Maimondies and comparative study of Maimonidies and Mendelssohn

Question 1

What is Maimondies seen as?

Answer 1

The most influential leader of the Post Talumdic Judaism

Question 2

What were his 5 main contributions?

Answer 2

1) Mishnah Torah
2) Guide for the perplexed
3) 13 princples of faith
4) Responsa - Teshuvot
5) Commentatories on the Mishnah

Question 3

What was the Mishnah torah?

Answer 3

It was the first systematic and comprehensive codification of the entire Jewish law.

Question 4

What was the intention of the Mishnah Torah?

Answer 4

It was intended to encourage the average Jew to access the body of Jewish law more easily. Also it organised the complex and confusingly arranged Talmud into a logical order.

Question 5

What are 2 positives of the Mishnah torah?

Answer 5

1) Contributes to the preservation of Jewish identitiy through his works on the Mishnah.
2) Made the Jewish law more accesible to the everyday Jew.

Question 6

What are 2 critiques of the Mishnah Torah?

Answer 6

1) Most of his opponents were Rabbis as he was trying to base his work on philosophical ideas, meaning that Jews might neglect the Talmud which was essential for Jewish faith.
2) The rabbis felt that he should of listed his sources for legal decisions that he codified in his code of law.

Question 7

What was the Guide of the perplexed?

Answer 7

Maimondies wrote the Guide for the perplexed to combine both the beliefs of Arisitole and Jewish teachings. The guide also addressed confusion of the literal terms and concepts in the bible. Stressing the terms are spirtual meaning not literal meaning.

Question 8

What are 2 positives of the Guide of the Perplexed?

Answer 8

1) Encouraged further and deeper thought into how Jews could develop individual meaning.
2) Promoted philospohical approach to how Jews could continue to be virtuous people to work in tandem with Jewish teachings

Question 9

What is a critque of the Guide of the perplexed?

Answer 9

Many Rabbis were convinced that even if Maimondies’ philosphy was correct, people who had insufficient Judaic background and were young should not study it.

Question 10

What are the 13 princples of faith?

Answer 10

Highlights certain doctrines needed for salvation, the princples were used to define Jewish belief.

Question 11

What are 2 examples of the 13 princples of faith?

Answer 11

The messiah will come

Prayer is to directed to God no one else

Question 12

What is are 3 strengths of the 13 princples of faith?

Answer 12

1) Clear and less exhaustive than the 613 mitzvots
2) Applies to Modern society
3) Easy for the average Jew

Question 13

What are 2 weakenesses of the 13 princples of faith?

Answer 13

1) Losses the integrity of law

2) Watering down religion

Question 14

What is the Respona ( Teshuvot)?

Answer 14

He wrote many Responsas in answer to numerous of questions directed to him from Jews all around the world. These deal with lots of issues such as Jewish law, religio-philosphical problems and complex torah passages.

Question 15

What is an example of a Responsa from Maimondies?

Answer 15

Maimondies famous letter to Yemen offered the Yemen community encourgement and advice when local rulers issued religious degrees forcing the Jews to choose between conversion and death.

Question 16

What are 2 strength of the responsa?

Answer 16

1) It is a easy way for Jews to seek advice

2) Shows best interest for Jews

Question 17

What is a disadvantage of the responsa?

Answer 17

Orthodox Jews argue he cannot answer questions God should answer because it is disrespectful.

Question 18

What were commentaries of the Mishnah?

Answer 18

Offered brief explanations for each Mishnah explaining everything that was unclear. It includes new information and advice for pratical application of the Torah.

Question 19

What are 2 positives of the mishnah Torah and a negative?

Answer 19

Makes life simplier for a Jewish giving them no excuse to achieve Gan eden
Doing the role of rabbi

Question 20

What is via negativa?

Answer 20

This suggests that God cannot be known, yet not described. Only negative terms can be used to describe God.

Question 21

What is Maimonides view on God?

