Jewish thought (, ''Machshevet Yisrael''), also known as Judaic thought or Hebraic thought, is a field of
Jewish studies
Jewish studies (or Judaic studies; ) is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Jewish studies is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of history (especially Jewish history), Middle Eastern studies, Asian studies, ...
that deals with the products of Jewish thought and culture throughout the ages, and their historical development. The field also deals with the connections, parallels, and influences, between Jewish ways of thought and world
philosophy
Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...
in general.
The term "Jewish thought" was originally suggested by
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, within the framework of the founding of his central Israeli
yeshiva
A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...
,
Mercaz HaRav. Jewish thought became a standard field in yeshiva studies in
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
, particularly within ''
Hesder
Hesder ( "arrangement"; also Yeshivat Hesder ) is an Israeli yeshiva program which combines advanced Talmudic studies with military service in the Israel Defense Forces, usually within a Religious Zionist framework. The program allows Orthodox J ...
'' yeshivot, and at women's
''midrashot''; see .
The Israeli Ministry of Education recognized it as a "profession" - a course of study which can result in a formal educational degree. "Jewish thought" became a formal department in the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public university, public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. ...
when the two departments of "Jewish Philosophy and Kabbalah", and "The History of Jewish Thought" were merged, and augmented by the addition of "Ethical Literature" to the department.
Today the field of Jewish thought is a recognized field of study throughout Israeli yeshivas
and universities.
See also
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Hashkafa
''Hashkafa'' (; plural ''hashkafot'', ''hashkafos'', ''hashkafas'') is the Hebrew term for worldview and guiding philosophy, used almost exclusively within Orthodox Judaism. A ''hashkafa'' is a perspective that Orthodox Jews adopt that defines m ...
*
Jewish philosophy
Jewish philosophy () includes all philosophy carried out by Jews or in relation to the religion of Judaism. Until the modern ''Haskalah'' (Jewish Enlightenment) and Jewish emancipation, Jewish philosophy was preoccupied with attempts to reconc ...
*
Jewish principles of faith
The formulation of principles of faith, universally recognized across all branches of Judaism remains undefined. There is no central authority in Judaism in existence today although the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish religious court, would fulfill ...
*
Torat Eretz Yisrael
References
{{reflist
External links
Jewish Thought at the Hebrew UniversityUniversity at Buffalo Research Guide of Jewish Thought
Jewish Thought texts
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