Long before Friedrich Nietzsche announced to the world that God was dead, enlightenment philosophers were already preparing the grave for burial. By reducing a God of History to a remote postulant, thinkers from Spinoza to Kant denied Divine revelation and sucked the marrow out of the relationship between man and his Maker. A God, once immanent (sic) and deeply involved in the lives of human beings, would eventually be discarded as the opiate of the masses, a vestige of ancient superstition.

Rabbi Paul Plotkin challenges us to renew our relationship with God, making Him a presence in our day to day life. Plotkin's "The Lord is my Shepherd - Why Do I Still Want?" consists of a series of short essays dealing with many subjects, including human suffering, good and evil, death and loneliness.

The author, senior rabbi of Temple Beth Am in Margate, bases each essay on the Psalms. These biblical writings are attributed to King David, but were more likely composed by a series of anonymous authors over the centuries. Plotkin's choice of the Psalms as a source text is wise and makes for interesting reading.

The psalmists' relationship with God is an intimate one - sometimes the voice of the Psalms is that of fervent belief, sometimes of desperation and deep yearning - precisely the kind of relationship that is lacking in today's world. While we recite these texts in synagogue, Plotkin breathes new life into them. He juxtaposes specific Psalms with issues critical to our lives, giving these biblical writings renewed meaning. His approach is a refreshing one.

TLIMSWDISW not only cites the Hebrew Bible. Plotkin includes his own experiences, Chasidic tales and even an episode of the television series "Star Trek" to make a point. The most persuasive essay in the collection grapples with the problem of how the individual should try to tame the evil inclination that resides within us all, converting it into a force for good.

In this essay, as well as in the others, the author does not speak in academic gibberish. He discusses serious issues, but never talks down to the reader. There is no doubt that the relationship between humanity and God has always been a complex one. Plotkin, however, helps the reader sort out the many complexities and serves as guide in the human quest to make a true and lasting connection with the Divine.