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Discussion Guide For

Shemonah Perakim: A Treatise on the Soul,
Translation and Commentary by
Leonard S. Kravitz and Kerry M. Olitzky

Discussion Guide by
Lev R. Herrnson

There are many spiritual and intellectual insights to be gained from this book, but they won't come easy. To begin with, Maimonides' first chapter makes for difficult reading because of both its content and the nature of thought required to understand it. Don't give up! In the words of Dr. Olitzky, "Read on and enter paradise." Chapter One provides an introduction to Maimonides' world of thought. Bear in mind that medieval philosophy and its understanding of the world is wholly different from our modern mind-set; you'll need to familiarize yourself with Maimonides' view as explained in Chapter One in order to truly reap the benefits of the following chapters. And as you read, remember that just as the first chapter provides a way into Rambam's metarational world, so too will Chapter Eight help you make your way back out. By the end of Chapter Eight you will be able to apply a newly acquired set of worldviews and insights to the twenty-first century and its challenges, Jewish and otherwise. Read on: the material is hard to master, but the rewards are great!

Maimonides, also known as Rambam, was born in Spain in 1135 and lived in Fez, Cairo, and Fostat. He died in 1204 and was buried in Tiberias, Israel. Rambam is indisputably our greatest Jewish thinker. His contributions to our understanding of Jewish texts and philosophy are remarkable. Nonetheless, his ideas were not always widely accepted: three uprisings were precipitated by his writings (one during his lifetime), and in many cases his books were burned--by other Jews! The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion was the first seminary to require the study of Maimonides' works.
Both as a scholar and a physician, Maimonides distinguished himself because he attempted to meld the worlds of science and religion into one coherent system. As such, he was influenced by the great thinkers Plato and Aristotle, as well as by the medieval Arab physicians and Mutakallimun. Along with his introduction and guide to Pirkei Avot, Maimonides' other important works include the Mishneh Torah, Sefer Mitzvot, and the Guide for the Perplexed.

Abstract
"Functions of the Soul" Chapter One introduces Maimonides' metarational understanding of the soul as serving a higher purpose of divine obedience through ethical healing. Maimondies explains the soul and its functions within the context of human understanding. Maimonides teaches that the soul, no matter how esteemed, exists in vain if it does not fulfill its potential. A discussion concerning the aspiration of perfection as a means of raising the soul then follows.

Questions
1. Maimonides states that "the soul can be compared to matter, and the intellect can be compared to form." He then quotes Proverbs 19:2: "The soul without knowledge is not good." Is a soul that is not completely dedicated to rationalism a fixture of vanity? What does this mean to the modern reader who is ensconced in rationalism but nonetheless seeks a greater degree of spirituality in his or her life?

2. The authors quote Abraham Geiger, an early reformer in nineteenth-century Germany: "But the most essential element in him is the consciousness of his moral power, which is innate in man and is the foundation of his real nobility; and which, even because it awakens his aspiration to perfect purity, makes him feel his limitations along that line, and the bars to moral life so much the more." Geiger then explains that humankind has the power to resist the allurements which undermine a moral life. Is perfection then, for Maimonides and for Geiger, absolute resistance of less than pristinely moral behavior? What are the implications of basing one's philosophy of life on the principle of resistance? Is this worldview compatible with modern times?

3. Rabbi Kaufmann Kohler asks, "To whom are we responsible. . . not only for our actions, but also for our motives of action, for those intentions and purposes that make us moral beings?. . . to God alone." Would Maimonides agree with this statement? How would you respond to humanists and to other morally minded groups that do not recognize God as the Supreme Being? Does the absence of God necessitate the absence of morality? What might Maimonides say?

4. What are the curative powers, if any, of our spiritual investigations, both by way of this book, and in our personal and professional lives?

Chapter Two
Concerning the Capacities of the Soul Where Good and Evil Qualities Are to Be Found

Abstract
"Ethical Behavior, Rational Behavior--Unifying the Two" In this chapter Maimonides attempts to reconcile the moral and intellectual realms--two principles by which we direct our lives, despite the fact that they sometimes appear contradictory.

Questions
1. In the mini-essay on "humility" the authors note that "Maimonides is constrained by Jewish tradition to skew the mean in favor of humility. For Maimonides, humility is too precious to be overly concerned with the balance of a mean." Why and how is humility so precious to Maimonides? Are there other virtues that, like humility, deserve to be favored beyond what the balanced, Golden Mean approach might suggest?

