Abstract
The aim of this article is to analyse the opinion of Rabbi Isaac Albalag on the quest of the existence of two opposite truths; philosophical truth and prophetical truth. This subject is important because Albalag is one of the last philosophers to be credited of this doctrine. After a brief abstract of the diverse positions of modern scholars on this subject, we analyse the description of prophetical truth in the major part of Tiqqun ha-de'ot (excluding two passages of note 30). According to this view the prophetical truth can be known only by the prophet and is totally extinct after the end of the prophets' revelation. In addition, in the mind of the prophet the prophetical truth cannot contradict the philosophical one but only can add some truth that philosophers cannot reach without prophetic revelation. The end of the article analyses some passages of note 30 that affirmed the contradiction between philosophical and prophetical truth on the subject of the creation of the world. In my opinion these passages were added by Albalag in order to hide his true opinion: the eternity of the world.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 145-174 |
| Number of pages | 30 |
| Journal | Revue des Etudes Juives |
| Volume | 174 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| State | Published - 1 Jan 2015 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cultural Studies
- History
- Religious studies
- Literature and Literary Theory