By His Light: Character and Values in the Service of God

In this volume, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein explores the development of the religious personality. He advocates a life centered on the service of God, but recognizes multiple paths to this goal. Acknowledging that both the Jewish value system and human experience are multifaceted, he examines the relevant issues from an unusually wide perspective. Rabbi Lichtenstein’s essays reflect not only a staunch commitment to Halakha and a firm grounding in rigorous Torah study, but also a deep spirituality, a profound moral sensitivity, and a keen awareness of both the challenges and opportunities of modernity.
While being enlightened by Rabbi Lichtenstein’s penetrating analyses and wide-ranging learning, the reader will also be inspired by the beauty of his vision of the religious life. Among the topics addressed: • character refinement • openness and insularity • commandment and choice • secular studies • Torah and career • setting religious priorities • religion and morality • trust in God • the Holocaust • the State of Israel • Jewish solidarity • repentance
These essays originated as lectures, and have been selected and adapted for print by Rabbi Reuven Ziegler.