Leibowitz Way
Israel Affairs (February 2019).
3 Pages Posted: 10 Mar 2019
Date Written: February 17, 2019
Abstract
Leibowitz was (possibly still is) one of the most influential Israeli philosophers. He was sharp and provocative, uncompromising and principled, stubborn and polemic. Leibowitz had no qualms to insult others when he wanted to make a point, had no fear to fight for his controversial views, and he relished public attention. Many saw Leibowitz as a modern prophet who was only accountable to his conscience and to God; a prophet who saw it his mission to direct the people to go in the right way, his way, and to show the people and its leaders the light when the light is obscured by reality, misconceptions, corruption of the mind and vanity. Leibowitz never kept his opinions to himself. He stood before crowds, media and leaders, and hammered his ideas as an axe. As a believer, Leibowitz did not question God. Similarly, as a public intellectual, and unlike many philosophers, Leibowitz used exclamation marks far more often than question marks. He was not a subtle public intellectual. Rather, he spoke his views loudly, explicitly and in the most outspoken way. His words of reproof and admonition were the result of Leibowitz´s understanding of Judaism, the way it was shaped by its past, the way it is startled by the present, and the way he thought its future should be molded (p. 128). Leibowitz would fight for his beliefs as a lioness who protects her cubs. You could either like Leibowitz, or you dislike and disapprove of him; it was difficult to remain neutral regarding the Leibowitz phenomenon.
Naomi and Asa Kasher are clearly intrigued. They attempt to fathom Leibowitz’s writings and deconstruct his ideas in an intelligible way, something they admit is a difficult -- if not an impossible -- task. Leibowitz was first and foremost an Orthodox Jew with a distinct interpretation of Jewish Law (Halacha), interpretation that led him to hold unconventional views. Asa sees Leibowitz as an example of a public intellectual who resides among his people, who pains its hardships and, at the same time, rebukes them for what he perceives as its failings. Leibowitz’s courage, purity of intentions, independent mind, unspoiled values and moral zeal constitute a model to follow, exhibiting the true of virtues of the public intellectual and social critique (p. 142). Asa walks in Leibowitz’s footsteps.
Keywords: Yeshayahu Leibowitz, Judaism, religion, philosophy, Arab-Israeli conflict, public intellectualism
JEL Classification: z00
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation