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Contents Contents Contents Contents The Reason for the Mitzvot .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. xii Author’s Preface to First Edition (1942) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. xiii Translator’s Preface .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. xv Chapter 1 The Nature of the Question .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Reasons not to engage in such an inquiry .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Reasons Such Inquiry is Mandatory .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Chapter 2 The Biblical View .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 The sources of correct behavior prior to Sinai: God’s will and human conscience .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 Even “irrational” commands do not oppose objective morality .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 Conscience Is Important Even After Sinai .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Types of Reasons in the Torah: Appeal to Authority. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 Understanding the Objective of a Mitzvah .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 Connection to Other Mitzvot or Principles .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 Emotional Reasons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 Where The Torah is Silent Concerning Reasons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12 The Torah Is Reticent About the Religious Value of the Mitzvot .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12 Investigation of the Reasons—Its Basis in the Torah .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 Chapter 3 The Views of the Rabbis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 1. Irrational from the Individual’s Perspective .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 2. Rational from the Lawmaker’s Perspective .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 The reasons for the hukkim are hidden .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 19 The Torah Does Not Distinguish Between Rational and Irrational Mitzvot .. .. 21 Why did the Rabbis Distinguish Between Rational and Non-rational Commandments? .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 3. Methodological Questions .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 Is it fi tting to seek out intellectual reasons for the mitzvot? .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 Is it permissible to derive halakhic conclusions from the reasons for the mitzvot? .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 4. The Reasons for the Mitzvot According to the Rabbis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 Measure for Measure .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26 v Contents Symbolic Reasons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26 The Mitzvot Infl uence Our Behavior .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27 Expound Them and Receive Reward .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28 Chapter 4 The Views of the Hellenistic Jews .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 34 Each Person a Supreme Authority on the Mitzvot’s Value .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 34 Irrational Reasons Not Valued .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 35 The Greek Autonomous Ethic Infl uenced the Hellenists .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 36 National Conservatism as a Reason .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 37 “Do Not Separate From the Community!” .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 38 “Natural Law” vs. the Laws of the Legislators .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 38 The Method of the Extreme Hellenists .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 39 Philo’s Method .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 The Torah’s Laws Similar to the Laws of the Universe .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 Ethical Explanations .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 41 Josephus on Theocracy .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 42 Philo’s Social Explanation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 43 Utilitarian Reasons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 44 Motivations of the Hellenists and the Rabbis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 44 Pros and Cons of the Hellenistic explanation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 45 Did Greek Culture Impoverish their Jewish culture? .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 46 Chapter 5 Views of the Medieval Philosophers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 47 General Introduction .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 47 Three Medieval “Schools” and Their Interaction .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 47 Disagreements among the Schools .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 48 Chapter 6 Saadia Gaon .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 51 The Different Tasks of Human Reason .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 51 Intellect can help explain the mitzvot .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52 The Rational and “Hortative” (Shim’iyot) Mitzvot .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52 Many Hortative Commandments Have Plausible Reasons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 53 The Virtues of Saadia’s Method .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 54 The Drawbacks of Saadia’s Method .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 55 Saadia favors utilitarian reasons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 55 Chapter 7 Bahya ben Joseph Ibn Pakudah .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 57 The purpose of Duties of the Heart .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 57 The Heart—Source for Performing the Mitzvot .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 58 The Levels of Mitzvah Performers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 58 The Propadeutic Value of the Written Torah .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 59 The Value of the Torah for the Educated Also .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 60 The Commandments of the Limbs Attest to the Commandments of the Heart 60 Religiosity of the Heart and Fulfi llment of the Commandments .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 62 How does Bahya’s outlook differ from Saadia’s? .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 62 vi Contents Chapter 8 Rabbi Judah Halevi .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 65 Purpose of the Kuzari .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 65 The Mitzvot Seek to Train Us for Coming Closer to God .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 65 Mitzvot Necessary to Arrive at the Top Rank .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 66 To reach God, perform the divine commands! .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 66 Halevi’s Approach is Not Magical .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 67 Our Reason Cannot Understand All the Mitzvot .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 68 History Testifi es to their Value .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 69 Life of Body and Life of Soul Parallel .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 69 Psychological Explanations .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 70 God of Religion vs. the Metaphysical God .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 72 The Emotional Experience . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 73 The “Practical-Religious” Value in Halevi .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 73 Halevi’s Personality .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 74 Chapter 9 Abraham Ibn Ezra .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 76 The Value of Knowing the Reasons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 76 Utilitarian and Ethical Reasons. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 77 Symbolic Reasons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 77 Secret Relations Between Mitzvot and the Forces of Nature .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 78 Mystical Arithmetic .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 79 Astrological Explanations and Their Limitation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 79 The Arrangement of the Temple and Its Affairs .. .. .. .. .
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