Jacob Neusner Quotes & Sayings

A dear and long-time friend, ... asked me, "Jack, how long does it usually take you to write a book?" I replied, "Of course it depends on the project and its requirements, each book has its own rules. But for a statement to the world at large, once I've thought a book through and written it in my mind, it takes me around a week or so, depending on this and that, ordinarily at the rate of a chapter a day, but I've had some two-chapters day and some chapters have taken two days. And then of course there is revision, but around a week is about right." He seemed surprised, and I was surprised by his surprise, so I thought, maybe I'm wrong. I went home and wrote this book, at the perfectly normal pace of a chapter a day, as usual ... — Jacob Neusner

You do not need to justify asking questions. But if you think you have found answers, you do not have the right to remain silent. — Jacob Neusner

Religion is something people do together to face urgent problems and to resolve them by appealing to truths that seem self-evident to them. — Jacob Neusner

Do not let people put you down. Believe in yourself and stand for yourself and trust yourself. — Jacob Neusner

But the more insidious enemies of religion recognize but deplore religion's remarkable influence in the world order. — Jacob Neusner