2. The authors note in the mini-essay on "self-denial" that the rabbinic tradition does not view the avoidance of 365 activities as such. Nonetheless, our tradition scorns any form of asceticism beyond the scope of the biblical prohibitions. How would you characterize our tradition? Does the betterment of the soul, in Maimonidian terms, require both personal resistance and external prohibition?

3. Robert Gordis observes the tension between Torah Lishmah and Torat Chayim. He notes that, "the concern for learning for the sake of life, has given to Torah Lishmah, learning for its own sake, a vitality and a relevance that has enhanced its value and significance immeasurably." He also notes the danger of fundamentalist approaches to Torat Hayyim that stand minimally to obfuscate Torah Lishmah and maximally to pervert it. How can we learn Torat Chayim and Torah Lishmah without one undermining the other? Discuss examples from the twentieth century of where the two have conflicted. What remedy would you suggest?

4. Rabbi Max Kaddushin, professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary, proposed in regard to Jewish ritual the value-concept known as the "unitary entity." Kaddushin postulated that the recitation of a blessing immediately followed by the prescribed action created a religious moment of spiritual magnitude greater than the sum of its parts. In light of the aforementioned conflict between learning for the sake of life versus learning for the sake of learning, the authors cite Martin Buber, who taught that "wisdom that does not lead directly to the unity of knowledge and deed is meaningless." How might you unify knowledge and deed so that all of your endeavors take on the quality of a unitary entity? In this spirit, how might you sanctify your study of the Shemonah Perakim?

Abstract
"Healing the Soul" Maimonides addresses spiritual impairment, paralleling the human state of confusion to maladies in need of remedy. The latter may necessitate the use of medicines or corrective behaviors, the former only corrective behaviors. Our authors recognize that Maimonides is, in a way, suggesting a protopsychological approach in order to heal the soul.

Questions
1. The authors explain that Maimonides believes that "people who are 'soul sick' incorrectly perceive good and evil, treating one as the other." Maimonides believes that treatment will reverse the soul's misconception (much the same way a prescription would remedy an illness). To what factors can you attribute the misperceptions of your own soul? Would you consider yourself soul sick for having behaved irregularly?

2. Maimonides notes that individuals suffering from illness seek the advice of a physician. He also notes that those who "ignore their symptoms will surely die." With respect to our spiritual pursuits, on which specialists do we rely? How would you define "soul death"? What is its cause? Can a person redeem his or her soul from the depths of moral perversion? What mechanisms does Judaism offer for redirecting one's soul?

3. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel teaches: "If man is not more than human, then he is less than human. Man is but a short, critical stage between animal and the spiritual." Does this mean that a human whose spiritual side is dead is no better than an animal? What class or category of people are "living dead", and are they beyond help? How might the perpetrator of a "victimless crime" fit in this specific category?

4. Building upon the then-recent developments of psychology of his day, Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan observed that personal introspection alone will not lead to true repentance. He continues: "But a knowledge of the external factors which contribute to our failure and of the best methods by which these may be controlled. . . is necessary to effect a genuine repentance. . . a regenerate personality." In recent decades, amid the proliferation of psychotherapy and analysis, many people have dedicated themselves to self-awareness and personal growth. In light of Kaplan's comments, is this effort enough? How might you monitor and control your interactions with the external in order to prompt ethical behavior and raise your soul and spirit?

5. Dr. Carol Ochs notes that by being in relation with others, "practice transforms us so that our caring becomes an expression of our being." Caring for another and for oneself can be transformative. What has been transformative in your spiritual life? Is there room for more transformative experiences in your life based on greater social and societal involvement?

6. Rabbi Robert Katz refers to Einstein as an agnostic who nonetheless reflected upon the wisdom and radiant beauty of the universe. Katz goes on: "The sentiment of awe is, with the religious man, closely linked with a feeling of gratitude." What prompts awe and gratitude in you? Are all these events or occurrences spiritually uplifting? What can you do to increase their frequency?

Abstract
"The Golden Mean: Not the Mitzvah System" The middle path between polar extremes (vices) is at the heart of Maimonides' Shemonah Perakim. The preferred spot in between them is considered virtuous. Rambam provides many examples of polar opposites and the preferred, virtuous status found in the middle. Nonetheless, the mitzvot commanded by God are separate and apart from the rational approach of virtues and vice, for the latter is divine (and often inexplicable) and the former solely rational. A prepsychological form of behavior modification is recommended to move a person closer to the middle road.

