“Hope, Not Fear: Changing the Way We View Death,” by Rabbi Benjamin Blech, Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, 168 pp., $32 from Amazon or Barnes and Noble
Rabbi Benjamin Blech, professor of Talmud, has published a new book, “Hope, Not Fear: Changing the Way We View Death,” which explores the question of how to approach the end of one’s life.
The prompt for the book came from a diagnosis Rabbi Blech received that he had a fatal illness which gave him no more than the proverbial six months to live. Rabbi Blech is the author of many books on topics ranging from the Vatican and Hebrew words to all aspects of Jewish history, culture and spirituality. So, it was natural for him to pick up the pen and record his thoughts and feelings on a subject about which he had counseled many people over the course of a long career as teacher, guide and mentor.
“After the initial shock of receiving a death sentence from my doctor, I had to face the reality that we all seek to avoid in spite of its universal inevitability,” he recalled, “and this confrontation with my fatal diagnosis inspired me to search for meaningful answers.”
After reviewing everything he knew about this topic from science, mysticism and theology, “what I did discover has given me a great gift that I want to share with others. I no longer fear death. Even as I treasure every moment of life more than before, I await my end with the certainty beautifully captured by the Roman philosopher Seneca that ‘the day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity.’ What led me to this conclusion is the theme of this book.”
Advance praise for the book, which was published this month, includes moving words from former Yeshiva University President Richard M. Joel, who congratulates Rabbi Blech for drawing upon “his vast experience, personal encounters, and unparalleled knowledge to bring the world an awakening volume that will inspire us all,” as well as Elisheva Carlebach, Baron professor of Jewish history at Columbia University, who notes that “his moving and accessible style transmits an indelible message: faith and love are stronger than despair and death.”
There was a time not so long ago when people did not want to talk about death. Now we seem to have gone to the other extreme. From memoirs and poetry to New Age and self-help … everyone seems to have something to say on the subject. What makes Rabbi Blech’s book stand out is the fact that he, himself, had a near death experience, has spent decades counseling dying people and their families, and is one of the great scholars on what Jewish tradition has to say on the subject. In an easy-to-read book of little more than 150 pages he is able to combine both ancient and modern wisdom on how we can confront death. Yes, hope, not fear. While based on Jewish sources, the book is able to span all faith communities. From the doctor’s diagnosis to God’s welcoming arms and the hereafter … you can learn how to live, and how to die, from this book.
Rabbi Rosenberg was a student of Rabbi Blech at Yeshiva University.