חקר הפילוסופיה היהודית ויחסה לפילוסופיה של דתות אחרות - הרהורים

Medieval Jewish philosophers were aware of the accusation that their thought was a product of non-Jewish influences and proved to be a destructive force in Jewish life. They countered this accusation by stating that: (a) philosophy was originally a Jewish pursuit but eventually lost its ground because of the vagaries of history; (b) rationalism is useful for the Jewish religion; and (c) one must accept the truth from whatever source it may come. Modern researchers, in contrast, are more than willing to acknowledge the foreign influences on Jewish philosophy and much of their work is devoted to finding the external origins of Jewish writings and to comparing Jewish and non-Jewish ideas. Despite the differences in approach to the question of foreign influences, the modern researches, just like their medieval predecessors, are sensitive to the claims that Jewish philosophy is not integral to the Jewish religion or that it has actually contributed to the weakening of Judaism. This sensitivity is found in scholarly works, but it is especially noticeable when attempts are made to introduce medieval philosophical ideas or values into contemporary discourse, whether political or religious, If, ultimately, Jewish philosophy is not original to Judaism, what contribution can it make to the Jewish religion? It is suggested here that even though researchers must make every effort not to let their personal agenda interfere with objective inquiry, there is no reason why they should not allow Jewish philosophy to be a factor in the forming of their personal opinions and attitudes. We need not concern ourselves with the origins of Jewish philosophy. The important question is what use the practitioners make of it. Just as other aspects of Judaism entered the Jewish religion from the outside and were then naturalized as an integral part of it, so, too, is Jewish philosophy now part and parcel of the Jewish religion.