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WiSe 20/21: (Lk) Ibn Paquda's Duties of the Heart

Lukas Mühlethaler

Comments

In past semesters we have read from cover to cover Moses Maimonides Guide of the Perplexed and Judah Halevis Kuzari. This semester we want to do the same with another classic of Jewish religious philosophy: The Duties of the Heart by Bahya Ibn Paquda. In its medieval Hebrew translation (and in the numerous translations into modern languages) it is probably the most widely read and received book that can be attributed to Jewish philosophy. It became, for example, a foundational work of the Musar literature. It is also an excellent example of how the Islamic environment shaped Bachja's conception of Judaism (e.g. through his reception of concepts of Sufism), but also for how this formation can no longer be recognized by modern readers. We use translations into modern languages as a basis for our reading. Participants can also read the Arabic original and (medieval / modern) Hebrew translations and we will consider them in our discussions If you want to prepare for this "reading marathon" the following monograph is recommended: Lobel, Diana. A Sufi-Jewish Dialogue: Philosophy and Mysticism in Ba?ya Ibn Paquda’s Duties of the Heart. Jewish Culture and Contexts. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007. This course is conducted online. All materials are made available on Blackboard. There you will find (at the very latest on 2 November) information about on the format of online teaching. If you do not have access to Blackboard, please contact the lecturer. close