Jewish philosophy Books

Book SynopsisCopleston, in the second volume of A History of Philosophy, deals with the reconciliation of philosophy and theology of the early Christian period to the thirteenth century.Frederick Copleston was Professor of the History of Philosophy and Dean of the Faculty of Theology at London University. This eleven-volume work is one of the most remarkable single-handed scholarly enterprises of modern times. Volume 2 covers Anselm of Canterbury, Thomas Aquinas, Augustine of Hippo, Averroes, Avicenna, Boethius, Bonaventure, Maimonides and Duns Scotus.The book covers the Patristic period, including the work of Augustine, and then considers the Carolingian renaissance, Islamic and Jewish philosophy, before finally going into extensive detail on the thought of Aquinas and Scotus.Brimming with detail and enthusiasm, A History of Philosophy gives an accessible account of philosophers from all eras and explains their works in relation to other philosophers. Each volume is an ideal guide for students studying specific eras and as a set offers a complete and unrivalled overview of the entire western philosophical tradition.Trade ReviewA monumental history . . . learned, lucid, patient and comprehensive. * New Statesman *We can only applaud at the end of each act and look forward to applauding again at the final curtain. * Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsI Introduction PART I: PRE-MEDIEVAL INFLUENCES II The Patristic Period III St. Augustine I IV St. Augustine II: Knowledge V St. Augustine III: God VI St Augustine IV: The World VII St Augustine V: Moral Theory VIII St Augustine VI: The State IX The Psuedo-Dionysus X Boethius, Cassiodorus and Isidore PART II: THE CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE XI The Carolingian Renaissance XII John Scotus Eriugena I XIII John Scotus Eriugena II PART III: THE TENTH, ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH CENTURY XIV The Problem of Universals XV St. Anselm of Canterbury XVI The School of Chartres XVII The School of St. Victor XVIII Dualists and Pantheists PART IV: ISLAMIC AND JEWISH PHILOSOPHY: TRANSLATIONS XIX Islamic Philosophy XX Jewish Philosophy XXI The Translations PART V: THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY XXII Introduction XXIII William of Auvergne XXIV Robert Grosseteste and Alexander of Hales XXV St. Bonaventure I XXVI St. Bonaventure II: God's Existence XXVII St. Bonaventure III: Relation of Creatures to God XXVIII St. Bonaventure IV: The Material Creation XXIX St. Bonaventure V: The Human Soul XXX St. Albert the Great XXXI St. Thomas Aquinas I XXXII St. Thomas Aquinas II: Philosophy and Theology XXXIII St. Thomas Aquinas III: Principles of Created Being XXXIV St. Thomas Aquinas IV: Proof of God's Existence XXXV: St. Thomas Aquinas V: God's Nature XXXVI: St. Thomas Aquinas VI: Creation XXXVII: St. Thomas Aquinas VII: Psychology XXXVIII: St. Thomas Aquinas VIII: Knowledge XXXIX: St. Thomas Aquinas IX: Moral Theory XL. St. Thomas Aquinas X: Political Theory XLI. I Introduction PART I: PRE-MEDIEVAL INFLUENCES II The Patristic Period III St. Augustine I IV St. Augustine II: Knowledge V St. Augustine III: God VI St Augustine IV: The World VII St Augustine V: Moral Theory VIII St Augustine VI: The State IX The Psuedo-Dionysus X Boethius, Cassiodorus and Isidore PART II: THE CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE XI The Carolingian Renaissance XII John Scotus Eriugena I XIII John Scotus Eriugena II PART III: THE TENTH, ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH CENTURY XIV The Problem of Universals XV St. Anselm of Canterbury XVI The School of Chartres XVII The School of St. Victor XVIII Dualists and Pantheists PART IV: ISLAMIC AND JEWISH PHILOSOPHY: TRANSLATIONS XIX Islamic Philosophy XX Jewish Philosophy XXI The Translations PART V: THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY XXII Introduction XXIII William of Auvergne XXIV Robert Grosseteste and Alexander of Hales XXV St. Bonaventure I XXVI St. Bonaventure II: God's Existence XXVII St. Bonaventure III: Relation of Creatures to God XXVIII St. Bonaventure IV: The Material Creation XXIX St. Bonaventure V: The Human Soul XXX St. Albert the Great XXXI St. Thomas Aquinas I XXXII St. Thomas Aquinas II: Philosophy and Theology XXXIII St. Thomas Aquinas III: Principles of Created Being XXXIV St. Thomas Aquinas IV: Proof of God's Existence XXXV St. Thomas Aquinas V: God's Nature XXXVI St. Thomas Aquinas VI: Creation XXXVII St. Thomas Aquinas VII: Psychology XXXVIII St. Thomas Aquinas VIII: Knowledge XXXIX St. Thomas Aquinas IX: Moral Theory XL St. Thomas Aquinas X: Political Theory XLI St. Thomas and Aristotle: Controversies XLII Latin Averroism; Siger of Brabrant XLIII Franciscan Thinkers XLIV Giles of Rome and Henry the Great XLV Scotus I XLVI Scotus II: Knowledge XLVII Scotus III: Metaphysics XLVIII Scotus IV: Natural Theolgoy XLIX Scotus V: The Soul L Scotus VI: Ethics LI Concluding Review Appendices I Honorific Titles applied in the Middle Ages to Philosophers treated in this volume II A Short Bibliography Index of names Index of subjects

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Book SynopsisBlanchot and his writings on three major poets, Mallarmé, Hölderlin, and Char, provide a decisive new point of departure for English language criticism of his philosophical writings on narrative in this study by leading Blanchot scholar, Kevin Hart.Connecting his work to later leading figures of 20th-century French philosophy, including Emmanuel Levinas, Simone Weil, and Jacques Derrida, Hart highlights the importance of Jewish philosophy and political thought to his overall conception of literature. Chapters on community and negation reveal Blanchot's emphasis on the relationship between narrative and politics over the more commonly connected narrative and aesthetics. By fully discussing Blanchot's elusive concept of the Outside for the first time, this book progresses scholarly understandings of his entire oeuvre further. This central concept engages Franz Rosenzweig's work on Abrahamic faiths, enabling a reckoning on the role of suffering and literature in the wake of theTrade ReviewIn this authoritative and wide-ranging new book, the result of nearly two decades of detailed engagement with the literary, philosophical, and political writings of Maurice Blanchot, Kevin Hart renews with impressive lucidity and toughness of mind contemporary understanding of one of the twentieth-century’s most original and distinctive voices. * Leslie Hill, Emeritus Professor in French Studies, University of Warwick, UK *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction: Blanchot Encore PART I. On Poetry 1. Blanchot’s Mallarmé 2. Blanchot’s Hölderlin 3. Blanchot’s Char PART II. On Friendship 4. Blanchot’s Weil 5. The Aggrieved Community 6. Friendship of the No PART III. On Narrative 7. The Neutral Reduction: Thomas l’Obscur 8. Lès-Poésie: Levinas Reads La Folie du jour 9. Ethics of the Image PART IV. On Being Jewish 10. The Third Relation 11. From the Star to the Disaster 12. “The Absolute Event of History”: The Shoah Afterword Notes Index Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis is the first book in English to lay out the philosophical ethics and philosophy of law of Hermann Cohen, one of the leading figures in both Neo-Kantian and Jewish philosophy.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Cohen’s “Methodistic” Founding of Ethics in Legal Science: Generation of the Legal Person 2. “For the Idea of Law [Gesetz] He Substitutes Morality”: Understanding Law in Cohen’s Ethik, with Help from the Early Strauss 3. Philosophico-Political Theology as Method: From Strauss’s Philosophy and Law to Cohen’s “Philosophy of Jewish Religion” 4. Isolation and Universalism: Cohen’s New Messianic Politics of Jewish Law 5. Against “Affective Expansiveness”: Cohen’s Critique of Stammler’s Theory of “Right Law” 6. The “Neighbor” as an Institution of Law (Recht), from the Ethik to the “Jewish Writings”

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Book SynopsisThe most famous of all medieval Jewish thinkers, Moses Maimonides is known for his monumental contributions to Jewish law, theology and medicine, and for an influence that extends into the wider world. His remarkable work, The Guide for the Perplexed, is notoriously difficult to interpret, since Maimonides aimed it at those already versed in both philosophy and the rabbinic tradition and used literary techniques to test his readers and force them to think through his arguments. Daniel Davies explores Maimonides’ approaches to issues of perennial and universal concern: human nature and the soul, the problem of evil, the creation of the world, the question of God’s existence, and negative theology. He addresses the unusual ways in which Maimonides presented his arguments, contextualising Maimonides’ thought in the philosophy and religion of his own time, as well as elucidating it for today’s readers. This philosophically rich introduction is an essential guide for students and scholars of medieval philosophy, philosophy of religion, theology and Jewish studies.Trade Review‘A welcome addition to general expositions of Maimonides’ thought. Much more than an introduction, this book is a deeply philosophical encounter with some of the major themes of Maimonides’ writings, one that is thoroughly conversant with classical and contemporary perspectives. Daniel Davies offers original interpretations of thorny issues, sensible approaches to scholarly disputes, and a steady guide for beginning and advanced readers of Maimonides.’Charles Manekin, University of Maryland‘Many discussions of Maimonides concentrate on interpretation and methodology. But Davies goes to the heart of Maimonides as a philosopher, expounding with great clarity his most powerful arguments and original positions.’John Marenbon, University of Cambridge‘Authored by one of the world’s top Maimonides scholars, this outstanding and comprehensive book is one of the best gateways into the world of the thinker who single-handedly created Jewish philosophy. A unique literary and scholarly achievement, this is one of the best works of Jewish philosophy of recent times.’Yitzhak Y. Melamed, Johns Hopkins UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgements 1 Biography and Introduction2 Life and Humanity3 The Problem of Evil4 Creation and Infinity5 The Nature of Belief in God’s Existence6 Necessary Existence and Divine Attributes 7 Diverse Interpretations and Disputed Instructions: Reading the Guide for the Perplexed Further ReadingNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe most famous of all medieval Jewish thinkers, Moses Maimonides is known for his monumental