the Exodus is “the founding myth of the Israelites”. It also notes that it is at the center of Jewish identity, and is remembered daily in Jewish prayers and celebrated each year at Pesach and Shavuos. For some Jews, it is both one of the foundational elements of their religion, but also challenging for them.

In The Intellect and the Exodus (Maggid Books 978-1592645138), Rabbi Jeremy Kagan attempts to reconcile the rationality of western thought and culture, with religious faith. The function of the exodus in his book is meant to show a person’s inherent, albeit hidden, awareness of God.

A good part of the book details the debate between Maimonides, who makes no mention of the Exodus at all in his description of the commandment of faith. He also sees rational inquiry as the only road to faith in God. Historical experience according to Maimonides, even an event as powerful as the Exodus from Egypt, cannot bring the certainty achievable through logical proof.

The different approach though from Nachmanides is that faith must be derived from our historical experience of the miracles of the Exodus, primarily the plagues. To that, the last part of the book details each of the 10 plagues and their deeper meaning. Kagan includes a detailed chart about the plagues, including their manifestation, purpose and more on the books companion website.

For those who have read Kagan’s other books, they know that he is a deeply cerebral writer, whose writings will be best appreciated by the cerebral reader. For such a reader, The Intellect and the Exodus is a most insightful work.