The elders of his day tried to destroy Spinoza. They rejected him with a hatred so profound that they crossed out his name in their book of members and cursed him in writing. He stepped out of the community and never looked back. He was intellectually free. He Christianized his first name, lived like a Catholic monk and never joined any group, religious, political or academic, after that. Amazing that so many generations later the intellectual community within Judaism still does not know what to do with him. Many rabbis would vehemently disagree with the good professor. Yet, Spinoza remains a bright light to the whole world. Every philosopher and every truly independent thinker owes him a debt. Even now, may he RIP.
An old anti-semitic ditty goes: "How odd of God to choose the Jews." The witty response is: "Not odd, not news. The Jews chose God." Professor Rosenthal's point is that Spinoza was the first to formulate this response.
Thank You, Professor Rosenthal. I enjoyed your talk on Spinoza. Getting ready to read Spinoza's Magnum Opas "Ethics." I know I will find inspiration in his works.
The elders of his day tried to destroy Spinoza. They rejected him with a hatred so profound that they crossed out his name in their book of members and cursed him in writing. He stepped out of the community and never looked back. He was intellectually free. He Christianized his first name, lived like a Catholic monk and never joined any group, religious, political or academic, after that. Amazing that so many generations later the intellectual community within Judaism still does not know what to do with him. Many rabbis would vehemently disagree with the good professor. Yet, Spinoza remains a bright light to the whole world. Every philosopher and every truly independent thinker owes him a debt. Even now, may he RIP.
An old anti-semitic ditty goes:
"How odd
of God
to choose
the Jews."
The witty response is:
"Not odd,
not news.
The Jews
chose God."
Professor Rosenthal's point is that Spinoza was the first to formulate this response.
Thank You, Professor Rosenthal. I enjoyed your talk on Spinoza. Getting ready to read Spinoza's Magnum Opas "Ethics." I know I will find inspiration in his works.
Great speech