The Jewish Eye - Moses Maimonides

The Jewish Eye

Index - Moses Maimonides
Reviews & Book Excerpts

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50 Jewish Messiahs, by Jerry Rabow.
The Untold Life Stories of 50 Jewish Messiahs Since Jesus and How They Changed the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Worlds. This review focuses on the book from the viewpoint of Moses Maimonides.
Abraham Maimonides' Wars of the Lord and the Maimonidean Controversy, by Abraham Maimonides.
This book was written by Abraham Maimonides, in defense of his father, Moses Maimonides. Beyond the clarity of the response per se and its reflection of the personality of Rabbi Abraham, the book serves as a guidepost for every individual in his fulfillment of daily mitzvot as well as in his development of the moral and ethical personality, leading to human perfection.
Between Rashi and Maimonides, edited by Ephraim Kanarfogel and Moshe Sokolow.
This is a collection of fifteen scholarly articles discussing the two great sages Rashi (1040-1105) and Maimonides (1138-1204) who lived almost exactly a century apart and who had radically different views about virtually everything related to Judaism.
Book of Beliefs and Opinions, by Saadiah Gaon.
A philosophical classic, Rosenblatt called Saadiah's magnum opus "the first systematic presentation of Judaism as a rational body of beliefs."

The Concept of the Soul and the After-Life, by Israel Drazin. [Please note, this link will take you off-site to the History in Review website.]
This article examines what the Hebrew Bible, the basic book for Judaism, Christianity, and to some extent for Islam, says about the soul and life after death, as well as what several key philosophers, namely Plato, Abraham Maimonides, Aristotle, and Moses Maimonides thought on the subject.
Covenantal Imperatives, essays by Walter S. Wurzburger.
This collection of essays selected from the nearly six decades of Rabbi Walter Wurzburger's illustrious career, combines the author's mastery of Halakhah with a deep understanding of Jewish philosophy.
The Guide to Serving G-d , by Abraham the son of Maimonides.
Famed for his appointment as Rais al-Yahud, leader of the Jews, at the age of eighteen, Rabbeinu Avraham was the undisputed leader of the Jewish people of his time. In this masterpiece, he directs the reader in how to attain the level of chasid, a person who strives to go beyond the minimal requirements of the law to experience a strong sense of closeness and intimacy with G-d.
The High Ways to Perfection of Abraham Maimonides, by Samuel Rosenblatt.
"Although our treatise bears no special name in the manuscripts but is designated merely as a part [the ninth] of the 'Comprehensive guide for the servants of G-d', which, in the words of our author is supposed to be a book based on the foundations of fear, and love of G-d, yet we have entitled it 'The high ways to perfection' because that phrase best describes the nature of its contents."--p. 10.
Law, Reason, and Morality in Medieval Jewish Philosophy, by Jonathan Jacobs.
An examination of three medieval Jewish philosophers Saadia Gaon, Bahya ibn Pakuda, and Moses Maimonides who each made significant contributions to moral philosophy in ways that remain relevant today.
Letter of Consolation of Maimon, edited by Dr. Fred Rosner.
This volume is a translation of encouragement written by the father of the Rambam, Rabbi Maimon. Its purpose was to strengthen the weakened spirits of Rabbi Maimon's brethren during this long golus. The Letter of Maimon served as a protective shield and anchor to the Jews of his time who were forced to live as Marranos and to enter strange prayer houses.
The Limits of Orthodox Theology: Maimonides' Thirteen Principles Reappraised, by Marc B. Shapiro.
Shapiro's authoritative analysis makes it quite clear that the notion that Maimonides' Principles are the last word in traditional Jewish theology is a misconception, and that even Maimonides himself was not fully convinced of every aspect of his formulations.
Maimonides, by Sherwin B. Nuland.
Maimonidies was one of the most influential Jewish philosophers of his day. In this book, Nuland provides an accessible and intriguing overview of Maimonides' life, and thought.
Maimonides, by T. M. Rudavsky.
