Apollo, Dionysus, and the Übermensch at Sinai

“This groundbreaking book demonstrates, for the first time, that core Nietzschean concepts can be applied to the formative moment of classical Jewish consciousness—the revelation at Sinai. It argues that Moses—moving along the Apollonian–Dionysian axis at Sinai—can be understood as an embodiment of the Übermensch. It further shows how the Tabernacle (and later, the Temple) can be interpreted in Apollonian and Dionysian terms, rooted in the events of Sinai and the episode of the Golden Calf—paralleling what Nietzsche identifies as the highest artistic stage: the tragic. Taken together, these insights shed new light both on Nietzsche’s understanding of God and religion, and on Judaism, viewed through a Nietzschean lens, as a foundational expression of art and existence. This book marks a bold new contribution, opening fresh avenues for interpretation and research.”

—Prof. (emeritus) Avi Sagi, Department of Philosophy, Bar Ilan University, Israel` Faculty member, Shalom Hartman Institute, Israel