Torah in the Observatory: Gersonides, Maimonides, Song of Songs

Menachem Kellner

Published by Academic Studies Press 2010

Torah in the Observatory

Gersonides, Maimonides, Song of Songs

Menachem Kellner

In the series Emunot: Jewish Philosophy and Kabbalah

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781618110183

Overview
Contents

About this book

Rabbi Levi ben Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides; 1288-1344), one of medieval Judaism's most original thinkers, wrote about such diverse subjects as astronomy, mathematics, Bible commentary, philosophical theology, "technical" philosophy, logic, Halakhah, and even satire. In his view, however, all these subjects were united as part of the Torah. Influenced profoundly by Maimonides, Gersonides nevertheless exercised greater rigor than Maimonides in interpreting the Torah in light of contemporary science, was more conservative in his understanding of the nature of the Torah's commandments, and was more optimistic about the possibility of wide-spread philosophical enlightenment. Gersonides was a witness to several crucial historical events, such as the expulsion of French Jewry of 1306 and the "Babylonian Captivity" of the Papacy. Collaborating with prelates in his studies of astronomy and mathematics, he had an entree into the Papal court at Avignon. Kellner portrays Gersonides, revered among Jews as the author of a classic commentary on the latter books of the Bible, as a true renaissance man, whose view of Torah is vastly wider and more open than that held by many of those who treasure his memory.

Author / Editor information

Kellner Menachem :

Menachem Kellner is Chair of Shalem College, Jerusalem’s Department of Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Wolfson Professor of Jewish Thought (emeritus) at the University of Haifa. He is the author, editor, or translator of two dozen books (including two published by Academic Studies Press) and close to two hundred articles in medieval and modern Jewish thought.Born and educated in the United States, Menachem Kellner (Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis, 1973) has lived in Israel for the last 30 years. Author, editor, or translator of 16 books and over 100 scholarly articles, Kellner’s most recent book is Maimonides’ Confrontation with Mysticism (2006).

Reviews

Colette Sirat, directeur d’études à l’Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes,Sorbonne et chercheur associé à l’Institut de Recherche et d’Histoire des Textes (CNRS, Paris):
“Gersonides (1288-1344) was, in my view, the most original philosopher in medieval Judaism. However, he has not been studied to the same extent as other Judaic luminaries, and only his Commentary on the Song of Songs has been (magnificently!) translated into English (1998), after an excellent Hebrew edition of the Introduction was published (1989), both the work of Menachem Kellner. This new volume by Menachem Kellner explores some of the most important questions raised by Gersonides: Providence, Mosaic Prophecy, Miracles, the Messiah and Resurrection, Astronomy and Metaphysics, Politics and Perfection… It is not by chance that Menachem Kellner has devoted so much to the study of Gersonides. Like Gersonides, Kellner has firmly in hand the knowledge of the Bible and of the traditional literature of Judaism, he is well trained in philosophy and science, and his broad interests make him the best and most penetrating champion of a great philosopher and an outstanding student of human thought.”

Seymour Feldman, Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, Rutgers University:
"Professor Kellner is one of the more productive and creative scholars in medieval Jewish thought. Over the years he has published many important essays on various aspects of medieval Jewish philosophy, especially on Gersonides and Maimonides. These studies are fundamental readings for any student of medieval Jewish philosophy. This anthology of his writings is a most valuable contribution to our understanding of these two thinkers."

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
TABLE OF CONTENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	v
PREFACE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	7
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	9
INTRODUCTION Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	11
CHAPTER ONE. Providence and the Rabbinic Tradition Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	29
CHAPTER TWO. Mosaic Prophecy: Maimonides and Gersonides Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	47
CHAPTER THREE. Eschatology and Miracles Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	71
CHAPTER FOUR. Creation, Miracles, Revelation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	101
CHAPTER FIVE. Song of Songs and Gersonides’ World Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	121
CHAPTER SIX. Maimonides and Gersonides on Astronomy and Metaphysics Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	149
CHAPTER SEVEN. Gersonides on the Song of Songs and the Nature of Science Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	159
CHAPTER EIGHT. Politics and Perfection: Gersonides vs. Maimonides Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	181
CHAPTER NINE. The Role of the Active Intellect in Human Cognition Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	207
CHAPTER TEN. Imitatio Dei and the Dissemination of Scientific Knowledge Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	235
CHAPTER ELEVEN. Moses ibn Tibbon and Gersonides on Song of Songs Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	255
CHAPTER TWELVE. Misogyny: Gersonides vs. Maimonides Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	283
CHAPTER THIRTEEN. Gersonides and his Cultured Despisers: Arama and Abravanel Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	305
AFTERWORD – PERSONAL REFLECTIONS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	333
WORKS CITED Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	337
INDEX Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	365

Language: English
Publisher: Academic Studies Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;General/trade;
Pages
- Main content: 376

eBook

Published: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 9781618110183