A thorough and accessible introduction to Maimonides, arguably one of the most important Jewish philosophers of all time. This work incorporates material from Maimonides' philosophical, legal, and medical works, providing a synoptic picture of Maimonides' philosophical range.
Maimonides: A Biography , by Solomon Zeitlin.
A dated (it was written in 1935), but still intriguing biography of Maimonides, written by one of the most innovative Jewish historians of his time.
Maimonides: A Guide for Today’s Perplexed, by Kenneth Seeskin.
Seeskin has written this book with the aim of making Maimonides understandable to modern readers. He does so by writing in clear English and by clarifying each point with examples from modern life.
Maimonides after 800 Years: Essays on Maimonides and His Influence, edited by Jay M. Harris.
This volume of sixteen thought-provoking and very informative essays is a collection composed by Maimonides scholars to commemorate the eight hundredth year since Maimonides' death in 1204.
Maimonides and the Biblical Prophets, by Israel Drazin.
Revealing unknown but true facts about the prophetical books of the Bible, this book also addresses provocative questions that many Rabbis have avoided answering.
Maimonides' Confrontation with Mysticism, by Menachem Kellner.
In this book, Kellner not only analyzes the thought of the great religious thinker but contextualizes it in terms of what he calls the 'proto-kabbalistic' Judaism that preceded him.
Maimonides: Essential Teachings on Jewish Faith & Ethics, by Rabbi Marc D. Angel.
The text of Maimonides' The Book of Knowledge and The Thirteen Principles of Faith, annotated and explained.
Maimonides in His World, by Sarah Stroumsa.
In this book, Stroumsa argues that Maimonides is most accurately viewed as a Mediterranean thinker who consistently interpreted his own Jewish tradition in contemporary multicultural terms.
Maimonides on Judaism and the Jewish People, by Menachem Kellner.
In this book, Kellner addresses the issue of Maimonides' approach to non-Jews.
Maimonides on the "Decline of the Generations" and the Nature of Rabbinic Authority, by Menachem Kellner.
Shows to what extent and in what fashion Jews are bound to accept the opinions and the pronouncements of religious authorities.
A Maimonides Reader, edited by Isadore Twersky.
Major selections from Maimonides' writings, including Guide to the Perplexed, Mishneh Torah, his essays, correspondence, and commentaries. The definitive one-volume English presentation.
Maimonides: Reason Above All, by Dr. Israel Drazin.
This thought-provoking and enlightening book uncovers unknown but true facts about Maimonides,his family, and his unique, often controversial, but brilliant ideas. The reader is introduced to Maimonides’ family, people who generally failed to share his rational approach to life.
Maimonides, Spinoza and Us: Toward an Intellectually Vibrant Judaism, by Rabbi Marc D. Angel.
This is an important book for people who want to understand the truth of Judaism, rather than the obscurantist notion that Jews must accept the views of authorities without asking questions.
Maimonides: The Exceptional Mind, by Israel Drazin.
An examination of the remarkable penetrating mind of Moses Maimonides and to his rational eye-opening thoughts on many subjects.
Maimonides: The Life and World of One of Civilizations Greatest Minds, by Joel L. Kraemer.
Kraemer has written a detailed and readable biography of Maimonides. In addition he has placed Maimonidies' life and thoughts within the context of the era in which he lived - the era of the crusades, the battles of Saladin, the clash of cultures, and the persecution of Jews by Christians and Muslims.
Maimonides Medical Writing, Volume 2, by Moses Maimonides.
Maimonides' teachings are based on the unique combination of Torah, science and medicine. This volume contains Maimonides' commentary on the aphorisms of Hippocrates.
Maimonides' Medical Writings, Volume 4, by Moses Maimonides.
Maimonides' Medical writings constitute a vivid exposition of the spiritual and ethical teachings of the Torah. This volume contains three treatises on health.
Maimonides the Rationalist, by Herbert A. Davidson.
Maimonides was not the first rabbinic scholar to take an interest in philosophy, but he was unique in being a towering figure in both areas.
Maimonides: Torah and Philosophic Quest, by David Hartman.
