Rabbi Jacob Emden, philosophy and Maimonides

Abstract

In a footnote at the beginning of the epilogue to his magisterial Introduction to the Code of Maimonides (Mishneh Torah), Isadore Twersky stated his intention to write "a separate monograph on the study of MT [Mishneh Torah] through the ages."(1) Unfortunately, his illness and untimely death prevented Professor Twersky from completing this project and robbed students of Maimonides of what undoubtedly would have been an important contribution to an understanding of one of the major works written by "perhaps the most famous and resplendent figure of medieval Judaism."(2) I offer the following observations in memory of my teacher in an attempt to shed light on some of the material that undoubtedly would have appeared in that volume. (from Introduction)