The Lord is My Shepherd: The Theology of a Caring God

Timeless and inspiring, the shepherd metaphor addresses the fundamental relationship between God and man, speaking directly to questions raised by centuries of persecution. What is the nature of suffering in a just universe? How does suffering alter our perceptions of God? Rabbi Samuel explores questions of faith that are as old as the story of Job and as modern as the Holocaust. The image of God as a shepherd caring for his flock is well-known from the Twenty-third Psalm, The Lord is My Shepherd. However, the concept of a God who nurtures and watches over people is often difficult to accept for those who have endured great tragedy, particularly for Jews living after the Holocaust. In this groundbreaking book, The Lord Is My Shepherd: The Theology of a Caring God, Rabbi Michael Samuel examines the image of God as a shepherd in Jewish tradition, contending that this image is essential to Jewish theology. By illuminating the challenges of modernity, and suggesting that the key to reawakening our sense of spiritual life lies in the ability to grasp the images that inspired our ancestors, The Lord Is My Shepherd offers contemporary seekers a great deal to ponder.