Medieval Jewish philosophy and mysticism was in some cases strongly influenced by Sufi thought. Though little known, this is not surprising, since some medieval Jews were drawn to this mystical, ascetic, ecstatic, unconventional and even heterodox strain of Islam. In our class we will do close reading of selections from two texts, both originally written in Arabic, that reflect this Jewish-Sufi intersection. One, a beloved classic, Baḥya ibn Pakuda’s The Duties of the Heart, comes from the 11th-century Iberian Peninsula, the other, far less known, The Treatise of the Pool, by ‘Obadyah Maimonides, the grandson of the great rationalist philosopher Moses Maimonides (the Rambam), hails from 13th-century Egypt. In addition, we will explore the intellectual, spiritual, and social background of medieval Jewish Sufism by reading modern scholarship through selected essays and book chapters.
A final project that will take the form of a research paper, short film or video, graphic work (comic), PowerPoint presentation, etc. (14.000 characters min.), on a topic chosen by the student in coordination with the instructor. Regardless of format, the presentation must have both a descriptive and analytical component.