contributions to Jewish law, theology and medicine, and for an influence that extends into the wider world. His remarkable work, The Guide for the Perplexed, is notoriously difficult to interpret, since Maimonides aimed it at those already versed in both philosophy and the rabbinic tradition and used literary techniques to test his readers and force them to think through his arguments. Daniel Davies explores Maimonides’ approaches to issues of perennial and universal concern: human nature and the soul, the problem of evil, the creation of the world, the question of God’s existence, and negative theology. He addresses the unusual ways in which Maimonides presented his arguments, contextualising Maimonides’ thought in the philosophy and religion of his own time, as well as elucidating it for today’s readers. This philosophically rich introduction is an essential guide for students and scholars of medieval philosophy, philosophy of religion, theology and Jewish studies.Trade Review‘A welcome addition to general expositions of Maimonides’ thought. Much more than an introduction, this book is a deeply philosophical encounter with some of the major themes of Maimonides’ writings, one that is thoroughly conversant with classical and contemporary perspectives. Daniel Davies offers original interpretations of thorny issues, sensible approaches to scholarly disputes, and a steady guide for beginning and advanced readers of Maimonides.’Charles Manekin, University of Maryland‘Many discussions of Maimonides concentrate on interpretation and methodology. But Davies goes to the heart of Maimonides as a philosopher, expounding with great clarity his most powerful arguments and original positions.’John Marenbon, University of Cambridge‘Authored by one of the world’s top Maimonides scholars, this outstanding and comprehensive book is one of the best gateways into the world of the thinker who single-handedly created Jewish philosophy. A unique literary and scholarly achievement, this is one of the best works of Jewish philosophy of recent times.’Yitzhak Y. Melamed, Johns Hopkins UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgements 1 Biography and Introduction2 Life and Humanity3 The Problem of Evil4 Creation and Infinity5 The Nature of Belief in God’s Existence6 Necessary Existence and Divine Attributes7 Diverse Interpretations and Disputed Instructions: Reading the Guide for the Perplexed Further ReadingNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe Jewish intellectual tradition has a long and complex history that has resulted in significant and influential works of scholarship. In this book, the authors suggest that there is a series of common principles that can be extracted from the Jewish intellectual tradition that have broad, even life-changing, implications for individual and societal achievement. These principles include respect for tradition while encouraging independent, often disruptive thinking; a precise system of logical reasoning in pursuit of the truth; universal education continuing through adulthood; and living a purposeful life. The main objective of this book is to understand the historical development of these principles and to demonstrate how applying them judiciously can lead to greater intellectual productivity, a more fulfilling existence, and a more advanced society.Trade Review“The book, situated between academic and creative writing, presents an innovative view of the history and impact of Jewish intellectualism. It does this by allowing readers to immerse themselves in the book and manuscript collections of five influential thinkers, rabbis, and scholars… Discussions of their collections are supplemented by immersive, fictionalized descriptions of their intellectual endeavors and those of other Jewish thinkers, offering insights into what they might have thought, dreamed, and pondered. This novel way of approaching intellectual history adds greatly to the reading experience. The combination of fictionalized prose and historical description provides a well-rounded overview of the individuals’ work and the surrounding cultures and literatures from which they drew inspiration and knowledge. … With The Jewish Intellectual Tradition, Kadish, Shmidman, and Fishbane have published an insightful and impressive book, approaching Jewish intellectual history from exciting new vantage points. By looking at book history and the history of select Jewish libraries across time and cultures, they provide readers with new perspectives on the Jewish history of knowledge.”— Katharina Hadassah Wendl, Reading Religion"Jewish intellectual tradition has produced unprecedented achievements and contributions to Jewish and non-Jewish culture throughout millennia. This rich and thoughtful book identifies the key principles inherent in this tradition and seeks to 'demonstrate how applying them judiciously' can benefit society at large… The authors exquisitely cover two thousand years of scholarship and achievement in multiple genres and fields."