Between Silence and Speech
Rethinking Judaism in an Age of Doubt
Published: 1995
Publisher: Kasva Press LLC.
Publication date: June 1, 1995
Originally published by Jacob Aronson, Inc. in June 1995
Edition: Revised Edition
Language: English
Print length: 230 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-1568213361
What if Judaism’s deepest truths are found not in certainty, but in the courage to ask difficult questions?
For decades, Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo has been known as one of the Jewish world’s most original independent thinkers. Rejecting both rigid dogmatism and superficial skepticism, he invites readers into a conversation that stretches across three thousand years of Jewish thought.
In these essays, he examines questions that have troubled generations of thoughtful Jews:
- Why did the Torah command sacrifices?
- Is prayer meant to change God—or ourselves?
- Why does halakhah focus so intensely on action?
- Can Judaism survive modern biblical criticism?
- What does it truly mean to be the Chosen People?
- How should Israel understand its spiritual mission?
- Can faith coexist with intellectual honesty?
Cardozo does not offer simplistic apologetics. Instead, he uncovers surprising interpretations from classical Jewish sources while proposing bold and original ideas of his own. His writing combines philosophical depth with literary elegance, making ancient texts speak directly to contemporary readers.
Written for religious and secular readers alike, Between Silence and Speech is an invitation to rediscover Judaism as a tradition of creativity, moral courage, and endless intellectual exploration.
This volume will appeal to readers of Abraham Joshua Heschel, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Jonathan Sacks, Martin Buber, Franz Rosenzweig, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Jewish faith in the modern world.
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Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo is the Founder and Dean of the David Cardozo Academy and the Bet Midrash of Avraham Avinu in Jerusalem.
A sought-after lecturer on the international stage for both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences, Rabbi Cardozo is the author of 18 books and numerous articles in both English and Hebrew.
He heads a Think Tank focused on finding new Halachic and philosophical approaches to dealing with the crisis of religion and identity amongst Jews and the Jewish State of Israel.
Hailing from the Netherlands, Rabbi Cardozo is known for his original and often fearlessly controversial insights into Judaism. His ideas are widely debated on an international level on social media, blogs, books and other forums.