“Kisvei HaRambam” is a 584 page work by Rabbi Yehuda Meir Keilson, published by ArtScroll in 2023. The subtitle is: “Writings of Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon.” I read an interesting review of this work in the summer 2024 issue of “Tradition.” The review is by Menachem Kellner, a professor of Jewish thought at the University of Haifa. The review was so interesting that I decided to summarize it here.
“Kisvei HaRambam” is only a selection of Rambam’s writings. It includes his introduction to the 10th chapter of Sanhedrin, his 13 fundamental principles, his treatise on resurrection, his letter on astrology and his letter to an unlearned individual: “Ibn Jabbar” (called “Ibn Gabir” in Twersky, “A Maimonides Reader”).
Kellner begins by discussing ArtScroll in general: “(Their) publications not only express an ideology, but also seek to strengthen its readers’ allegiance to that ideology. The ideology in question is that of the Haredi, non-Hasidic, largely Ashkenazi English-speaking ‘yeshiva world,’ which lives adjacent to modernity—but at least officially—resists living in it fully … It reflects (and seeks to inculcate) a particular version of pre-World War II Eastern European Yiddishkeit.”
Kellner continues: “ArtScroll’s recently released ‘Kisvei HaRambam’ is an important book. It introduces Maimonides the theologian to an audience not often exposed to his many and varied theological and philosophical writings. The book is both fully traditional and at the same time revolutionary … ”
“Among the ways (their) books maintain fealty with tradition: ArtScroll prefers ‘classic/standard’ editions of Jewish texts, even when better texts are available … When it comes to Mishneh Torah, ArtScroll ignores the manuscript readings found in the “yeshivish” edition of Shabsai Frankel (1909-2000). The ‘classic/standard’ editions contain many questionable readings, almost all of which tend to draw the universalist “sting” out of many of Maimonides’ locutions.”
Kellner then gives an example: Hilchot Melachim 12:5. This section talks about what life will be like in Messianic times. The standard editions have: “In that era, there will be neither famine or war … The occupation of kol haolam will be solely to know God. Therefore, Yisrael (the people of Israel) will be chachamim gedolim and know the hidden matters—grasping the knowledge of their Creator according to the full extent of human potential—as it states (Isaiah 11:9): ‘The ארץ will be filled with the knowledge of God … ’”
Kellner points out that the word “Yisrael” is not included in the manuscripts. Rather, the correct text reads merely, “yihiyu chachamim gedolim—(the people) will be very wise.” The reference is to people in general. This is consistent with the context: “kol haolam” and ארץ. Kellner points out that the work does cite Rav Chaim Kanievsky for the statement that “Yisrael” is absent from manuscript versions of this section. But the text should have reflected this in the first place. Kellner concludes that the correct text would be “more faithful to Maimonides, but would perhaps undermine ArtScroll’s portrait of Maimonides.”
“ArtScroll reads Maimonides through the lens of those traditionalists who read him … Reading Maimonides in this fashion turns him into ‘just’ another uncontroversial Rishon. (The work) … almost wholly overlooks the philosophic and scientific context of his writing.”
“‘Kisvei HaRambam’ presents what ArtScroll assumes Maimonides must have meant, so as to fit seamlessly into the publisher’s conception of the Jewish tradition. “Kisvei HaRambam” ignores the implication of many of Maimonides’ statements that ‘Torah and science teach the same thing,’ thus providing at the very least a hechsher for the study of science.”
“Maimonides carefully wrote such that different audiences can read him in dramatically different ways. The untraditional ideas elucidated here are not found on the surface of Maimonides’ texts and will not be apparent unless one comes to them with a background in Maimonidean philosophy and a familiarity with Arab philosophical language.”
