Harvard University
Center for Jewish Studies
‘VAIMONIDES AFTER 800 YEARS /
Essays on Maimonides and His Influence
edited by
Jay M. Harris
Distributed by
Harvard University Press
Cambridge, Massachusetts and London, England
2007[Lerany OF CONGRESS CATALOGING IN-PUBLICATION DATA
“Maimonides after 800 years essays cm Maimoniies and his influence / edited by
Jay M. Hares
pcm.
ISBN 97-0-674-42500-5
1. Philosophy, Jewish. 2.Judaism. 3. Maimonides, Moses, 1135-1205—
‘Teachings. 1. Harris, Jay Michael, 1956
B75 M8 2007
296,81 —dez2 2oo7a3s672
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Publisher: Harvard University Center for Jewish Studies
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(Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in
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the US. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the
writen permission from the Harvard University CenterPhilosophy and Leadership in Maimonides*
Aviezer Ravitaky
Intellect and Leadership
something quite dif-
ferent from what its originator intended. In Benda’s view, the intellectual
betrays his role when he turns to the social and political sphere instead of con
centrating almast exclusively pts and ideas and dedicating himself to
universal intellectual principles. opher, the scholar, and the clercare
«called upon tocontemplate the world dispassionately and disinterestedly, seck-
ing to advance neither the national interest nor any other pragmatic agenda
‘They should confront society as judge and conscience, a posture that requires
drawing a clear line between the intellectuals world of thought and the world.
‘of concrete, quotidian eyents.
‘The term began to take ona different meaning during the 1930s, and the new
Lusage—quite the opposite of the original sense—gained force in the wake of
World War Il and its horrors From that point on, the intellectual was thought
toshick his obligation and betray his role precisely by declining to engage with
the social experience, guide the masses, and offer the community new options,
2
J Bera a tration des cles (Paris: B. Grae, 2).
li vras the meaning ofthe term that changed, not
set sought 19 promote 3