A description of the "Hermes Tree" found in a Judaeo-Arabic alchemical anthology. The Tree of Her... more A description of the "Hermes Tree" found in a Judaeo-Arabic alchemical anthology. The Tree of Hermes is a well-known "image" in alchemical literature; it is the produced by alchemical procedures and yields a tree-like object which is an important step towards achieving the elixir. The tree described in the text I analyze, however, is an identifiable shrub, and the end-product of the alchemical procedure may plausibly have had the capacity to bring out the real gold in ores and objects.
Philosophy flourished in the important Jewish community in medieval Yemen. Maimonides was the gre... more Philosophy flourished in the important Jewish community in medieval Yemen. Maimonides was the great master, but scholars were open to a variety of other sources.
Before Maimonides: A New Philosophical Dialogue in Hebrew, 2024
My book has just been published by Brill; an edition, translation, and study of a hitherto unknow... more My book has just been published by Brill; an edition, translation, and study of a hitherto unknown philosophical dialogue which offers a good snapshot of pre-Maimonidean philosophy in Spain.
My newest book has just been published by Brill!
All can agree that the achievement of Moses Maim... more My newest book has just been published by Brill! All can agree that the achievement of Moses Maimonides (d. 1204) set the standard for subsequent works of “Jewish philosophy”. But just what were the contours of philosophical-scientific inquiry that Maimonides replaced? A fairly large array of diverse texts have been studied, but no comprehensive picture has yet emerged. The newly discovered Hebrew dialogue published here has points of contact of various depth with most of the major works of pre-Maimonidean thought. It shares as well influences from without, especially from the Islamic kalam. The dialogue thus presents, in an engaging literary form, a clear and detailed snapshot of pre-Maimonidean philosophy and science.
My translation, with introduction and commentary, of Ibn Kammuna's Kalimat wajiza, will be releas... more My translation, with introduction and commentary, of Ibn Kammuna's Kalimat wajiza, will be released by Yale University Press on October 22. The text presents a form of non-denominational philosophical monotheism.
My edition and translation of Ibn al-Haytham, On the Configuration of the World, has just been re... more My edition and translation of Ibn al-Haytham, On the Configuration of the World, has just been reprinted by Routledge:
From the publisher:
This collection of essays studies the movement of texts in the Mediterranean... more From the publisher:
This collection of essays studies the movement of texts in the Mediterranean basin in the medieval period from historical and philological perspectives. Rejecting the presumption that texts simply travel without changing, the contributors examine closely the nature of these writings, which are concerned with such topics as science and medicine, and how they changed over the course of their journeys.
Transit and transformation give texts new subtexts and contexts, providing windows through which to study how memory, encryption, oral communication, cultural and religious values, and knowledge traveled and were shared, transformed, and preserved. This volume broadens how we think about texts, communication, and knowledge in the medieval world.
Aside from the editors, the contributors are Mushegh Asatryan, Brian N. Becker, Leonardo Capezzone, Leigh Chipman, Ofer Elior, Zohar Hadromi-Allouche, B. Harun Küçük, Israel M. Sandman, and Tamás Visi.
A description of the "Hermes Tree" found in a Judaeo-Arabic alchemical anthology. The Tree of Her... more A description of the "Hermes Tree" found in a Judaeo-Arabic alchemical anthology. The Tree of Hermes is a well-known "image" in alchemical literature; it is the produced by alchemical procedures and yields a tree-like object which is an important step towards achieving the elixir. The tree described in the text I analyze, however, is an identifiable shrub, and the end-product of the alchemical procedure may plausibly have had the capacity to bring out the real gold in ores and objects.
Philosophy flourished in the important Jewish community in medieval Yemen. Maimonides was the gre... more Philosophy flourished in the important Jewish community in medieval Yemen. Maimonides was the great master, but scholars were open to a variety of other sources.
Before Maimonides: A New Philosophical Dialogue in Hebrew, 2024
My book has just been published by Brill; an edition, translation, and study of a hitherto unknow... more My book has just been published by Brill; an edition, translation, and study of a hitherto unknown philosophical dialogue which offers a good snapshot of pre-Maimonidean philosophy in Spain.
My newest book has just been published by Brill!
All can agree that the achievement of Moses Maim... more My newest book has just been published by Brill! All can agree that the achievement of Moses Maimonides (d. 1204) set the standard for subsequent works of “Jewish philosophy”. But just what were the contours of philosophical-scientific inquiry that Maimonides replaced? A fairly large array of diverse texts have been studied, but no comprehensive picture has yet emerged. The newly discovered Hebrew dialogue published here has points of contact of various depth with most of the major works of pre-Maimonidean thought. It shares as well influences from without, especially from the Islamic kalam. The dialogue thus presents, in an engaging literary form, a clear and detailed snapshot of pre-Maimonidean philosophy and science.
My translation, with introduction and commentary, of Ibn Kammuna's Kalimat wajiza, will be releas... more My translation, with introduction and commentary, of Ibn Kammuna's Kalimat wajiza, will be released by Yale University Press on October 22. The text presents a form of non-denominational philosophical monotheism.
My edition and translation of Ibn al-Haytham, On the Configuration of the World, has just been re... more My edition and translation of Ibn al-Haytham, On the Configuration of the World, has just been reprinted by Routledge:
From the publisher:
This collection of essays studies the movement of texts in the Mediterranean... more From the publisher:
This collection of essays studies the movement of texts in the Mediterranean basin in the medieval period from historical and philological perspectives. Rejecting the presumption that texts simply travel without changing, the contributors examine closely the nature of these writings, which are concerned with such topics as science and medicine, and how they changed over the course of their journeys.
