Maimonides and the book that changed Judaism
Book Description
In the twelfth century, a brilliant Jewish philosopher wrote a book that would forever transform how people understand the relationship between faith and reason. Moses Maimonides's "The Guide for the Perplexed" became one of history's most influential religious texts, shaping Jewish, Christian, and Islamic thought for centuries.
Now, Israeli scholar Micah Goodman makes this medieval masterpiece accessible to contemporary spiritual seekers. Rather than simply explaining Maimonides's complex philosophical arguments, Goodman reveals how these ancient insights speak directly to modern questions about meaning, doubt, and divine mystery.
At the heart of Maimonides's revolutionary thinking lies a surprising paradox: the Torah's true purpose is not to provide clear answers about God, but to help us recognize the profound limits of human understanding. This recognition, Goodman argues, becomes a gateway to deeper wisdom about our lives and spiritual purpose.
Through remarkably clear prose, this exploration spans fundamental questions that continue to challenge seekers today: the nature of prophecy and miracles, the problem of evil, the role of reason in religious life, and how doubt itself can become a spiritual tool. Goodman draws from his experience in Israel's contemporary Jewish cultural renaissance to bridge the gap between medieval philosophy and twenty-first-century spiritual inquiry.
For readers wrestling with questions of faith, meaning, and the mystery of existence, this book offers both intellectual rigor and spiritual insight.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~8 hours)
📄 Length: 274 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Maimonides, moses, 1135-1204
- ✓ Explore Dalālat al-ḥāʼirīn (Maimonides, Moses)
- ✓ Explore Sacred Writings
- ✓ Explore timeless philosophical wisdom
- ✓ Explore Philosophy, medieval
- ✓ Explore RELIGION
- ✓ Explore Judaism
- ✓ Explore Jewish philosophy
