Medieval Jewish Thought RELIG 210-Introduction to Judaism Lecture 10 Medieval Jewish Thought

Medieval Jewish context Time of Great Scholarship, Creativity, Writing Two contexts Central European Christianity Encounter with Islam New Approaches: Biblical Interpreation and philosophy

Reason then and now Are reason and religion compatible? No concept of “secular”

From Rabbinic Drash to Pshat New Approach to scripture Contextual, “literal” reading of text Focus on historical perspective, rationalism, linguistic analysis and literary genre Great sophistication

Why the shift? Disputations with Islam and Christianity Direct study of the Bible Prove validity of the text Scripture as shared document Philosophic Rationalism in Islam New discoveries in philology, linguistic Intra-Jewish polemics

Karaites (8-10th century) Challenge Rabbininc reading as normative Use reason and science to understand scripture without rabbinic mediation Has a tremendous impact on Jewish exegesis

Can reason validate scripture? Saadia Gaon Decode text to prove compatible with reason Allegorical reading “Head” when applied to God = “excellence and elevation.” (Study Bible, 1953)

Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki) 1040-1105/French Running Commentary to the Talmud Translates technical terms (old french) Line drawings Torah commentary

Rashi’s Approach “There are many agaddic interpretations, and our sages have already arranged them in their proper place in Genesis Rabbah and other midrashic collections. I come only to present what the text says directly and such aggadah that sets the wording of the text on its proper bearings.”

Philosophy Are Reason and Revelation Compatible? Eternal Universe versus creation ex nihilo Watchmaker God vs. God who stops the son How can both be right?

Reason and Revelation? Eternal Universe versus creation ex nihilo Watchmaker God vs. God who stops the son How can both be right?

Moses Ben Mamon (Rambam/maimonides) 1135-1204 (Spain, Morocco, Egypt)

Rambam Proof of God’s existence Explanation of prophecy Mishneh Torah Prophets are great philosphers Translate insights into figurative speech Mishneh Torah Guide to the Perplexed

Kabbalah Rabbinic movement (12th Cent onward) Hidden tradition of scriptural interpretation

Kabbalah and Scripture Scripture is like a Walnut Literal Content is Outer Shell Secret truth hidden within Goal: Go through layers of meaning to find kernal Example: Divine Emanations Dangerous Work (Four who enter Garden)

Kabbalah and Symbolic Vocabulary God- Transcendent and Immanent En Sof, “The Infinite” Only know aspects of divine being (Sefirot) Sefirot as DNA of natural and supernatural reality Sefirot in Chaos-Need Restoration