Authors Posts by Dovid Campbell
Dovid Campbell
Intention and Inquiry: A Halakhic Case for Ta’amei Ha-Mitzvot
The study of ta’amei ha-mitzvot—the rationales underlying commandments—is a popular source of spiritual meaning, but does it also have relevance to halakhic practice? Dovid Campbell explores an intergenerational rabbinic debate regarding the relationship of ta’amei ha-mitzvot and the requirement to perform mitzvot with a proper intention.
A World Worth Knowing: Jewish Education’s Crisis of Curiosity
Dovid Campbell explores sources indicating that curiosity is a Jewish value.
Philo of Alexandria and the Soul of the Torah
Philo of Alexandria may rightly be called the first systematic Jewish philosopher, yet for many centuries his work was totally unknown to Jewish audiences. Dovid Cambpell argues for his continued relevance to modern Judaism.
Aggadic Poetry
In this pair of poems, Dovid Campbell imagines the unspoken words that arise from scenes in Aggada
Endless Exploration: Judaism’s Only “Principle of Faith”
Hasdai Crescas criticized Maimonides for counting belief as a Mitzvah, arguing that we have no control over what we believe. Dovid Campbell explores a surprisingly common defense of Maimonides that places his views closer to those of Crescas than we might have initially imagined.