Some Interpretations of Tohu Wa-Bohu
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1 Unit 1 Metaphysical Method of Aristotle and Aquinas
UNIT 1 METAPHYSICAL METHOD OF ARISTOTLE AND AQUINAS Contents 1.0 Objectives 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Aristotelian Method of Metaphysics 1.3 Metaphysical Method of St Thomas Aquinas 1.4 Metaphysics and Epistemology 1.5 Let us Sum up 1.6 Key Words 1.7 Further Readings and References 1.8 Answers to Check Your Progress 1.0 OBJECTIVES Aristotle’s thirst for knowledge pushes him beyond the phenomenal world. He does not just contemplate on them but arrives at them through causes. At the beginning of metaphysics which he called ‘first philosophy’ Aristotle had raised the problem of knowledge and wisdom. Aquinas devoted much of his thought to the question ‘what does it mean to be’? Many Thomists think that his greatest philosophical ability was shown in the area of metaphysics. In this Unit you are expected to understand: • The metaphysical method of Aristotle • The metaphysical method of Aquinas • The inseparable relation between metaphysics and epistemology 1.1 INTRODUCTION 1 The term metaphysics is not of Aristotle, it was of his disciple Andronicus of Rhodes (40 BC) who edited his works. The texts on ‘first philosophy’ were grouped after those of physics and were called meta ta physika. Aristotle defines metaphysics or first philosophy as “a science which investigates being as being”. It is the science that studies being as being. Other sciences touch only a portion of the things. They touch on a particular sphere of being and analyse the attributes of being in that particular sphere. Metaphysics, on the contrary, considers being as such, entity as such in the universal manner and in its highest and most general determinations, thus seeking the ultimate causes. -
TALMUDIC STUDIES Ephraim Kanarfogel
chapter 22 TALMUDIC STUDIES ephraim kanarfogel TRANSITIONS FROM THE EAST, AND THE NASCENT CENTERS IN NORTH AFRICA, SPAIN, AND ITALY The history and development of the study of the Oral Law following the completion of the Babylonian Talmud remain shrouded in mystery. Although significant Geonim from Babylonia and Palestine during the eighth and ninth centuries have been identified, the extent to which their writings reached Europe, and the channels through which they passed, remain somewhat unclear. A fragile consensus suggests that, at least initi- ally, rabbinic teachings and rulings from Eretz Israel traveled most directly to centers in Italy and later to Germany (Ashkenaz), while those of Babylonia emerged predominantly in the western Sephardic milieu of Spain and North Africa.1 To be sure, leading Sephardic talmudists prior to, and even during, the eleventh century were not yet to be found primarily within Europe. Hai ben Sherira Gaon (d. 1038), who penned an array of talmudic commen- taries in addition to his protean output of responsa and halakhic mono- graphs, was the last of the Geonim who flourished in Baghdad.2 The family 1 See Avraham Grossman, “Zik˙atah shel Yahadut Ashkenaz ‘el Erets Yisra’el,” Shalem 3 (1981), 57–92; Grossman, “When Did the Hegemony of Eretz Yisra’el Cease in Italy?” in E. Fleischer, M. A. Friedman, and Joel Kraemer, eds., Mas’at Mosheh: Studies in Jewish and Moslem Culture Presented to Moshe Gil [Hebrew] (Jerusalem, 1998), 143–57; Israel Ta- Shma’s review essays in K˙ ryat Sefer 56 (1981), 344–52, and Zion 61 (1996), 231–7; Ta-Shma, Kneset Mehkarim, vol. -
Medieval Jewish Philosophy and Its Literary Forms'
H-Judaic Lawee on Hughes and Robinson, 'Medieval Jewish Philosophy and Its Literary Forms' Review published on Monday, March 16, 2020 Aaron W. Hughes, James T. Robinson, eds. Medieval Jewish Philosophy and Its Literary Forms. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2019. viii + 363 pp. $100.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-253-04252-1. Reviewed by Eric Lawee (Bar-Ilan University)Published on H-Judaic (March, 2020) Commissioned by Barbara Krawcowicz (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) Printable Version: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showpdf.php?id=54753 Among the religious and intellectual innovations in which medieval Judaism abounds, none sparked controversy more than the attempt of certain rabbis and scholars to promote teachings of ancient Greek philosophy. Most notable, of course, was Moses Maimonides, the foremost legist and theologian of the age. Not only did he cultivate Greco-Arabic philosophy and science, but he also taught the radical proposition that knowledge of some of its branches was essential for a true understanding of revealed scripture and for worship of God in its purest form. As an object of modern scholarship, medieval philosophy has not suffered from a lack of attention. Since the advent of Wissenschaft des Judentums more than a century and half ago, studies have proliferated, whether on specific topics (e.g., theories of creation), leading figures (e.g., Saadiah Gaon, Judah Halevi, Maimonides), or the historical, religious, and intellectual settings in which Jewish engagements with philosophy occurred—first in -
Philosophy of Science and Philosophy of Chemistry
