A Clash of Civilizations?

Judaic Sources on Co-existence in a World of Difference

Jonathan Sacks

When the knowledge of G-d is suffused by a great love, when it is pervaded by its true illumination, according to the capacity of each soul to receive it, there radiates from its absolute light a love for the world, for all worlds, for all creatures, on all levels of their being . . . When these love-possessed people see the world, especially living creatures full of quarrels, hatred, persecutions and conflicts, they yearn with all their being to share in those aspirations that move life toward comprehensiveness and unity, peace and tranquillity. They feel and know that the nearness of G-d, for which they yearn, can only lead them to joining themselves with all and for the sake of all. When they confront the human scene, and find divisions among nations, religions, parties, with goals in conflict, they endeavour with all their might to bring all together, to mend and to unite . . . They want that every particular shall be preserved and developed, and that the collective whole shall be united and abounding in peace. (R. Abraham Isaac Kook, Orot haKodesh, II: 442-43)[1]1

Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Ways of Peace
3. The Righteous of the Nations in Biblical Times
4. The Righteous of the Nations in the Rabbinic Literature
5. Maimonides on Saints and Sages
6. Judaic Views of Christianity and Islam
7. Christianity, Islam and the Ways of Providence
8. Wisdom
9. The Heritage of Mankind
10. Unity and Diversity
11. Abraham and the Call to be Different
12. Difference, Antisemitism and the Clash of Civilizations

There are two sets of footnotes:
a) 1 - These are footnotes which are listed at the bottom of the page
b) [1] - These are hebrew sources which can be clicked on to view them.
NB: If both the footnote and the sources are underlined (eg: [1] 1) the footnote and source are the same can be clicked on to view.