Papers by Aviram Ravitsky
The question of whether the divine commandments were observed prior to the revelation at Sinai ha... more The question of whether the divine commandments were observed prior to the revelation at Sinai has vast theological and hermeneutical implications. The first known systematic account that has reached us on the question of the antiquity of the commandments is found in the tenth-century Karaite scholar Yaʿqūb al-Qirqisānī's Kitāb al-Anwār w-al-Marāqib. Qirqisānī discusses two theories: according to the first, the divine commandments were given already to Adam; and according to the second, God's law was given in an accumulative process, the Torah being developed in accordance with the historical circumstances. This article analyzes the two theories and demonstrates that they are rooted in a Muslim-Jewish debate, conducted in the first half of the ninth century, about the Muslim principle of abrogation (naskh), and that the historical context of the argument on the subject probably was that of the interreligious debates that took place in Qirqisānī's time.
False arguments challenged Jewish scholars in the central disciplines of Jewish literature: law, ... more False arguments challenged Jewish scholars in the central disciplines of Jewish literature: law, ethics, theology, science, and even methodology. The present paper will focus on argumentation criticism in talmudic and rabbinical literature, Jewish philosophy, and in a fourteenth or fifteenth century treatise combining these two disciplines. Talmudic and midrashic literature includes a large variety of works originating in different times and places. It summarizes and analyses works, interpretations, lectures, homilies, legal rulings, and folk stories of earlier generations. In this sense, the talmudic-midrashic literature is based on two aspects -a traditional aspect and a logical aspect. The Talmud conceives of both tradition and logical argumentation as reliable and binding sources but nevertheless differentiates between them: Reliable tradition must be accepted unconditionally and uncritically, while logical arguments are to be examined through critical tools. The Mishnah states: "If this is a legal tradition (halakha) -we will accept it. But if it is a logical inference (la-din) -there is a reply" (Mishnah, Kareitot 3, 9; Yevamot 8, 3) 1 .
Halakhic Truth and Erroneous Ruling: a Study of the Philosophy of Halakhah in the School of R. Nissim of Gerona—R. Isaac Bar Sheshet and R. Ḥasdai Crescas
Journal of Jewish Thought & Philosophy, Mar 27, 2020
This study analyzes the attitude toward the conflict between halakhah and science in the thought ... more This study analyzes the attitude toward the conflict between halakhah and science in the thought of two halakhic authorities of fifteenth-century Spain who developed the ideas of their master, R. Nissim of Gerona, in different directions. R. Isaac bar Sheshet Perfet (Rivash) privileged halakhah over science for epistemological reasons because of its basis in revelation and tradition, but it appears that R. Ḥasdai Crescas stressed faith in the halakhic authority of the sages, even in cases of an erroneous ruling, as a way to increase the believing Jew’s motivation to serve God.
Maimonides’ Linguistic Thought and Its Greek, Islamic, and Jewish Backround
Rencontres de philosophie médiévale, 2020
Rabbi Joseph ben Saul Kim i and his Magnum Opus Mezuqqaq shiv‘atayim (The Philosophical Section)
Aristotelian Logic And Talmudic Methodology: The Commentaries On The 13 Hermeneutic Principles And Their Application Of Logic
Ajs Review-the Journal of The Association for Jewish Studies, Nov 1, 2017
Yaʿqūb al-Qirqisānī on Human Intellect, Legal Inference, and the Meaning of the Aristotelian Syllogism
Journal of Jewish Thought & Philosophy, Oct 18, 2018
In the fourth treatise of his legal-theological work Kitāb al-Anwār wa-al-Marāqib, Yaʿqūb al-Qirq... more In the fourth treatise of his legal-theological work Kitāb al-Anwār wa-al-Marāqib, Yaʿqūb al-Qirqisānī analyzes a criticism of the Aristotelian syllogism and its epistemological foundations. Qirqisānī defends Aristotelian logic by quoting a passage from an unknown commentary on Aristotle in which the Aristotelian theory of syllogism is explicated. This paper focuses on the historical, theological, and philosophical meanings of the criticism of the syllogism in Qirqisānī’s discussion and analyzes his interpretation of the syllogism as a source of knowledge that should be applied in the realm of legal reasoning and in the interpretation of biblical law.
Religions, Sep 25, 2019
The literary framework of Solomon Ibn Gabirol's Fons Vitae is a conversation between a master and... more The literary framework of Solomon Ibn Gabirol's Fons Vitae is a conversation between a master and a disciple. In this article, the nature of the disciple's questions will be analyzed in order to explain the advantages of the dialogical process in Ibn Gabirol's thought. The literary framework of Judah ha-Levi's Kitāb al-Khazarī is similar to that of Fons Vitae. Ha-Levi's composition is built as a conversation that allegedly took place between the king of the Khazars and a Jewish scholar (h. aver). Analysis of the king's responses to the h. aver shows that the king did not fully understand the h. aver's lessons, in which the deep meaning of Judaism is taught. In this article, the king's responses will be analyzed and, likewise, the question of Judah ha-Levi's intention in using this literary sophistication. As is shown in this article both famous Andalusian poets and thinkers, R. Judah ha-Levi and R. Solomon Ibn Gabirol, masters of linguistic phrasing and style, used the dialogical form not only as an opportunity to present their world views, but also as a method by which to critique their own philosophies.