Transit and transformation give texts new subtexts and contexts, providing windows through which to study how memory, encryption, oral communication, cultural and religious values, and knowledge traveled and were shared, transformed, and preserved. This volume broadens how we think about texts, communication, and knowledge in the medieval world.
Aside from the editors, the contributors are Mushegh Asatryan, Brian N. Becker, Leonardo Capezzone, Leigh Chipman, Ofer Elior, Zohar Hadromi-Allouche, B. Harun Küçük, Israel M. Sandman, and Tamás Visi.
Co-authored with Paul Kunitzschm appeared in a special volume of Centaurus (vol 45, 2003) in hono... more Co-authored with Paul Kunitzschm appeared in a special volume of Centaurus (vol 45, 2003) in honor of Bernard R. Goldstein
revised and update Englsh version of the classic, still invaluable work of Moritz Steinschneider;... more revised and update Englsh version of the classic, still invaluable work of Moritz Steinschneider; section on Jewish philosophers
YAMIM NORAIM Insights from the Past, Present, and Future, 2024
Issur ve-Heter is a 12th century halakhic work written in Judaeo-Arabic. Over the course of sever... more Issur ve-Heter is a 12th century halakhic work written in Judaeo-Arabic. Over the course of several years, I have been publishing selected chapters and studies with the hope of eventually publishing the entirety of the surviving text. In this paper I discuss several fascinating novelties relating to practices on Yom Kippur.
Did Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī complete his great Koranic commentary? Scholars have suggested that al-Rā... more Did Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī complete his great Koranic commentary? Scholars have suggested that al-Rāzī’s disciple Šams al-Dīn al-Ḫuwayyī may have contributed to the final tafsīr, but were unable to come to any definitive conclusions, partly because they had no tafsīr by al-Ḫuwayyī that could be used for comparison. In fact, we know of two commentaries of al-Ḫuwayyī: a section of his encyclopedia which displays explorations into seven selected suwar, and some snippets of a different tafsīr that are preserved by al-Suyūṭī. These two important sources are described in this notice. We also briefly mention some first-hand encounters of al-Ḫuwayyī with his master al-Rāzī, as they are reported in the former’s encyclopedia.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
An English translation of the section on the Jewish holiday of Shabuot (Pentecost) from Issur ve-... more An English translation of the section on the Jewish holiday of Shabuot (Pentecost) from Issur ve-Heter, a pre-Maimonidean comprehensive compilation of Jewish law (halakha). The chapter will appear very shortly in a series of books on the Jewish holidays published by the Haburah, a study group based in London.
In Almagest I.3 Ptolemy offers a series of arguments for the spherical shape of the heavens. Thes... more In Almagest I.3 Ptolemy offers a series of arguments for the spherical shape of the heavens. These arguments were revamped by students of the Almagest in medieval Islamicate culture. The paper, which was presented at the Alamgest Conference held at the Warburg Institute, London, November 2015, examines how Ibn al-Haytham, Jabir ibn Aflah, and Abu Rayhan al-Biruni reworked, and at times challenged, Ptolemy's arguments.
... 2, 742747. Warren Zev Harvey calls attention to a critical emendation of Ibn Tibbon to Guide... more ... 2, 742747. Warren Zev Harvey calls attention to a critical emendation of Ibn Tibbon to Guide 2: 24 in his Maimonides' First Commandment, Physics, and Doubt, in Hazon Nahum (NormanLamm Festschrift)(New York, 1997), 155159, on pp. 155156. ...
Levi ben Gershom (Gersonides, 1288-1344), scientist and philosopher, authored an extensive commen... more Levi ben Gershom (Gersonides, 1288-1344), scientist and philosopher, authored an extensive commentary on the Pentateuch, where he applies his scientific expertise and inquisitiveness much as he does in his other writings. Following Maimonides, he interprets the narrative of Genesis 32:25-30, which describes the patriarch Jacob’s mysterious wrestling match with an unnamed opponent, leaving Jacob with a sensible limp, as a prophetic dream. Going beyond Maimonides, Gersonides inquires as to how a dream could induce an orthopedic injury, and suggests, as one avenue, that the dream was pathognomic: Jacob acted out in a dream the tussle he feared he would have with his brother Esau. Though “medical dreams” were much discussed in pre-modern medicine, and “sleepfighting” was described by some Christian contemporaries, Gersonides’ analyses stand out in their originality and detail. Please download from this link: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/861823
Slide presentation to accompany a talk to be given soon in NYC. I hope to add audio and upload a ... more Slide presentation to accompany a talk to be given soon in NYC. I hope to add audio and upload a video/
Given that humans have the freedom to choose and exercise their will, are there still innate, bio... more Given that humans have the freedom to choose and exercise their will, are there still innate, biological limits on our capacity for moral improvement? Can our individual physical constitution place limits on our ability to rid ourselves of the vice of anger, to give one example? A video with narration accompanying the slides is now online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvlZGdx-RFg
PESAḤ Insights From the Past, Present, and Future, 2022
Possibly the earliest responsum on this topic that allows the ruse. Published in a book recently... more Possibly the earliest responsum on this topic that allows the ruse. Published in a book recently published by the Haburah in London, check out their website: https://www.thehabura.com/books
My paper has received dozens of views; unfortunately the transcription was garbled in the publica... more My paper has received dozens of views; unfortunately the transcription was garbled in the publication, so I am uploading it here as a separate file.
