Maimonides was the greatest Jewish philosopher and legal scholar of the medieval period; a towering figure who has had a profound and lasting influence on Jewish law; philosophy; and religious consciousness. This book provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to his life and work; revealing how his philosophical sensibility and outlook informed his interpretation of Jewish tradition. Moshe Halbertal vividly describes Maimonides's childhood in Muslim Spain; his family's flight to North Africa to escape persecution; and their eventual resettling in Egypt. He draws on Maimonides's letters and the testimonies of his contemporaries; both Muslims and Jews; to offer new insights into his personality and the circumstances that shaped his thinking. Halbertal then turns to Maimonides's legal and philosophical work; analyzing his three great books--Commentary on the Mishnah; the Mishneh Torah; and the Guide of the Perplexed. He discusses Maimonides's battle against all attempts to personify God; his conviction that God's presence in the world is mediated through the natural order rather than through miracles; and his locating of philosophy and science at the summit of the religious life of Torah. Halbertal examines Maimonides's philosophical positions on fundamental questions such as the nature and limits of religious language; creation and nature; prophecy; providence; the problem of evil; and the meaning of the commandments. A stunning achievement; Maimonides offers an unparalleled look at the life and thought of this important Jewish philosopher; scholar; and theologian.
#575393 in Books Jill Lepore 2013-10-27Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.55 x 1.05 x 5.46l; 1.10 #File Name: 0691159599432 pagesThe Story of America Essays on Origins
Review
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful. Splendid essays on American HistoryBy David P. ChandlerThis is a marvelous; scholarly and completely accessible tour of American history; perceived via assorted documents; ideas and personalities. Topics; to name a few; include debtors prisons; Noah Webster; Inaugural speeches; biographies of George Washington and Charles Dickens' 1843 visit to America; The chapters are written with charm; authority and brio.The extensive endnotes are an added bonus; and every page of the book is fun to read.8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Thoroughly enjoyableBy anonWhat a delight to read! The book is worth every penny I paid. In fact; after buying the Kindle edition; I purchased a second; hard copy as a gift for a friend. I am an admirer of Lepore's scholarship and writing anyway--found her book on King Philip's War enormously useful as a teacher and scholar. These essays are less academic. They're quicker and lighter but have just enough historical heft to leave a thinking reader with something to muse on.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. getting at the truth of historyBy C. J. WhiteEducational as well as entertaining; Jill Lepore's collection of essays covers topics from Captain John Smith to Charlie Chan and beyond with stories that attempt to get at the truth of these historical characters. In her efforts to separate the man from the myth; she often has to delve into the questions of how history is written and how accurate it is and can we ever really know the man; e.g.; George Washington who is still an enigma. In these pages you will learn how Ben Franklin has been misunderstood all this time; how mystery still surrounds the life and death of Tom Paine; how Noah Webster slaved for decades over a dictionary that nobody wanted; how Longfellow's "Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" had a connection to the slavery issue; and much; much more. This book is a wonderful antidote to that cloying; tasteless; patriotic; flag-waving pap they call American history most of us were fed in K-12.