“By failing to see Maimonides’ ‘unusual’ positions on key issues of Jewish thought (such as the nature of the commandments, the meaning of “chosen people,” providence, reward and punishment, etc.) the reader is invited to see Maimonides as a regular link in the Jewish tradition—fitting in well with Rabbi Judah Halevi, and even with Kabbalah … and with Eastern European Orthodoxy generally. … Reading this book, perceptive readers will wonder what all the controversies about Maimonides were about.”
“With two remarkable exceptions, ‘Kisvei HaRambam’ follows the ArtScroll line of failing to make use of figures associated with Modern Orthodoxy or Orthodox Zionism.” The exceptions are Rabbi Yosef Kafih and Rabbi Yizchak Sheilat. But Rabbi Dr. Nachum Rabinovitch—author of the Yad Peshuta commentary on Mishneh Torah—and who was a rosh yeshiva in Maale Adumim is ignored.
Kellner continues: “(The work) wholly ignores the wealth of critically edited texts, careful translations, and myriad academic studies on Maimonides … Mistakes in translation and in interpretation could have been avoided. (This) means that ArtScroll is itself effectively anti-Maimonidean. ‘Accept the truth from whoever said it,’ (introduction to eight chapters) is a motto by which Maimonides lived and which apparently has no place in the ArtScroll universe. Thus one will search in vain for references to Rabbis Kook, Soloveitchik and Sacks, for example, or to the more strictly academic work of Rabbi Professor Isadore (Yitzhak) Twersky … ”
“There are ways our book breaks new ground, given its ‘yeshiva world’ ambience and audience. The very fact that the book introduces Maimonides the theologian to that audience is revolutionary … Maimonides’ general introduction to the Mishna, his introduction to Pirkei Avot and his letters are not staples of that education—and, it may go without saying, “The Guide of the Perplexed” is certainly not part of it. … The inclusion and treatment of the Guide in this volume is an example of what I take to be new openness in the world of ArtScroll … Kisvei HaRambam cites from the Guide, thereby cautiously introducing the work into the yeshiva world. However, citations from the Guide usually appear with ArtScroll-style ‘elucidations,’ guaranteeing that they will be understood “as they ought to be understood.””
“Maimonides’ introduction to the 10th chapter of Sanhedrin … introduces the reader to his disdain for what he sees as childish readings of rabbinic aggadah, and to his eschatology. ArtScroll’s elucidations of this text carefully soften the impact of many of Maimonides’ critiques of his rabbinic contemporaries but do not hide them altogether. For example, Maimonides laments that out of the best of intentions many ‘pitiable individuals’ take the teaching of the Sages literally, believe impossibilities and “hold these impossible notions in high esteem”… The decision to translate and include this text is striking, as among those who take such rabbinic passages literally is no less a figure than Rashi.”
Kellner continues: “By and large, Jews in the orbit of Islam … were open to denying the literal veracity of rabbinic aggadah … Authorities in Ashkenaz were not too open to the idea.”
Kellner refers his readers to two articles on this topic. (These are ideas for future columns for me!)
“Were it not for ‘Kisvei HaRambam,’ the yeshiva world would have a very hard time finding Maimonides’ “letter on astrology” in English (or at all). In this text, Maimonides (following Rabbi Saadiah Gaon …) clearly implies that rational considerations determine the correct way of understanding the Torah … (Here he also) teaches that the temples were destroyed, not mippenei hataeinu (because of our sins), but because the Jews at the time practiced astrology and did not study the arts of war … ”
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Rabbi Kafih has written: “In my view, Maimonides resembles a mirror. Whoever stands before it sees his own image, and so with Maimonides—he has many faces, and each one infuses his own flavor.”
Kellner concludes: “Even in an amusement park funhouse mirror, some connection is still discernible between the person facing the mirror and the visage reflected in it. From the perspective of most academics, the image of Maimonides found in ‘Kisvei HaRambam’ is a pale reflection of the man himself.” (Kellner goes on to explain what a good reflection of the man would have pointed out.)
Mitchell First can be reached at [email protected]. He avoids looking at himself in amusement park funhouse mirrors.
