The Beginning of Desire: Reflections on Genesis Cover
Podcast Mentions

The Beginning of Desire Reflections on Genesis

Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg

Turn the Scriptures over to Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg and what do you get? A unique blend of brilliant literary insights and theological wisdom, derived from a lifelong immersion in rabbinic traditions and lore. With amazing literary sensitivity, Zornberg ingeniously breathes new life into Adam and E...

Podcasts 1
Quotes 11
On Being with Krista Tippett

The book explores the book of Genesis, focusing on the themes of desire and the beginning of creation.

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Aviva Zornberg's book about Exodus is called The Particulars of Rapture.

— Episode: Avivah Zornberg — Human Becoming, Betwee...

Episode: Avivah Zornberg — Human Becoming, Between Biblical...

The book explores the book of Genesis, focusing on the themes of desire and the beginning of creation.

"

Aviva Zornberg's book about Exodus is called The Particulars of Rapture.

She's also the author of The Beginning of Desire about the book of Genesis, Bewilderments about the book of Numbers and most recently, The Hidden Order of Intimacy, Reflections on the Book of Leviticus.

Episode: Avivah Zornberg — The Genesis of Desire

In this book, Avivah Zornberg explores rabbinic readings of the character of Noah, highlighting his silence and lack of love for life as key aspects of the flood narrative. She connects Noah's actions to the exile of the word, a theme explored in the Zohar.

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Noah is indeed a man of his world and his time. He shares in the prevailing pathology. He is saved more for what he may be than for what he is. We have only to consider the central fact of his silence.

From the beginning to the end of the flood narrative, Noah says not a word.

What fascinates me is Noah's lack of love for life. Something is lacking in him, and it's called the lack of the word.

It's called the exile of the word.

Episode: Avivah Zornberg — The Genesis of Desire

In this book, Avivah Zornberg explores rabbinic readings of the character of Noah, highlighting his silence and lack of love for life, interpreting it as an "exile of the word". The book also delves into the story of Adam and Eve, exploring the themes of desire, knowledge, and the complexities of human nature.

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Noah is indeed a man of his world and his time. He shares in the prevailing pathology. He is saved more for what he may be than for what he is. We have only to consider the central fact of his silence.

From the beginning to the end of the flood narrative, Noah says not a word.

What fascinates me is Noah's lack of love for life. Something is lacking in him, and it's called the lack of the word.

In her book, The Beginning of Desire, a reflection on Genesis, a vivaiseurneberg summoned some lines of the poet Wallace Stevens from his notes toward a supreme fiction.

The priest desires. The philosopher desires. And not to have is the beginning of desire. To have what is not is its ancient cycle.

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