Questions
1. Rambam remarks that "what is remarkable about this method of treatment [behavior modification, of a sort] is that getting the spendthrift to become charitable is easier than getting the miser to become charitable." Certain shifts in behavior are clearly easier than others. Think about those behaviors that may be contrary to a desirable (Golden Mean) virtue. What are the polar opposites of that virtue? How might you chose to moderate those behaviors that do not readily assume the middle position of virtue?

2. Maimonides notes that in certain cases affinity toward one end of the spectrum is often preferable to the Golden Mean. List some healthy ways you can develop your soul by bolstering a particular behavior away from the seemingly preferable middle path. What puts these sets of behaviors apart from the more predictable middle path?

3. The authors suggest that one can lead a halachic life (obeying all the mitzvot) and still be guilty of specific vices. Can you think of some examples of vices that are not necessarily proscribed in the Torah?

4. The authors note that the mitzvot were designed to train the soul to achieve ethical virtue. List a few mitzvot and discuss their implications in terms of the soul. Discover a few new mitzvot and choose one or two to adopt as part of your life.

5. Fundamentalist or extreme behaviors are often nothing more than a refocusing of energy toward a different outlet. Is extremism ever helpful, or is it simply a case of engaging in one of the polar opposites that border a virtuous behavior? Think about a few instances when you engaged in extreme or fundamentalist behaviors. Can extremism ever be useful? What about with respect to diet? Exercise? Cold-turkey separation?

6. In their commentary, the authors note that "salvation" in the Jewish context is directed at this life, whereas in the Christian tradition its focus is the hereafter. What does it mean to speak about deliverance in this life? As liberal Jews, what is our life's expression of observance that will ultimately offer us deliverance?

7. Dr. Carol Ochs suggests a feminist view of heroism that is wholly different from the traditional view of hero-as-victor. How does the feminist view of heroism fit with the various "middle way" virtues identified by Maimonides? Is the middle way a feminist theology? What impact might this interpretation have on our understanding of our souls and our personal spirituality?

8. In regard to relationships with others, Rabbi Steven Carr Rueben states that "if our hearts and minds are once again tuned to the need for reaching out to those around us . . . then we will at least have made a large step, on the road to personal and social well-being." How might the middle way be influential in attaining our aspirations with regard to our families--particularly our aging parents and other relatives? What curative to problems in our relationships might Rambam's views offer?

9. Claude G. Montifore states: "The false or erroneous ascetic loses without gain; the right ascetic gains through his loss." How does any permutation of asceticism correlate to Maimonides' idea that with regard to certain virtues, leaning slightly away from the middle way in favor of one extreme position is virtuous? How does this relate to Judaism's prohibition of asceticism?

Chapter Five
A Person's Use of the Powers of the Soul to Achieve a Particular Purpose

Abstract
"The body's connected to the soul, the soul's connected to the intellect, and the intellect connects you to God" Knowledge of God should be a person's ultimate goal. Any thought or action that does not lead to wisdom is irrelevant and counterproductive. Healing the soul the way one heals the body is the method to staying on the proper course. One heals the soul by training the intellect, thus moving closer to knowledge of God.

Questions
1. Abraham Maslow's theory of hierarchical human needs suggests that without the satisfaction of those more basic needs on the list (food, shelter, safety), a person cannot necessarily realize the higher levels (leisure, pleasure, etc.). Healing the body in order to heal the soul, so that we gain knowledge of the divine, can parallel this hierarchy. There are times when we are seriously bereft of even basic needs, yet nonetheless realize the presence of God. Do you always need your physical needs to be answered before you encounter the Divine?

2. As with the ancient Greeks who frequented the gymnasium, there has been a resurgence of interest in fitness and especially in the aesthetics of the body in the last few decades. Liposuction and other forms of elective cosmetic surgery, physical work outs, and tanning all suggest an explosive interest in preserving the body and taking pleasure in it. Maimonides clearly states that the body is to "serve as [an instrument] for the soul." How might he respond to sun worshipers and bodybuilders, personal trainers and plastic surgeons? What do these professionals and their adherents worship?

3. Rambam states: "The purpose for both praise and condemnation is that people should follow the ways of goodness and keep far from the ways of evil." We learn from the Torah, "Reprove your kinsman" (Lev. 19:17). What is your responsibility in terms of reproving and praising your family members, peers and colleagues, and elders? How might the middle way influence your sense of responsibility toward others?

