Can the World Be Redeemed? Geʾulah versus Pidyon: Toward a Mundane, Non-Eschatological Approach to Redemption

Abstract

In this essay, I juxtapose two conceptions of redemption, as expressed by the Hebrew terms geʾulah and pidyon. I contend that today, the non-eschatological conception of redemption that animates the term pidyon is more politically salient than traditional cautions against geʾulah-inspired apocalypticism. Indeed, restoring the more mundane understanding of redemption suggested by pidyon – as release from inherited narratives and obligations – may help us break the stalemate that has descended upon Israeli politics.