As early as May of this year, he had expressed the hope and expectation that he would visit his across-the-street Chicago neighbor and honorary KAM Isaiah Israel congregant Barack Obama in the White House.
Arnold Jacob Wolf, our rabbi, teacher, and friend, died on Tuesday in Hyde Park, suddenly and unexpectedly, at 84.
His memory will be for a blessing.
Some of his words from over the years. More to come, and some of my own, anon.
On personal obligation:
"I try to walk the road of Judaism. Embedded in that road are many jewels. One is marked 'Sabbath' and one 'civil rights' and one 'Kashrut' and one 'Honor your parents' and one 'Study of Torah' and one 'You shall be holy.' There are at least 613 of them and they are of different shapes and sizes and weights. Some are light and easy for me to pick up, and I pick them up. Some are too deeply embedded for me -- so far at least, though I get a little stronger by trying to extricate the jewels as I walk the street. Some, perhaps, I shall never be able to pick up. I believe that God expects me to keep on walking Judaism's street and to carry away whatever I can of its commandments. I do not believe that He expects me to lift what I cannot, nor may I condemn my fellow Jew who may not be able to pick up even as much as I can."
On selective practice:
"If I am right, we are all -- liberal Jews with easy consciences about jettisoning most of the Torah and Orthodox Jews who pretend they do it all but don't even want to know what all of it might be -- in the same boat."
On Israel and Palestine:
"The Palestinians are right to demand their liberation; the Jewish people need look no further than their own history to understand the wrong of the occupation. But it must not be forgotten that Israel is also right to demand the end of violence coming from some segments of the Palestinian community. Liberation is not enough -- we have also the obligation to live ethical lives.
"Both sides, then, must recognize the humanity of the other, and work together toward their mutual freedom, their mutual obligations. We learn in Exodus 12 that the Israelites went up from Egypt with a mixed multitude -- they were not alone as they shook off their oppression, and, we can presume, they were not alone at Sinai.
"God does not speak only to the Jews. The Creator speaks to all Creation, calls on each of us, individually and in our communities, to live in freedom and responsibility. Israel and the Palestinians must talk with each other, in honesty and mutual respect, and achieve a durable peace agreement, if either people is to know real liberation."
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha 'Olam sheh'chalak mey'chochmato li'reh'av.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has shared Your wisdom with those who revere You.
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