4. Rambam observes that the soul becomes fatigued the same way the body does after performing heavy labor. Rest and sleep restore the body. What fatigues your soul? What do you do to refresh your soul? How might humor be a means to refreshing the soul? What other occupations of your soul would benefit your spiritual well-being?

5. Rambam states unequivocally that ethical perfection is not a sufficient condition for knowing God. Only intellectual perfection can offer this. Are ethical actions enough, however, to benefit us and our society? Can ethical actions lead to knowledge? Is Rambam's limitation that knowledge of God will come about only through intellectual pursuits correct?

6. Dr. Ellis Rivkin suggests that we are responsible for alleviating affliction in the world by employing the God-given gifts of science, mathematics, and other intellectual understandings. Do we indeed bear responsibility for the rest of humanity because God has given us gifts? What responsibilities exactly does humanity bear because of the grace of knowledge that God has put before us? Are there responsibilities that extend beyond the gifts God has given us?

7. Rabbi Isaac Moses states: "If you want to know how God speaks. . . you can find it only in the human life." In pursuit of the middle way, and of ethical and intellectual virtuosity, how can we listen to God? Does each person's mouth contain God's word? How might this relate to your understanding of revelation?

Chapter Six
The Difference Between the Tzadik and the One Who Controls Oneself

Abstract
"The good are good, but some are better than others" This chapter focuses on the apparent discrepancy between the rabbis' and the philosophers' respective views of virtue. The rabbis consider those people who strive to do good despite their evil inclinations to be good people, because of their redemptive struggle. On the other hand, the philosophers consider tzadikim--righteous people--to be good because they face no temptation to begin with, being of pure heart and soul. This chapter attempts to understand which is better--native goodness or cultivated virtuosity. Keep in mind, of course, that Rambam was both a philosopher and a rabbi.

Questions
1. In their commentary, our authors note that Maimonides attempts to harmonize the conflicting traditions. In addition, Rabbis Kravitz and Olitzky present numerous examples of our sages' understanding of prohibited mixtures and behaviors. Is Maimonides successful in his attempts at harmonizing the rabbinic and philosophic views? Why or why not?

2. Prohibited mixtures and sexual relations relate respectively to chukkim--those ordinances that have no human explanation--and to mishpatim--those ordinances that resound as true and enduring in the human context (perhaps best described as "natural law"). How do we, as liberal Jews, make sense of chukkim in our spiritual pursuits? Should we adopt them as part of our quest for God, without explanation?

3. In the Jewish context, is the distinction between a tzadik and a person with self-control really necessary? If required to do so, when would Rambam choose?

4. Rabbi Roland Gittleson's list of alternative mitzvot includes honesty, the struggle for freedom, and love--all values that we do not necessarily think of as mitzvot. With respect to each particular (alternative) mitzvah, are you self-regulating or a tzadik?

5. How might the spiritual quest implied by Maimonides' middle way help to preserve Judaism in the twenty-first century? How might Rambam react to the Reform movement's notion of intellectually informed choice?

6. Maurice Eisendrath refers to wholesale reverence for the 613 mitzvot as "abject obeisance." Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer believes that there is more than just deed, for ultimately "some things are not in our power, we cannot actually save ourselves." She suggests that "we need to hear the other piece too--that we are not completely in control." What are the implications of accepting this lack of control? How might admission and acceptance of your lack of control be part of your spiritual journey? How might Rambam respond?

7. Lily Montagu suggests that we "consider the difference between the way of life with God and the way of life without Him. . . . We would try to witness our faith, to show that it is good to know that God is the Lord. Holding that faith we say: 'The Lord is with us, we shall not fear.'" How is it that "witnessing"--public declarations of faith made by individuals, affirmed by the assembly (a practice quite common in many Christian denominations)--is not a part of Jewish practice? Note that the closest thing we have to witnessing is the recitation of the Sh'ma. Is there anything you might you wish to pronounce and have friends and fellow congregants witness?

8. How does the tzadik, who is not tempted by evil, respond to it? How do we, as beings who are tempted regularly yet strive to be in control of ourselves, respond to pure goodness, as in the tzadik? Is it possible that there are tzadikim in the world and we, as tempted beings, are not open to seeing them?

Abstract
"Two Sides of the Same Coin, Separated By the Metal in Between" Talent versus genius, the balance between religious observance and righteousness, and religious life versus religious experience--all indicate that there are varied and contrary ways of coming to know God. Which is right? Did the prophets have the market cornered on God's word? Is the nature versus nurture argument relevant with respect to virtue? What, then, can we know of God, if we don't receive prophecy? How do we overcome the barriers that prevent us from knowing the divine?

