Overview

The biblical account of the events at Sinai and the figure of Moses is a foundational narrative of both Jewish and Western civilization, yet it has traditionally been analyzed only within a religious framework. In Apollo, Dionysus, and the bermensch at Sinai: An Attempt at a Nietzschean Analysis, Dr. Rinat Harash offers a groundbreaking interpretation, applying Nietzsche's concepts of the Apollonian, the Dionysian, and the bermensch to the revelation at Mount Sinai, the Golden Calf episode, the construction of the Tabernacle, and the elevated figure of Moses. Her study illuminates both the formative Jewish myth and Nietzsche's philosophy, forging a novel synthesis that bridges religion and art, bringing together the two opposing forces at the heart of Western culture-Jerusalem versus Athens.

Full Product Details

Author:   Rinat Harash
Publisher:   Academic Studies Press
Imprint:   Academic Studies Press
ISBN:  

9798897831029

Publication Date:   19 March 2026
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available  
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Table of Contents

List of Diagrams and Tables Acknowledgements Preface Part 1: The Birth of the Tragic at Sinai Chapter 1: The Characteristics of the Apollonian and the Dionysian in The Birth of Tragedy “Art Impulses of Nature” The Apollonian and the Dionysian among the Greeks 2.1. The Satyr Chorus 2.2. The Tragic Phase 3. The Relation to Being 3.1. Art and Nature 3.2. What Is the Dionysian? 3.3. Artist-God 4. Diagram and Table—Characteristics of the Apollonian and the Dionysian in The Birth of Tragedy Chapter 2: The Characteristics of the Apollonian and the Dionysian at Sinai The Outline of the Biblical Story Apollonian Characteristics in the Sinai Revelation Dionysian Characteristics in the Golden Calf Incident The Creation of the Tabernacle as an Artistic Act Table—Application of the Apollonian and the Dionysian Characteristics to the Sinai Revelation and the Golden Calf Incident Part 2: The Übermensch at Sinai Chapter 3: The Characteristics of the Nietzschean Übermensch Premises—the “Hollow” Core of Being and the Will to Power Overcoming The Basis of Overcoming—the Animalistic Foundation The Process of Overcoming—the Formal Framework  Characteristics of the Lion—Solitude and the Destruction of the Human  Characteristics of the Child—Creation and Self-Law The Child as Self-Creation The Child as a Creator  Overcoming the Abyss of Becoming—the Child as an Approach to Life  Return to the Will to Power—the Struggle and the “Chosen People” Discussion—the Apollonian and the Dionysian in the Übermensch Diagram and Table—Characteristics of the Nietzschean Übermensch Chapter 4: Moses at Sinai as an Übermensch Moses—the Outline of the Transformation from the Camel to the Child The Application of Übermensch Characteristics to the Figure of Moses at Sinai  Moses as the Camel—the Preparation for the Revelation  Moses as the Camel with an Instinct for Freedom—from the Revelation to the Golden Calf Incident  Towards the Transformation into the Lion—the Golden Calf Incident and Moses’s Response to God  Moses as the Lion—Destruction of Values in Response to the Golden Calf Incident  Between the Lion and the Child—Two Intermediate Stages Intermediate Stage 1—Uncertainty and the Establishment of the Tent of Meeting Intermediate Stage 2—Preparation for the Revelation in the Cleft of the Rock  Moses as the Child—from the Revelation in the Cleft of the Rock to the Creation of the Tabernacle Love of Fate—the Revelation in the Cleft of the Rock Evidence of Metamorphosis—the Radiant Descent from the Mountain Moses as an Artist of the Grand Style—the Construction of the Tabernacle  Moses the Übermensch as a Research Model Table: Application of the Characteristics of the Übermensch to Moses at Sinai Conclusions  Bibliography

Reviews

“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

Author Information

Dr. Rinat Harash is a journalist and scholar who explores the intersection of philosophy, religion, and contemporary Jewish experience. Her journalism focuses on the ways international media portrays Israel and the Jewish people, while her current academic work extends Nietzsche's thought as a framework for understanding the roots and mechanisms of antisemitism.

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