Answer 21

He holds the view that God is not physical. Therefore Jews have a spiritual God.

Question 22

What is Imiratio Del?

Answer 22

Humans should Imitate God through their actions.

Question 23

What does Anthropomorphism mean?

Answer 23

Giving God human characteristics

Question 24

What did Rabbis think about Maimondies when he said we have a spiritual God?

Answer 24

They do think God has a body like humans and has human emotions.

Question 25

What are 3 other contributions from Maimondies?

Answer 25

The problem of evil
Providing Gods existence
Prophecy

Question 26

What did Maimondies think about the Problem of evil?

Answer 26

God gave humans free will out of love.

Question 27

What does Maimondies believe about God’s existence?

Answer 27

Rejected the Kalam argument as a proof of God he instead used 4 proofs for Gods existence
1) from motion
2) composition of elements
3) neccesity and contingency
4) from potentiality and causality
these rely on a first mover and is is God

Question 28

What is Maimondies idea on Prophecy?

Answer 28

Prophecy is an inspiration from God which is perfect and this is passed down to a active intellect ( so reason must always play a part). This was Moses role. The study of the torah allows Jews to be the Active intellect.

Question 29

What did Maimonidies say was essential for each other?

Answer 29

Faith and reason are not enemies but in Maimonides thought, essential to each other if they were to understand God.

Question 30

What is Maimonides ideas of Religious Pluralism?

Answer 30

He disagrees with Religious Pluralism. He believes that the only truth is God’s truth nothing else. Therefore he considers Jesus wrong to create Christianity and Muhammad was wrong to create Islam

Question 31

Why does Maimondies reject Religious Pluralism?

Answer 31

It is a disrespect to God, God can only be explained within a paradigm, which is the tenakh thats all. By collaborating with other religions means, Jews undermine the role of the chosen people.

Question 32

What are 3 similarities between Maimonides and Mendelssohn?

Answer 32

1) Both try to limit the idea of God
2) Both used application of reason when reading Jewish texts
3) Both was aimed at giving clear explanations of scriptures to progress Judaism.

Question 33

What is a difference in belief between Mendelssohn and Maimondies?

Answer 33

1) Maimondies is a religious Jew who still saw value of Jewish scritputres encouraging reading
2) Mendelssohn is a very secular Jew and did not see value to Jewish scriptures.

Question 34

What is the difference between Maimondies and Mendelssohn in terms of Religious Pluralism?

Answer 34

Maimondies rejects this

Mendelssohn doesn’t reject religious pluralism

Question 35

What is the difference between Maimondies and Mendelssohn in terms of proving God’s existence?

Answer 35

Mendelssohn believes in the kalam argument as to prove Gods existence
Maimondies rejects this and says use can prove God through 4 proofs of Gods existence
1) from motion
2) composition of elements
3) neccesity and contingency
4) from potentiality and casuality

Question 36

What is another difference between Maimondies and Mendelssohn in terms of references for Jews

Answer 36

1) Maimondies tries to provide a clear understanding of Jewish books
2) Maimondies tries to change the education of Judaism to a more secular society ( e.g. education in russia) so he wanted to completely radicalize Judaism.

Question 37

What could be another difference between Maimondies and Mendelssohn in terms of audience?

Answer 37

Maimondies applied mainly to Jews

Mendelssohn applied to everyone stemming from the Maskalim

Question 38

What is another difference between Mendelssohn and Maimondies in terms of free will?

Answer 38

1) We don’t truly have free will, God cannot truly punish us
Maimondies thinks that evil is a privation of Good, therefore we do have free will, it is humans choice to go against God.

Question 39

What would be your 4 points for the question Analyse the claim that Maimonides has made a greater contribution to Judaism than Mendelssohn (20)

Answer 39

1) Maimondies 13 princples of faith
2) He rejects religious Pluralism
3) The responsa ( Teshuvot) - clears confusion encourages in depth study
4) However Mendelssohn encourages Religious Pluralism. ( interfaith dialogue)