Medieval Jewish History
Alanna E. Cooper
Fall 2012
SESSION 11:
Knowing God: Medieval Jewish Philosophy and Mysticism
READING
1. The Philosophical Approach
Readings from Maimonides Reader, Isadore Twersky
2. The Mystical Approach
Readings from The Essential Kabbalah,
Readings from Maimonides Reader, Isadore Twersky
- From the Mishneh Torah, Book of Knowledge, Basic Principles of the Torah, pp.42-45 (If you’d like to read an additional text that expands on the principles set forth here, read “Eight Chapters” p.361-386)
- From the Introduction to the Guide of the Perplexed, Pp.236-241
- If you have interest, I recommend the Twersky’s introduction to the volume, found on p.1-29, for a general overview of Maimonides’ body of work.
2. The Mystical Approach
Readings from The Essential Kabbalah,
- Read the introductory chapter in its entirety (p.1-15)
- For a taste of the Kabbalistic teachings, read at least of few selections from the chapter, “Ein Sof: God as Infinity” (which is found on p.24-35), and a few selections form the chapter, “Eiin Sof and the Sefirot” (which is found on p.37-63)
