Using biblical, rabbinic and medieval texts Kellner shows that Jews should be allowed to work together towards a less polarized Jewish future, thus avoiding the split that threatens this process.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
'An important work in constructive Jewish philosophy by a leading international scholar of the field. It is also important as a document of the kind of thinking that characterizes modern Orthodoxy. The book is intelligent and academically solid as well as thought-provoking and controversial. It is a must read by anyone concerned with modern Jewish life who wants to understand an approach that affirms both Orthodoxy and a pluralistic sense of k'lal Yisrael without compromising integrity and religious commitment.' Norbert Samuelson, CCAR Journal 'Kellner's book makes an important contribution to the possibility of dialogue between the different trends within Judaism and to the possibility of reducing the hostility and tension between them.' Daniel Statman, Ha'aretz 'Kellner is especially provocative. The challenge in his title almost jumps off the page as a cri de coeur, inviting a re-examination of beliefs taken for granted by Orthodox Jews for almost a millennium ... [he] demonstrates with passion and elegance how Maimonides radically transformed Judaism into an ecclesiastical communityA" ... his social critique of the implication of dogma uniquely enhances our understanding of the Maimonidean project ... His thesis is an important one and should be read by all, encouraging urgently needed debate in the academy and the four ells of the yeshiva as well,' James A. Diamond, Jewish History 'A main contribution to a very timely question regarding the proper attitude of orthodox Judaism to non-orthodox and non-observant groups ... written with admirable clarity and touches of a highly relevant topic.' Daniel Statman, Journal of Jewish Studies 'This book has much to recommend it. Both scholarly and accessible, it is marked by a humane vision and a passionate commitment to a vibrant, outward looking Orthodox Judaism.' David Berger, Tradition
--This text refers to an alternate
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About the Author
Menachem Kellner is Professor of Jewish Thought at the University of Haifa. He is the author of Dogma in Medieval Jewish Thought and Maimonides' Confrontation with Mysticism and translator of Isaac Abravanel's Principles of Faith, all published by the Littman Library of Jewish Civilization. He is also the author of Maimonides on Human Perfection, Maimonides on Judaism and the Jewish People, and Maimonides on the 'Decline of the Generations' and the Nature of Rabbinic Authority. His translations of Gersonides' Commentary on Song of Songs and Maimonides' Book of Love appeared in the Yale Judaica Series. Professor Kellner's critical editions of the original texts of Abravanel's Principles of Faith and of Gersonides' Commentary on Song of Songs were published in Hebrew.
--This text refers to an alternate
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely profile of Maimonides, despite problems with the thesis,
This review is from: Must a Jew Believe Anything? (Paperback)
In this slim and wonderfully articulate book, Kellner makes a convincing case that Maimonides brought a radical new idea to Judaism: that Aristotelian "perfection" is the highest ideal of the Torah. To achieve this perfection, a Jew must have knowledge of the principles of Jewish faith, and not just any "knowledge," but a philosopher's knowledge, which in the context of medieval science, meant being able to prove each article of the faith axiomatically, working from foundational principles. Kellner argues that Maimonides' introduction of this notion of philosophical "faith" is an innovation, unprecedented in Jewish thought until that point. Like many of the Rambam's innovations, this notion was not universally accepted - and in the cases where it was accepted, it was not accepted in its entirety. Rather, what survived from Maiminides' elaborate architecture of idealism is the prosaic idea that Judaism espouses certain articles of faith, and that deviation from these articles makes one an apikoros, a heretic.
