ePub Abraham: The World's First (But Certainly Not Last) Jewish Lawyer (Jewish Encounters Series) by Alan M. Dershowitz in History

Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A Book Not Just Legal; But PersonalBy LUCINDA FRANKSReaders talk about how the author explores different aspects of the law and lawyers in this fascinating book; but I gleaned something much more personal and inspiring from the portraits of these great Jewish leaders. For example; Dershowitz's interpretation of the life of Abraham affected me deeply not as a lawyer but as a spiritual human being. I have always considered God's command to Abraham to sacrifice his son as counterintuitive behavior There are several different interpretations among Jewish scholars about the order to kill Isaac. The New Testament implies that Abraham did not argue with God but submitted because he thought his command a test of Abraham's paramount loyalty and love for the Lord. But some Torah interpreters believe that Abraham did argue with God vehemently and that God was using the command as a test of Abraham's love and loyalty to his son; especially since he had mistreated his other son. The iconoclastic Dershowitz provides evidence for this view by offering affirming quotes from Kant and Bob Dylan. Well; that is good enough for me. As a Judeo-Christian who believes in the absolute love of God for his children; the Old Testament has made me nervous and caused me to sometimes question God's goodness. But now I intend to go back and read the first part of the bible symbolically; and with new more forgiving eyes.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The first 40 pages are excellent; His legal dissection of the sodom incident is ...By Craig ScottThe first 40 pages are excellent; His legal dissection of the sodom incident is masterful. The Issac incident is tortured and confused; also it is filled with understandable personal anger at the suffering of the Jewish people. However; the poetic paralels fo this with the Issac incident are weak; unconvincing and confusing. I flipped forward a read a few of the brief profiles of famous Jewish legal minds then stopped reading. Hello recycle bin.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Starts out well; and peters out a bitBy operafanThe middle of the book;. about Jewish lawyers after Abraham; seems to be mostly filler; a sort of afterthought to the thorough and impressive analysis of Biblical and related sources. The last paragraph about Jewish lawyers in the recent past strikes a chord; and is well done. Overall; it does not quite live up to its billing.