Strauss, Soloveitchik and the Genesis Narrative: Conceptions of the Ideal Jew As Derived from Philosophical and Theological Readings of the Bible

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Strauss, Soloveitchik and the Genesis Narrative: Conceptions of the Ideal Jew as Derived from Philosophical and Theological Readings of the Bible

Jonathan Cohen School rf Education, The Hebrew University rf Jerusalem

Recent publications bespeak an abiding interest in the Judaic thought of Leo Strauss and Joseph B. Soloveitchik.1 As Martin Jaffe reminds us, Strauss sub- mitted twentieth century Jewish thought, as embodied in the writings of Hermann Cohen, Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig, to a relentless critique from the dual standpoints of philosophical consistency and traditional Jewish authenticity. His call for unflinching recognition of the traditional Jew- ish posture concerning the primacy of the externally imposed law, and his insistence on the stark ,irreconcilability of the Bible's orientation to obedi- ence and the philosophical attitude of "checking" and "investigation," advise the modern Jew of the grave difficulties attendant upon even the most sin- cere attempt at a return to tradition.2 The re-issue of Soloveitchik's major works and the continuing compilation of his oral discourses could be inter- preted as evidence of his ongoing status as orientational figure for signifi-

1 The past decade has seen the appearance of a number of anthologies of Strauss's writings, containing, alongside studies in the classics of the western political tradition, essays or lectures, some- times previously unpublished, on more or less explicitly Jewish thinkers and themes. See in particular: Pangle, Thomas, ed. Studies in Platonic Political Philosophy (Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1983); Pangle, Thomas, ed. The Rebirth of Classical Political Rationalism (Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1989); Gildin, Hilail, ed. An Introduction to Political Philosophy: Ten Essays hy Leo Strauss (Detroit, Wayne State University Press, 1989). Strauss's early work on medieval Jewish Philosophy, Philosophie und Gesetz (Berlin, Schocken, 1935) has currently been translated by Fred Baumann and appears under the title: Philosophy and Law (philadelphia, Jewish Publication Society, 1987). More recently, Alan Udoff has collected twelve essays by contemporary scholars, issuing from a 1986 conference on "The Humanis- tic Legacy of Leo Strauss," in a volume called: Leo Strauss's Thought: Toward a Critical Engagement (Boul- der, Colorado, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1991). The most recent book on Strauss's Judaic thought is: Jew and Philosopher: The Return to Maimonides in theJewish Thought of Leo Strauss by Kenneeth Hart Green (Albany, SUNY Press 1994). A volume containing Hebrew translations of Strauss's writings on Jew- ish thinkers and issues, edited and introduced by Ehud Luz, is soon to be published by Massad Bialik.

2 Jaffe, Martin 0., "Leo Strauss as Judaic Thinker: Some First Notions," Religious Studies Review, Vol. 17, #1, Jan., 1991. See also Luz, Ehud, "Yahaduto She I Leo Strauss" (Hebrew) in: Da'at: A Journal of Jewish Philosophy and Kabbalah, Vol. 27, Summer, 1991. 99 100 Jonathan Cohen cant segments of the modern orthodox community, as well as of the regard in which his thought is held by non-orthodox students of theology.3 A comparative inquiry into the respective prof1les of the ideal Jew proferred by Strauss and Soloveitchik, then, may shed new light not only on the views of these two thinkers, but also on "what is being looked up to," or considered an unavoidable challenge, by certain segments of the Jewish community. On the face of it, Strauss and Soloveitchik seem unlikely candidates for a comparative study. Leo Strauss, though born to a traditional Jewish family, and though actively occupied in Jewish research at the Akademie fur die Wissenschaft des Judentums between the years 1925-1932, went on to establish his reputation in the area of political philosophy, contributing major studies on Plato, Xenophon, Marsilius of Padua, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and others.4 Certain statements of his give one the impression that he regarded Judaism as just one more myth, born of the collective imagina- tion, whose (noble and useful) purpose is to undergird the allegiance of the members of a given society to those norms which ensure the stable survival of the group. 5 Despite certain attempts to turn Strauss into a "man of faith,"6 or to claim him as a Jew in search of a rational Judaism other than the kind portrayed in modern Jewish thought,7 he seems to present himself as a philosopher in search of wisdom who cannot, by definition, proceed on the basis of any prior religious or societal commitment.8 Soloveitchik, on the other hand, the scion of long line of outstanding Talmudic scholars stemming from the Lithuanian Yeshivot, employed the extensive philosophical knowledge he began to acquire during his stay at the University of Ber- lin to both articulate and justify rigorous and unswerving commitment to

3 Translations, reissues and compilations of Soloveitchik's writings and lectures issued in English in the last decade include: Five Addresses (Jerusalem, Tal Orot, 1983); Halakhic Man (Lawrence Kaplan, trans., Philadelphia, JPS, 1983); Soloveitchik on Repentance (Pinchas Peli, intra. & ed., New York, Paulist Press, 1984); The Halakhic Mind (Admore, PA., Seth Press, 1986); Reflections of the Rav (Abraham Bes- din, ed., Hoboken, NJ, Ktav, 1989); The LonelY Man of Faith (New York, Doubleday, 1992). 4 Strauss's own reflections on his early life and intellectual concerns can be found in ''A Giving of Accounts" with Jacob Klein, in The College (Annapolis and Santa Fe) 22, 1 (April, 1970), pp. 1-5. A more extensive intellectual autobiography can be found in the preface to the English edition of Spino. za's Critique of Religion, (New York, Schocken, 1965), pp. 1-31. For an appreciation of Strauss' contri- bution to the study of the great philosophical works of the western tradition, see Thomas Pangle's introduction to the collection titled The Rebirth of Classical Political Rationalism. 5 See in particular Strauss's characterization of Jewish belief as "noble delusion," "dream" and "what is most needed" in contradistinction to "truth" in "Why We Remain Jews," unpublished lecture to Hillel Foundation of the University of Chicago, transcribed 1964. 6 Notably East, John P., "Leo Strauss and American Conservatism," Modern Age, vol. 21, #1 (Win- ter, 1977), pp. 2-20. 7 See Ralph Lerner's introduction to the English edition of Philosophy and Law. S In his address "Jerusalem and Athens," in Studies in Platonic Political Philosophy, pp. 149-150, Strauss says the following: "Where then do we stand? We are confronted with the incompatible claims of Jerusalem and Athens to our allegiance. We are open to both and willing to listen to each. We our- selves are not wise but we wish to become wise. We are seekers for wisdom, 'philosophoi.' By saying that we wish to hear fIrst and then to act to decide, we have already decided in favor of Athens and against Jerusalem." For an evaluation of Strauss as a philosopher, and not a follower of revelation see Pines, Shlomo, "AI Leo Strauss" (Hebrew) in Molad, Vol. 7, #37-38, (Fall, 1976), pp. 455-457.