Proposes Critical Edition of Works of Maimonides on 800th Anniversary of Birth

The eight hundredth anniversary of the birth of Maimonides, which will occur in 1935, should be celebrated by the publication of a critical edition of his works, including many so far unpublished, Dr. Cyrus Adler, president of The Dropsie College, suggested in his Founder’s Day address at the exercises held at the college last night. Besides the address of the president, Dr. Ephraim A. Speiser described recent archacological work in the East. The degree of Doctor of Philosophy was conferred upon Robert Gordis, Bachelor of Arts of the College of the City of New York and Fellow at the Dropsic College.

“In 1935, at just about this time of the year, the eight hundredth anniversary of the birth of Maimonides will occur,” Dr. Adler said. “This man, who was born in Cordova and died in Cairo, was the greatest mind produced by the Jews in the Middle Ages and probably one of the two greatest minds in the Middle Ages. He was a physician; he was a philosopher; he was a legalist, he was an astronomer; he had all the learning of his predecessors and powerfully added to that knowledge, and withal was a statesman and the guide of all the Jews of his time. His fame was not confined to the Jewish people. An Arab poet celebrated his medical knowledge in verse.

“It is astonishing that to this very day some of his manuscripts remain unpublished. During this past summer, I ascertained, through Professor George Sarton, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, editor of ‘Isis’ and author of ‘The Introduction to the History of Science,’ published by the Carnegie Institution that there are a number of medical manuscripts of Maimonides found in Cairo, one of them, I believe, upon the diseases of the eye. as yet unpublished. The original Arabic text of the greatest. Jewish philosophic work of the Middle Ages. The Guide of the Perplexed,” was published in Paris, by S. Munk, in 1856. This is not a critical text according to modern standards and it is long since out of print. The Commentary to the Mishnah, by Maimonides, has never been well edited.

“I have thought that this man, who is known as the second Moses, should be enshrined in literature for all time by a worthy critical edition of all his works, those already published and those hitherto unpublished and that the eight hundredth anniversary of his birth in 1935 should be the occasion when this publication begins. To do this work would require a company of scholars in various parts of the world, men who know Arabic and the Jewish law; men who know Arabic and philosophy: men who know Arabic and medicine. Doctor Skoss, of this faculty, to whom I communicated my idea, has furnished me with a rough estimate of the number of volumes which would be required for the editing of these texts alone; Hebrew Mishnah Torah, 4 volumes; Arabic, Commentary on the Mishnah, 6 volumes; Sefer ha-Miswot, 1 volume; Dalalat al-Hairin (Moreh Nebukim), 1 volume; Letters and Responsa, 1 volume; Small Treatises, 1 volume; and Medical Works and Astronomy, about 4 or 5 volumes.

“I wonder whether this thought which I have thrown out will commend itself to scholars in this country and other countries; whether they can form a body which will take up such a huge task and see it through, and whether, if the scholars are ready to do it, a foundation or individual men who have a love for learning will support what I know is a vast undertaking.

“To me it would seem to be a challenge to those interested in Jewish learning, and I would say that if this college can be of service in promoting this idea, assuming that it commends itself to others, we shall stand ready.

“Some of you will recall that a good many years ago, the effort was made to collect and edit all the works of another gerat Jewish scholar, who preceded Maimonides-Saadia Gaon. This (Continued on Page 4)

“I never make comparison, if I can avoid them, but I am sure everyone will agree that no man in the Jewish history of the last two thousand years is more worthy of a fine presentation of all his writings than is Moses Maimonides. I earnestly hope that the idea will receive the consideration of those within the sound of my voice and of others whom it may reach, and that if taken up at all, it will be carried through in a manner worthy of the great man whose memory it will honor.”