The Jewish Quarterly Review, 2009
Maimonides’ Linguistic Thought and Its Greek, Islamic, and Jewish Backround
Talmudic Methodology and Aristotelian Logic: David ibn Bilia's Commentary on the Thirteen Hermeneutic Principles
Jewish Quarterly Review, 2009
... an analysis of the medieval commentaries that used Aristotelian logic to interpret the thirte... more ... an analysis of the medieval commentaries that used Aristotelian logic to interpret the thirteen principles, see Aviram Ravitsky, Logic and ... realm of Jewish law was rejected also by moderate Aristotelian philosophers, eg, Rabbi Menaḥem ha-Meiri; see Gregg Stern, "Philosophic ...
Yaʿqūb al-Qirqisānī on Human Intellect, Legal Inference, and the Meaning of the Aristotelian Syllogism
The Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy, 2018
In the fourth treatise of his legal-theological work Kitāb al-Anwār wa-al-Marāqib, Yaʿqūb al-Qirq... more In the fourth treatise of his legal-theological work Kitāb al-Anwār wa-al-Marāqib, Yaʿqūb al-Qirqisānī analyzes a criticism of the Aristotelian syllogism and its epistemological foundations. Qirqisānī defends Aristotelian logic by quoting a passage from an unknown commentary on Aristotle in which the Aristotelian theory of syllogism is explicated. This paper focuses on the historical, theological, and philosophical meanings of the criticism of the syllogism in Qirqisānī’s discussion and analyzes his interpretation of the syllogism as a source of knowledge that should be applied in the realm of legal reasoning and in the interpretation of biblical law.
Saadya Gaon and Maimonides on the Logic and Limits of Legal Inference in Context of the Karaite-Rabbanite Controversy
History and Philosophy of Logic, 2011
Saadya Gaon (882 – 942), one of the outstanding Rabbis in the period of the Geonim, rejected the ... more Saadya Gaon (882 – 942), one of the outstanding Rabbis in the period of the Geonim, rejected the legitimacy of legal inference, as part of his polemics with his contemporary Karaite scholars. The paper analyzes Saadya's stance regarding the logical basis of legal inference, and shows that Saadya's distinction between reason and revelation in the domain of legal inference is only in regard to the ‘illah– the factor that connects the case with its law. The rationality of the commandments, on the other hand, is based according to Saadya upon the manfa‘ah– the utility of the commandments, and hence Saadya's religious doctrine turns out to be coherent and consistent. Maimonides (1138–1204), who was one of the most important figures in the Jewish scholarly world in the Middle Ages, adopted the Aristotelian concept of dialectics in order to facilitate his theory of Jewish legal argumentation. Unlike Saadya, Maimonides saw inferences in the realm of the law as legitimate. His position can be considered an inclination towards the Karaite ideology according to which reason must be the ruler in the realm of the law. Nevertheless, Maimonides' stance deviates from that of Karaites in a crucial point: according to Maimonides, only authorized institutions are qualified to use legal inference. Since the Talmud, according to Maimonides, represents the teachings of the rabbinical authorized institutions, its legal instructions must be followed. The article describes Maimonides' position regarding legal and Talmudic inferences, and shows that Maimonides' inclination towards the Karaite theory remains within the limits of the Rabbanite ideology.
Aristotelian Logic And Talmudic Methodology: The Commentaries On The 13 Hermeneutic Principles And Their Application Of Logic
Rabbi Joseph ben Saul Kim i and his Magnum Opus Mezuqqaq shiv‘atayim (The Philosophical Section)
Religions
The literary framework of Solomon Ibn Gabirol’s Fons Vitae is a conversation between a master and... more The literary framework of Solomon Ibn Gabirol’s Fons Vitae is a conversation between a master and a disciple. In this article, the nature of the disciple’s questions will be analyzed in order to explain the advantages of the dialogical process in Ibn Gabirol’s thought. The literary framework of Judah ha-Levi’s Kitāb al-Khazarī is similar to that of Fons Vitae. Ha-Levi’s composition is built as a conversation that allegedly took place between the king of the Khazars and a Jewish scholar (ḥaver). Analysis of the king’s responses to the ḥaver shows that the king did not fully understand the ḥaver’s lessons, in which the deep meaning of Judaism is taught. In this article, the king’s responses will be analyzed and, likewise, the question of Judah ha-Levi’s intention in using this literary sophistication. As is shown in this article both famous Andalusian poets and thinkers, R. Judah ha-Levi and R. Solomon Ibn Gabirol, masters of linguistic phrasing and style, used the dialogical form not...
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Papers by Aviram Ravitsky