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When Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah (Code of Jewish Law) reached Lunel, France, a group of scholars composed twenty-four objections to his positions. Surprisingly, Maimonides’ rejoinder opened with an unusual rhymed prose epistle with effusive praise for his correspondents and artistic and complex language. In this book, Charles Sheer offers the first annotated translation of the entire epistle: he uncovers the biblical and midrashic passages modified by Maimonides that became the language of his Iggeret, and explicates its ideas in the context of Maimonides’ other works and compositions of the late Middle Ages. He illustrates how Maimonides, in a most personal fashion, shared with these scholars his ideological struggle between his love for Torah study and “hokhmah” (philosophy, wisdom). This Grand Epistle reveals much about this towering figure and provides a moving portrait of him during his last decade.
“This short volume is most certainly for a niche of scholars who specialize in the study of Maimonides. And though it is written in scholarly fashion with copious endnotes, I believe it is accessible to any careful reader desiring a better understanding of the man. And this is very appropriate since Maimonides, at the time of the writing of this letter, was heavily involved in the day-to-day care of masses of people.”
— Tom Edmondson, senior pastor at First Christian Church of Atlanta, Reading Religion
“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
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-Madda and the Brain Death Debate,” in Halachic Realities: Collected Essays on Brain Death (Maggid Books, 2015).
Preface
Introduction
Maimonides and the Lunel Scholars
The Correspondence between Maimonides and French Scholars
1) Maimonides’ Grand Iggeret to R. Jonathan of Lunel
2) The First Half of the Iggeret in Rhymed Prose
3) Maimonides’ Unanticipated and Problematic Style Reversal
4) Maimonides’ Letter to Judge Anatoli
5) The Letters from R. Jonathan of Lunel
6) The Second Half of the Iggeret in Unadorned Prose
7) Maimonides and the Lunel Scholars—Reconsidered
Appendix
Endnotes