Philosophy of Science and Philosophy of Chemistry Jaap van Brakel Abstract: In this paper I assess the relation between philosophy of chemistry and (general) philosophy of science, focusing on those themes in the philoso- phy of chemistry that may bring about major revisions or extensions of cur- rent philosophy of science. Three themes can claim to make a unique contri- bution to philosophy of science: first, the variety of materials in the (natural and artificial) world; second, extending the world by making new stuff; and, third, specific features of the relations between chemistry and physics. Keywords : philosophy of science, philosophy of chemistry, interdiscourse relations, making stuff, variety of substances . 1. Introduction Chemistry is unique and distinguishes itself from all other sciences, with respect to three broad issues: • A (variety of) stuff perspective, requiring conceptual analysis of the notion of stuff or material (Sections 4 and 5). • A making stuff perspective: the transformation of stuff by chemical reaction or phase transition (Section 6). • The pivotal role of the relations between chemistry and physics in connection with the question how everything fits together (Section 7). All themes in the philosophy of chemistry can be classified in one of these three clusters or make contributions to general philosophy of science that, as yet , are not particularly different from similar contributions from other sci- ences (Section 3). I do not exclude the possibility of there being more than three clusters of philosophical issues unique to philosophy of chemistry, but I am not aware of any as yet. Moreover, highlighting the issues discussed in Sections 5-7 does not mean that issues reviewed in Section 3 are less im- portant in revising the philosophy of science. -
The Role of Hebrew Letters in Making the Divine Visible
"VTSFDIUMJDIFO (SàOEFOTUFIU EJFTF"CCJMEVOH OJDIUJN0QFO "DDFTT[VS 7FSGàHVOH The Role of Hebrew Letters in Making the Divine Visible KATRIN KOGMAN-APPEL hen Jewish figural book art began to develop in central WEurope around the middle of the thirteenth century, the patrons and artists of Hebrew liturgical books easily opened up to the tastes, fashions, and conventions of Latin illu- minated manuscripts and other forms of Christian art. Jewish book designers dealt with the visual culture they encountered in the environment in which they lived with a complex process of transmis- sion, adaptation, and translation. Among the wealth of Christian visual themes, however, there was one that the Jews could not integrate into their religious culture: they were not prepared to create anthropomorphic representations of God. This stand does not imply that Jewish imagery never met the challenge involved in representing the Divine. Among the most lavish medieval Hebrew manu- scripts is a group of prayer books that contain the liturgical hymns that were commonly part of central European prayer rites. Many of these hymns address God by means of lavish golden initial words that refer to the Divine. These initials were integrated into the overall imagery of decorated initial panels, their frames, and entire page layouts in manifold ways to be analyzed in what follows. Jewish artists and patrons developed interesting strategies to cope with the need to avoid anthropomorphism and still to give way to visually powerful manifestations of the divine presence. Among the standard themes in medieval Ashkenazi illuminated Hebrew prayer books (mahzorim)1 we find images of Moses receiving the tablets of the Law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 31:18, 34), commemorated during the holiday of Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks (fig. -
The Participation of God and the Torah in Early Kabbalah
religions Article The Participation of God and the Torah in Early Kabbalah Adam Afterman 1,* and Ayal Hayut‑man 2 1 Department of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel 2 School of Jewish Studies and Archaeology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: All Abrahamic religions have developed hypostatic and semi‑divine perceptions of scrip‑ ture. This article presents an integrated picture of a rich tradition developed in early kabbalah (twelfth–thirteenth century) that viewed the Torah as participating and identifying with the God‑ head. Such presentation could serve scholars of religion as a valuable tool for future comparisons between the various perceptions of scripture and divine revelation. The participation of God and Torah can be divided into several axes: the identification of Torah with the Sefirot, the divine grada‑ tions or emanations according to kabbalah; Torah as the name of God; Torah as the icon and body of God; and the commandments as the substance of the Godhead. The article concludes by examining the mystical implications of this participation, particularly the notion of interpretation as eros in its broad sense, both as the “penetration” of a female Torah and as taking part in the creation of the world and of God, and the notion of unification with Torah and, through it, with the Godhead. Keywords: Kabbalah; Godhead; Torah; scripture; Jewish mysticism; participation in the Godhead 1. Introduction Citation: Afterman, Adam, and Ayal The centrality of the Word of God, as consolidated in scripture, is a central theme in Hayut‑man. -