In this book, Hartman departs from traditional scholarly views about Maimonides by offering a new way of understanding the great man and his work. This expanded edition contains Hartman's new postscript.
Mishneh Torah, by Moses Maimonides.
Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.
Moses Maimonides' Treatise on Resurrection , by Lea Naomi Goldfeld.
Did Maimonides believe in resurrection? If not, why do so many people think that he did?
Must a Jew Believe Anything?, by Menachem Kellner.
The crucial question for today's Jewish world, Menachem Kellner argues, is not whether Jews will have Jewish grandchildren, but how many different sorts of mutually exclusive Judaisms those grandchildren will face.
Persecution and the Art of Writing, by Leo Strauss.
The essays in this collection all deal with one problem — the relation between philosophy and politics.
Perspectives on Maimonides: Philosophical and Historical Studies, edited by Joel L. Kraemer.
This book contains fifteen articles by leading, world-recognized Maimonidean scholars. These articles illustrate the radically different ways that scholars interpret Maimonides, and how much these experts have to teach us.
Philosophic Mysticism, by David R. Blumenthal.
Can a philosopher be a mystic? Classical scholarship on medieval Jewish thought answered this question, with few exceptions, in the negative. This book, a collection of essays written over a forty-year period by David R. Blumenthal, offers a forceful positive answer.
Science in the Bet Midrash, by Menachem Kellner.
This book explores the religious thought of Moses Maimonides (1138-1204), the single most influential Jew of the last thousand years. While covering many aspects of his religious philosophy, the central focus of these essays is the way Maimonides elucidated and expressed the universalistic thrust of the Jewish tradition.
Studies in Maimonides and His Interpreters, by Marc B. Shapiro.
More than 800 years after his death, the figure of Moses Maimonides—rabbi, philosopher, doctor, and communal leader—continues to fascinate. Studies in Maimonides and His Interpreters unites the traditional rabbinic approach and the modern academic perspective to forge a new understanding of this iconic teacher.
Torah in the Observatory, by Menachem Kellner.
Revered among Jews as the author of a classic commentary on the latter books of the Bible, Kellner portrays Gersonides as a true Renaissance Man, whose view of Torah is vastly wider and more open than that held by many of those who treasure his memory.
Torah Umadda, by Rabbi Norman Lamm.
This classic work analyzes and embraces the tension between Torah study and secular learning by exploring the philosophies of Moses Maimonides, Samson Raphael Hirsch, Abraham Isaac Kook and other influential Jewish thinkers.
The Treaties of the Pool, by Obadyah son of Abraham son of Maimonides.
A remarkable, previously untranslated, Sufic text by the celebrated grandson of the illustrious philosopher Maimonides. Includes a preface by Professor Georges Vajda, and the translator's introduction outlines the history of Sufi influences on Judaism.
Was Maimonides Jewish?, by Dr. Israel Drazin.
On October 18, 2010, Jewish Ideas Daily published an article which was advertised as Was Maimonides Jewish? The article stated that "according to unpublished correspondence of the political philosopher Leo Strauss, no." But is this really the case?
Why Translation Matters, by Edith Grossman.
Grossman's belief in the crucial significance of the translator's work, as well as her rare ability to explain the intellectual sphere that she inhabits as interpreter of the original text, inspires and provokes the reader to engage with translation in an entirely new way.
The Wisdom of Maimonides: The Life and Writings of the Jewish Sage, by Edward Hoffman.
This book offers an accessible introduction to the life and wisdom of the famous twelfth-century philosopher-physician Moses Maimonides, along with a psychological analysis of Maimonides.
The Works of Philo, by Philo of Alexandria.
A contemporary of Paul and Jesus, Philo Judaeus, of Alexandria, Egypt, is unquestionably among the most important writers for historians and students of Hellenistic Judaism and early Christianity.

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