R. Novak attempts to retreive a number of critical Jewish philosophic and religious notions in this work: Choseness, revealation, divinely imposed obligation. He works against the background of Spinoza's pantheism and critical approach. He is strongest in pointing out the weakness of the enlightenment arguements, but nonetheless makes a powerful case for re-intrepeting in contemporary terms traditionalist arguments. A necessary book for any serious student of the modern Jewish philosophic condition.