Moses Mendelssohn's living script : philosophy, practice, history, Judaism /

Sacks's examination of the pivotal role of Moses Mendelssohn (1729-86) in defending traditional Jewish revelation and practice in the dawning of Haskalah (Jewish enlightenment) is distinguished in two respects. First, Sacks (Univ. of Colorado) offers a textual and critical reading of key passages in his Pentateuch commentary (Bi'ur) and his Jerusalem, or On Religious Power and Judaism that engage Judaism as a system of revealed legislation, not religious dogma. Second, Sacks affirms the role of history and philosophy in Mendelssohn's view that historical consciousness not blind faith engages "revelation in practice" and reason. Sacks elucidates scholarly debate on Mendelssohn's acceptance of the Sinai revelation, rabbinic Halakhah, and medieval Jewish philosophy, and he probes less-known Mendelssohn Hebrew and German tractates that tolerate critical examination of accepted doctrines and institutions but are less tolerant of evolving historical Halakhah that is compatible with rationalization. Sack argues that revealed legislation (commanded behavior) and rational revelation (God's existence, divine providence, the soul's immortality) are key to unlocking Mendelssohn's Jewish enlightenment. His rational ethical Judaism birthed his legacy as the German Socrates, the central intellectual of German Haskalah. Sacks's erudite study provides a blueprint as to why and how. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty. --Zev Garber, Los Angeles Valley College