THE DETR OIT JEWISH NEWS Fri day, October 17,_ 1 95 8--33

imon ides'
`The Gad e for
the Perplexed'

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MOSES MAIMONIDES
If there is a single great
Biblical commentary and philo-
sophic study that has gained
the status of imperishability,
it is "The Guide for the Per-
plexed" by Moses Maimonides.
For several centuries, the
Maimonides work has been a
guide for Jewish scholars and
a revelation to the non-Jews
who undertook to study it.
Its republication by Dover
Publications (920 B'way, N. Y.
10) revives interest in the
great work and its author.
The Dover edition is a trans-
lation from the original Arabic
text, the Daladat al-Hairin.
In Hebrew, "The Guide for the
Perplexed" is known as "Moreh
Nebuchim."
The translator of the Dover
edition the late Dr. M. Fried-
laender, of London, who first
undertook the translation, at
the suggestion of the Com-
mittee of the Hebrew Litera-
ture Society of England in
1881.
Parts of this translation were
contributed by the late Dr.
Joseph Abrahams and the Rev.
H. Gollancz.
In this volume are included
an exceptionally fine biographi-
cal sketch of Maimonides
(Moses ben Maimon), an analy-
sis of the entire Moreh Nebu-
chim work and the translation
from the Arabic.
The biographical sketch in
this important volume touched
upon the alleged Maimonides
apostasy charge, and Dr. Fried-
laender pointed out that in
times of persecution Maimon-
ides and his family did not
seek "to protect their lives and
property by dissimulation. They
submitted to the troubles of
exile in order that they might
remain faithful to their re-
ligion."
It is pointed out in the
biography that Moses ben Mai-
mon was supported for some
time by his brother after whose
death he earned his livelihood
as a physician, "but he never
sought or derived any benefit
from his services to his com-
munity, or from his correspond-
ence or from the works he
wrote for the instruction of his
brethren; the satisfaction of
being of service to his fellow-
creatures was for him a suf-
ficient reward."
The numerous available vol-
umes on Moreh Nebuchim
Literature are outlined in a
special chapter.
There is a scholarly analysis
of the Guide for the Perplexed,
preceding the actual transla-
tion, in the more than 400
pages in this volume.

OSLO, (WJA)—The United
Arab Republic has opened an
Embassy in Oslo. The new Am-
bassador, Abraham al Istuani,
arrived in the Norwegian capital
last month. Egypt and Syria
previously had no diplomatic
representation in Oslo. The
Egyptian Ambassador earlier ac-
credited to Norway was sta-
tioned in Stockholm and the
Syrian Ambassador in Bonn.

Christological Essays in Yearbook off. Judaeo-Christiaii Studies

The third volume of "The
Bridge: Yearbook of Judaeo-
Christian Studies," edited by
Prof. John M. Oesterreicher,
published by Pantheon Books
(333 6th, N. Y. 14), contains a
remarkable collection of essays
by American and European
scholars who examine the dec-
laration of Pius XI: "Abraham
is called our father. Spiritually
we are Semites."
Christological in their view-
points. the articles in this valu-
able 383-page book should be
studied with equal concern by
Jews as well as Christians. Some
are critical of certain Jewish
approaches: several can serve
well as further evaluation of
Jewish thinking on important
issues; with others we may take
issue.
A typical example of fairness
is Prof. James V. Mullaney's
review of Arnold J. Toynbee's
"An Historian's Approach to Re-
ligion." Dr. Mullaney charges
that Toynbee's verdict on the
Jews is self-contradictory. Re-
ferring to Toynbee's attacks on
Jews and Zionism in relation to
some of the occurrences in Is-
rael and the charge that Zion-
ists acted like the Nazis:
"Even if the misery of Arab
refugees were the fault of none
but the Israelis, even if one
utterly condemns, as one must,

