Jewish Perspectives

1. THIS CD HAS BEEN PRODUCED FOR TEACHERS TO USE IN THE CLASSROOM. IT IS A CONDITION OF THE USE OF THE CD THAT IT BE USED ONLY BY PEOPLE FROM SCHOOLS THAT HAS PURCHASED THE CD ROM FROM DIALOGUE EDUCATION. (THIS DOES NOT PROHIBIT ITS USE ON A SCHOOL’S INTRANET). Dialogue Education Jewish Perspectives Jewish Philosophy

2. Documentary- The Great Philosophers: An Introduction to Western Philosophy(120 minutes) Click on the image to the left. You will need to be connected to the internet to view this presentation. Enlarge to full screen.

3. GAMES Click on one of the images above for a game of “Fling the Teacher”, “Penalty Shootout” or “Hoop-shoot”. Try playing a game with your students at the start and the end of the unit. Make sure you have started the slide show and are connected to the internet.

4. Jewish philosophy includes all philosophy carried out by Jews, or, in relation to the religion of Judaism. Jewish Philosophy

5. Medieval re-discovery of Greek thought among Gaonim of 10th century Babylonian academies brought rationalist philosophy into Biblical-Talmudic Judaism. Jewish Philosophy

6. Ancient Jewish philosophy Philosophy in the Bible. Rabbinic literature sometimes views Abraham as a "philosopher." Jewish Philosophy

7. Philo of Alexandria Philo attempted to fuse and harmonize Greek Philosophy and Judaism via allegory which he learned from Jewish exegesis and the Stoics. Jewish Philosophy

8. Philo of Alexandria Dr. Bernard Revel, in dissertation on "Karaite Halacha", points to writings of a 10th century Karaite, Ya'qub al-Qirqisani, who quotes Philo, illustrating how Karaites made use of Philo's works in development of Karaism. Jewish Philosophy

9. Jewish scholarship after destruction of Second Temple With destruction of the Second Temple Judaism was in disarray, but Jewish traditions were preserved especially thanks to the shrewd maneuvers of Yochanan Ben Zakkai, who saved the Sanhedrin and moved it to Yavne. Jewish Philosophy

10. Jewish scholarship after destruction of Second Temple After the Bar Kochba Revolt, Rabbinic scholars gathered in Tiberias and Safed to re-assemble and re-assess Judaism, its laws, theology, liturgy, beliefs and leadership structure. Jewish Philosophy

11. Rabbinic Judaism had limited philosophical activity until it was challenged by Islam, Karaism, and Christianity - with Mishnah, Talmud and Tanach, there was no need for a philosophic framework. Jewish Philosophy

12. The spread of Islam throughout the Middle East and North Africa rendered Muslim all that was once Jewish. Jewish Philosophy

13. Jewish philosophy before Maimonides "Hiwi the Heretic“ Hiwi is generally considered to be very first "Jewish" philosopher to subject the Pentateuch to critical analysis. Jewish Philosophy

14. Jewish philosophy before Maimonides "Hiwi the Heretic" Hiwi espoused the belief that miraculous acts, described in the Pentateuch, are simply examples of people using their skills of reasoning to undertake, and perform, seemingly miraculous acts. Jewish Philosophy

15. Jewish philosophy before Maimonides David Ibn Marwān al-Mukammas al-Rakki David ben Merwan al-Mukkamas was author of the earliest known Jewish philosophical work of the Middle Ages, a commentary on Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation); he is regarded as the father of Jewish medieval philosophy. Jewish Philosophy

16. Jewish philosophy before Maimonides Yitzhak ben Yaakob HaKohen al-Fasi Rabbi Yitzhak ben Yakob HaKohen al-Fasi was a student of Nissim Gaon. al-Fasi is best known for his work of halachah, the legal code Sefer Ha-halachot, considered the first fundamental work in halachic literature Jewish Philosophy

17. Jewish philosophy before Maimonides Yitzhak ben Yaakob HaKohen al-Fasi Bahye ben Yosef Ibn Paquda, of Zaragoza, was author of the first Jewish system of ethics Al Hidayah ila Faraid al-hulub, ("Guide to the Duties of the Heart") Jewish Philosophy

18. Jewish philosophy before Maimonides Abraham ibn Daud Ibn Daud did not introduce a new philosophy, but he was the first to introduce a more thorough systematic form derived from Aristotle. Jewish Philosophy

