An examination of the remarkable penetrating mind of Moses Maimonides and to his rational eye-opening thoughts on many subjects. It includes ideas that are not incorporated in the usual books about this great philosopher because they are so different than the traditional thinking of the vast majority of people. It contrasts the notions of other Jewish thinkers, somewhat rational and others not rational at all. The reader will be surprised, if not shocked, to learn that a host of beliefs that are prevalent among the Jewish masses have no rational basis. This does not suggest that Judaism itself is irrational and absurd. Just the opposite. But many Jews have opted to believe the unreasonable and illogical conventional ideas what Maimonides would label non-Jewish sabian notions because they have not been acquainted with Maimonides correct rational alternatives and taken the time to reflect upon it.
Dr. Israel Drazin succeeds in presenting Maimonides philosophy in a manner that the average reader can comprehend. The ideas presented are clearly stated so as to induce the reader to probe his own thinking. The author and the reader are thus engaged in a profound and meaningful conversation. The book is a valuable and original contribution to the vast literature on Maimonides. --Professor Bernard Auerbach, University of Maryland (retired)
Israel Drazin s Maimonides: The Exceptional Mind is a passionate and provocative polemic against ignorance and blind faith in Judaism. Jews must think for themselves. Sadly, many Jews do not adhere to this principle of Judaism. For Drazin, Maimonides is the champion of enlightened and rational commitment to a life of Torah free from superstition and mysticism.
Dr. Israel Drazin, accomplished Targum scholar, has turned his writing skills to Maimonides, whose rationalistic approach ( Maimonides: The Exceptional Mind ) fascinates the author. Despite the overwhelming acceptance of the Rambam s authority, Drazin demonstrates the existence of a surprising gap between the Master s ideas, and contemporary traditional thought and observance. Rambam describes God as withdrawing from His world after creation, for intervention would compromise the philosophic concept of His perfection. But traditional Jews do not cease to pray for God s intervention. Rambam s halakha does not recognize demonic forces, but those sections he eliminated from the liturgy for this reason (e.g. in Kiddush Levana) remain in the most traditional prayer books.
Parts two and three of this book are devoted to exposing non-rational parts of contemporary Jewish practice (devils, demons, mysticism) despite their rejection by Maimonides. Following holiday sequence, Drazin s revelations are fascinating eye-openers: Demons and Sympathetic Magic in the Passover Seder will cause many to begin reading this beautifully crafted volume from Chapter 31!
The conflict between Rambam s rationalism and popular religion is spelled out over a wide range, including passing over Rambam s Mishneh Torah ( why did Judaism reject it ) in favor of other law codes.
Drazin s work on Maimonides is marked by disarming candor, uncompromising intellectual curiosity, penetrating original analysis, and love of Maimonides, making his thought the prism for investigating all things Jewish ( Rashi was convinced that God is corporal, that He has a body, including hands, feet, and head ). The book is written with skill and extreme clarity, uncovering true deep meanings in the Rambam s words. Each chapter spells out questions, and summarized the discussion at the end. The physical production of the volume sets new standards of attractiveness.
Israel Drazin presents us with captivating insights into Jewish intellectual history, thought, and practice, built around Maimonides, the Jewish philosopher king , and pivotal figure for all things Jewish for almost a thousand years.
Drazin tells it like it is. The book cannot be put down!--Professor Shamma Friedman (Jewish Theological Seminary and Bar Ilan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Israel Drazin is the author of twenty-six published books, more than 200 popular and scholarly articles, and over 2,300 book and movie reviews. Several other books are finished and are expected to be published in 2015. He wrote a book about the case he handled for the US Army, edited a book on legends, wrote children's books, and scholarly books on the philosopher Maimonides and on the Aramaic translation of the Bible. University Microfilm International published Targumic Studies in 1982. Ktav Publishing House published Targum Onkelos to Deuteronomy in 1983, Targum Onkelos to Exodus in 1988, Targum Onkelos to Leviticus in 1993, and Targum Onkelos to Numbers in 1998. Biblical scholars consistently praise the five scholarly volumes as "copious and excellent." He edited Legends Worth Living, a book written by his father and published by Ktav in 1991. He co-wrote For God and Country, which was published by Ktav in 1995. He and Dr. Stanley Wagner published five books on Targum Onkelos called Onkelos on the Torah. His thirteenth book is published by Urim Publications, A Rational Approach to Judaism and Torah Commentary. His fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth books were published by Gefen Publishing House: Maimonides: The Exceptional Mind and Maimonides and the Biblical Prophets and Maimonides: Reason Above All in 2008 and 2009. His seventeenth book is a novel She Wanted to be Jewish published in 2010. The eighteenth volume Understanding Onkelos, written with Dr. Wagner, was published in 2012 by Targum Press. His nineteenth book, written under the pseudonym Daniel A. Diamond, is 123 Days around the World. The twentieth book is the first of two children's books he wrote with his daughter Leba Lieder. It is called Can't start Passover without the Bread. His twenty-first book is a second children's book, Sailing on Moti's ark on Sukkot. This was followed by Rational Religion under the pseudonym Daniel A. Diamond, and What's beyond the Bible Text, which he wrote with Stanley M. Wagner. His twenty fourth, Iyunim Betargum, is a Hebrew version of Understanding Onkelos. His twenty-fifth Mysteries of Judaism, was published in 2014. The first of an anticipated series of books is number twenty-six, published in 2014, Unusual Bible Interpretations: Five Books of Moses. He writes articles for jewishideas.org and book reviews for Amazon and several publishing houses. His own website is www.booksnthoughts.com.
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