Without red strings or holy water : Maimonides' Mishneh Torah / H. Norman Strickland.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Strickman, H. Norman S.

Series:

Judaism and Jewish life.

Judaism and Jewish life

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Jewish philosophy.

Judaism--Doctrines.

Judaism.

Maimonides, Moses, 1135-1204. Mishneh Torah.

Maimonides, Moses.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (180 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Boston : Academic Studies Press, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Maimonides was one of the greatest Jewish personalities of the Middle Ages: a halakhist par excellence, a great philosopher, a political leader of his community, and a guardian of Jewish rights. In 1180 CE, Maimonides composed his Halakhic magnum opus, the Mishneh Torah, which can be described without exaggeration as the greatest code of Jewish law to be composed in the post-Talmudic era, unique in scope, originality, and language. In addition to dealing with an immense variety of Jewish law, from the laws of Sabbath and festival observances, dietary regulations, and relations between the sexes, to the sacrifi cial system, the construction of the Temple, and the making of priestly garments, the Mishneh Torah represents Maimonides' conception of Judaism. Maimonides held that the version of Judaism believed in and practiced by many pious Jews of his generation had been infected with pagan notions. In the Mishneh Torah, he aimed at cleansing Judaism from these non-Jewish practices and beliefs and impressing upon readers that Jewish law and ritual are free from irrational and superstitious practices. Without Red Strings or Holy Water explores Maimonides' views regarding God, the commandments, astrology, medicine, the evil eye, amulets, magic, theurgic practices, omens, communicating with the dead, the messianic era, midrashic literature, and the oral law. Without Red Strings or Holy Water will be of interest to all who are interested in the intellectual history of Judaism.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter One. The Mishneh Torah

Chapter Two. God

Chapter Three. The Commandments

Chapter Four. Magic, Demons and Evil Spirits

Chapter Five. Dangerous Practices

Chapter Six. Astrology

Chapter Seven. Medicine

Chapter Eight. Communicating with the Dead

Chapter Nine. The Messianic Era

Chapter Ten. The Oral Law

Postscript

Appendix. Another Look at the Mishneh Torah

Bibliography

Index

About the Author

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN:

1-61811-090-X

OCLC:

778886185