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Reflections on Judaism and Hinduism

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Abstract

This paper offers a comparative analysis of Hinduism and Judaism, largely based on references and quotes from the book The Jewish Encounter with Hinduism—Wisdom, Spirituality, Identity by Dr. Alon Goshen-Gottstein. It visits topics such as ethnicity, conversion, pluralism and universalism, tolerance and intolerance. The paper also questions the reasons of Jewish seekers of Hindu spirituality, doubting Dr. Goshen-Gottstein’s argument that this is due to a crisis in Judaism, but rather due to prevalence of left-brain thinking over right-brain thinking in Judaism. The paper concludes with a parable that relates to one finding a treasure hidden where one least expects to find it.

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Notes

  1. P.57, discussing Barbara Holdrege’s work Veda and Torah: Transcending the Textuality of Scripture (1996).

  2. The prohibitions of idolatry, blasphemy, bloodshed, sexual sins, theft, and eating meat from a living animal, as well as the injunction to establish a legal system, Tosefta Avodah Zarah 8:4.

  3. Yad Hilkhot Melakhim 11:4, in an uncensored version.

  4. Isaiah 40:5, 42:6, 49:6, 66:23; Joel 3:5 in the Jewish numbering or 2:32 in Christian Bibles; Micah 4: 1–2; Habakkuk 2:14.

  5. See Palestinian Talmud Rosh Hashanah 1:3 and Palestinian Talmud Avodah Zarah 1:2.

  6. Bhagavad Gita IV: 7–8, based on Franklin Edgerton’s translation. The Bhagavad Gita (New York, 1944), p. 23.

  7. Yad Shemitah Ve-Yovel 13:13.

  8. Lamentations Rabbah 2:13.

  9. Yalkut Shimoni Isaiah 429 commenting on Psalms 132:9.

  10. Basing himself on Tosefta Sanhedrin 13:2.

  11. Yad Melakhim 8:11; this is the best textual version of the last phrase.

  12. Yad Avodah Zarah 2:2–3.

  13. Yad Melakhim 10:9.

  14. Cf. 1 Corinthians 1:23.

  15. Nefesh Ha-Chayim 3:9.

  16. See, for instance, Gedaliah Koenig, Chayei Nefesh, n.d. n.p.

  17. Taanit 11a–b, Tosefot’s version of the text as explained by the Bach.

  18. Genesis Rabbah 68:9 based on Genesis 28:11.

  19. 100 Poems of Kabir, translated by Rabindranath Tagore (London, 1915), number 65 p. 68.

  20. Cited by Zaehner, Hinduism (1962: 172); see also J.E. Carpenter (1921: 353–354 and 375).

  21. Eyn Ayah (Jerusalem 1995), vol.1 p. 140, commenting on Berakhot 32a.

  22. Derekh Emet, p.19, n.d. n.p.

  23. Confrontation, first published in Tradition 1964. Reprinted in A Treasury of Tradition (New York, 1967), p.72.

  24. http://www.zootorah.com/controversy/RavSternbuch.English.pdf.

  25. As has been done by Geza Vermes in works like Jesus the Jew (Vermes 1973) and Jesus and the World of Judaism (Vermes 1981).

  26. It is interesting that R. Shlomo became a kind of musical spiritual guru, and recent revelations about his sexual antics have led to problems of acceptance of his music by the religious establishment.

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    Alan Unterman

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Unterman, A. Reflections on Judaism and Hinduism. Cont Jewry 41, 661–690 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12397-021-09406-x

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