19. The Rambam - Maimonides Maimonides wrote The Guide for the Perplexed - his most influential philosophic work. He was a student of his father, Rabbi Maimon ben Yosef (a student of Joseph ibn Migash) in Cordoba, Spain. Jewish Philosophy

20. The Rambam - Maimonides Maimonides strove to reconcile Aristotelian philosophy and science with the teachings of Torah. Jewish Philosophy

21. The Rambam - Maimonides Maimonides departed from the teachings of Aristotle by suggesting that the world is not eternal, as Aristotle taught, but was created ex nihilo. Jewish Philosophy

22. Medieval Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides Maimonides writings almost immediately came under attack from Karaites, Dominican Christians, Tosafists of Provence, Ashkenaz and Al Andalus. Jewish Philosophy

23. Medieval Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides In Western Europe, the controversy was halted by the burning of Maimonides' works by Christian Dominicans, in 1232. Jewish Philosophy

24. Medieval Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides Maimonidean controversy flared up again at the beginning of the fourteenth century when Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet, under influence from Asher ben Jehiel, issued a cherem on "any member of the community who, being under twenty-five years, shall study the works of the Greeks on natural science and metaphysics." Jewish Philosophy

25. Medieval Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides Joseph ben Judah of Ceuta, of Ceuta, was the son of Rabbi Yehuda Ha-Kohen Ibn Soussan and a student of Maimonides for whom the "Guide for the Perplexed" is written. Jewish Philosophy

26. Medieval Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides Hillel ben Samuel Firstly, Hillel ben Samuel's importance in the history of medieval Jewish philosophy lies in his attempt to deal, systematically, with the question of the immortality of the soul. Jewish Philosophy

27. Medieval Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides Hillel ben Samuel Defending Maimonides, Hillel addressed a letter to his friend Maestro Gaio asking him to use his influence with the Jews of Rome against Maimonides' opponents (Solomon Petit). Jewish Philosophy

28. Medieval Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides Gersonides Rabbi Levi ben Gershon was a student of his father Gerson ben Solomon of Arles, who in turn was a student of Shem-Tov ibn Falaquera. Jewish Philosophy

29. Medieval Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides Hoter ben Solomon Hoter ben Shlomo was a scholar and philosopher in Yemen heavily influenced by Nethanel ben al-Fayyumi, Maimonides, Saadia Gaon and al-Ghazali. Jewish Philosophy

30. Medieval Jewish Philosophy after Maimonides Leone Ebreo Judah Leon Abravanel was Portuguese physician, poet and philosopher. His work Dialoghi d'amore ("Dialogues of Love"), written in Italian, was one of the most important philosophical works of his time. Jewish Philosophy

31. Renaissance Jewish philosophy and philosophers Some of the Monarchies of Asia Minor and European welcomed expelled Jewish Merchants, scholars and theologians. Jewish Philosophy

32. Renaissance Jewish philosophy and philosophers Elia del Medigo was a descendant of Judah ben Eliezer ha-Levi Minz and Moses ben Isaac ha-Levi Minz. Eli'ezer del Medigo, of Rome, received the surname "Del Medigo" after studying Medicine. Jewish Philosophy

33. Renaissance Jewish philosophy and philosophers Moses ben Jehiel Ha-Kohen Porto-Rafa (Rapaport) Moses ben Jehiel Ha-Kohen Porto-Rafa (Rapaport), was a member of the German family "Rafa" (from whom the Delmedigo family originates) that settled in the town of Porto in the vicinity of Verona, Italy, and became the progenitors of the renowned Rapaport Rabbinic family. Jewish Philosophy

34. Seventeenth-century Jewish philosophy With expulsion from Spain came the dissemination of Jewish Philosophical investigation throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Northern Europe and Western Hemisphere. Jewish Philosophy

35. Seventeenth-century Jewish philosophy Rationalism was incubating in geographies far from Spain. Jewish Philosophy

36. Baruch Spinoza Baruch Spinoza adopted Pantheism, broke with Rabbinic Judaism tradition and was excommunicated. Jewish Philosophy

37. Eighteenth and Nineteenth-Century Jewish philosophy A new era began in the 18th century with the thought of Moses Mendelssohn. Jewish Philosophy

