Reb Zalman Gathers Figs

A study of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi's
reading of Biblical text
to re-vision Judaism for the present day

by Dana Densmore

6" x 9", 438 pages.
Biographical notes, bibliography, index.
Smyth-sewn hardcover binding.
Original publication date, 2013.
For pricing and ordering information, see the ordering section below.

Reb Zalman Gathers Figs cover Dana Densmore brings to light an unpublished and nearly unknown set of teachings of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, based on his readings of the Torah, the Hebrew Bible. This material, which exists only as voice recordings, is the sole sustained example of Schachter-Shalomi's approach to scriptural interpretation, published or unpublished. Densmore has selected and transcribed portions of this work, explaining the context in which they were presented and providing a commentary that links them into a coherent whole. Extensive notes explain Schachter-Shalomi's frequent references to the Hebrew text and translate his quotations in German, Yiddish, and other languages.

What emerges from this study is the profoundly radical way in which, through careful attention to the nuances of the biblical text, Schachter-Shalomi shows how to draw new life and inspiration for our times from ancient texts written in a very different context.

This study of Schachter-Shalomi's re-visioning of Judaism is placed in a context of the ongoing re-visioning of Judaism that has taken place thoughout the history of the tradition. Densmore develops the claim that the sort of re-visioning Schachter-Shalomi is engaged in is not only the way that Judaism has always worked with its Biblical inheritance but that this sort of process is the key to Judaism's survival and contiunued vitality through the ages.

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (1924–2014) was one of the most important, significant, and influential Jewish teachers and thinkers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. A beloved figure in the larger movement for renewal in Jewish practice, "Reb Zalman" is the inspiration behind the Jewish Renewal movement and its organization, ALEPH.

Features

The only sustained example of Schachter-Shalomi's approach to scriptural interpretation.
Shows how Schachter-Shalomi's re-visioning of Judaism is founded on a deep knowledge of, and reverence for, the Biblical text.
Persuasively claims that the survival of Judaism has always depended on such a radical re-reading, and that each generation is called upon to gather a new harvest from the ancient source of wisdon.

Reviews

Densmore praises the fluidity and pensiveness of the rabbi's readings, though her own record of them displays the same elegance. Between sections of his talks, she draws lessons and conclusions from his methods: Schachter-Shalomi reads with "stealth feminism," with biblical acumen, with sensitivity and verve. She puts him in conversation with other thinkers—when he's not naming them himself—drawing in the work of biblical scholars like Richard Elliott Friedman to expand upon the notions he explores. The very framework of the text suggests the grand Jewish traditions that both the rabbi and Densmore reference: they are Talmudic, inquisitive, open-ended, and inviting.

—Michelle Anne Schingler, M. Div.
Harvard Divinity School
Foreword Reviews

PDF of the complete review.

Appreciations of Reb Zalman Gathers Figs

The material for Reb Zalman Gathers Figs came through me and Eve during one of our most creative periods. Primal Myth needed to be shaped into a book. Dana Densmore has done a sensitive and remarkable job in presenting this material to the reader in a way that will allow you, in your imagination, to participate in the remarkable process of the Wisdom School.

—Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
author of Davening

Dana Densmore has done all of us a great service. Reb Zalman is one of the great religious minds and hearts that I've ever witnessed. His style is unique and his message is felt with the heart and soul as much or more than it is understood by the mind. Densmore masterfully gathers the master's words and skillfully supports a deeper understanding of Reb Zalman's wisdom. That she does this difficult task while maintaining the "flavor" of Reb Zalman's powerful voice and heart is a great skill indeed, one that we are all grateful for. Reb Zalman Gathers Figs is a must-read for all who yearn for the deeper teachings of the Bible and a connection to G-d/Spirit.

—Rabbi David Ingber
Founder and Spiritual Director, Romemu

Dana Densmore's book Reb Zalman Gathers Figs is a rare gem. It harkens back to Talmudic dialogue where the voices of sages who lived generations apart from each other seem to talk directly to one another. In this case it is Densmore and Reb Zalman who are having a deep conversation. It would be enough to just to read Reb Zalman's insightful comments on the Bible. But with each teaching by Reb Zalman, Ms. Densmore helps us unpack what the Rebbe is teaching with enlightened commentary. The style is Tamudic, but the insights are contemporary and cutting edge.

—Rabbi David Zaslow
author of Jesus: First Century Rabbi

For more appreciations and reviews, click here.

Sample pages

Below are links to PDF versions of samples from chapters of Reb Zalman Gathers Figs.
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