Maimonides, Spinoza and Us: Toward an Intellectually Vibrant Judaism

by Rabbi Marc D. Angel (Translator)

A challenging look at two great Jewish philosophers, and what their thinking means to our understanding of God, truth, revelation and reason. Moses Maimonides (1138–1204) is Jewish history's greatest exponent of a rational, philosophically sound Judaism. He strove to reconcile the teachings of the Bible and rabbinic tradition with the principles of Aristotelian philosophy, arguing that religion and philosophy ultimately must arrive at the same truth. Baruch Spinoza (1632–77) is Jewish history’s most illustrious "heretic." He believed that truth could be attained through reason alone, and that philosophy and religion were separate domains that could not be reconciled. His critique of the Bible and its teachings caused an intellectual and spiritual upheaval whose effects are still felt today. Rabbi Marc D. Angel discusses major themes in the writings of Maimonides and Spinoza to show us how modern people can deal with religion in an intellectually honest and meaningful way. From Maimonides, we gain insight on how to harmonize traditional religious belief with the dictates of reason. From Spinoza, we gain insight into the intellectual challenges which must be met by modern believers.

Genres: Judaism, Jewish, Religion

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kudos to Rabbi Angel for digesting the often dense works of Maimonides and Spinoza and providing cogent comparisons between the two. But as an Orthodox Jew, Rabbi Angel is much more of a fan of the Rambam than of Spinoza. Much of the book is devoted to Rambam's synthesis between religion and rationalism, whereas relatively little is learned about Spinoza's extreme empirical approach. I especially appreciated the "Us" section, where the author took to task rabbis of the more fundamentalist stripe. Overall an important, well thought out book. I just wished there was more written on Spinoza.

[Avi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible and succinct analysis of Maimonidean thought in dialogue with Spinoza and using their “conversation” to present a powerful and compelling case for an intellectually rational, yet fundamentally Orthodox Judaism. One of the best books on Judaism I have ever read

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A breath of fresh air. I have a renewed appreciation for Maimonides, too!

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book. I highly recommend it to everyone, especially those who have yet to dip their toes into Maimonides.

[Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Does a good job of highlighting the importance of reason in both philosophers' thinking. Overall, a bit too much theology for this simple soul.