JL;DR

Josef Stern responds to Lawrence Kaplan's praise of his book "The Matter and Form of Maimonides Guide" by discussing key issues raised. Stern delves into Mai...

In "Silence of the Lambs," the discussion revolves around the concept of sacrifice in both ancient religious practices and modern political and ethical conte...

Jewish emigrants who returned to Germany after being expelled found themselves as irreplaceable teachers, contributing to German philosophy and influencing t...

Richard Wolin criticizes the interpretation of Hannah Arendt's "banality of evil" thesis, pointing out factual errors and challenging the emphasis on Martin ...

"Moshe Halbertal's intellectual biography 'Maimonides: Life and Thought' delves into the relevance of Maimonides in modern times, exploring his contributions...

The text reflects on the final days of the author's father, a man who found solace and purpose in philosophy throughout his life. As he faces a terminal illn...

The author recounts a personal experience involving a fire accident to explore the concept of "middah kneged middah," or Jewish karma, where actions have con...

Martin Heidegger's recently published Black Notebooks reveal his deep entanglement with National Socialism, anti-Semitism, and belief in the superiority of t...

The text discusses the evolution of ideas on religion, atheism, and postmodernism, particularly through the analysis of Terry Eagleton's book "Culture and th...

The text explores the idea of responsibility in storytelling, highlighting how authors shape the fates of their characters. A series of interconnected events...

Sherwin B. Nuland, a prominent surgeon and writer, advocated for demystifying death to make it less frightening, believing that the quest for a dignified dea...

Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi, a prominent Jewish historian, is reflected upon through the lens of his essays and writings, shedding light on his fascination with r...

The text discusses the decline of Conservative Judaism and the factors contributing to it. It notes that the movement has failed to inspire congregants with ...

Rabbi David Wolpe delves into the profound teachings of Abraham Joshua Heschel, a revered Jewish scholar known for his spiritual insights and poetic prose. W...

"Kafka at Bedtime" discusses two recent works based on the writings of Franz Kafka. The first, "Philosophy and Kafka," is a collection of essays exploring Ka...

In a symposium on Jewish belief, Commentary Magazine highlighted the influence of Franz Rosenzweig, a German Jew whose essay "The Builders" provided a meanin...

Ludwig Wittgenstein's "Philosophical Investigations," published in 1953, challenges traditional views of language and truth by asserting that words do not si...

"Man Is Not Alone" by Abraham Joshua Heschel, published in 1951, presents faith as a profound connection akin to the intimacy between lovers, where one repla...

Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv, a student of Rabbi Israel Lipkin Salanter, founded the Talmud Torah of Kelm, a unique yeshiva blending tradition with elements of th...

Jonathan Sperber's biography of Karl Marx portrays him as a figure of the 19th century, highlighting his bourgeois origins, lifestyle, and approach to revolu...

Solomon Maimon, a controversial Jewish philosopher in the late 18th century, narrated his life in an autobiography where he critiqued the brutality and irrat...

Dignity, a central concept in human rights and moral discourse, is explored through various lenses in Jewish and Western thought. The multifaceted nature of ...

In "If God is Good, Why is the World So Bad?" by Rabbi Blech, the author addresses the age-old question of how to reconcile belief in a benevolent deity with...

In this series of letters from the Spring 2013 issue of a publication, several important discussions are summarized. Firstly, Henry Kissinger responds to Shl...

Jacques Derrida, the French philosopher known for deconstruction, was not easily categorized as a Jewish thinker despite his Algerian Jewish heritage. Benoît...

In a response to Jon D. Levenson's critical review of his book "The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture," the author defends his thesis that the Hebrew Bible can ...

This text describes a series of underground philosophy seminars held with a group of Hasidic Jewish participants, including Satmar and Lubavitcher members, e...

Arie Dubnov's book delves into the complex life of Isaiah Berlin, from his Jewish heritage in Riga to his esteemed status as a British intellectual figure. D...

Yoram Hazony's book criticizes modern academia for trivializing the Hebrew Bible, particularly due to the influence of German research methods that viewed bi...

Leora Batnitzky's book "How Judaism Became a Religion" offers a fresh perspective on the evolution of modern Jewish thought, focusing on the shift towards de...

In "The Peace and Violence of Judaism," Robert Eisen reflects on the impact of religious conflicts, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the ro...

"Melisande! What Are Dreams?" by Hillel Halkin tells the story of a love triangle involving the narrator, Hoo, his wife Mellie, and their friend Ricky. The n...

In "Where Wisdom Begins," the discussion centers on the role of religion in modern society by challenging the idea that secularism alone can solve societal c...

Baruch (Benedictus) Spinoza's treatise, "Theological-Political Treatise," sparked controversy for its radical theological and political ideas. Spinoza challe...

The text discusses Jewish identity and the challenges surrounding it, focusing on how individuals grapple with their Jewishness in a modern context. It menti...

Following the 9/11 attacks, Graydon Carter's statement about the "end of the age of irony" prompted reflection on the clash between fanaticism and intellectu...

Harry Austryn Wolfson, a prominent Jewish scholar, delivered a sermon at Harvard in 1955 challenging prevailing theological notions and criticizing contempor...

Jacqueline Rose's "The Question of Zion" explores the idea of a binational Arab-Jewish state advocated by thinkers like Martin Buber and Hannah Arendt, criti...

Irving Kristol was a prominent figure in neoconservatism, having transitioned through various ideological phases before settling on a neo-Orthodox Jewish per...

In 1785, Moses Mendelssohn, a prominent Enlightenment philosopher and a symbol of religious tolerance, found himself embroiled in a controversy sparked by Fr...

In her book "The Kabbalistic Culture of Eighteenth-Century Prague," Sharon Flatto revisits the legacy of Ezekiel Landau, the Noda Biyehudah, challenging the ...

Daniel Bell, a prominent figure among the New York intellectuals, emerged from a Jewish immigrant neighborhood with leftist influences. His book "The End of ...

The correspondence between Jewish intellectuals Hannah Arendt and Gershom Scholem, spanning from 1939 to 1964, reveals a complex relationship between two inf...

In Proverbs 8:22-31, wisdom is personified as being created by the Lord at the beginning of His works, present before the creation of the world, and playing ...

Stephen Prothero challenges the notion that all religions teach the same thing by highlighting the vast differences in beliefs and practices among the world'...

In the essay "No Jewish Narnias: A Reply," the author discusses the absence of deeply Jewish fantasy literature comparable to the Christian-influenced works ...

Bob Dylan has long been a divisive figure within Judaism and beyond, with some viewing him as a messianic figure akin to a biblical prophet, while others see...

This book by a prominent Lutheran ethicist explores the concept of human dignity and the essential nature of humanity. The author emphasizes the importance o...

Rebecca Newberger Goldstein's novel, "36 Arguments for the Existence of God," follows psychology professor Cass Seltzer, who gains fame for debunking 36 reas...

"Saving God" explores themes of idolatry and human fallenness from both Jewish and Christian perspectives. The text criticizes the idea of a God serving huma...