Shira Weiss - Böcker

Joseph Albo on Free Choice discovers unsuspected philosophical originality in the interpretations of biblical narrative found in Joseph Albo's Book of Principles, one of the most popular Hebrew works in the corpus of medieval Jewish philosophy. Several of Albo's exegetical analyses focus on free choice, which emerges as a conceptual scheme throughout his work. An exploration of Albo's innovative homiletical interpretations of the binding of Isaac, the hardening of Pharaoh's heart, the Book of Job, and God's choice of Israel, reveals his view of free choice which was significant during a historical period of religious coercion. Albo's sole surviving responsum dealing with the case of the qatlanit further demonstrates his philosophical position. In this new book, Shira Weiss shows that in the medieval era in which Albo lived, free choice was an important topic, subject to vehement debate that has continued to be contested in modern philosophy.

In this book, Shira Weiss elucidates the moral tradition of the Hebrew Bible by subjecting ethically challenging biblical texts to moral philosophical analysis. Examining the most essential questions of Jewish Thought, she uses contemporary philosophy to decipher Scriptural ethics as uncovered from a variety of biblical stories. Aided by ancient, medieval, and contemporary resources, Weiss presents a comprehensive discussion of enduring ethical questions that arise from biblical narrative and continue to be contested in modern times. She shows how such analysis can unsettle assumptions and beliefs, as well as foster moral reflection. Ethical Ambiguity in the Hebrew Bible will be of interest to scholars and students of ethics, philosophy, Jewish thought, biblical theology, and exegesis.

This book explores the protests of Job from the perspectives of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religious and philosophical traditions.