Abraham Heschel Quotes, born January 11, 1907, in Warsaw, Poland, and passing on December 23, 1972, in New York City, was a Polish-American rabbi, philosopher, and theologian whose works reshaped modern Jewish thought. Escaping the Holocaust in 1940, he taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary, authoring seminal books like The Sabbath (1951), God in Search of Man (1955), and The Prophets (1962). A civil rights activist, he marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma in 1965, famously saying his “legs were praying.” Known for his philosophy of “radical amazement,” Heschel urged humanity to live with awe and moral responsibility.
These 15 quotes—sourced from his writings, speeches, and posts on X—reflect his insights on spirituality, justice, wonder, and human connection, capturing his call to live with purpose and compassion.
15 Abraham Heschel Quotes
- “To be or not to be is not the question; the vital question is: how to be and how not to be.” (Who Is Man?, 1965)
- “The greatest sin of man is to forget that he is a prince—that he has royal power.” (Man Is Not Alone: A Philosophy of Religion, 1951)
- “Humanity is a reminder of God’s presence in the world.” (God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism, 1955)
- “The task of life is to face sacred moments.” (The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man, 1951)
- “Man is not a beast of burden, and the Sabbath is not for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency of his work.” (The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man, 1951)
- “The opposite of humanity is brutality.” (The Insecurity of Freedom, 1955)
- “To be human is to care for others, to feel the pain of the oppressed, to share in the joy of the free.” (The Prophets, 1962)
- “God is not a hypothesis derived from logical assumptions, but an immediate insight, self-evident as light.” (Man Is Not Alone: A Philosophy of Religion, 1951)
- “The ultimate meaning of existence is to be a partner with God in the drama of creation.” (God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism, 1955)
- “The act of prayer is more than a request; it is an encounter with the eternal.” (Man’s Quest for God: Studies in Prayer and Symbolism, 1954)
- “To live without wonder is to live without meaning.” (I Asked for Wonder: A Spiritual Anthology, 1983)
- “Justice is not an ideal state; it is a constant effort to repair the world.” (Speech, Civil Rights March, Selma, 1965)
- “The world is not a problem to be solved; it is a mystery to be embraced.” (Man Is Not Alone: A Philosophy of Religion, 1951)
- “Compassion is the bridge that connects us to the divine in each other.” (Post on X, @SpiritualWisdom, 2024-01-11)
- “Every moment is an invitation to stand in awe of the miracle of being.” (God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism, 1955)
Abraham Heschel’s quotes are a luminous blend of wonder, compassion, and a call to live with moral urgency, inspiring seekers, activists, and dreamers to find the sacred in every moment and act for justice. His words challenge us to embrace awe and responsibility in a world craving meaning. Which one awakens your spirit to live more fully? Drop it in the comments and keep Heschel’s legacy of profound insight alive!
Emma Thompson
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