טיוטות של המאמר וגירסה מקוצרת באנגלית כבר הועלו לרשת, כעת יצא לאור בספר נכבד מאד לכבודו של ד״ר יח... more טיוטות של המאמר וגירסה מקוצרת באנגלית כבר הועלו לרשת, כעת יצא לאור בספר נכבד מאד לכבודו של ד״ר יחיאל קארה על יד יחיאל בעריכת שלום פנחס-כהן
Study of some of the philosophical liturgy found in a rich codex held at Parma. The paper is incl... more Study of some of the philosophical liturgy found in a rich codex held at Parma. The paper is included in the new volume described in the advert. For the usual reasons I cannot post yet a copy of the paper, but will gladly send a pdf to anyone who requests one.
Part of the Isis "Second Look" series. The full text is available for FREE download at the Isis w... more Part of the Isis "Second Look" series. The full text is available for FREE download at the Isis website: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/697064
I revisit a classic book in the history of science, with an eye to its relevance to medieval phys... more I revisit a classic book in the history of science, with an eye to its relevance to medieval physics in Hebrew and Arabic sources. I cannot yet post a copy, please write to me if you wish a pdf; or try the link, the access is free, so it says!
A detailed inventory of the rich output of this Jewish savant, who flourished in Italy, in the mi... more A detailed inventory of the rich output of this Jewish savant, who flourished in Italy, in the mid-fifteenth century. Most of his work is in mathematics and astronomy. firts published in the journal Italia, in 1988, and reprinted in my The Jews and the Sciences in the Middle Ages (Variorum, Ashgate, 1999)
Maimonides list of thirteen qawā‘id, "foundations" of the Jewish faith is well-known; but what ab... more Maimonides list of thirteen qawā‘id, "foundations" of the Jewish faith is well-known; but what about the other doctrines that he marks as qawā‘id? What are they and why (perhaps) are they not included in the famous thirteen? The slides + audio can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/UFa8T7tN3Js
The Hermes Tree is a well-known "image" in alchemical literature. In this presentation I discuss ... more The Hermes Tree is a well-known "image" in alchemical literature. In this presentation I discuss a description found in an alchemical anthology (a manuscript written out Arabic in Hebrew characters) wherein the Hermes Tree is an identifiable shrub. I humbly suggest that the substance produced by the alchemical process described in the manuscript may just possibly have been efficacious, at least in the short term. For audio accompaniment to the presentation see my video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qiln98bAls
Slides to accompany a presentation given at a conference on Maimonides, Tel Aviv University, Nove... more Slides to accompany a presentation given at a conference on Maimonides, Tel Aviv University, November 2019 audio accompanying the slides can be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzHEJ81zbnk
The passages are drawn from the anonymous early philosophical dialogue which I described n a pape... more The passages are drawn from the anonymous early philosophical dialogue which I described n a paper posted on academia.edu abuut 18 months ago.
Slide presentation to accompany a talk to be given soon in NYC. I hope to add audio and upload a ... more Slide presentation to accompany a talk to be given soon in NYC. I hope to add audio and upload a video/
Slide presentation for a talk to be given in New Delhi, late December 2017. The slides with audio... more Slide presentation for a talk to be given in New Delhi, late December 2017. The slides with audio can be viewed/heard at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXZLHOIbjxI
Slide presentation accompanying the talk I gave today at the Law and Order conference...somewhat ... more Slide presentation accompanying the talk I gave today at the Law and Order conference...somewhat different from the draft I uploaded...hope to have a voice-over video on youtube too.
Slightly revised slide presentation on the monograph of Ibn Sina. A video of this presentation wi... more Slightly revised slide presentation on the monograph of Ibn Sina. A video of this presentation with an accompanying audio has been posted on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdb157K4Src
Slide Presentation to accompany lecture at Princeton Conference on the Arabic Literary Genizot, A... more Slide Presentation to accompany lecture at Princeton Conference on the Arabic Literary Genizot, April, 2017.
Survey of an interesting monograph by Ibn Sina, and especially its theoretical basis, which is A... more Survey of an interesting monograph by Ibn Sina, and especially its theoretical basis, which is Aristotelian (neoplatonized of course) rather than Galenic. Slide presentation given 13 April 2016 in Geneva, hopefully some papers to follow.
Points of contact between Jewish, Christian, and Indian texts, and Sufism. Presentation given in ... more Points of contact between Jewish, Christian, and Indian texts, and Sufism. Presentation given in Hebrew at a conference in honor of Prof Binyamin Abrahamov on his retirement.
A draft--not more than that--of a talk I gave in Paris, May 12, 2023, as part of the project, Pyt... more A draft--not more than that--of a talk I gave in Paris, May 12, 2023, as part of the project, Pythagoreana Orientalia.
