Ḥasdai Crescas on the philosophic foundation of codification
Ḥasdai Crescas briefly adumbrated his halakhic methodology in the introduction to his philosophic work, 'Or ha-Shem. He followed Maimonides by arguing for the importance of a comprehensive and succinct legal code and opposed himself to those who ascribe independent value to Torah study. However...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
University of Pennsylvania Press
[2013]
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In: |
AJS review
Year: 2013, Volume: 37, Issue: 2, Pages: 315-331 |
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Ḳreśḳaś, Ḥasdai 1340-1410
/ Halacha
/ Torah
/ Code
B Jewish law / Infinity / Religious philosophy / Perfection / Intellect / Divinity / Rule of law / Talmud |
IxTheo Classification: | BH Judaism |
Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
Summary: | Ḥasdai Crescas briefly adumbrated his halakhic methodology in the introduction to his philosophic work, 'Or ha-Shem. He followed Maimonides by arguing for the importance of a comprehensive and succinct legal code and opposed himself to those who ascribe independent value to Torah study. However, Crescas disputed Maimonides on the proper goals and character of a legal code. Unlike Maimonides, he designated his code for Torah scholars and focused on the bedrock principles that are the bases for particular laws. According to Crescas, these principles allow the codifier to capture the infinite and boundless halakhah in a finite and accessible form. They also serve as exegetical rules that allow the Torah scholar to create new laws. In this regard, the halakhic enterprise resembles the process of creation and the scholar resembles God. |
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ISSN: | 1475-4541 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Association for Jewish Studies, AJS review
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1017/S0364009413000287 |