Overview

The first annotated translation of the entire epistle. In his Iggeret Maimonides shares his inner torment as he sought to balance his study of Jewish tradition with his engagement in worldly wisdom and philosophy. Written in a style that will engage both scholars and non-scholars. Did Maimonides the philosopher and legal scholar also compose poetic works? Exciting research which develops its conclusions from a rich variety of sources. A carefully researched examination of Hebrew poetic compositions of the Late Middle Ages.

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9781618119612

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Reviews

Sheer's book makes a significant contribution to the study of Maimonides' correspondence with the sages of southern France. It is based on up-to-date research and excellent footnotes. --Mitchell First, Jewish Link of New Jersey --Mitchell First Jewish Link of New Jersey While Maimonides, like Aristotle, insists that poetry is below history, and history is below the sciences, of which ma'aseh Merkavah (metaphysics) is the highest of the sciences, Sheer reveals, in this first annotated translation, the highly literary aspect of Maimonides' elegantly rhymed epistle to the scholars of Lunel. ... Sheer unpacks the complex allusions to Biblical and Midrashic sources in Rambam's rhymed letter, and its ideas in the context of Maimonides' oeuvre, so we not only gain a better appreciation of Rambam's genius, but the tensions in Rambam's mind between Torah study and the hokmah (sciences). ... Sheer provides a careful, detailed, in-depth textual analysis of the 59-line poetic letter. Sheer's thoughtful insights reveal what is at stake for the Rambam with regards to the dialectic between Torah and science, philosophy and poetry, supernatural divine revelation [beyond the mind's limits] and reason. Recommended for all libraries. --AJL Reviews

Sheer's book makes a significant contribution to the study of Maimonides' correspondence with the sages of southern France. It is based on up-to-date research and excellent footnotes. --Mitchell First, Jewish Link of New Jersey --Mitchell First Jewish Link of New Jersey

While Maimonides, like Aristotle, insists that poetry is below history, and history is below the sciences, of which ma'aseh Merkavah (metaphysics) is the highest of the sciences, Sheer reveals, in this first annotated translation, the highly literary aspect of Maimonides' elegantly rhymed epistle to the scholars of Lunel. ... Sheer unpacks the complex allusions to Biblical and Midrashic sources in Rambam's rhymed letter, and its ideas in the context of Maimonides' oeuvre, so we not only gain a better appreciation of Rambam's genius, but the tensions in Rambam's mind between Torah study and the hokmah (sciences). ... Sheer provides a careful, detailed, in-depth textual analysis of the 59-line poetic letter. Sheer's thoughtful insights reveal what is at stake for the Rambam with regards to the dialectic between Torah and science, philosophy and poetry, supernatural divine revelation [beyond the mind's limits] and reason. Recommended for all libraries. --AJL Reviews Sheer's book makes a significant contribution to the study of Maimonides' correspondence with the sages of southern France. It is based on up-to-date research and excellent footnotes. --Mitchell First, Jewish Link of New Jersey --Mitchell First Jewish Link of New Jersey

Author Information

Rabbi Charles Sheer holds an M.A. in Talmudic Literature from Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, and Ordination from Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. For 34 years he was campus rabbi at Columbia University and Barnard College. He currently serves at a medical center as chaplain and member of the bioethics faculty. His publications include ""Bikkur Holim: The Origin of Jewish Pastoral Care"" and ""Torah u-Maddaand the Brain Death Debate,"" in Halachic Realities: Collected Essays on Brain Death(Maggid Books, 2015).

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