איסור והיתר הינו חיבור מקיף בהלכה, שחיבר חכם אנונימי בערבית-יהודית. חכם זה ישב בספרד והיה ככל הנר... more איסור והיתר הינו חיבור מקיף בהלכה, שחיבר חכם אנונימי בערבית-יהודית. חכם זה ישב בספרד והיה ככל הנראה בן-דורו של רבי מימון אבי הרמב"ם. פרסמתי פרקים אחדים מן החיבור בבמות שונות ומתכוון להוציא לאור את החיבור כולו בע"ה
A paper which I published last year, describing early reports of new medical substances from the ... more A paper which I published last year, describing early reports of new medical substances from the New World, including "qinaqina" (quinine?), takes on new relevance with the current controversy over chloroquine, an artificial analogue of quinine. I take a closer look at the sources in an attempt to identify the plant described in the marginalia I published, and call attention tot he role of "anecdotal evidence" (Arabic tajriba) in validating a drug's efficacy, then and now.
In his "Eight Chapters" Maimonides confesses to a perplexity. One may judge belief to be obeisanc... more In his "Eight Chapters" Maimonides confesses to a perplexity. One may judge belief to be obeisance or disobedience, yet there can be no biblical commandment to require or forbid a certain belief. The reason is that belief, or thought, is the responsibility of the rational faculty; however, biblical commandments must involve doing something ('amal in Arabic). In the slides I outline the roots of the perplexity and its resolution; anyone who wishes to invest 22 minutes can hear the audio accompanying the slides at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1e2Xso4Lbg
My entry on the astronomer, mathematician, and historian, to appear in the third edition of the E... more My entry on the astronomer, mathematician, and historian, to appear in the third edition of the Encyclopedia of Islam.
This is the latest version that I am allowed to upload--by now you must all know about the "agree... more This is the latest version that I am allowed to upload--by now you must all know about the "agreements" that we must sign. The published version (In Studies in the History and Philosophy of Science) will soon be available at Elsevier's Science Direct, for those with access.
The "face of God", especially as it features in Exodus 33, in the writings of Moses, his father M... more The "face of God", especially as it features in Exodus 33, in the writings of Moses, his father Maimon, his son Abraham, the Yemeni commentator Zekharya, and al-Muwaqqit, the Muslim commentator on the MIshneh Torah.
In a recent paper Daniel Boyarin looked at the vocabulary of Halevi's Kuzari, both Judaeo-Arabic ... more In a recent paper Daniel Boyarin looked at the vocabulary of Halevi's Kuzari, both Judaeo-Arabic original and Ibn Tibbon's Hebrew translation. His main point is that "religion" is a poor choice for translating din (Arabic) or dat (Hebrew). In this paper I have some criticism of Boyarin, but for the most part I want to take his useful explorations further, by looking at the key terms in context.
במאמר זה אני בודק שימושים שונים אצל הרמב"ם של הביטוי "אלאמר אלאלאהי", הלא
הוא המושג המרכזי בהגות... more במאמר זה אני בודק שימושים שונים אצל הרמב"ם של הביטוי "אלאמר אלאלאהי", הלא הוא המושג המרכזי בהגותו של רבי יהודה הלוי תקוותי שהמאמר יתפרסם בקרוב
In pursuit of his own agenda, Halevi devotes a section of the Cuzari to a commentary on Sefer Yes... more In pursuit of his own agenda, Halevi devotes a section of the Cuzari to a commentary on Sefer Yesira. For reasons connected to his own, very different agenda, Maimonides gives Pirqei di-Rebbe Eliezer a chapter of his Guide. Both "ancient" Hebrew sources bring the two medieval philosophers back to Plato's Timaeus, which, in fact, has been a favorite for Jewish thinkers ever since Philo at least. This paper is my talk at the Gruss Colloquium.
Moses Maimonides (1135-1204), and his seminal statement of Jewish philosophy, The Guide of the Pe... more Moses Maimonides (1135-1204), and his seminal statement of Jewish philosophy, The Guide of the Perplexed, and Judah Halevi (1075-1141), and his philosophical dialogue, The Cuzari, offer sharp contrasts. Small wonder that their world-views, as well their positions on specific issues, have often been compared. 1 Maimonides' book was written ostensibly in order to guide the Jew who is troubled by the conflict between the science and some seemingly unscientific accounts in Scripture and rabbinic texts. Halevi's book recounts the cross-examination of a Jewish scholar, the ḥaver, by a pagan monotheistic king who is troubled by a recurring dream, in which he informed that his ideas are sound, but his rituals are not. Both books present, in fact, well-developed philosophies of Judaism, whose wide compass far outreaches the formal justifications for their composition. Science plays a very significant role in the philosophies of Judaism which these two thinkers elaborated. The boundaries between science and philosophy in the medieval context are not at all sharp. This is especially true when looking at writers like Maimonides and Halevi, who are consciously and deliberately aiming to present a vision of Judaism in which the truth and supremacy of their ancestral tradition is to be demonstrated, and science plays an important role in this project. The creation of the world and the possibility of miracles are scientific questions that bear heavily upon the vision of each thinker, however much they may differ.
A few years ago I held a session here on a paper on medieval Jewish Pythagoreanism. I hat session... more A few years ago I held a session here on a paper on medieval Jewish Pythagoreanism. I hat session led, I believe , to an invitation to a planned volume. I now upload the submitted version, which differs quite significantly Part One deals with Maimonides and his interpreters, Part Two presents a sample chapter from Sefer Melakhim.
