b”h

Hello Friends,

I have at long last finished my commentary essay on Guide of the Perplexed 1:76, “The Three Kalām Arguments Against Divine Corporeality,” attached.

This concludes the entire commentary on Volume 1 of Maimonides’ Guide, seventy-seven essays on seventy-seven chapters, a 20-year endeavor (it’s not my day job!). 

To celebrate the conclusion of this part of the project we rejoice together as Jews always do upon completion of the study of a sacred work by having a celebration, a siyum. 

This Siyum will take place this coming Saturday morning, Shabbat Ki Tavo, September 9, 2017, at the regular Kiddush meal, at the Skokie Community Kollel, 3732 Dempster St., Skokie, Illinois, at around 10:30 AM (time always uncertain), after Shakharit services which commence promptly at 8:30 AM.  I will speak briefly, and, as is traditional, review the last page of Volume One of the Guide, as well as a particularly relevant paragraph from the ancient commentary of Rabbi Shem Tov.  I really hope you can all come.

I am also happy to announce the inauguration of a new Internet home for this work.  This project started at the Maimonides Group at Yahoogroups, and I have been posting these essays there from time to time.  However, I have never had a website for them.  So I’ve just created a beautiful new website to showcase them, to explain the nature of the project and to present my other essays and podcasts on the Guide, https://maimonidesguide.wixsite.com/maimonides-guide  .  I have optimized the website for desktop, tablet, or mobile phone formats.  (We are discussing getting a simpler website name).

Those of you who are following this series know the care and effort that has gone into it. 

Over the past year Mr. Avi Zwanziger has been my khaver, study partner, to talk through the issues with me, and he has bravely endured the trip through four of the eight standard ancient and modern commentaries that I routinely use.  I acknowledge his invaluable assistance (perhaps he will speak at the Siyum).  In order to add an objective balance to my wild speculations I have always relied on lively khavruta conversations, as well as doing a class for about 3 years at the Skokie Community Kollel, Kollel Toras Chesed.  I owe a debt of thanks to the Kollel and its wonderful Rabbis for putting up with and even encouraging this work.  Of course, I continue to solicit your comments, advice and criticism.

As you also know, I have been preparing podcasts as a gentle introduction to these difficult chapters.  These are short, twenty minutes or so, and are less formal than the essays.  I’ve also prepared a podcast for this latest chapter, and for the first time it will be in YouTube video format.  My trusted editor and producer Mr. Tuvya Miller is still working on that project, but due to his recent physical indisposition, that video will not be coming out for a little while.  On my website, there is a placeholder for it on the podcast page.  I will let you know when that video is ready.  I think you will like it.

In the “About this Project” section of my new website, I explain the history and status of this project.  The plan is to obtain the serious publication that I believe this work deserves.  However, I have, as yet, taken no further steps to achieve that.  The reason is that there are still several other pieces that need to be finished, at the very least a preface explaining my aims, methods and conventions, and an index.  A raw index has been generated as I went along, through the magic of Microsoft Word, but will require several months to clean up.  I have not forgotten about Volumes Two and Three of the Guide, and I am proceeding with that work, but this volume can stand on its own.

Once again thank you all for your encouragement and assistance over the years, and I hope to see you at the Siyum this coming Shabbat.  And I also hope, iy’h, to continue to help seekers make their way through the Morei Nevukhim, The Guide of the Perplexed, for many years to come.

Your friend,

Scott Alexander

scottmalexander@...