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 Book production and design by CDI Press, POB 34454, Bethesda, MD 20827 Duster design by Catherine Lo Publisher: Harvard University Center for Jewish Studies ISBN 975.0-674-02590-5, (Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in ‘part inany form (beyond that copying permitted in Sector the US. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the writen permission from the Harvard University CenterPhilosophy 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