An old Broadway musical taught us that love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage, y... more An old Broadway musical taught us that love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage, you can't have one without the other. Similarly, it seems that law and order always go together. In the natural world, law describes the orderly behavior of the various components of the universe; in society, law imposes the order that those in power wish to see in place. This paper addresses only the natural world. I suggest that some pre-Maimonidean philosophers were not very concerned with the order in the natural world. They were, however, dependent to some extent upon the vocabulary of Jewish law for designing their theological and scientific arguments. Moses Maimonides, however, saw order—and some streaks of apparent disorder—as the key concept in his tightrope act of accepting Aristotelian natural philosophy while at the same time rejecting eternalism. On the other hand, he felt very comfortable with Greek logic and does not apply legal terms in his scientific arguments.
Babylonian and Indian WIsdoms in Islamicate CUlture, 2018
This paper, which benefited from a session on academia.edu, has been published in Oriens. Anyone ... more This paper, which benefited from a session on academia.edu, has been published in Oriens. Anyone who wishes a pdf should simply send me a message..
Sefer Yesira (hereaferter SY) is a very short (approximately 1000 words) Hebrew text that has pla... more Sefer Yesira (hereaferter SY) is a very short (approximately 1000 words) Hebrew text that has played an important role in Jewish thought for centuries, and in, more recent times, in the academic study of Jewish thought as well. The " book " contains very little prose; it consists mostly of catalogues of the components of the cosmos, in groups of two (pairs of opposites), three, and seven, and their sums-ten, twelve, twenty-two and thirty-two. The catalogued components are those making up the physical universe, the human body, and time. The twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet are very significant as well and are matched to the other components of the universe. A book of this sort cannot be understood without commentary, and SY has been interpreted in very different ways. The original intent of the author or authors is not known. Some claim that it was originally meant to be a work of mystical magic, but this reading is clearly prejudiced by the kabbalistic appropriation of the text, a process which began in the twelfth century, and, even more so, by a fierce turf defense by academic specialists in the kabbalah. This short piece is about a cycle of interpretation and reinterpretation in which, like ouroboros, the head devours the tail. At the head we find scientific and philosophical interpretations of SY, which tail into kabbalistic readings. In the late twentieth century, a highly trained rabbi proposed new mathematical understanding of some key features of the text, and the head, as it were, swallowed the tail. Still, these transitions were smooth and non-polemical. Isaac the Blind, who pioneered the kabbalistic reading, was sympathetic towards philosophy and retained a good deal of philosophy in his commentary. Aryeh Kaplan, who reinvigorated mathematical interpretation, considered SY nonetheless to be primarily a book of kabbala. These interpreters added layers of meaning, just as we might have expected them to do from studies of literary theory. By contrast, some of the academic interpreters jealously guard SY within the stockade of their discipline.
Pre-Print (final proofs) of a short note on some Pythagorean readings of Aristotle's Posterior An... more Pre-Print (final proofs) of a short note on some Pythagorean readings of Aristotle's Posterior Analytics in Israeli's Book on Fevers.
A preliminary--but detailed--study, including a transcription, of a highly interesting text found... more A preliminary--but detailed--study, including a transcription, of a highly interesting text found in a manuscript in private hands (and soon to go on the market). This text promises to add a great deal to our knowledge of the earliest stages of medieval Hebrew philosophical writing.
Discusses how the timelines on Masih b Hakam and his Risala Haruniyya map well onto the the timel... more Discusses how the timelines on Masih b Hakam and his Risala Haruniyya map well onto the the timeline of the Isawiyy sect, including--perhaps--some input into Jewish thought in twefth-century Provence. An historian's exercise in connecting the dots between pieces of evidence.
Announcement of a presentation that I am scheduled to deliver in Paris on May 12, 2023. I hope to... more Announcement of a presentation that I am scheduled to deliver in Paris on May 12, 2023. I hope to soon upload a final draft of the talk.
to be held Nov 17-19 in Tel Aviv
I hope next week to upload slides (and youtube slibes+audio) of ... more to be held Nov 17-19 in Tel Aviv I hope next week to upload slides (and youtube slibes+audio) of my presentation
I will be speaking about the as yet unpublished early philosophical dialogue I discovered a few y... more I will be speaking about the as yet unpublished early philosophical dialogue I discovered a few years ago--a draft transcription, translation, and analysis was posted and the subject of a useful session here on academia.edu
الحمد لله جاء الوقت العزيز المنتظر وقت التقاعد
זה אני ואני פורש
I'm hanging up my skates and this... more الحمد لله جاء الوقت العزيز المنتظر وقت التقاعد זה אני ואני פורש I'm hanging up my skates and this one-day conference celebrates the occasion
Our panel at the upcoming conference of the European Academy of Religion--I have already uploaded... more Our panel at the upcoming conference of the European Academy of Religion--I have already uploaded a draft of my presentation, "The Face of God"
My talk, "Logic in Pre-Tibbonian Hebrew Texts", will give a lot of attention to the early philoso... more My talk, "Logic in Pre-Tibbonian Hebrew Texts", will give a lot of attention to the early philosophical dialogue that I identified. A draft transcription, translation, and analysis is posted on my academia.edu site, and I hope to finish work on the treatise in the near (but not too near) future.
Yehudah Hallevi's Cuzari is one of the most seminal, and controversial, books on Jewish thought. ... more Yehudah Hallevi's Cuzari is one of the most seminal, and controversial, books on Jewish thought. Written in Arabic in the 12th century by the man who was arguably the greatest Hebrew poet of all time, the Cuzari presents a particularist view of Judaism. Nonetheless, Hallevi draws on diverse sources, and employs at times the vocabulary of the Shia and the Sufis, in formulating his own distinctive voice. I have begun to re-read the book, and will post, usually once a week, some notes I have taken. Comments are invited.
