Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks — Powerful Books, Mystics, and More

A men's magazine that selected Helix Sleep as the number one best overall mattress pick of 2020.

One of the prestigious universities from which Rabbi Sacks earned degrees.

The principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, which liberated Bergen-Belsen in April 1945.

An international organization for public-private cooperation, which held its annual meeting in New York in 2002 out of solidarity after 9/11.

The institution where Robert Putnam, a sociologist, works.

The upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which Rabbi Sacks joined in October 2009.

The country from which Rabbi Sacks's late father's family originated, implying their refugee status during the early 1950s.

One of the prestigious universities from which Rabbi Sacks earned degrees.

A political party in Hungary, identified as anti-Semitic, whose leader, Zonard Zegedi, discovered he had Jewish grandparents.

A country cited as an example of a society that maintained a balance between 'I' and 'we' and coped well with the COVID-19 pandemic.

A decentralized political and social movement protesting against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against black people, mentioned in the context of feeling unrecognized by society.

The British public service broadcaster, which recorded a broadcast from Bergen-Belsen after its liberation in 1945.

The publicly funded healthcare system in the UK, established after WWII as part of the shift towards a 'we society' and universal healthcare.

Tim Ferriss's podcast where he deconstructs world-class performers to uncover their habits, belief systems, and strategies.

A song by Leonard Cohen, based on the Jewish prayer about fate recited during the High Holy Days.

A UK newspaper that published a note from Rabbi Sacks's wife about his habit of wearing yellow ties for important speeches.

A film starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing, which is referenced for a joke that illustrates Darwinian natural selection.

The song sung by survivors at Bergen-Belsen, which later became the national anthem of the State of Israel, symbolizing hope amidst despair.

A musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, praised by Rabbi Sacks as a creative and inclusive way to retell the American story and express 'we' thinking.

Former British Prime Minister, who described Rabbi Sacks as an 'intellectual giant'.

A chess grandmaster mentioned as being nervous in the TED 'Zen room.'

A noted atheist and friend of Rabbi Sacks, with whom Rabbi Sacks discussed the concept of hearing 'music' in existence.

Renowned playwright and poet, whose sonnets are mentioned as a source of deep 'music' in life.

A celebrated classical composer, whose music is mentioned as embodying the 'music' of life.

A Jewish musician of the 20th century whose work, along with Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, embodies a powerful note of sadness, part of the Jewish signature.

Author of 'The Choice,' a Holocaust survivor and psychotherapist who, at 90 years old, wrote her first book detailing her experiences in Auschwitz and the death march, and her philosophy of choice in adversity.

A Jewish musician of the 20th century whose work, along with Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, embodies a powerful note of sadness, part of the Jewish signature.

A friend of Tim Ferriss, described as being at one end of the spectrum of friends regarding religious beliefs.

A pioneering computer scientist who played a crucial role in cracking the Enigma code during WWII, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch.

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with whom Rabbi Sacks discussed how to foster national unity.

Head of a hedge fund, who was practicing his TED Talk before Rabbi Sacks and was visibly nervous.

A Jewish composer whose work, according to Rabbi Sacks, still contains a powerful note of sadness as part of the Jewish signature.

Known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, head of a group of Jewish mystics called Lubavitchers, whom Rabbi Sacks traveled cross-country to meet, profoundly influencing his life's path.

South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and political leader, whose monument in London is noted for having only his name.

The curator of TED, with whom Rabbi Sacks discussed his choice of wearing a tie for his TED talk.

Astronomer Royal and President of the Royal Society, author of 'Just Six Numbers', who argues the universe's existence depends on six improbabilities.

A Jewish composer whose work, according to Rabbi Sacks, still contains a powerful note of sadness as part of the Jewish signature.

The senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, who was present with Rabbi Sacks at Ground Zero.

A Genevan philosopher and writer, who considered Passover to be a remarkable political achievement.

Rabbi Sacks's doctoral supervisor at Cambridge, a brilliant philosopher and atheist who, despite disagreeing with Sacks's beliefs, engaged respectfully in intellectual discussion.

A celebrated classical composer, whose music is mentioned as embodying the 'music' of life.

A Jewish musician of the 20th century whose work, along with Leonard Cohen and Paul Simon, embodies a powerful note of sadness, part of the Jewish signature.

Actress who played Joan Clarke in 'The Imitation Game', referenced for telling Alan Turing to tell a joke.

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, whose monument in London is noted for having only his name.

An English poet and intellectual, mentioned as a founder of liberty in the modern world who advocated for delicate balance in power.

The first President of the United States, mentioned as a founder of liberty.

Her Majesty the Queen, who knighted Rabbi Sacks in 2005.

An Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, Holocaust survivor, and author, whose work on finding meaning in suffering is compared to Edith Eger's philosophy.

A brilliant professor of sociology at Harvard University, whom Rabbi Sacks regards as the world's greatest sociologist, and who introduced the concept of a Google Ngram showing a cultural shift from 'we' to 'I'.

Creator of the musical 'Hamilton', credited with retelling the American story in a new and inclusive way.

An American folk-rock duo, whose song 'America' is referenced by Rabbi Sacks when describing his journey in 1968.

Russian novelist and short story writer, whose novel 'Anna Karenina' is cited for its great opening sentence.

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with whom Rabbi Sacks discussed how to foster national unity.

An international religious leader, philosopher, and moral voice who served as the Chief Rabbi of the UK and the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013 and was a recipient of the Templeton Prize.

Actor who played Alan Turing in 'The Imitation Game', telling a joke that is used to illustrate the concept of self-interest vs. altruism.

The religious leader of Israel, mentioned as being present with Rabbi Sacks at Ground Zero after 9/11.

An American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father, mentioned as a founder of liberty.

An American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father, mentioned as a founder of liberty.

A naturalist and biologist known for his theory of evolution, mentioned for publishing a second edition of 'Origin of Species' due to controversy, similar to Rabbi Sacks with 'The Dignity of Difference'. Also referenced for his theory of natural selection.

A young journalist sent by the BBC to broadcast from Bergen-Belsen just after its liberation.

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with whom Rabbi Sacks discussed how to foster national unity.

A rabbi from the Talmud, who was sent to study with Rabbi Yochanan but only affirmed his views, hindering Yochanan's intellectual growth.

A leader of the anti-Semitic Jobbik party in Hungary, who later discovered his grandparents had died at Auschwitz and became a religious Jew fighting anti-Semitism.

Rabbi Yochanan's study partner from the Talmud, whose challenging of views led to mutual growth.

An important third-century rabbi from the Talmud, who needed a study partner who would challenge his views, not just agree with him.

An English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers, mentioned as a founder of liberty.

Individuals who experience the divine as a voice, a call, or a charge, contrasting with mystics who experience the divine as an element or dimension.

A group of Jewish mystics characterized by their leader, the Rebbe, having enormous authority, and their belief in the ultimate reality of spiritual depths.

A concept from Charles Darwin, where competition for scarce resources means those who outpace others survive, initially suggesting egoism prevails over altruism.

A political ideology and practice associated with the Nazi Party in Germany, mentioned as rising due to the societal failures post-1918.

Meaning 'my teacher,' a Jewish religious leader who teaches, instructs, and educates, contrasted with a Rebbe who holds more authoritative leadership.

A concept of government where the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens, established in Britain after WWII.

The right to express one's opinions publicly without censorship or restraint, discussed in the context of 'safe spaces' and intellectual robustness.

A concept described by Rabbi Sacks, suggesting that every good deed, no matter how tiny, has a contagious positive impact on people, similar to the butterfly effect.

A borough of New York City, where the Lubavitcher Rebbe's center, 770 Eastern Parkway, was located.

A spiritual discipline, often meditative, where practitioners believe in the ultimate reality of unseen, spiritual dimensions, seeking direct experiences of the divine.

A system where self-interest and competition for wealth are central, contrasted with the collective 'we' of family and community.

A former conscription policy in the UK, referenced as a model for empowering young people through altruistic service.

A legal tradition that includes the principle 'Audi alteram partem,' meaning 'hear the other side,' essential for justice.

An imaginative scheme by America offering loans to European countries, including Germany, to rebuild their shattered economies after WWII, contributing to 75 years of peace.

A modern phenomenon involving the withdrawal of support for public figures or companies after deemed offensive actions or remarks, discussed in context of threats to free speech in universities.

A concept from chaos theory, where small, localized changes can have large effects elsewhere, which Rabbi Sacks applies to both negative events like pandemics and positive deeds.

A form of far-right, authoritarian ultranationalism, mentioned as rising throughout Europe due to societal failures post-1918.

A lifestyle website that selected Helix Sleep as one of the best overall mattress picks of 2020.

A social media platform where protests can lead to 'cancel culture' and the suppression of views.

A mattress company that offers a quiz to match users with their ideal mattress based on body type and sleep preferences. They were selected as the number one best overall mattress pick of 2020 by GQ magazine and Wired.

A social media platform where protests can lead to 'cancel culture' and the suppression of views.

A bus service used by Rabbi Sacks for an 'unlimited travel' ticket to travel across the United States in 1968.

A social media platform where protests can lead to 'cancel culture' and the suppression of views.