RLST 124I: Varieties of Ancient Judaism Spring 2009 Handout #7 (May 12, 2009) “Persian Jews”
RLST 124I: Varieties of Ancient Judaism Spring 2009 Handout #7 (May 12, 2009) “Persian Jews” Sassanid Empire: Persian ruling dynasty established in 226 CE, which instituted rigid class hierarchies, autocratic military rule, and Zoroastrianism as the “official” Persian religion; in constant military conflict with the Roman Empire, until collapsing under the spread of Islam in the 650s dualism: a theological orientation that posits a struggle between good and evil that is conducted at the individual, communal, and cosmic levels; dualistic religions usually assume the eventual triumph of “good” over “evil,” but assign different levels of potency and authority to the powers of evil Zoroastrianism/Magianism/Mazdeanism: a dualistic ethical monotheism of the Near East, in which believers worship a single god of wisdom and truth (Ahura Mazda) and work to resist the forces of evil (in extreme formulations, posited as almost a second god); Mazda is not worshipped with sacrifices, but in fire temples managed by special priests (magi); the religion is named for Zarathustra (or Zoroaster), the prophet (of the 64th? 18th? 10th? 6th? cen. BCE) of Mazda (although greatly diminished, Zoroastrianism remains a “world religion,” with adherents possibly numbering in the millions) Mani/Manicheanism: an ascetic dualistic monotheism founded by Mani (in the third century), combining aspects of Mazdeanism and Christianity; Manicheans believed that seeds of Light were trapped in a web of Darkness (the created world), and that the Savior (Christ) had come to free the seeds of Light Pahlavi: the official court language of the Sassanids Aramaic: the official scribal language of the Sassanids “castes”: a sociological term used to describe highly rigid systems of social hierarchy; in Sassanian Persia, these castes are usually divided into four: priestly, warrior/noble, scribal/bureaucratic, merchant/artisans. -
A Study in the Berlin Haskalah 1975
ISAAC SA TANOW, THE MAN AND HIS WORK; A STUDY IN THE BERLIN HASKALAH By Nehama Rezler Bersohn Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Philosophy Columbia University 1975 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am very grateful to Professor I. Barzilay for his friendly advice and encouragement throughout the course of my studies and research. Thanks are also due to the Jewish Memorial Foundation for a grant. i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT ISAAC SATANOW, THE MAN AND HIS WORK; A STUDY IN THE BERLIN HASKAIAH Nehama Rezler Bersohn Isaac Satanow, one of the most prolific writers of the Berlin Haskalah (Jewish enlightenment), typifies the maskil (an enlightened Jew) of his time. He was born and reared in Podolia, Poland at a time when Frankism and Cabbalah were reaching their peak influence. He subsequently moved to Berlin where the Jewish enlightenment movement was gaining momentum influenced by the general enlightenment and Prussia's changing economy. Satanow's way of life expressed the con fluence of these two worlds, Podolia and Berlin. Satanow adopted the goal of the moderate Haskalah to educate the Jewish masses, and by teaching them modern science, modern languages and contemporary ideas, to help them in improving their economic, social and political situation. To achieve this goal, he wrote numerous books and articles, sometimes imitating styles of and attributing the authorship to medieval and earlier writers so that his teaching would be respected and accepted. -
The Lessons of the Four Who Entered the Pardes
The Lessons of the Four Who Entered the PaRDeS The Dangers Inherent Upon the Path of Ascent By Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzadok Copyright © 1993, 2003 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved. I do not wish to deceive anyone. The Kabbalistic path, referred to in the Talmud as the “PaRDeS” can be a dangerous one for those not properly prepared to walk it. I offer this essay as a clear warning to those who consider themselves ready, all the while that Heaven does not. The Kabbalistic/Prophetic path is a necessary step of spiritual evolution. Yet, it must not be taken lightly. This is the final step in spiritual growth, not the first step or the middle one. Too many people have a juvenile attitude towards spiritual practices. For such spiritual children, it is best to leave them where they are, doing what they are doing. There are many that are not ready to “descend” into the palaces of the Heavenly King. Yet, there are those who have been long ready, and have been waiting for these teachings. It is to you, my ready students, that I write this essay. In order to avoid the pitfalls along the path of Kabbalistic spiritual ascent, there are bits of knowledge that are essential to know. The reason why the Talmud records the following episode is to hint to us what these teachings are. "Our Rabbis have taught, four entered into the Pardes. They were Ben Azai, Ben Zoma, Aher, and Rabbi Akiba. Ben Azai gazed and died. Of him it is written, "precious in the eyes of HaShem is the death of his pious ones" (Tehilim 116, 15). -