Questions
1. Rambam states, "Only when Moses knew that he had perfected himself in every moral and intellectual virtue, and removed every impediment so that there were no barriers between God and himself, did he seek to know the true essence of God. . . . Only one clear barrier remained between God and Moses in the apprehension of the true nature of God: the fact that the human intellect is not separate [from matter]." What is the implication of this statement in terms of the elevation of the soul and the spirit?

2. In response to Exodus 33:17-23, where Moses asks to see God's face, Maimonides writes, "Scripture uses the term 'seeing of the Face' to indicate true apprehension [of God]. When one sees the face of another person, that person's image is fixed in your mind and one does not mix that person with someone else [even when he does not see that person]." Martin Buber, in his extraordinary view of humanity as an I-Thou experience, seems to have captured some part of the relationship described by Maimonides in this section. Buber suggests that in the I-Thou model one does not objectify the other; rather, one is in relationship with the other, moving toward the other but also maintaining distance. How might Maimonides respond to Buber's view of relationship? How might Maimonides apply the I-Thou model to man's relationship with God?

3. Maimonides notes that our own corporeality is an obstacle to fully knowing God. How might our physical nature be used as a vehicle to enlighten the intellect, thereby coming to know the Divine?

4. Rabbi Samuel Cohon and Abraham Geiger both recognize the grant of prophecy as a God-given gift, one not to be confused with talent or even the most graceful strivings of "normal" mortals. Taken in Maimonides' context, then, the barriers between God and humanity are ultimately impenetrable save for those persons blessed by the supernal grace of God. What are the ramifications of this revelation for normal mortals?

5. Rabbi Leo Baeck states that "religious experience is not yet religion itself. The religious life will never be able to dispense with this experience, for in it faith raises itself. . . . Yet man lives neither for nor on his emotional moods." Is the current trend toward greater spirituality and religious punctilliousness in North America a barrier to God or a way to come closer? What would both Maimonides and Baeck say?

6. Judith Plaskow makes a cogent argument that the challenge (barrier) put forth by the Torah to feminists--"Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman" (Exod.19:15)--is an insurmountable one. Only by contravening the text--and perhaps making an ideological omission of it--is it possible to establish a place for women. What are liberal Jews to make of this text?

7. Acceptance of diversity (true pluralism) causes the monolithic barrier known as "sameness" to crumble. Martha Ackelsberg states paradoxically that "if we are to feel fully integrated as persons, we need to feel our roots in multiple communities. Any community which is to nurture that wholeness must actively welcome diversity into its very definition." How can we ensure that our communities do not restrict our wholeness and authenticity in our approach to God?

Abstract
"Free Will? What does God know anyway?" Like the first, this is a difficult chapter. It delves deeply into the paradox of free will and an omnipotent God and raises some troubling examples from the sources, including that of God's hardening of Pharaoh's heart. Maimonides also discusses what God knows, and how God knows, explaining that our experience of knowledge is different from God's. The chapter also serves as a transition to Pirke Avot and back out to the "outside" world. It makes logical sense that, after an in-depth discussion of virtues and their attainment, we should discuss our license to aspire to virtuous behavior in light of God's creative powers. This is the ultimate question that we must answer in our attempts to know God: "How does one balance independent actions with informed belief in God as stated during faithful moments?"

Questions
1. Maimonides interprets the statement "If I am not for myself, who will be for me?" (Pirke Avot 1:14) to mean that "the attainment of virtue or vice is in each person's power." As self-advocacy goes, what are the implications of Maimonides' reading from a traditional understanding?

2. How does Rabbi Samuel Cohon reconcile the nature of the Mosaic commandments (mitzvot) and modernity? Would Maimonides agree?

3. Lily Montagu states that "much of the joy and hope in human life lies in the 'infinite pain of finite hearts which yearn.' This yearning is conditioned by faith in the kinship of God." How are joy and hope derived from the recognition of our finitude and imperfection, according to Montagu? How does this relate to our corporeality as an obstacle to truly knowing God?

4. Suzanne Basinger is not the first to suggest that "in freedom of choice we can take those obligations and commitments that give meaning to our lives." Is free will absolutely contrary to Judaism, and are expressions such as the above purely apologetic--or are free will and Divine omnipotence indeed coexistent ideas? Can you think of an example from your own life where the two act mutually?

5. How is Shemonah Perakim a fitting introduction to Pirke Avot? How is Shemonah Perakim different from Pirke Avot?