Sa'adyah Gaon was an outstanding tenth-century Jewish thinker - a prominent rabbi; philosopher; and exegete. He was a pioneer in the fields in which he toiled; and was an inspiration and basis for later Jewish writing in all these areas. The last major English-language study of his work was published in 1921; long before Genizah research changed the understanding of the time in which he lived. Robert Brody's masterly work; covering Sa'adyah's biography and his main areas of creativity in an accessible way; is therefore a much-needed reassessment of an outstanding figure. The opening chapter; on the geonic period that formed the background to Sa'adyah's life (a period on which there are few works in English); is followed by an overview that brings out the revolutionary aspects of his work and the characteristic features of his writings. Subsequent chapters consider his philosophical works; his Bible commentaries; his pioneering linguistic work; his poetry; his halakhic activity (including an examination of his use of the Palestinian Talmud compared to that of the Babylonian Talmud); and his activity as a polemicist; notably against the Karaites.An Epilogue sums up his importance in medieval Jewish culture.Particularly valuable features of the book are the copious quotations from Sa'adyah's works; which facilitate familiarity with his style as well as his ideas; the clarity in presenting complex and difficult concepts; the constant assessment of his relationship to his predecessors in his various fields of study and his own unique contributions to each field; and the contextualization of his contribution within the political; cultural; and religious climate of his times so that both revolutionary and conservative elements in his thought can be identified and evaluated.
#1182497 in Books Encounter Books 2002-11-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.98 x .75 x 6.00l; .84 #File Name: 1893554570198 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Necessary reading in schools and the media.By VictorExcellent. Is the book students in all democratic countries around the World should r ad should read and comment in class. One copy should be sent free to all free.By reading it it becomes obvious the only universal set of cultural values the World has produced sprouted in Ancient Greek thought rooted in the idea only rational analysis by humans of any race can help the humans advance. Not Judaism; not Christianity; not Islam; not Marxism; not Hinduism; not Buddhism.The book is great but far too short on the accomplishments of the Greeks. I mean; even the Chinese are becoming "Greek" in many ways; science; the Olympics and on and on.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Do not let his ethnocentricity deter you.By Laurence Clark CrossenDo not let his ethnocentricity deter you. He does say things something like: "The Greeks invented democracy." These are really gross overstatements because; however finely they developed these traditions; they could not have invented them. From the majority rulings in small groups of every kind from the family; through the band; tribe; city and nation state; to the parliament-like governing bodies in Babylonia; there long existed democratic traditions. Unfortunately; this blunder of his may deter many from reading his absolutely excellent description of how the Greeks developed these traditions. I recommend counterbalancing it; as I have; by reading The Theft of History by Jack Goody (c.2006).0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy RiverdreamExcellent work that starts from the primary sources.
