The Authentic Person

The Core of the Philosophical Teachings of Josef Schächter

Abstract

Josef Schächter (1901–1994) was a religious-existential philosopher, educator, and spiritual leader. This paper presents, for the first time, a cohesive, integrative concept that highlights a trend in Schächter’s writings, by means of which his perception of humanity and the authentic person is illuminated. Authenticity is a fundamental concept that expanded into an independent project covering Schächter’s entire philosophy, and is at the core of his teachings. Through authenticity, Schächter attempts to help humanity take the religious leap that he views as one of the greatest challenges for modern man. He suggests that authenticity is a transitional stage through which the modern man can expose the divine elements that are ingrained in his soul. Although he describes it as a temporary stage to reach religiosity, through a profound exploration of his teachings it becomes clear that the concept of the authentic person became a focal point of his philosophical and educational activity. Using diverse language, Schächter describes authenticity as inner religiosity: it is the internal spiritual aspiration of a human being searching for the divine, the superhuman, and authenticity inside himself. Schächter seeks to express that space within the human soul, as reflected in a constant quest to identify that which is hidden deep inside the person but is difficult to express in words. The attempt to describe what happens within the human soul is a difficult endeavor, and it is almost impossible to formulate it accurately in words. However, Schächter strives time and again to verbalize that silenced language, which has the power to facilitate the internal empowerment of humankind.