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Heschel and Halakhah the Vital Center

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Abraham Joshua Heschel's concept of "polarity" offers Conservative Judaism a powerful theological foundation that transcends the false choice between strict legalism and pure spirituality. Through analysis of Heschel's writings, speeches, and scholarly works on rabbinic theology, his vision emerges as a sophisticated balance between halakhah (Jewish law) and aggadah (theological narrative). Examining his addresses to Reform and Conservative audiences alongside his critiques of contemporary Jewish movements reveals Heschel's careful navigation between "aggadah alone" - the liberal emphasis on spirituality without legal observance - and "halakhah alone" - the Orthodox prioritization of legal compliance over theological reflection. His central argument demonstrates that these elements are fundamentally interdependent: halakhah without aggadah creates a "body without soul" while aggadah without halakhah produces a "soul without body." This balanced framework provides Conservative Judaism with coherent ideological grounding that maintains both traditional observance and theological vitality, positioning the movement as an authentic center between extremes. More than mere institutional accommodation of divergent views, Heschel's philosophy of polarity addresses Conservative Judaism's historical challenge of "Unity in Diversity" through substantive theological reasoning.

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    Published 1991

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    Samuel Dresner