The Wars of the Lord, Volume 1

by Gersonides

A 1985 National Jewish Book Award Winner for Scholarship The Wars of the Lord is the major treatise of Levi ben Gershom of Provence, one of the outstanding philosophers of the medieval world. This work examines in detail most of the controversial issues that had preoccupied the medieval immortality of the human soul, prophecy, human freedom, divine providence, creation of the world, miracles.

Genres: Philosophy, Judaism, Jewish, Judaica

268 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 1984

About the author

Levi ben Gershon (1288 – 20 April 1344), better known by his Graecized name as Gersonides, or by his Latinized name Magister Leo Hebraeus, or in Hebrew by the abbreviation of first letters as RaLBaG, was a medieval French Jewish philosopher, Talmudist, mathematician, physician and astronomer/astrologer. According to Abraham Zacuto and others, he was the son of Gerson ben Solomon Catalan.

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this four stars because of the phenomenal scholarship of the editor, but I must say the book itself was extremely dense and difficult. I have some knowledge of ancient and medieval philosophy but not enough. I think a strong grounding in Aristotle (not to mention his commentators) is a prerequisite for reading this. However, I did get some feeling for the approach of Levi ben Gershom, his attention to detail, his thorough knowledge of his subject, and the satisfaction he gets from wielding logic. Here's hoping volumes 2 and 3 will be slightly smoother sailing.

[Chester Arends]

Can't open to read

[James Victor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good