ABSTRACT

Rabbi Loew (the Maharal) of Prague remains one of the most influential and prolific Jewish thinkers of his time. Widely considered one of the fathers of Hassidic thought and a harbinger of Modern Jewish philosophy, his life and work have retained their influence and remain prevalent today.

Adopting a multi-disciplinary approach, this book ranges from an analysis of the historical background to Maharal’s thought, to examining the relevance of this thought in the modern era, before addressing the popular cultural and folkloristic reception of Maharal’s impact on modern, Western culture. This book presents a new understanding of familiar material and will be an invaluable asset to students and scholars of Modern and Early-Modern Jewish History and Intellectual thought.

chapter |7 pages

Introduction 1

ByMeir Seidler

part I|21 pages

Netivot Olam — paths of the world

chapter 1|19 pages

An emperor at the Prague Castle

Cosmopolitan society, politics and culture in Bohemia during Rudolf II's reign
ByJaroslav Pánek

part II|99 pages

Gur Aryeh — in the Lion's Den

chapter 2|11 pages

Between rationalism and mysticism

Maharal's place in Jewish thought
ByBinyamin Gross

chapter 4|11 pages

Maharal of Prague on time

ByDov Schwartz

chapter 5|12 pages

Maharal against Azariah de' Rossi

The other side of scepticism
ByGiuseppe Veltri

chapter 6|9 pages

At the methodological crossroad

The dispute with Eliezer Ashkenazi
ByAndré Neher

chapter 7|16 pages

The relationship between Halakha, philosophy and education in Maharal's teachings

Maharal's attitude towards the Halakhic Kitzur
ByNeria Guttel

chapter 8|28 pages

Sexual restraint and male identity in rabbinic ethics and Maharal‘s further elaborations

Applying Foucault's idea of subjectivation to Jewish legal and ethical texts
ByDavid Biernot

part III|80 pages

Or Chadash— new light

chapter 9|29 pages

Modernity and religion

New explorations in the light of the ‘union of opposites'
ByAvinoam Rosenak

chapter 11|11 pages

Maharal and religious coercion

ByMeir Seidler

part IV|10 pages

Derekh HaChayim — the way of life

chapter 13|8 pages

The Golem of Prague and his ‘master'

From legends to popular movies
ByKlaus Davidowicz