Abraham: The World's First (But Certainly Not Last) Jewish Lawyer

by Alan M. Dershowitz Narrated by Mel Foster

Overview

One of the worlds best-known attorneys gives us a no-holds-barred history of Jewish lawyers: from the biblical Abraham, who argued with God on behalf of the doomed sinners of Sodom, through modern-day advocates who have changed the world by challenging the status quo, defending the unpopular, contributing to the rule of law, and following the biblical command to pursue justice. Entertaining and aggressive which is what you'd expect from this author this book should appeal to anyone interested in justice.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

10/19/2015
In this fresh commentary, Dershowitz compares the words and actions of the biblical Abraham to the various historical archetypes of the Jewish lawyer. He asserts that Abraham may be seen as the "first Jewish lawyer," exercising the legal roles of iconoclast, advocate, collaborator, and negotiator. For example, scholars and Bible students have debated how best to understand the fact that while Abraham questioned the justice of God's intent to destroy the Sodomites, he failed to challenge God's command to sacrifice Isaac. In the first case, notes Dershowitz, Abraham acted as a legal advocate, zealous to defend his unrelated and almost certainly guilty client; in the second, when he fails to argue on behalf of his own son, he bears a disturbing resemblance to certain Jewish lawyers complicit, by their silence, in immoral acts against Jews by those in power. At once frank and wry, Dershowitz demonstrates how the Jewish value of the rule of law, and the actions of Jewish lawyers themselves, have contributed to the pursuit of justice. Clear and accessible, with endnotes to please scholars, this book will likely appeal to both Jews and non-Jews. (Oct.)

From the Publisher

At once frank and wry, Dershowitz demonstrates how the Jewish value of the rule of law, and the actions of Jewish lawyers themselves, have contributed to the pursuit of justice. Clear and accessible, with endnotes to please scholars, this book will likely appeal to both Jews and non-Jews.” —Publishers Weekly

“This is the biblical Abraham as you have never seen him before: as the father of a long line of Jewish lawyers. Here is a story told with wit, verve, and penetrating insight by one of the great Jewish lawyers of our time—the fearless, peerless Alan Dershowitz. A brilliant, entertaining, and wonderfully stimulating book.” 
—Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, author of Not in God’s Name 
 
“We live in a period of dangerously escalating tensions among religious communities, with old hatreds and stereotypes making ominous comebacks. In this corrosive atmosphere, as Jews, Christians, and Muslims try to sort out the intricate relationships among their traditions so that a mutually respectful atmosphere can be created, no single figure is more significant than Abraham. The ancient patriarch is respected as the ‘Father of Faith’ by all three communities, but how well is he understood? Alan Dershowitz deftly reveals him in a fresh light, as the Jewish lawyer par excellence,  enabling us to appreciate the man from Ur of the Chaldees in a new and lively way.”  
—Harvey Cox, Hollis Research Professor of Divinity, Harvard University, and author of How to Read the Bible

“The wit of the book’s subtitle continues in this sparkling history of the world’s first Jew and the world’s first lawyer. You don’t have to be Jewish, or a lawyer, or even a believer in the existence of Abraham and his main legal adversary to be entertained and informed by this delightful book.” 
—Steven Pinker, author of The Language Instinct and The Better Angels of our Nature, and Rebecca Goldstein, author of Betraying Spinoza and Plato at the Googleplex

Library Journal

10/01/2015
This latest volume from Dershowitz (law, emeritus, Harvard Univ.; Taking the Stand) begins with an assertion that sounds like a gimmick—that Abraham, arguing with God to spare the people of Sodom, was acting as the first Jewish lawyer—but continues to discuss the lives and careers of numerous notable Jewish lawyers. The author concedes that it was only recently that the last professional and social barriers against Jewish lawyers fell. Scripture does command God's people to pursue justice, and that example may have emboldened these iconic figures to defend the oppressed and defy controversy. VERDICT Smart, entertaining, and of interest to readers of all faiths.

MARCH 2016 - AudioFile

Mel Foster narrates Dershowitz’s study of legal interactions, negotiations, and even anti-Semitism during biblical times. The first half of the audiobook focuses on biblical stories and interpretations that echo Talmudic arguments. The second half examines Jews and legal cases over the past 200 years. Foster’s narration is unemotional. But his Hebrew and Yiddish accents are Americanized and jarringly pronounced. And many of the jokes fall flat from his poor accent, phrasing, and intonation. The author’s first-person reminiscences of cases he defended across the globe sound dry and long-winded in Foster’s narration. Nonetheless, Dershowitz’s legal perspective on stories about Abraham and Moses and descriptions of “Jews on trial” are interesting overall. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2015-07-08
The great patriarch as a template for Jewish lawyers across the ages. Famed Harvard attorney Dershowitz (Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law, 2013, etc.) presents Abraham, father of three religions, as the original Jewish lawyer. Describing him as "an idol smasher, a conniver, a rescuer, an advocate, a compliant fundamentalist, and a shrewd real estate investor, the author identifies a wide range of lawyerly traits, good and bad, in the portrait of the patriarch provided by Scripture and the Midrash. Dershowitz begins with an overview of what little we know of the life of Abraham, along the way pointing out legal touches in the story. For instance, he argued like a defense attorney for the lives of the people of Sodom, and in procuring a burial plot for his wife, he negotiated like a real estate attorney might. Dershowitz goes on to look at Jews as defendants. He examines a few specific examples, such as Alfred Dreyfus and Leo Frank, but his focus is much more global. He asserts that the very injustice suffered by the Jews over the course of centuries has honed their collective respect and aptitude for the law. "Jews have come to appreciate justice and the rule of law," writes the author, "because we have experienced so much injustice and the rule of might over right." Dershowitz profiles a number of great Jewish lawyers from the modern era as well. The author begins with a great concept, but the effort seems lacking. A comprehensive look at Abraham as a proto-lawyer, influencing future generations, would be a welcome and fascinating addition to the corpus of Jewish studies. Dershowitz only provides a cursory glance here, but the book, replete with Jewish jokes and Woody Allen quotes, is a homey start. An interesting concept deserving of twice the effort.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171677220
Publisher:	HighBridge Company
Publication date:	10/06/2015
Edition description:	Unabridged

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Introduction
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Excerpted from "Abraham"
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Copyright © 2015 Alan Dershowitz.
Excerpted by permission of Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
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