Why, in the first of the Ten Commandments, does God choose to introduce himself as the One Who to... more Why, in the first of the Ten Commandments, does God choose to introduce himself as the One Who took the Jews out of Egypt? The great twelth century poet Yehudah Hallevi gives his answer in the Cuzari, the dialogue in which Hallevi develops his idiosyncratic and particularist view of Judaism.
nearly ten years ago, the world has changed a lot, maybe have I, but I stand by the answers I gav... more nearly ten years ago, the world has changed a lot, maybe have I, but I stand by the answers I gave back then
Issur ve-Heter is a comprehensive, pre-Maimonidean compilation of Jewish law (Halakha) written so... more Issur ve-Heter is a comprehensive, pre-Maimonidean compilation of Jewish law (Halakha) written somewhere in the area of Toledo, in the second half of the 12th century, and in Judaeo-Arabic. I have just published the chapter on the Laws of Yom Kippur with Shikey Press. Here is the link to the recording of the launch: https://youtu.be/M-m19nRKQ_Y
Some alchemical texts, especially one interesting one regarding the Hermes Tree; texts in Judaeo-... more Some alchemical texts, especially one interesting one regarding the Hermes Tree; texts in Judaeo-Arabic
אני מרצה ביום חמישי ה 1/8/2019 ההרצאה הראשונה : התיתכן מצווה להאמין? מבוכתו של הרמב"ם ואני מקווה... more אני מרצה ביום חמישי ה 1/8/2019 ההרצאה הראשונה : התיתכן מצווה להאמין? מבוכתו של הרמב"ם ואני מקווה להעלות סרטונים באנגלית ובעברית על מחקר זה
What is the reason for circumcising male children? Why was this specific commandment given to Abr... more What is the reason for circumcising male children? Why was this specific commandment given to Abraham, long before the revelation at Sinai? What is the reason for its wider compass than the seven Noahide commandments? This and more, from the viewpoint of Moses Maimonides, as I understand him.
I will argue that the pre-Maimonideans did not appreciate the full significance of order, and dev... more I will argue that the pre-Maimonideans did not appreciate the full significance of order, and deviations in order, found in the cosmos; for Maimonides this was the key element in his rejection of eternalism. The pre-Maimonideans made frequent use of the language of Rabbinic Law in making logical arguments. Maimonides did not; he flet comfortable enough with Aristotelian logic. These are the key features of my paper.
The notes for a talk given at a workshop in 2014 are out of date and incomplete, but they contai... more The notes for a talk given at a workshop in 2014 are out of date and incomplete, but they contain a few ideas and observations that I have not put into more recent work or tried to publish anywhere, so I have shared them here.
College) and Giora Hon (University of Haifa) – Opening remarks Oded Balaban (University of Haifa)... more College) and Giora Hon (University of Haifa) – Opening remarks Oded Balaban (University of Haifa)-Laws of Nature vs. Genera and Species and their Respective Ideal Worlds Hanina and Yemima Ben-Menahem (Hebrew University)-The Rule of Law: Natural, Human and Divine 13:45-15:45 SESSION 2: THE BROAD HISTORICAL OVERVIEW FROM ANTIQUITY TO MODERN SCIENTIFIC THINKING Hans Thijssen (Radboud University, Nijmegen)-Under the Spell of Aristotle. A Genealogy of Scientific Thinking Orli Dahan (Tel-Hai College)-The Emergence of Physical Constants: Considering Ordered Nature versus Law of Nature 16:15-18:15 SESSION 3: ORDER AND CAUSALITY Ahmad Ighbriah (Tel Aviv University)-" He Who Denies Causes Must Deny Reason " : Ibn Rushd (d. 1198) on Nature and Causality Gad Freudenthal (CNRS, Paris)-Natural Law With and Without Causality: Gersonides
Patricia Crone Memorial Conference
The Arabic Literary Genizot Beyond Denominational Borders
Apri... more Patricia Crone Memorial Conference The Arabic Literary Genizot Beyond Denominational Borders April 20-21, 2017 I hope to post a slide presentation of my talk in due course.
My presentation will be an improved version of the paper I put up for discussion on academia.edu ... more My presentation will be an improved version of the paper I put up for discussion on academia.edu a while ago--I have continued to to add, detract, correct and tweak. Thanks again to all who participated!
I recently has the opportunity to share some of my thoughts on Sefer Yesira in a podcast hosted b... more I recently has the opportunity to share some of my thoughts on Sefer Yesira in a podcast hosted by Earl Fontanelle. A link to the podcast is found in the attached document, as well as some responses to Earl's queries and some brief bibliography, mostly of my own publications.
An opportunity to learn with a leading scholar about the study of medieval Jewish manuscripts and... more An opportunity to learn with a leading scholar about the study of medieval Jewish manuscripts and medieval medicine
a review of the newly reprinted classic by the late Prof Davidson--as is so common now, I cannot ... more a review of the newly reprinted classic by the late Prof Davidson--as is so common now, I cannot upload a copy but will gladly send a pdf to anyone who requests one
Themistius' paraphrase of Aristotle's Metaphysics 12 is, as Meyrav aptly puts it, a book about a ... more Themistius' paraphrase of Aristotle's Metaphysics 12 is, as Meyrav aptly puts it, a book about a book that survives in a translation of a translation. The Greek original is lost, some fragments of the Arabic translation exist, but the complete text is found only in a Hebrew translation made from the Arabic.
