1st Edition
Jewish Approaches to Hinduism A History of Ideas from Judah Ha-Levi to Jacob Sapir (12th–19th centuries)
Introduction
PART I: India’s idolaters, magicians, scientists, philosophers, and ascetics: 12–14th centuries
1. Judah Ha-Levi: “Idols, Talismans, and Ruses”
2. Abraham Ibn Ezra and the Aristotelian astrologers
3. The kingdoms of South Asia and the hierarchy of religions in Benjamin of Tudela’s Book of Travels
4. Translations and transformations: Glorious wisdom: Jacob ben El`azar and India’s Panchatantra
5. Translations and transformations: Immanuel Bonfils, the Brahmans, and Alexander the Great
PART II: The Indian history of a biblical verse: Partial revelation 17th and 20th centuries
6. Genesis 25:6, Menasseh ben Israel, and the east
PART III: New paths to India: 19th century
7. Samson Bloch: Indian philosophy and priestly system
8. David d’Beth Hillel: The hidden meanings of temple Hinduism
9. Jacob Sapir: Temple Hinduism as Torah-study
Biography
Richard G. Marks is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Religion at Washington and Lee University, USA.
'Marks’ scholarship is impressive. This volume requires mastery of sources from several fields, including philosophical, exegetical, literary, and geographic works. [...] I recommend this book for a broad range of advanced courses in history of ideas, Jewish theology, theology of religions, comparative religion, and interfaith relations. The clear prose, comfortable reading, and broad range of topics make it a wonderful series of case studies for a variety of advanced graduate courses. The book is thus of far greater significance than its narrower methodological framing.'
- Alon Goshen-Gottstein, Founder and Director of the Elijah Interfaith Institute, Reading Religion
