Description
Book SynopsisMaimonides was one of the greatest Jewish personalities of the Middle Ages: a halakhist par excellence, a great philosopher, a political leader of his community, and a guardian of Jewish rights. In 1180 C E, Maimonides composed his Halakhic magnum opus, the Mishneh Torah, which can be described without exaggeration as the greatest code of Jewish law to be composed in the post-Talmudic era, unique in scope, originality and language. In addition to dealing with an immense variety of Jewish law, from the laws of Sabbath and festival observances, dietary regulations, and relations between the sexes, to the sacrificial system, the construction of the Temple, and the making of priestly garments, the Mishneh Torah represents Maimonides' conception of Judaism. Maimonides held that the version of Judaism believed in and practised by many pious Jews of his generation had been infected by with pagan notions. In the Mishneh Torah, he aimed at cleansing Judaism from these non-Jewish practices and beliefs and impressing upon readers that Jewish law and ritual are free from irrational and superstitious practices. "Without Red Strings or Holy Water" explores Maimonides' views regarding God, the commandments, astrology, medicine, the evil eye, amulets, magic, theurgic practices, omens, communicating with the dead, the messianic era, midrashic literature, and the oral law. This book will be of interest in to all who are interested in the intellectual history of Judaism.
Trade ReviewRabbi H. Norman Strickman's excellent new study of [the Mishneh Torah] explores Maimonides' views regarding astrology, medicine, the evil eye, amulets, magic, theurgic practices, omens, and communicating with the dead, and evil spirits. . . . The book is a most important contribution to the field. . . . I highly recommend it. -- David B. Levy * The Jewish Press *
Other scholars have noted how Egyptian Jewish scholar Moses Maimonides presented a strictly rational perspective of Judaism, but Strickman fills in some gaps and offers a new perspective. He characterizes the Mishneh Torah as the greatest code of Jewish law to be composed in the post-Talmudic era. -- Book News, Inc.