This may or may not be published by BMCR but I thought that it should
be made available for those... more This may or may not be published by BMCR but I thought that it should be made available for those who are interested.
review of Elizabeth Sirriyeh, dreams and Visions in the World of Islam, just published in the Jou... more review of Elizabeth Sirriyeh, dreams and Visions in the World of Islam, just published in the Journal of Islamic Studies
Abstract: Ibn Kammūna, a late thirteenth-century Jewish philosopher, had a special interest, bord... more Abstract: Ibn Kammūna, a late thirteenth-century Jewish philosopher, had a special interest, bordering on an obsession, in the human soul, especially as regards its eternal endurance. One-quarter of his short ethical-philosophical treatise, the Kalimāt wajīza, is given over to ‘ilm al-nafs. In this paper, I present an annotated translation of the second of the five chapters that make up that section of the treatise.
Keywords: Ibn Kammūna; Ibn Sīnā; soul; ‘ilm al-nafs
Öz: On üçüncü yüzyıl sonlarında yaşamış Yahudi bir filozof olan İbn Kemmûne’nin insan nefsine ve özellikle de nefsin ebediliğine yönelik saplantı derecesinde özel bir ilgisi vardı. Onun el-Kelimâtü’l-vecîze adlı kısa ahlaki-felsefi risalesinin dörtte biri psikolojiye ayrılmıştır. Bu yazıda risalenin bu kısmını oluşturan beş fasıldan ikincisinin açıklamalı bir tercümesini sunacağım.
Anahtar Kelimeler: İbn Kemmûne, İbn Sînâ, nefs, ilmü’n-nefs
My proposal (accepted) for the World Congress, Jerusalem, August 2022.
Maimonides' Thirteen Foun... more My proposal (accepted) for the World Congress, Jerusalem, August 2022.
Maimonides' Thirteen Foundations, often referred to as the thirteen principles, certainly constitute one of the Great Eagle's most successful creations. Originally formulated towards the end of one of the introductory essays that accompany the commentary to the Mishnah, the thirteen foundations took on a life of their own, especially in Hebrew summations which found their way into the prayer book. Maimonides articulated them while in his twenties as a set of paragraphs of varying length. Later in life he jotted important additions in the margins to his autograph copy; however, he did not return to them in any of his major writings. Confirmation of these articles is normative in the sense that whoever is uncertain about even one of them no longer belongs to klal Yisrael.
A launch for two new books. I deliver the closing talk, on the Hermes tree as described in an un... more A launch for two new books. I deliver the closing talk, on the Hermes tree as described in an unstudied alchemcial codex, Arabic in Hebrew characters.
Given that humans have the freedom to choose and exercise their will, are there still innate, bio... more Given that humans have the freedom to choose and exercise their will, are there still innate, biological limits on our capacity for moral improvement? Can our individual physical constitution place limits on our ability to rid ourselves of the vice of anger, to give one example? A video with narration accompanying the slides is now online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvlZGdx-RFg
A conference to be held in New York, June 3-5, 2018. Note: there is an entrance fee, as far as I ... more A conference to be held in New York, June 3-5, 2018. Note: there is an entrance fee, as far as I understand...see the web announcement at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-yemenite-conference-tickets-43962222190
International Congress of History of Science and Technology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 23-29 July
I... more International Congress of History of Science and Technology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 23-29 July I will be presenting in session 87 on Wednesday, speaking about Ibn Sina's al-Adwiya al-Qalbiyya.
Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Kook was one the greatest Jewish thinkers of modern times. Though like all ... more Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Kook was one the greatest Jewish thinkers of modern times. Though like all thinkers he absorbed numerous "influences", his own ideas were the product of deep reflection and expressed in powerful, at times poetic, bursts of creativity. In this video I call attention to some interesting features of his philosophy of religion. The ground for his ideas is an extreme optimism, a belief that all humans have an innate sense of the divine; and that there are positive aspects all religions,, even the worship of idols made of metal or wood.
Uploads
Videos by Tzvi Langermann
Books by Tzvi Langermann
https://brill.com/display/title/63706
All can agree that the achievement of Moses Maimonides (d. 1204) set the standard for subsequent works of “Jewish philosophy”. But just what were the contours of philosophical-scientific inquiry that Maimonides replaced? A fairly large array of diverse texts have been studied, but no comprehensive picture has yet emerged. The newly discovered Hebrew dialogue published here has points of contact of various depth with most of the major works of pre-Maimonidean thought. It shares as well influences from without, especially from the Islamic kalam. The dialogue thus presents, in an engaging literary form, a clear and detailed snapshot of pre-Maimonidean philosophy and science.
https://www.routledge.com/Ibn-al-Haythams-On-the-Configuration-of-the-World/Langermann/p/book/9781138698833
I post here the preface to the reprint.
This collection of essays studies the movement of texts in the Mediterranean basin in the medieval period from historical and philological perspectives. Rejecting the presumption that texts simply travel without changing, the contributors examine closely the nature of these writings, which are concerned with such topics as science and medicine, and how they changed over the course of their journeys.
