Mitzvot and the Path to Human Flourishing
Part of the series, Living a Life of Meaning
The medieval decisor and philosopher Moses Maimonides claimed that the mitzvot (commandments) are a divine law. By this, he meant not only that the mitzvot originate with God, but that they were a medium by which people could flourish both politically and personally—which for Maimonides meant the attainment of intellectual comprehension.
This session explores the significance of Maimonides’ view and how two modern Jewish thinkers, Mordecai Kaplan and Eliezer Berkovits, built on Maimonides’ ideas to develop their own understandings of how observance of the mitzvot can advance human growth and the attainment of perfection.
With Dr. Yonatan Brafman, Assistant Professor of Jewish Thought and Ethics; Director of the MA Program in Jewish Ethics, JTS.
ABOUT THE SERIES
The disruption to our normal life, and for many, close encounters with mortality, provides an opportunity to evaluate what is truly important in our lives. Guided by JTS faculty and fellows we discuss the role of values, ethics, and Torah in the quest for a well-lived life.
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