It is the notion of Judaism having a catechism -- a mandatory dogma -- that Kellner spends much of the book arguing against. If we could bracket out the Rambam's influence in this particular area, he suggests, we would have a more authentic Judaism, centered on Talmudic and Gaonic norms, which are more concerned with what one does than what one "believes." More importantly, a halachic, non-dogmatic Judaism could be a bigger tent, more inclusive than the highly factionalized Judaism of today. It's a lovely idea, generous and humanistic, but it unfortunately founders quickly. Kellner stipulates that the Torah does teach certain normative beliefs, but in the classic rabbinic thinking, these beliefs are not mandatory (i.e. XYZ is true, but you don't have to agree that it is true in order to lay tefillin with me). But then he reverses to say that there are in fact some mandatory beliefs, and failing in these beliefs rightly puts one outside the camp. Examples are holding that the Torah did not come from God, polytheism or trinitarianism, or holding some non-Jewish notion of messianism (i.e. Christianity in Jewish clothing). And he does unlikely backflips to avoid any endorsement of "orthopraxy," behavioral Judaism stripped of theology. But the biggest iceberg in front of Kellner's book is that he argues that the Rambam's innovations are (A) a response to outside pressure, and (B) imported from Islamic Aristotelianism, and therefore they are not intrinsic to Judaism. This is an untenable view of historical Judaism. If we were to discount every development in Judaism that met the same criteria, nothing would be left. Instead, the truth is that Maimonides irrevocably changed Judaism, and there is no turning back the clock. Rather than wishing that the Rambam's marriage of Judaism and medieval philosophy could somehow be annulled, we should instead develop more fully the idea that understandings of Maimonides' thirteen principles are given to each generation to determine. Even accepting the Rambam, it is possible to be fully contemporary and yet a believing Jew. The book gets five stars anyway, for being such a thoughtful and readable look at Maimonides. Right or wrong, it's still a wonderful book.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
interesting and difficult,
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This review is from: Must a Jew Believe Anything? Second Edition with a New Afterword (Paperback)
This book is essentially a commentary on the "Thirteen Principles of Faith" discussed by Rambam (aka Maimonides, Moshe ben Maimon). Rambam asserts that any disbeliever in these principles is "a sectarian . . . one is required to hate him and to destroy him." Later commentators generally accepted the majority of the principles as normative Jewish theology, but gutted or narrowed the "hate and destroy" language (as did Rambam himself in later writings, as Kellner points out).
Kellner usefully quotes Rambam's "Thirteen Principles" discussion in his book, and tries to explain Rambam's logic. He doesn't really explain the logic behind each principle very convincingly; to do so would require a longer book with more quotes. I think I would understand Rambam better (and thus understand Kellner's discussion of Rambam better) if Kellner had done so. But Kellner does explain in a general way why Rambam believed that failure to know of the principles was so harmful. First, Rambam relied on a vague passage in Habbakuk about the righteous "living by their faith" to support his view that incorrect views deprived one of "life" in the world to come. Second, Rambam interpreted a passage on the Talmud about the world to come (a passage which refers to the righteous "enjoying the radiance of the divine presence") as meaning that they "enjoy what they know of the Creator". It followed (according to Kellner's interpretation of Rambam) that people without philosophical knowledge had no share in the world to come - and thus that one who did not know of these principles had no life after death. (Kellner is fair-minded enough to note that other works of Rambam appear to adopt a more traditional interpretation of the afterlife). Third, Rambam believes that philosophical knowledge is what separates us from lower animals; thus, one without philosophical knowledge is in some sense not fully human. And given Rambam's emphasis on knowledge, Kellner asserts that Rambam demands actual philosophical inquiry into, and understanding of, his principles, rather than simple "belief." I think I understand why Rambam thought that holders of incorrect views were excluded from the world to come; however, it is not clear to me from Kellner's analysis why these errors were sufficiently noxious to justify stigmatizing errant Jews as "sectarians" during their lifetime. (Nor is it clear to me whether my lack of understanding is my fault, Kellner's, or Rambam's!) Kellner goes on to assert that the "Thirteen Principles" should not be considered halachically binding, since their philosophical foundations (e.g. that well-founded "knowledge" rather than mere belief is required for salvation) were not accepted by earlier tradition, by later Jews, or even in all of Rambam's works. Thus, Jews who fail to accept these principles should not be stigmatized as "heretics" based on Rambam's works. Kellner does not, however, believe that belief is completely irrelevant to determining who belongs inside the Jewish community; he does not believe there is a simple "bright line" test (though he would clearly exclude Jews for Jesus). Regardless of the merits of this book, it certainly inspired me to read other works (such as the critical book review mentioned in another review of this book).
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rambam & Judaism,
By Alan Zamore (NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Must a Jew Believe Anything? (Paperback)
Kellner's book accurately but dispassionately summarizes some of the controversies that swirled around the Rambam in the middle ages. If you want to understand why Maimonides is still considered controversial in some circles, read this work.
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