A city in Los Angeles County, California, where Rabbi Sacks was staying with his aunt.

The site of the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks, where Rabbi Sacks and other religious leaders offered prayers.

A country cited as an example of a society that maintained a balance between 'I' and 'we' and coped well with the COVID-19 pandemic.

An extermination camp liberated by the British Army in April 1945, where survivors were heard singing Hatikvah, the future Israeli national anthem.

A town in Switzerland, usually the host city for the World Economic Forum, which was moved to New York in 2002 after 9/11.

A country identified as one of the two most individualistic societies, which performed poorly in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, comparable to the United States.

The official residence and workplace of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, near where Remembrance Sunday ceremonies are held.

A network of German Nazi concentration and extermination camps where Edith Eger and Viktor Frankl were imprisoned during the Holocaust.

A country cited as an example of a society that maintained a balance between 'I' and 'we' and coped well with the COVID-19 pandemic.

A country cited as an example of a society that maintained a balance between 'I' and 'we' and coped well with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nation whose national anthem, Hatikvah, was sung by Holocaust survivors as a symbol of hope.

A memorial in Washington D.C., featuring key quotes from Roosevelt, signifying historical narratives.

The capital of the United States, known for its monuments that serve as historical narratives for national identity.

A square in London notable for monuments that, unlike American ones, typically don't include extensive textual narratives.

A city in California where Rabbi Sacks stayed with his aunt before traveling back to New York to meet the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

A presidential memorial in Washington D.C., with extensive text on marble tablets, used to teach America's story.

A country identified as one of the two most individualistic societies, which performed poorly in handling the COVID-19 pandemic due to a lack of collective 'we' thinking.

A country cited as an example of a society that maintained a balance between 'I' and 'we' and coped well with the COVID-19 pandemic.

A national memorial in Washington D.C., featuring memorable lines from Martin Luther King Jr., representing a national narrative.

A country where children do not generally have peanut allergies due to early exposure to peanuts in popular snacks, an analogy for developing immunity to challenging views in university.

Rabbi Sacks's book written in response to 9/11, advocating for religions to make space for one another, which caused controversy due to its radical message.

A system where self-interest and competition for power are central, contrasted with the collective 'we' of family and community.

A book by Lord Martin Rees arguing that the entire existence of the universe depends on six improbabilities.

A book of the Bible, where the story of the Ten Plagues and the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is recounted.

Rabbi Sacks's new book, a bestseller in the UK and now available in North America, which explores the balance between individualism and collective responsibility.

A book by Edith Eger, a Holocaust survivor and psychotherapist, that explores themes of choice, freedom, and dignity in the face of immense suffering.

A book by Tim Ferriss, for which Rabbi Sacks provided answers to questions, including his most impactful purchase.

A highly successful book by Rick Warren with a powerful opening sentence: 'It's not about you.'

A book written by Rabbi Sacks, which he described as more radical than 'The Dignity of Difference'.

A book of the Bible cited by Rabbi Sacks for its theme of life sometimes seeming 'meaningless'.

Charles Darwin's seminal book, which had a second edition published due to controversy, a point of comparison for Rabbi Sacks.

A book of the Bible mentioned as a source where one can hear the 'music' of existence.

A novel by Leo Tolstoy, cited for having one of the best opening sentences in any book.

Charles Darwin's book where he presented his solution for the survival of altruism within natural selection.

A central text in Rabbinic Judaism, from which Rabbi Sacks recounts a story illustrating the importance of opposing viewpoints for intellectual growth.

A tool that searches electronic literature stored by Google to show the relative salience of words over time, used by Robert Putnam to observe a cultural shift.

Tim Ferriss's popular email newsletter that shares five cool things discovered or pondered during the week.

A national monument in Washington D.C., where texts like the Gettysburg Address are inscribed, reflecting a national narrative.

An all-in-one invoicing and accounting solution that helps businesses manage finances, offering automated invoicing, billable time, expense tracking, and an intuitive dashboard.

A magazine that selected Helix Sleep as the number one best overall mattress pick of 2020.

A specific mattress from Helix Sleep that Tim Ferriss uses and recommends, also having one in his guest bedroom, receiving fantastic feedback from friends.

A small, rechargeable light that clips onto a book, allowing reading at night without disturbing others, which Rabbi Sacks describes as a 'joy of his life'.

Noise-canceling earphones that Rabbi Sacks initially mentioned as his most positively impactful purchase, defining faith as hearing the music beneath the noise.

A British act extending further education to all, symbolizing a major breakthrough against class divisions and a shift towards 'we' after WWII.

A US act providing benefits to WWII veterans, an example of measures to help those who made sacrifices during the war and a shift towards 'we'.