Mishnah: the New Scripture Territories in the East
176 FROM TEXT TO TRADITION in this period was virtually unfettered. The latter restriction seems to have been often compromised. Under the Severan dynasty (193-225 C.E.) Jewish fortunes improved with the granting of a variety of legal privileges culminating in full Roman citizenship for Jews. The enjoyment of these privileges and the peace which Jewry enjoyed in the Roman Empire were·· interrupted only by the invasions by the barbarians in the West 10 and the instability and economic decline they caused throughout the empire, and by the Parthian incursions against Roman Mishnah: The New Scripture territories in the East. The latter years of Roman rule, in the aftermath of the Bar Kokhba Revolt and on the verge of the Christianization of the empire, were extremely fertile ones for the development of . The period beginning with the destruction (or rather, with the Judaism. It was in this period that tannaitic Judaism came to its restoration in approximately 80 C.E.) saw a fundamental change final stages, and that the work of gathering its intellectual in Jewish study and learning. This was the era in which the heritage, the Mishnah, into a redacted collection began. All the Mishnah was being compiled and in which many other tannaitic suffering and the fervent yearnings for redemption had culmi traditions were taking shape. The fundamental change was that nated not in a messianic state, but in a collection of traditions the oral Torah gradually evolved into a fixed corpus of its own which set forth the dreams and aspirations for the perfect which eventually replaced the written Torah as the main object holiness that state was to engender. -
ESV - 1 - Trek 1: His Story Parent Guide Lesson 1.2: out of Nothing: Creation Week Scripture: Genesis 1:1-31
Trek 1: His Story Parent Guide Lesson 1.1: Before the Beginning Began Scripture: John 1:1-13 SUMMARY All physical things in the universe — even man-made objects — have a cause. God is the one and only creator of all things and without Him, nothing would exist. Jesus was called “the Word,” and was with God in the beginning when He created all things. Yet even though Jesus is the creator, when He came down to earth to live among us, people did not recognize Him. Just as Jesus is the source of all created matter, so He is also the source of all light. In fact, He is the light which shines in the darkness of the world. John the Baptist came before Jesus and served as a witness to Jesus. All Christians are invited to do likewise, and be a witness for Jesus — the creator of the universe. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. KEY VERSEs: (John 1:1-3) KEY THOUGHT: KEY WORD: In Lesson 1.1 we learned that the Word, Jesus, God, Genesis: beginnings, creation or generations is the unmade Maker. Discussion Questions • What is the one key thought that you learned tonight? • What is the difference between man-made things, and things which God Himself created? • Why do you think that in the Bible Jesus is also called “the Word”? (Hint: Remember how God created the universe.) • Why do you think the world did not recognize Jesus when He came down to earth? • How can someone become a child of God? • What did John the Baptist do? • How should Christians be similar to John the Baptist? • How does believing in Jesus as the sole creator of the universe change our lives and how we live? • What should you do with the lesson you learned tonight? What should we do? ESV - 1 - Trek 1: His Story Parent Guide Lesson 1.2: Out of Nothing: Creation Week Scripture: Genesis 1:1-31 SUMMARY All physical things in the universe — even man-made objects — have a cause. -
The Greatest Mirror: Heavenly Counterparts in the Jewish Pseudepigrapha
The Greatest Mirror Heavenly Counterparts in the Jewish Pseudepigrapha Andrei A. Orlov On the cover: The Baleful Head, by Edward Burne-Jones. Oil on canvas, dated 1886– 1887. Courtesy of Art Resource. Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2017 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu Production, Dana Foote Marketing, Fran Keneston Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Orlov, Andrei A., 1960– author. Title: The greatest mirror : heavenly counterparts in the Jewish Pseudepigrapha / Andrei A. Orlov. Description: Albany, New York : State University of New York Press, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2016052228 (print) | LCCN 2016053193 (ebook) | ISBN 9781438466910 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781438466927 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Apocryphal books (Old Testament)—Criticism, interpretation, etc. Classification: LCC BS1700 .O775 2017 (print) | LCC BS1700 (ebook) | DDC 229/.9106—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016052228 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For April DeConick . in the season when my body was completed in its maturity, there imme- diately flew down and appeared before me that most beautiful and greatest mirror-image of myself.