Moshe Halbertal on Maimonides and medieval Jewish thought

Scholars of medieval Jewish tradition gathered with law professors and practitioners on a cold November 21 evening to celebrate the release of the new book Maimonides: Life and Thought by Moshe Halbertal, Gruss Professor of Law. 

The discussion of the book began with an introduction by Noah Feldman, Bemis Professor of International Law at Harvard Law School and a former NYU Law professor. Feldman emphatically praised both the book and the author for going beyond simply recounting the life and legal philosophies of the medieval philosopher Moses Maimonides, the book’s subject. “Moshe moves the book beyond even being excellent history,” said Feldman, “and into the sphere of being its own legal conceptual and philosophical analysis.”

Halbertal continued to discuss the book in greater depth, exploring specific philosophies of Maimonides as detailed in his book. “[Maimonides] did not succeed in transforming [Jewish law], but he added to it a rare, powerful voice,” he said. “Good legal work is a literary achievement.”  

Watch a video of the Q&A between Noah Feldman and Moshe Halbertal (57 min):

Posted on November 27, 2013