God and the Pandemic, A Judaic Reflection on the Coronavirus

Pandemics have existed from time immemorial. Seemingly few, however, have had the maturity and wisdom to navigate these destructive forces intelligently and successfully. Rabbi Samuel wisely opens his lens widely to give us a valuable historical panorama of the history of plagues and pandemics. Samuel skillfully examines and critiques various responses to pandemics. He exposes the inadequacies and fallacies of simplistic explanations. His work is deep and wide showing what ancients, medievalists and moderns have written on this troubling topic. Penned as a Judaic guide to understanding and coping with this current Covid-19 crisis, Samuel’s words are also highly relevant to Christians and those of other religious traditions seeking knowledge for these difficult times.