38. Traditionalist attitudes towards philosophy Haredi traditionalists who emerged in reaction to the Haskalah considered the fusion of religion and philosophy as difficult because classical philosophers start with no preconditions for which conclusions they must reach in their investigation. Jewish Philosophy

39. Traditionalist attitudes towards philosophy Other exponents of Hasidism had a more positive attitude towards philosophy. Jewish Philosophy

40. 20th and 21st-century Jewish philosophy One of the major trends in modern Jewish philosophy was the attempt to develop a theory of Judaism through existentialism. Jewish Philosophy

41. 20th and 21st-century Jewish philosophy Jewish rationalism Rationalism has re-emerged as a popular perspective among Jews. Jewish Philosophy

42. 20th and 21st-century Jewish philosophy Jewish rationalism Cohen was a German Jewish neo-Kantian philosopher who turned to Jewish subjects at the end of his career in the early 20th century, picking up on ideas of Maimonides. Jewish Philosophy

43. 20th and 21st-century Jewish philosophy Some Orthodox rationalists in Israel take a "restorationist" approach, reaching back in time for tools to simplify Rabbinic Judaism and bring all Jews, regardless of status or stream of Judaism, closer to observance of Halacha, Mitzvot, Kashrut and embrace of Maimonides' "13 Principles of Faith" Jewish Philosophy

44. 20th and 21st-century Jewish philosophy Holocaust theology Judaism has traditionally taught that HaShem is omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent. Jewish Philosophy

45. Reconstructionist theology Perhaps the most controversial form of Jewish philosophy that developed in the early 20th century was the religious naturalism of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan. Jewish Philosophy

46. 20th and 21st-century Jewish philosophy Process theology A recent trend has been to reframe Jewish theology through the lens of process philosophy, more specifically process theology. Jewish Philosophy

47. 20th and 21st-century Jewish philosophy Process theology Intrinsic to this worldview is the notion that all experiences are influenced by prior experiences, and will influence all future experiences. Jewish Philosophy

48. Documentary- A History of God(120 minutes) Click on the image to the left. You will need to be connected to the internet to view this presentation. Enlarge to full screen.

49. * Bleich, J. David (ed.) With Perfect Faith: The Foundations of Jewish Belief Ktav Publishing House, Inc.; 1983. ISBN 0-87068-452-3 * Boteach, Shmuel Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge: Basic Concepts of Hasidic Thought Jason Aronson; 1995. Paperback. ISBN 0-87668-557-2 * Colette Sirat, A History of Jewish Philosophy in the Middle Ages. Cambridge University Press, 1990. ISBN 0-521-39727-8 * Daniel H. Frank and Oliver Leaman (eds.), History of Jewish Philosophy. London: Routledge, 1997. ISBN 0-415-08064-9 * Dorff, Elliot N. and Louis E. Newman (eds.) Contemporary Jewish Theology: A Reader Oxford Univ Press; 1998. ISBN 0-19-511467-1. * Dorff, Elliot N. Conservative Judaism: Our Ancestors to Our Descendants (Revised edition) United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, 1996 * Platform on Reconstructionism FRC Newsletter, Sept. 1986 * Fox, Marvin Interpreting Maimonides, Univ. of Chicago Press. 1990 * Robert Gordis (Ed.) Emet Ve-Emunah: Statement of Principles of Conservative Judaism JTS, Rabbinical Assembly, and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, 1988 * Julius Guttmann, Philosophies of Judaism Translated by David Silverman, JPS, 1964 * Maimonides' Principles: The Fundamentals of Jewish Faith, in "The Aryeh Kaplan Anthology, Volume I", Mesorah Publications 1994 * Kaplan, Mordecai M. Judaism as a Civilization Reconstructionist Press, New York. 1935. Jewish Publication Society; 1994 * Kellner, Menachem Dogma in Medieval Jewish Thought Oxford University Press, 1986. * Maslin, Simeon J., Melvin Merians and Alexander M. Schindler, What We Believe...What We Do...: A Pocket Guide for Reform Jews UAHC Press, 1998 * Shapiro, Marc B. "Maimonides Thirteen Principles: The Last Word in Jewish Theology?" in The Torah U-Maddah Journal, Vol. 4, 1993, Yeshiva University * Wikipedia- Jewish Philosophy- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_philosophy Bibliography