ABSTRACT
The intellectual expression of medieval Jews was manifested through frameworks. Biblical commentaries in particular are rich in political thought and of necessity deal extensively with covenant. Even lesser figures frequently addressed questions of governance in their responsa, which can be analyzed to reveal a theory of political organization, power and public policy. The beginnings of the chain of medieval Jewish thought are to be found in the works of Saadia Gaon, the principal leader of the keter torah of world Jewry in his lifetime. Saadia's systematic thought rested on his understanding that Jews were Jews by virtue of the Torah, in other words, on a covenantal-con- stitutional basis. In Judah Halevi, covenantal terminology is used systematically and consistently as part of the political language of his argument on behalf of the superiority of Judaism over Christianity, Islam, and classical philosophy. Maimonides seems to be the ultimate monarchist in postbiblical Jewish tradition, while Don Isaac Abravanel is the ultimate republican.