—Diane Mizrachi, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California Los Angeles, AJL Reviews (September / October 2021)"In this highly engaging and innovative work, [Kadish, Shmidman, Fishbane] try to identify what it is from the Jewish intellectual tradition that can be used for the betterment of people and society as a whole. The authors have isolated these principles, namely: respect for tradition while encouraging independent thinking; a precise system of logical reasoning in pursuit of the truth; and a universal and never-ending education. The book shows how these principles are fundamental to intellectual productivity, leading to making a better society. And the proof is in the Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals… The three authors, all scholars in their own right, have detailed this amazing intellectual tradition that should be a source of immense pride not to just every Jew but to every human being.”— Ben Rothke, Jewish Press“From tenured pro­fes­sor­ships to nobel prizes, Jews have excelled in all manor of schol­ar­ship. Many authors have explored where this ded­i­ca­tion to learn­ing comes from—The Jew­ish Intel­lec­tu­al Tra­di­tion: A His­to­ry of Learn­ing and Achieve­ment by Alan Kadish, Michael Shmid­man, and Sim­cha Fish­bane is anoth­er impor­tant voice in the conversation. … The three authors present the infor­ma­tion thought­ful­ly, build­ing a robust book­shelf before their read­ers’ eyes. The book serves as a help­ful teach­ing tool because of its short­ened expla­na­tions of mys­ti­cal texts, and ear­ly mod­ern trends—like the birth of Reform Judaism—that edu­ca­tors may find use­ful. As a whole, it’s a help­ful intro­duc­tion, not only to Jew­ish thought, but to Jew­ish his­to­ry and literature.”—Rab­bi Marc Katz, Jewish Book Council“One of the most impressive aspects of the book is the breadth of the authors’ knowledge, which, of course, matches the wide scope of the topic they are writing about. They draw from a vast range of sources—from classical texts to contemporary academic research—to provide a comprehensive overview of the Jewish intellectual tradition. At the same time, they write with precision, clarity and passion; thus, making the material accessible to readers of all levels of expertise. …[T]his book is an outstanding contribution to the field of Jewish studies, and a must-read for anyone interested in the Jewish intellectual tradition at large. Its insightful and engaging exploration of the ways in which Jewish thought has shaped Western civilization is sure to leave a lasting impression on readers for years to come.”—Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein, The Jewish LinkTable of Contents Preface Introduction Part One. Libraries of the Jewish People Chapter 1. Golden Libraries in the "Golden Age," Tenth–Twelfth Centuries: The Library of R. Samuel Ha-Nagid Chapter 2. Nahmanides and His Library Chapter 3. From Manuscript to Printing Press: The Library of Leone Modena Chapter 4. The Modern Period: The Library of Rabbi Samson R. Hirsch Chapter 5. The Library of Professor Harry Austryn Wolfson Chapter 6. The Contemporary University Library Part Two. From Text to Success: Salient Ideas and Values and Their Influence Introduction Chapter 7. Respect for Precedent and Critical Independence Chapter 8. Logical Reasoning and Intellectual Honesty in Pursuit of Truth Chapter 9. The Primacy of Education Chapter 10. A Purposeful Life Chapter 11. Summary and Conclusions Note on Translations Appendix: Maps Illustration Credits Authors' Biographies Endnotes

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Book SynopsisAn original and comprehensive comparison of the universalisms of two major modern Jewish philosophers. Any version of universalism relevant to a more attentive, pluralistic, and postcolonial outlook would balance the urgent current need for a universalistic perspective with the desire to maintain the richness of human diversity. The modern Jewish philosophers who sought to partake in the Enlightenment’s universalistic vision while maintaining their distinct identities as members of a religious minority within Europe offer insightful answers.Jewish Universalisms analyzes how two major figures, Moses Mendelssohn and Hermann Cohen, dealt with the perceived tension between the universal values characteristic of the Enlightenment and aspects of Judaism often depicted as particularistic and parochial. Jeremy Fogel joins this lively debate in modern Jewish philosophy, offering a comparative examination of these thinkers and analyzing their worldviews from an innovative axiological perspective. Fogel writes that to gain a precise understanding of how Mendelssohn and Cohen argued for the concordance of Judaism and universalism, one must first seek out what they delineated as ultimately valuable. Then one can work out how that highest good, and the method of valuation it sustains, are universal.Trade Review“Though they accused us of globalizing, our ambitions were universalizing—not only the turning of the Jew into the human but also the turning of the human into the Jew. Fogel—philosopher, poet, secular gaon—relates and interprets this tradition with lucid and thoroughgoing passion.” -- Joshua Cohen, author of The Netanyahus, winner of Pulitzer Prize and the National Jewish Book Award“Examining the works of two highly influential, modern Jewish philosophers, Fogel guides us through a deep understanding of the universal teachings Judaism and the particular Jewish way of life have to offer. Mendelssohn’s and Cohen’s thought are driven in very distinct ways by the idea of a just political order for all of humanity. The thought-provoking, comparative inquiry is brilliantly written and a pleasure