Rambam's Sefer ha-Mitzvot: Recent Episodes
Marc Herman
This series of classes addresses the theoretical introduction to the Sefer ha-Mitzvot (Book of Commandments) of the Rambam (Maimonides). Sefer ha-Mitzvot begins with fourteen methodological principles, known in Hebrew as shorashim, that present a uniquely comprensive view of Jewish law. All classes were offered at Congregation Israel in Springfield, NJ by Marc Herman. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support
This closing class reviews some of the principles and explores how Maimonides counted negative and positive commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM23.
A special thanks to all listeners and to Congregation Israel of Springfield for hosting. Please be in touch with any comments, questions, and suggestions: hermanm@yorku.ca.
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This class deals with the question of how to count the punishments as distinct commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM22.
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This class looks at some of the ways that Maimonides identifies "parts" and "whole" commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM21.
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This class begins the discussion of how Maimonides distinguished between whole commandments and parts of commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/SHm20.
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This class evaluates two distinct complications of the lav shebe-khlalot prohibitions in the second half of Principle Nine. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM19.
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This class introduces the second half of Principle 9 and the various ways that Maimonides defines the talmudic term lav shebe-khlalot (loosely, overly broad prohibitive language) . Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/Shm18.
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This class focuses on the first half of Principle 9 and investigates the ramifications of Maimonides's claims that repeated verses teach a single commandment and the violation of each negative incurs just one punishment. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM17.
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This class introduces Principle #9 and outlines some evidence that Maimonides uses for identifying distinct "concepts" that constitute distinct commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/Shm16.
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This class considers the scope of Maimonides's insistence to count only prohibitions ("do not") and not negations ("is not). Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM15
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This class explores Maimonides's attempts to identify different "manifestations" or "expressions" of a single commandment. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/Shm14
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This class investigates one aspect reducing Jewish law to precisely 613 commandments, Maimonides's claims about the "manifestations" of larger commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/shm13
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This class explores the how Maimonides and Saadia Gaon treat overlapping positive and negative commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/shm_12.
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This class explores the complications of Maimonides's claim that verses formulated as "reasons" do not count as commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM11.
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This class investigates Maimonides's understanding of biblical verses that cover all of the commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/Seferhm10.
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This class turns to some of the ways that the Rambam navigated ambiguities that pertain to permanent and temporary commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/shm09.
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This class addresses Maimonides's claim that the list of the 613 commandments contains only eternal laws. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/SHM08.
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This class explores Maimonides's categories for unwritten law, such as mi-pi ha-shemu'ah, divre kabbalah, and divre sofrim. Sources are available here: bit.ly/ShM07.
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This class identifies some of Maimonides's guidelines for the determination of whether or not a midrash contains a Sinaitic tradition.
Sources are available here: bit.ly/SeferhaMitzvot06
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This class proposes that the second shoresh (principle) addresses only the enumeration of a small number ("three or four") of commandments.
Sources available here: https://bit.ly/ShM05 (PDF file)
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This class begins treating the second shoresh (principle) and examines the Rambam's view of laws found in midrash.
Sources available here: https://bit.ly/ShM04 (PDF file)
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This class looks at Maimonides's view of the Written Torah.
Sources available here: https://bit.ly/ShM3 (PDF file)
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This class examines the geonic view of the 613 commandments.
Sources available here: https://bit.ly/ShM02 (PDF file)
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This first class looks at the genre of commandment enumeration and Maimonides's contribution in particular.
Sources available here: bit.ly/ShM01 (PDF)
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