Emil L. Fackenheim

David Patterson examines Emil Fackenheim’s central philosophical challenge: how to respond to the Nazi annihilation of European Jewry without surrendering to despair or granting Hitler a posthumous victory. He traces Fackenheim’s development of the "614th commandment"—a moral imperative not to abandon Jewish faith or identity, lest Hitler triumph even in memory. This concept becomes a cornerstone of Fackenheim’s thought, compelling Jews to affirm life, continuity, and resistance in the face of atrocity.

Through meticulous analysis, Patterson reveals how Fackenheim’s work reshaped Jewish theology, ethics, and the philosophy of history. He explores the implications of the Holocaust on Jewish existence, the role of Israel, and broader philosophical discourse. The book also situates Fackenheim among post-Holocaust thinkers such as Martin Buber, Franz Rosenzweig, and Emmanuel Levinas, highlighting his unique contributions to Jewish thought.