Moses Mendelssohn's Living Script: Philosophy, Practice, History, Judaism

By Elias Sacks

Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786) is often described as the founder of modern Jewish thought and as a leading philosopher of the late Enlightenment. One of Mendelssohn's main concerns was how to conceive of the relationship between Judaism, philosophy, and the civic life of a modern state. Elias Sacks explores Mendelssohn's landmark account of Jewish practice--Judaism's "living script," to use his famous phrase--to present a broader reading of Mendelssohn's writings and extend inquiry into conversations about modernity and religion. By studying Mendelssohn's thought in these dimensions, Sacks suggests that he shows a deep concern with history. Sacks affords a view of a foundational moment in Jewish modernity and forwards new ways of thinking about ritual practice, the development of traditions, and the role of religion in society.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0253023742
• ISBN13: 9780253023742
• Release Date: December 2016
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (Ips)
• Length: 334 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher