Past Imperatives: Studies in the History and Theory of Jewish Ethics (review)

Book Reviews 149 the Jewish-Christian dialogue in the twelfth and occasionally even in the thirteenth century perhaps not as different from Jewish-Christian dialogue today as one normally supposes. This discovery makes Dahan's little book interesting and important. It is not brilliantly written (does it lose something in the translation?) or otherwise remarkable, although it does include a good chapter on the art of the polemic. Alan Davies Department of Religious Studies University of Toronto Past Imperatives: Studies in the History and Theory of Jewish Ethics, by Louis E. Newman. Albany: State University ofNew York Press, 1998. 283 pp. $19.95. This work presents an insightful and rewarding exploration offundamental concerns in Jewish ethics. The links between Judaism's worldview and its ethos, between its fundamental understandings of facts and of values, provides a central theme of the book. Newman examines connections among Jewish religious thought, Jewish law, texts, and both the methodology and concepts of Jewish ethics. He clearly and persuasively develops an account of major forces within Jewish ethics (the proverbial "forest"), while remaining sensitive to diversity within (the "trees" of) the tradition. Although most ofthe chapters appeared previously as separate articles, they work well together in forming an extended inquiry into Jewish ethics. The volume begins with essays on ethics and law, including one addressing the term lifnim mishurat hadin (beyond the letter ofthe law). Starting with a close reading ofthe Talmudic passages in which it appears, the essay builds to a nuanced conceptual understanding of the term. The scope expands further to ways in which ambiguities associated with this term reflect general tensions in the relation of law and ethics in Judaism, a topic further explored in subsequent chapters. The volume's second section presents essays on ethics and theology. An analysis of natural law in Judaism, for example, helpfully sorts out distinct claims associated with this concept. The essay proceeds to summarize the contemporary debate and note ways in which differing approaches to natural law reflect differing theological understandings of creation and revelation. Ethical methodologies as well as substantive values are shaped by theological beliefs. A fmal section addresses methodological issues in Jewish ethics. Newman insightfully compares hermeneutic approaches that view the Torah as a blueprint (the legal model), as a marriage contract (covenantal model), and as a work ofart (narrative model). A final chapter considers the challenge of how Judaism could contribute to public bioethics discourse, speaking in a way that is both true to itself and relevant to others. Noahide laws, Jewish natural law teachings, and indeed the particularities of halakhic discourse could contribute, even within a basically secular framework. The 150 SHOFAR Summer 2000 Vol. 18, No.4 essay then moves on to challenge this framework, arguing that its assumption ofpurely autonomous individuals is too narrow for the profound human concerns raised by bioethics. Newman's sensitivity to the subtle importance of conceptual frameworks is reflected as well in his claim that some apparent problems in Jewish ethics are really '''pseudoproblems,' issues that arise precisely because religious data often do not fit neatly into western philosophic categories" (p. 64). Newman's descriptive and analytical work is consistently insightful, judicious, and carefully argued. He seeks to maintain a balance in developing general insights about Jewish ethics while acknowledging the complexity of the material. At times, it would be helpful to have a fuller justification of why he draws the balance where he does on specific issues-why sometimes strands are "equally legitimate" (p. 43), and sometimes some views "appearmore prevalent" (though all are "firmlyrooted in Jewish tradition") (p. 80). Yet other times, as in his discussion of forgiveness, Newman is prepared to speak unambiguously of "the Jewish view" and what "Judaism maintains" (p. 98), relegating acknowledgment of possible diversity to a footnote (p. 244n). What might be seen as a minority position in the tradition, viewing God in impersonal terms in a manner conducive to process theology, is advocated. What might be seen as a minority position, conducive to a strong role for individual conscience, is simply rejected. "Jewish ethics must always be about the collective conscience ofthe people-what we understand to be permitted or required-not the personal conscience...