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Abstract

In the past few years, traditional scholars and would-be innovators have been locked in controversy over the scholarly study of Qabbalah. The field of Jewish philosophical thought, however, has witnessed no such upheavals. This is not to say that no progress has been made: Texts are being rescued from oblivion; philosophical systems are constantly under review. However, little work has been done in the direction of a new scholarly awareness of the history of Jewish thought wholly outside the area of mysticism. This situation is clearly mirrored in various attempts to write and document the history of Jewish philosophy. In what follows I describe various aspects of current efforts to write the history of ideas in the area of medieval and modern Jewish thought and speculate on what might have been. Without intending to exhaust the topic of the historiography of Jewish ideas, I would like to propose some new goals for future research into Jewish rationalism.

In: Review of Rabbinic Judaism
In: Review of Rabbinic Judaism
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This book deals with central issues of medieval Jewish philosophy. Among the subjects treated are divine immanence, the intellect, miracles, and esoteric writing and its limits. The work provides a new perspective on the history of Jewish philosophy in the Middle Ages. Relying on many as yet unpublished manuscripts, which enable it to offer new insights relating to such thinkers as Judah Halevi, Maimonides, and Gersonides, it also presents a new and original perception of the dynamics of Jewish thought in general.
Author:
Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s philosophy plays a significant role in twentieth century Jewish thought. This book focuses on the first stages of Soloveitchik’s philosophy, through a systematic and detailed discussion of his essay Halakhic Man. Schwartz analyzes this essay at three main levels: first, he considers its complex writing style and relates it to Soloveitchik’s aims in the writing of this work. Second, the author compares Halakhic Man to other contemporary writings of Soloveitchik. Third, he lays out the essay’s philosophical background. Through this analysis, Schwartz successfully exposes hidden layers in Halakhic Man, which may not be immediately evident.