Book review – Reclaiming Redemption: Deciphering the Maze of Jewish History

When reviewing a book about history, reviewers often quote philosopher George Santayana, who observed that “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” With some license to Santayana, when it comes to Jewish history, those who do not learn it don’t realize its depth, nor can they be fully involved with it.

Rabbi Moshe Taragin makes that point in his new book Reclaiming Redemption: Deciphering the Maze of Jewish History (Mosaica Press). Taragin is a Ram at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Gush Etzion, and the author of Dark Clouds Above, Faith Below.

Those who read Dark Clouds Above, Faith Below, or have listened to any of Rabbi Taragin’s over 6,000 lectures on YUTorah know that he is a man of deep faith and conviction. In his new book, he explains that Jewish history is on a line with the ultimate trajectory toward redemption.

We often live with very narrow time slices. Financial markets are quarterly driven. In sports, it’s the current season. But Taragin writes that when dealing with Jewish history and the ultimate redemption, we have to take a very broad view of things. Only when seeing things in the very big picture can they make sense.

Much of Rabbi Taragin’s thought and the book’s content are based on the teachings of his teacher, Rav Yehuda Amital. He writes that Rav Amital taught that kiddush HaShem is not only measured in Jewish martyrdom. As we are God’s people, the ascent of our nations is a Kiddush HaShem, just as the decline of our national condition is a chillul HaShem. Rav Amital felt that the Holocaust was a tremendous chillul HaShem. While the modern state of Israel is a kiddush HaShem.

Taragin writes that while our generation is witnessing a surge in Torah study and advances in halachic practice, we are also experiencing a decline in our sensitivity to Jewish history. This is, in fact, tragic, as much of our heritage is directly related to our past history.

Compounding that is that many enemies of Israel and those in the Palestinian movement who are actively trying to erase our past connections to the land of Israel. My friend Rabbi Ken Spiro has numerous videos and lectures about the history of the Jewish people and their intrinsic connection and rights to the land of Israel. That knowledge is imperative, as it’s our responsibility to be able to defend our rights to our homeland.

Taragin writes that it takes great faith to walk the ladder of history, courage, and faith to withstand the intimidation of would-be super empires, as well as great confidence in the Jewish future to outlast the fluctuations of Jewish history and assert our eternal destiny. He notes that we have thankfully begun to ascend that ladder, one rung at a time.

This fascinating work shows how redemption is unfolding before us—but not with the irrational exuberance that sometimes comes with talking of imminent redemption.

As Jewish identity and statehood are under fierce attack, and our very history is no longer taken as self-evident, Reclaiming Redemption: Deciphering the Maze of Jewish History is a most timely and relevant work.