10 years after Leonard Cohen’s passing, his grappling with the divine lives on

The music and poetry of Leonard Cohen have sustained a powerful resonance since the Canadian artist's death on November 7, 2016. Marking ten years since his passing, reflections on his legacy reveal a profound engagement with spirituality that continues to influence fans and scholars alike.

Cohen’s creative output blended literary depth with spiritual inquiry, with his works frequently drawing upon biblical imagery and structure. This aspect of his oeuvre, especially prominent in his 1984 poetry collection Book of Mercy, positions his work within the tradition of Hebrew psalms, known as tehillim. These texts are characterized by direct addresses to the divine in forms ranging from praise to lamentation.

Book of Mercy features 50 numbered poems resembling psalms that encompass a spectrum of human emotions such as doubt, joy, and despair. Cohen described this collection as a form of prayer intended for those in need of spiritual solace at difficult times. This intention aligns with observations by interpreters and religious figures, who have recognized elements of liturgy and sacred song within Cohen’s poetry and music.

His songs often mingled sacred and secular motifs, illustrating a complex relationship between the erotic and the divine. For example, "If It Be Your Will" parallels traditional Jewish Friday evening prayers, while "Who By Fire" closely mirrors the text of the High Holiday prayer "Unetaneh Tokef." Meanwhile, "Anthem" and the widely known "Hallelujah" have been interpreted as religious anthems with layered meanings that traverse both spiritual and corporeal realms.

Cohen’s multifaceted spiritual heritage informed his artistry. Born into a Jewish family with rabbinical lineage, he also trained as a Rinzai Zen monk and engaged with diverse religious traditions including Taoism and Sufism. This interweaving of faiths underpinned his lyrical fluency in multiple spiritual vocabularies, deeply rooted in Jewish tradition yet inclusive of other mystical and ascetic practices.

The period around his 50th birthday was a pivotal moment for Cohen’s spiritual lyricism. At a professional low point, he composed Book of Mercy as a means to articulate personal and existential struggles in the form of sacred poetry. This phase preceded a career revival marked by renewed critical and popular attention.

In recent years, commemorations such as the Toronto International Festival of Authors event and Ottawa’s Gladstone Theatre celebrations have invited public engagement with Cohen’s spiritual questioning, posing reflective questions about what he might say in the current social climate. Additionally, Adam Cohen’s family tour, which showcases archival material alongside musical performances, brings renewed visibility to his father’s enduring legacy.

Cohen’s final albums, produced in the last two to three decades of his life, further exemplify his ongoing dialogue with spirituality and mortality. Songs like "You Want it Darker" incorporate elements of Jewish mourning prayers and liturgy, suggesting a conscious meditation on death and the divine in his twilight years.

His grappling with God often takes the form of a complex relationship resembling that of a lover—intimate, questioning, and sometimes confrontational. This dynamic illustrates an artist deeply invested in exploring faith not as dogma but as lived experience, encompassing longing, doubt, and hope.

The continued study of Cohen’s work by scholars and religious leaders highlights the enduring significance of his spiritual lyricism. His ability to fuse sacred forms with contemporary themes offers a rich source of inspiration and reflection beyond purely musical or literary appreciation.

This perspective reshapes how Cohen’s catalog is understood; rather than solely a collection of songs, it becomes a corpus of modern sacred texts. Such framing invites new audiences and renewed listening approaches, emphasizing the spiritual and existential inquiries embedded within his artistry.

The familial and institutional efforts to preserve and reinterpret Cohen’s legacy suggest an ongoing commitment to contextualize his contributions within both cultural and religious histories. These activities ensure that his work remains relevant, accessible, and influential in diverse contexts.