to read.” -- Grit Schorch“Not being one of admirers of the Jewish Enlightenment, I still adore the achievement of Fogel’s Jewish Universalisms. This excellent and engaging study of an absolutely urgent quest is likely to draw much scholarly and public attention.” -- Yitzhak Y. Melamed, Johns Hopkins University“Fogel has written a book that is philosophically insightful, thought-provoking, and enjoyable to read. His analysis shows us that ‘universalism’ need not be understood in only one way, and that new and different types of universalisms have been and can be possible. He thus provides us with fruitful resources for challenging the ethical problems that stem both from colonialist forms of universalism and from the abandonment of efforts at thinking universally.” -- Daniel H. Weiss, University of CambridgeTable of ContentsIntroduction: Jewish UniversalismsChapter 1: The Enlightened Universalistic Devaluation of JudaismChapter 2: Moses Mendelssohn’s FelicityChapter 3: Universal FelicityChapter 4: Hermann Cohen’s FutureChapter 5: Messianic MankindChapter 6: Jewish UniversalismsConclusionAcknowledgmentsBibliography

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Book SynopsisIn the postmodern, relativist world-view with its refutation of a single, objective, and ultimate truth, it has become difficult if not impossible to argue in favour of one’s own beliefs as preferable to those of others. Miriam Feldmann Kaye’s pioneering study is one of the first English-language books to address Jewish theology from a postmodern perspective, probing the question of how Jewish theology has the potential to survive the postmodern onslaught that some see as heralding the collapse of religion. Basing her arguments on both philosophical and theological scholarship, Feldmann Kaye shows how postmodernism might actually be a resource for rejuvenating religion.Her response to the conception of theology and postmodernism as competing systems of thought is based on a close critical study of Rav Shagar (Shimon Gershon Rosenberg) and Tamar Ross. Rather than advocating postmodern ideas, she analyses their writings through the lens of the most radical of continental postmodern philosophers and cultural critics in order to offer a compelling theology compatible with that world-view. Whether the reader considers postmodernism to be inherently problematic or merely inconsequential, this study demonstrates why reconsidering these preconceptions is one of the most pressing issues in contemporary Jewish thought.Trade ReviewReviews ‘The flourishing of postmodern culture and the development of postmodern philosophy pose important and difficult challenges to Jewish thought, especially in their denial of the existence of a single objective and ultimate truth. The book initiates a multidisciplinary conversation between Jewish thought and Continental philosophy through confronting the outlook of theology with that of postmodernist thought.’ Makor Rishon 'Dr Miriam Feldmann Kaye’s book is an indispensable read for current Jewish theology. She deals with three crucial contemporary issues---community belief, language, and revelation---from a postmodernist perspective. However, you do not have to be a postmodernist (as I am not) to realize the urgent need for this book and to appreciate the brilliance of this defense for the flourishing of Jewish theology.'Jerome Yehuda Gellman, Professor Emeritus, Department of Philosophy, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev'Dr Feldmann Kaye offers a detailed analysis of influential recent trends in Israeli thought associated with postmodernism. It will be an important companion for scholars and intellectuals, whether or not they believe that postmodernist thought advances a worthwhile theory of religious belief and commitment, or even that it provides an accurate diagnosis of our current situation.'Professor Shalom Carmy, Yeshiva University, New York'By subjecting Jewish discourse to the newest ideas in Western philosophy Miriam Feldmann Kaye offers a clear and enriching analysis of issues of fundamental concern and offers a constructive way forward.'Rabbi Professor Naftali Rothenberg, senior research fellow, The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute ‘Kaye has pulled off a tour de force in bridging philosophical and theological thinking by applying postmodern Western philosophy to Jewish religious discourse. She provides order, connects dots, and discerns patterns to a wide-ranging body of new trends, ideas, and texts associated with postmodernism.’ David B Levy, Association of Jewish Libraries'Jewish Theology is valuable both as a careful study of Ross and the Shagar, two voices whose contribution to the contemporary theological conversation is welcome, and also as an instructive and suggestive proposal for the future of postmodern Jewish theology.'Mark Randall James, Journal of Textual Reasoning‘The flourishing of postmodern culture and the development of postmodern philosophy pose important and difficult challenges to Jewish thought, especially in their denial of the existence of a single objective and ultimate truth. The book initiates a multidisciplinary conversation between Jewish thought and Continental philosophy through confronting the outlook of theology with that of postmodernist thought.’ Makor Rishon‘By subjecting Jewish discourse to the newest ideas in Western philosophy Miriam Feldmann Kaye offers a clear and enriching analysis of issues of fundamental concern and offers a constructive way forward. Rabbi Professor Naftali Rothenberg, Van Leer Jerusalem Institute‘Dr Miriam Feldmann Kaye’s book is an indispensable read for current Jewish theology. Kaye deals with three crucial contemporary issues: community belief, language, and revelation, from a postmodernist perspective. However, you do not have to be a postmodernist (as I am not) to realize the urgent need for this book and to appreciate the brilliance of this defense for the flourishing of Jewish theology.’Jerome Yehuda Gellman, Emeritus, Ben-Gurion University of the NegevTable of ContentsIntroduction1. Culture2. Language3. Revelation in a Postmodern Age4. Conclusions BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisIn the postmodern, relativist world-view with its refutation of a single, objective, and ultimate truth, it has become difficult if not impossible to argue in favour of one’s own beliefs as preferable to those of others. Miriam Feldmann Kaye’s pioneering study is one of the first English-language books to address Jewish theology from a postmodern perspective, probing the question of how Jewish theology has the potential to survive the postmodern onslaught that some see as heralding the collapse of religion. Basing her arguments on both philosophical and theological scholarship, Feldmann Kaye shows how postmodernism might actually be a resource for rejuvenating religion.Her response to the conception of theology and postmodernism as competing systems of thought is based on a close critical study of Rav Shagar (Shimon Gershon Rosenberg) and Tamar Ross. Rather than advocating postmodern ideas, she analyses their writings through the lens of the most radical of continental postmodern philosophers and cultural critics in order to offer a compelling theology compatible with that world-view. Whether the reader considers postmodernism to be inherently problematic or merely inconsequential, this study demonstrates why reconsidering these preconceptions is one of the most pressing issues in contemporary Jewish thought.Trade ReviewReviews ‘The flourishing of postmodern culture and the development of postmodern philosophy pose important and difficult challenges to Jewish thought, especially in their denial of the existence of a single objective and ultimate truth. The book initiates a multidisciplinary conversation between Jewish thought and Continental philosophy through confronting the outlook of theology with that of postmodernist thought.’ Makor Rishon 'Dr Miriam Feldmann Kaye’s book is an indispensable read for current Jewish theology. She deals with three crucial contemporary issues---community belief, language, and revelation---from a postmodernist perspective. However, you do not have to be a postmodernist (as I am not) to realize the urgent need for this book and to appreciate the brilliance of this defense for the flourishing of Jewish theology.'Jerome Yehuda Gellman, Professor Emeritus, Department of Philosophy, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev'Dr Feldmann Kaye offers a detailed analysis of influential recent trends in Israeli thought associated with postmodernism. It will be an important companion for scholars and intellectuals, whether or not they believe that postmodernist thought advances a worthwhile theory of religious belief and commitment, or even that it provides an accurate diagnosis of our current situation.'Professor Shalom Carmy, Yeshiva University, New York'By subjecting Jewish discourse to the newest ideas in Western philosophy Miriam Feldmann Kaye offers a clear and enriching analysis of issues of fundamental concern and offers a constructive way forward.'Rabbi Professor Naftali Rothenberg, senior research fellow, The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute ‘Kaye has pulled off a tour de force in bridging philosophical and theological thinking by applying postmodern Western philosophy to Jewish religious discourse. She provides order, connects dots, and discerns patterns to a wide-ranging body of new trends, ideas, and texts associated with postmodernism.’ David B Levy, Association of Jewish Libraries'Jewish Theology is valuable both as a careful study of Ross and the Shagar, two voices whose contribution to the contemporary theological conversation is welcome, and also as an instructive and suggestive proposal for the future of postmodern Jewish theology.'Mark Randall James, Journal of Textual Reasoning‘The flourishing of postmodern culture and the development of postmodern philosophy pose important and difficult challenges to Jewish thought, especially in their denial of the existence of a single objective and ultimate truth. The book initiates a multidisciplinary conversation between Jewish thought and Continental philosophy through confronting the outlook of theology with that of postmodernist thought.’ Makor Rishon‘By subjecting Jewish discourse to the newest ideas in Western philosophy Miriam Feldmann Kaye offers a clear and enriching analysis of issues of fundamental concern and offers a constructive way forward. Rabbi Professor Naftali Rothenberg, Van Leer Jerusalem Institute‘Dr Miriam Feldmann Kaye’s book is an indispensable read for current Jewish theology. Kaye deals with three crucial contemporary issues: community belief, language, and revelation, from a postmodernist perspective. However, you do not have to be a postmodernist (as I am not) to realize the urgent need for this book and to appreciate the brilliance of this defense for the flourishing of Jewish theology.’Jerome Yehuda Gellman, Emeritus, Ben-Gurion University of the NegevTable of ContentsIntroduction1. Culture2. Language3. Revelation in a Postmodern Age4. Conclusions BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book reveals how Moses ibn Ezra, Judah Halevi, Moses Maimonides, and Shem Tov ibn Falaquera understood metaphor and imagination, and their role in the way human beings describe God. It demonstrates how these medieval Jewish thinkers engaged with Arabic-Aristotelian psychology, specifically with regard to imagination and its role in cognition. Dianna Lynn Roberts-Zauderer reconstructs the process by which metaphoric language is taken up by the imagination and the role of imagination in rational thought. If imagination is a necessary component of thinking, how is Maimonides’ idea of pure intellectual thought possible? An examination of select passages in the Guide, in both Judeo-Arabic and translation, shows how Maimonides’ attitude towards imagination develops, and how translations contribute to a bifurcation of reason and imagination that does not acknowledge the nuances of the original text. Finally, the author shows how Falaquera’s poetics forges a new direction for thinking about imagination. Table of Contents1. Introduction- 2. Chapter 1 “Human Language”: Classifying Metaphor in Jewish Sources- 3. Chapter 2 “Taste and See”: Imagination and Intellect- 4. Chapter 3 Transmission- 5. Chapter 4 “No Share in Poetry”- 6. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe relationship between morality and religion has long been controversial, familiar in its formulation as Euthyphro’s dilemma: Is an act right because God commanded it or did God command it because it is right. In Morality and Religion: The Jewish Story, renowned scholar Avi Sagi marshals the breadth of philosophical and hermeneutical tools to examine this relationship in Judaism from two perspectives. The first considers whether Judaism adopted a thesis widespread in other monotheistic religions known as 'divine command morality,' making morality contingent on God’s command. The second deals with the ways Jewish tradition grapples with conflicts between religious and moral obligations. After examining a broad spectrum of Jewish sources—including Talmudic literature, Halakhah, Aggadah, Jewish philosophy, and liturgy—Sagi concludes that mainstream Jewish tradition consistently refrains from attempts to endorse divine command morality or resolve conflicts by invoking a divine command. Rather, the central strand in Judaism perceives God and humans as inhabiting the same moral community and bound by the same moral obligations. When conflicts emerge between moral and religious instructions, Jewish tradition interprets religious norms so that they ultimately pass the moral test. This mainstream voice is anchored in the meaning of Jewish law, which is founded on human autonomy and rationality, and in the relationship with God that is assumed in this tradition. Table of Contents1. Introduction Part I Morality’s Dependence on Religion in Jewish Tradition2. Between the Duty of Obedience and the Thesis of Dependence3. DCM in Rabbinic Literature 4. DCM in Jewish Thought 5. The Autonomous Perspective in Jewish Thought Part II The Autonomous Perspective in Halakhah6. R. Israel Moses Hazan: Particularism and Universalism7. R. Shimon Shkop: Religious Commands and Legal Obligations8. R. Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel: Exclusivity and Moral AutonomyPart III The Conflict Between Morality and Religion9. “You Are Called Men”: Between Jew and Gentile10. “He Slew the Egyptian”: On Moses’ Act and Morality 11. “Her Ways Are Ways of Pleasantness”: Uprooting a Torah Law 12. The Akedah in Jewish TraditionPart IV Theoretical Foundations13. Halakhah and the Dependence Thesis 14. Concluding Reflections

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Book SynopsisIsrael and the Nations: The Bible, The Rabbis, and Jewish-Gentile Relations explores the Jewish theology and law (Halakhah) relating to non-Jews. It analyzes biblical, talmudic, medieval, and contemporary Jewish writings about gentiles and their religions. The Bible challenges the Jewish people to be “a blessing for all the families of the earth.” Yet throughout history, Jewish experience with gentiles was complex. In the biblical and talmudic eras most gentiles were assumed to be idolators. In the Middle Ages most rabbis considered their Christian neighbors idolators, and Christian enmity sharpened the otherness Jews felt toward their Christian hosts. Muslims were monotheists, but Jewish-Muslim relations were sometimes positive and at other times difficult. With the advent secular tolerance in modernity, Jews found themselves in a new relationship with their gentile neighbors. How should Jews relate to gentiles today, and what are the bounds of Jewish tolerance and religious pluralism? The book will interest both Jewish laypersons familiar with Jewish tradition as well as scholars of theology and interfaith relationsTrade Review"This is an informative volume that traces the evolution of Jewish-Gentile relations and posits a path forward. It would be a valuable resource for those interested in interfaith dialogue."