Transit and transformation give texts new subtexts and contexts, providing windows through which to study how memory, encryption, oral communication, cultural and religious values, and knowledge traveled and were shared, transformed, and preserved. This volume broadens how we think about texts, communication, and knowledge in the medieval world.
Aside from the editors, the contributors are Mushegh Asatryan, Brian N. Becker, Leonardo Capezzone, Leigh Chipman, Ofer Elior, Zohar Hadromi-Allouche, B. Harun Küçük, Israel M. Sandman, and Tamás Visi.
You can find Texts in Transit in the Medieval Mediterranean on the Penn State University Press web site at this URL: http://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-07109-1.html
Be sure to ask for it at your local library and bookstore!
https://brill.com/display/title/63706
All can agree that the achievement of Moses Maimonides (d. 1204) set the standard for subsequent works of “Jewish philosophy”. But just what were the contours of philosophical-scientific inquiry that Maimonides replaced? A fairly large array of diverse texts have been studied, but no comprehensive picture has yet emerged. The newly discovered Hebrew dialogue published here has points of contact of various depth with most of the major works of pre-Maimonidean thought. It shares as well influences from without, especially from the Islamic kalam. The dialogue thus presents, in an engaging literary form, a clear and detailed snapshot of pre-Maimonidean philosophy and science.
https://www.routledge.com/Ibn-al-Haythams-On-the-Configuration-of-the-World/Langermann/p/book/9781138698833
I post here the preface to the reprint.
This collection of essays studies the movement of texts in the Mediterranean basin in the medieval period from historical and philological perspectives. Rejecting the presumption that texts simply travel without changing, the contributors examine closely the nature of these writings, which are concerned with such topics as science and medicine, and how they changed over the course of their journeys.
Transit and transformation give texts new subtexts and contexts, providing windows through which to study how memory, encryption, oral communication, cultural and religious values, and knowledge traveled and were shared, transformed, and preserved. This volume broadens how we think about texts, communication, and knowledge in the medieval world.
Aside from the editors, the contributors are Mushegh Asatryan, Brian N. Becker, Leonardo Capezzone, Leigh Chipman, Ofer Elior, Zohar Hadromi-Allouche, B. Harun Küçük, Israel M. Sandman, and Tamás Visi.
You can find Texts in Transit in the Medieval Mediterranean on the Penn State University Press web site at this URL: http://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-07109-1.html
Be sure to ask for it at your local library and bookstore!
על יד יחיאל בעריכת שלום פנחס-כהן
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/697064
I cannot yet post a copy, please write to me if you wish a pdf; or try the link, the access is free, so it says!
firts published in the journal Italia, in 1988, and reprinted in my The Jews and the Sciences in the Middle Ages (Variorum, Ashgate, 1999)
The slides + audio can be viewed here:
https://youtu.be/UFa8T7tN3Js
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qiln98bAls
audio accompanying the slides can be heard here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzHEJ81zbnk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXZLHOIbjxI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdb157K4Src
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1e2Xso4Lbg
הוא המושג המרכזי בהגותו של רבי יהודה הלוי
תקוותי שהמאמר יתפרסם בקרוב
This paper is my talk at the Gruss Colloquium.
https://kavvanah.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/interview-with-tzvi-langermann-about-ibn-kammuna/
The blog is an excellent resource...
I hope next week to upload slides (and youtube slibes+audio) of my presentation
זה אני ואני פורש
I'm hanging up my skates and this one-day conference celebrates the occasion
https://youtu.be/M-m19nRKQ_Y
The pre-Maimonideans made frequent use of the language of Rabbinic Law in making logical arguments. Maimonides did not; he flet comfortable enough with Aristotelian logic. These are the key features of my paper.
The Arabic Literary Genizot Beyond Denominational Borders
April 20-21, 2017
I hope to post a slide presentation of my talk in due course.
be made available for those who are interested.
Keywords: Ibn Kammūna; Ibn Sīnā; soul; ‘ilm al-nafs
Öz: On üçüncü yüzyıl sonlarında yaşamış Yahudi bir filozof olan İbn Kemmûne’nin insan nefsine ve özellikle de nefsin ebediliğine yönelik saplantı derecesinde özel bir ilgisi vardı. Onun el-Kelimâtü’l-vecîze adlı kısa ahlaki-felsefi risalesinin dörtte biri psikolojiye ayrılmıştır. Bu yazıda risalenin bu kısmını oluşturan beş fasıldan ikincisinin açıklamalı bir tercümesini sunacağım.
Anahtar Kelimeler: İbn Kemmûne, İbn Sînâ, nefs, ilmü’n-nefs
Maimonides' Thirteen Foundations, often referred to as the thirteen principles, certainly constitute one of the Great Eagle's most successful creations. Originally formulated towards the end of one of the introductory essays that accompany the commentary to the Mishnah, the thirteen foundations took on a life of their own, especially in Hebrew summations which found their way into the prayer book. Maimonides articulated them while in his twenties as a set of paragraphs of varying length. Later in life he jotted important additions in the margins to his autograph copy; however, he did not return to them in any of his major writings. Confirmation of these articles is normative in the sense that whoever is uncertain about even one of them no longer belongs to klal Yisrael.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-yemenite-conference-tickets-43962222190
I will be presenting in session 87 on Wednesday, speaking about Ibn Sina's al-Adwiya al-Qalbiyya.