Covenant & Conversation: Deuteronomy: Renewal of the Sinai Covenant

by Jonathan Sacks

This collection makes Rabbi Jonathan Sacks' brilliant essays on the weekly Torah portion available in book form for the first time. Rabbi Sacks fuses Jewish tradition, Western philosophy and literature to present a highly developed understanding of the human condition under God's sovereignty.

Genres: Judaism, Nonfiction, Theology, Jewish

386 pages, Hardcover

Published July 1, 2019

About the author

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Henry Sacks was the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. His Hebrew name was Yaakov Zvi.

Serving as the chief rabbi in the United Kingdom from 1991 to 2013, Sacks gained fame both in the secular world and in Jewish circles. He was a sought-after voice on issues of war and peace, religious fundamentalism, ethics, and the relationship between science and religion, among other topics. Sacks wrote more than 20 books.

Rabbi Sacks died November 2020 after a short bout with cancer. He was 72.

Reviews

[Marty Solomon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my least favorite of the works by Rabbi Sacks I have read — and yet even my least favorite is a book recommendation. It’s full of all the typical wisdom that one comes to expect from him and packaged in a beautiful tour through the weekly readings of Deuteronomy.

The final essays reflecting on Parasha Veto HaBerakha was worth the wait and a fantastic ending to the journey through the Chumash. Those were some of his finest essays and a testament to the goodness that is there to savor in his writings.

[Daniel Sevitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wrapped this up at the end of the year and, as before, every word was a gem. The last few essays, relating to the last section of the Torah, chime with the melancholy and the poetry of the text. Still the wisest and most humane commentary I have ever encountered.

[Guyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Christian I have found this series exceptionally helpful in understanding a Jewish approach to the Torah. Rabbi Sacks' greatest contribution in this understanding was to see the law, not merely as something that has been supplanted by a new covenant, but as something that in its time and place was 1: a response to the sin of the golden calf, and 2: a beautiful reflection of God and His people, a "choreography of holiness". With this wonderful phrase Sacks sheds light on passages that are often passed over in Christian services (when is the last time you heard an expositional series on Leviticus?) While I do not agree with every interpretation, to read these books is to be in the presence of a wise, sensitive and reasonable soul, and I have gained great value from his perspective.

I have used this review to speak generally of the whole Covenant & Conversation Torah series, but if you were to read only one, I would highly suggest his book on Leviticus, which is worthwhile for the 50-page introductory essay alone.

[J.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I heard, 5 years ago now, that R. Sacks had died, I was sad first and then ashamed of the selfish thought that came to mind: what if his Deuteronomy book never gets published? I had already read the first in the series and Deuteronomy is my favorite of the Pentateuch.

Turns out this one was published the year before he died. What a gift he gave.

I have so, so enjoyed journeying through the Torah readings with Sacks' essays. I love his love for the Bible. I love the deep and layered explorations.

Probably two of my favorite essays were for Parashat Vezot Haberakha: Moses the Man and To Live is to Serve.

"God may 'hide his face' but He never withdraws His word."

"Life is the opportunity to serve. The rest is commentary. Go and do."

[Julie Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seemed to lack the usual Jonathan Sacks vitality and interest. A few topics were examined over and over again: political covenant, creating a nation, listening to God. These may be all that is in Deuteronomy, although I doubt it. Also, Sacks seemed quite intent on dismissing what Christians and Muslims may see in this text. I understand that the Jewish point of view is paramount as this is the final book of the Torah, their book. But the way he phrased his discontent with what others find in Deuteronomy as quite jarring.

It's worth reading, but not as good as the first four books in the series.

[H.L. Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to love this series by Rabbi Sacks, who was extremely brilliant and is gone too soon. I had more with which I disagreed in this volume, and I was mildly disappointed with some of the Rabbi's less-than-subtle comments leaning toward the negative. Still, I'll re-read it and be interested to see if, with the passage of time, a new perspective emerges.

[Juan Ruiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

No tan bueno, se torna repetitivo en las ideas al final del libro, teniendo en cuenta los otros 4 libros de la serie. Pude notar que Sacks es simpatico con la la idea de "social justice", tan popular en circulos progresistas, llega a afirmar que hay una palabra hebrea que se traduce de manera correcta como "social justice". Bueno, al final me decepciono un poco, luego de leer los 5 libros, es en gran medida simpatizante con el progresismo aunque sea ortodoxo a nivel teologico. (también apoya el aborto)

[CarolAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best commentary series on the Torah that I have read.