the isolated massacre of Arab
men, women, and children, at
Dayr Yasin by Jewish soldiers
run wild, it is hardly exact to
imply that genocide and terri-
torial displacement are 'the
same crime.' Toynbee's verdict
on the Jews is, like so much
else he has written, self-contra-
dictory. His original criticism of
the Jews, their basic sin, was
that they rejected Christ as the
Messiah. But so does Toynbee
today. Moreover, he now de-
scribes as 'Judaic' the belief that
Christ is the sole Messiah. In
the face of such contradictions
there can only be silence."
* * *
Dr. Oesterreicher's introduc-
tory essay is devoted in part to
an evaluation of the thinking
and philosophic work of Dr.
Martin Buber, on the occasion
of his 80th birthday. He differs
with the Jewish scholar's inter-
pretations of Judaic supremacy
and while paying tribute to him
he asserts:
"When some 60 years ago
Buber returned to Judaism, it
was not as a convert but almost
as a conqueror, that is, not on
its terms but on his terms.
Strangely enough, it seems to
have been his concern with cer-.
twin mystical speculations of the
West and his rejection of mod-
ern positivism that made him

enter the Zionist movement. It
was the German mystics who
sent him back to Hasidism, and
it was, in the main, non-Jewish
thinkers who helped him find
his I-Thou philosophy."
But the differences, the edi-
tor states, "cannot impair our
respect for Martin Buber, much
less our good wishes." Dr.
Oesterreicher reasserts a basic
Christian idea that "all in all,
there is no rupture, there is only
continuity between Israel's
trust based on the faith that
God spoke and gave His prom-
ise to Abraham, that He made
His covenant with Moses, and
the Christian faith that in Jesus
God spoke again and more
abundantly . . "
This is how the personality
idea predominates in Christian
thinking. Ideology is placed
above that in Judaism.
Thus, christological idea pre-
vails throughout the discussions
by the Christian scholars who
contributed to this volume.
The sincerity of the Christian
theologians is not to be doubted,
however.
At the outset, there is incor-
porated in the volume the trans-
lation of a Yemenite Prayer, by
Dr. Oesterreicher, from a rare
volume brought to Israel from
Yemen during "Operation Magic
Carpet."

.

You DON'T MISS WATER

We take water for granted. But let the well run
dry, and we're in trouble. It's like that with the
industries that provide work for our people. We take
them for granted. But let one of these industries
close and we realize how much it has meant to us.
Industries already present are the community's
greatest potential for economic growth. Help your
local industries to expand and you will share in the

Dr. Oesterreicher also is the
author of an exceedingly in-
teresting article on "The Ha-
sidic Movement. In it he in-
corporates a translation of the
famous song "Dudele" accred-
ited to Rabbi Levy Yitzhak of
Berditchev.
Here, too, the Christian view-
point is injected by way of corn-.
parisons. Dr. Oesterreicher as-
serts that " a Christian can only
stand in reverence" for Hasid-
ism, but he adds: "Though the
Hasidim did not believe in
Christ . . . they were not with-
out Him." The Hasidim will be
the first to be resentful of such
an implication, which is made
by way of pointing to the great
values of spiritual forces.
* * *

Dr. James Kritzeck's discus-
sion of "Jews, Christians and
Moslems" will be found most
valuable. It contains a hopeful
note for cooperation.
There are essays discussing
Social Thought in the Old Test-
ament, The Prophets: Bearers of
the Word, Martin Buber's I-Thou
Philosophy, Buber and the Sig-
nificance of Jesus, Job and his
Comforters, Theological Aspects
of the State of Israel, a series
of book reviews, including the
Toynbee review and other es-
says.

TILL THE WELL Rlitn DRY

.

rewards that follow bigger payrolls, more retail
sales, and greater community prosperity. Become
familiar with the needs of industries in your corn-
munity. Show that you are interested in helping
them find ways to meet their needs.

Join hands with your local industrial development
organization and the Michigan Economic Develop-
ment Department to help your community prosper.

This ad is published as a public service by The Detroit Jewish Mews in cooperation with the

Michigan Press Association and the Michigan Economic Developirnent Deportment.