— C. and Anne-Marie Belinfante, AJL News & Reviews“Today, Korn insists, Jews must lock arms with Christians to fight common enemies—relativism and secularism on the left, and radical Islamist violence on the right. Against the recent devaluation of human nature, Jews and Christians must teach the sanctity of human life... At a time when antisemitism is on the rebound and Jews like Rabbi Korn are fighting to defend Christians, it is high time we listened to voices like his. His new book is a great place to start.”— Gerald McDermott, Juicy Ecumenism: The Institute on Religion & Democracy's BlogTable of ContentsIntroduction: Reassessing Jewish-Gentile Relations TodayPart One: Judaism, Jews, and Gentiles The Covenant and Its Theology Israel as Blessing: Theological Horizons Extra Synagogam Nulla Salus? Judaism and the Religious Other Revelation, Gentiles, and the World to Come Idolatry Today Part Two: Judaism, Jews, and Christianity Rethinking Christianity: Rabbinic Positions and Possibilities Esau Hates Jacob The Man of Faith and Religious Dialogue The People Israel, Christianity, and the Covenantal Responsibility to History BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisDrawing from diverse multilingual sources, Krzemień delves into Solomon Dubno's life (1738–1813), unraveling complexities of the Haskalah movement's ties to Eastern European Jewish culture. Dubno, a devout Polish Jew and adept Hebrew grammarian, played a pivotal role in Moses Mendelssohn's endeavor to translate the Bible into German with a modern commentary (Biur). The book explores Dubno's library, mapping the intellectual realm of a Polish Maskil in Western Europe. It assesses his influence on Mendelssohn's project and the reasons behind their divergence. Additionally, it analyzes Dubno's poetry, designed to captivate peers with the Bible's linguistic beauty. The outcome portrays early Haskalah as a polyvocal, polycentric creation shaped by diverse, occasionally conflicting, visions, personalities, and egos.Trade Review“This wonderful and comprehensive study of one of the less known but prominent and moderate agents of Jewish modernity helps us understand the complexity of the modern Jewish cultural project in the eighteenth century. Dubno, committed to tradition, represents the multifarious phenomenon of the Jewish Diaspora in Europe which included individuals with heterogeneous views. The book is a major contribution to the new scholarship on the Jewish Enlightenment, justly emphasizing the East European origins of the Haskalah.”— Shmuel Feiner, The Samuel Braun Chair for the History of the Jews in Germany, Bar Ilan University“This is a much, much needed and important book, impressively wide yet precise in source basis, innovative yet crystal-clear in analysis, and bold yet convincing in argumentation. Through the intellectual biography of a maskil, Talmudist, and Hebraist, Solomon Dubno, this impressive study helps us understand much more: the trajectories of the Jewish Enlightenment and the complex interrelation between East and Central European versions of the Haskalah in both their intellectual and social dimensions. A must-read for anybody interested in early modern and modern Jewish culture, both Western and Eastern.”— Marcin Wodziński, Professor of Jewish history and literature, University of WrocławTable of ContentsA Note from the EditorsPreface: Zuzanna Krzemień at University College LondonA Note on the Presentation of Source MaterialsIntroduction Eastern European participation in the Jewish Enlightenment: the lessons of one life A Jewish scholar's life between Volhynia, Berlin, and Amsterdam Re-orientations: the scope and limits of Jewish intellectual transformation in the Age of Enlightenment Dubno, Hebrew Literature, and the Haskalah Chapter outline1. Solomon Dubno's Booklists Introduction Book collecting in early modern times The content of Solomon Dubno’s library General overview Methods of book collecting Maskilic works Non-Jewish books and works on Christianity Rabbinic literature Authors with the largest number of books in Dubno’s booklist Philosophy Poetry and belles lettres History and contemporary Jewish conflicts Grammar Science Dubno’s collexConclusion2. Dubno and the Biur Project The publication of the Biur The conflict between Mendelssohn and Dubno Dubno’s role in the publication of the Biur The authorship of Alim li-terufah The Biur and the Jewish tradition of biblical textual criticism The Biur as a debate with Christianity The reaction to the publication of the Biur Speculations regarding Dubno’s withdrawal from the Biur project Dubno’s own Pentateuch edition Conclusion3. Dubno and the Renewal of Hebrew Language The study of Hebrew grammar among Ashkenazi Jewry Dubno’s views on Hebrew grammar The status of the Hebrew language in the maskilic community Enlightenment thinkers’ views on language Dubno’s belief in the divine nature of Hebrew Dubno’s view of the German Pentateuch translation Conclusion4. Dubno’s Poetry and Belles Lettres Introduction Maskilic Hebrew poetry in the eighteenth century “Yuval ve-Na’aman” Dubno’s poetry Works wrongly attributed to Dubno ConclusionConclusionsBibliographyAppendixSe’u enekhemShir kashur min me’ah yetedotShir na’eh al midat ha-ḥanupah

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