What Am I Missing?

“Rabbi Edelheit guides us through the Hebrew Bible as if we are living in it. Through scholarship, jeremiad, and memoir, he patiently explains how we Jews ‘read’ it. He introduces us to great biblical characters and ordinary contemporary strangers who seem to mysteriously pass through his life with their flaws, injuries, prayers, and lessons. If you’re a Jew and know someone who is Christian, for the love of God, give them this book.”


—Lawrence Kushner, Scholar-in-Residence, The Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco





“In this rich and easily accessible book, Rabbi Joseph Edelheit takes a simple question—‘what am I missing?’—and shows how it illuminates the lives of famous biblical characters as well as our own struggles with modern society. Despite their many virtues, Abraham, Rachel, Miriam, Moses, David, and Esther are all missing some important feature of Jewish existence. But their stories have important lessons to teach us about what it means to be human, to deal with uncertainty, to live in a pluralistic society, and to be satisfied with who we are. This is a book that needs to be read and re-read to appreciate its many valuable insights.”


—Kenneth Seeskin, Professor of Philosophy and Philip M. and Ethel Klutznick Professor of Jewish Civilization, Northwestern University





“In What Am I Missing? Rabbi Edelheit brings new and profound insights into a wide variety of intellectual and psychological issues of the human condition. Readers of all disciplines and students of life will find hope and power in this breathtaking examination of the difficult and redemptive truths of our lives. As a professor of Jewish theology, I was moved by his examinations of biblical characters and the ways in which their struggles mirror our own and how they can mentor us in our lives today. What a treasure this book is!”


—Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi, Senior Fellow, Kaplan Center for Jewish Peoplehood





“This book is a gift. Had I only had this book, I would have been far richer for it. And I can attest that what I experienced in friendship and mentorship is what is in abundance in this brilliant and crucially important book. We will all miss many great gifts in our lives, but please don’t miss What Am I Missing?”


—Doug Pagitt, Founder and Former Pastor, Solomon’s Porch, Minneapolis





“Joseph takes us on a journey interweaving important characters of Torah and his own life and the lessons we learn or don’t learn by seeking out what we think we need or what society tells us we need. . . . Joe reminds us that we need to stop our fast ride through life and gather what is offered to us and to learn from it. A perfect read as we all travel through life’s joys and travails and take ancient lessons into our contemporary life. A must-read for all searchers, learners, and life’s active participants.”


—Marilyn Price, storyteller, author, and educator





“Rabbi Joseph Edelheit has provided us with a deeply engaging and provocative text on how six biblical figures—Abraham, Moses, Miriam, Ruth, David, and Esther—teach us how to understand our own human limitations and how to work to overcome them. This is an extraordinarily thoughtful discussion that shows us how we can work to perfect ourselves by asking the right questions to reveal what is missing in our own lives.”


—Pekka Sinervo, Professor of Physics, University of Toronto; President, Canadian Council for Reform Judaism