Guiding the Perplexed

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 84: Part 2 Chapters 40 and 41a

In 40, Rambam describes how to tell the difference between a true and a false prophet. We begin 41 in which Rambam describes the nature of a prophetic vision.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 83: Part 2 Chapters 38b and 39

In 38, we complete Rambam's explanation for how prophecy works. In 39 Rambam describes why only Moses could have been the one who transmitted the Torah to us, no one before or after him could or will teach a new Torah.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 82: Part 2 Chapters 37 & 38a

In Chapter 37, Rambam describes three types of people, scientists, prophets and soothsayers, and describes how a true prophets shares his vision and teachings with others. We begin Chapter 38, in which Rambam describes the courage and faith required of a prophet.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 81: Part 2 Chapters 35 & 36

In 35, Rambam explains that the prophecy of Moshe is of a completely different nature that that of all other prophets, he tells us that he is only going to describe the nature of all other prophecy. In 36, Rambam begins to escribe how prophecy works, and how one's imaginative faculty is influenced by one's own moral and intellectual development.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 80: Part 2 Chapters 33 & 34

Rambam describes in 33 the revelation at Sinai. In 34 he describes what God meant when He told Moshe that He was sending an "angel" to lead the people.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 79: Part 2 Chapters 31 & 32

In Chapter 31, Rambam describes why Shabbat is so important that it is given right after the commandments to believe in One Creator alone and why two reasons are given for this important commandment. in chapter 32 Rambam describes what it takes to become a prophet.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 78: Part 2 Chapter 30b

Rambam reads Genesis Part 2. This time he focuses mostly on non literal interpretations of some difficult statements of Chazal regarding Genesis.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 77: Part 2 Chapter 30a

Rambam explains how to read Genesis so that it does not contradict Aristotelean physics.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 76: Part 2 Chapter 29c

Rambam describes the nature of miracles, and answers why miracles do not conflict with his assertion that the laws of nature do not change. He then describes why it is so important to note that the account of creation as it appears in Genesis is not to be taken literally.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 75: Part 2 Chapters 29b

Rambam shows how the prophets speak in metaphor and the laws of nature do not change.