Posted on March 16, 2020

From Allen Schwartz:

“Book” is our current technology for written speech—individual and interpersonal language made visible. Writing and reading books are encouraged by Jews as sacred to our concepts of justice, equality, and growth. Books are the embodiment of “text”, our ancient interplay of writing and speech known as Torah. It confirms Law and Covenant in Jews’ unique, yet universal history. Redacted and collected by scribes, the Torah as scroll remains unchanged. It’s manmade matter, but as well, it’s a metaphor revealing the transcendent. It’s complete, returning on itself, yet always advancing. It alternates between sacred solitude and shared presence. It’s the Book that uplifts us. So we carry it and others that challenge, enlighten, and amuse us—wherever we go. This is what we do.

It’s a good way to be called, don’t you think?