2025-26 jewish-islamic resonances lecture series

This paper traces the Ḥasidic reception of the concluding chapters of Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed. It shows how Ḥasidic masters expressed particular enthusiasm for these Sufi-infused chapters and developed distinctive practices of prayer inspired by their teaching on devekut (cleaving to God). The paper also examines recent Ḥasidic scholarship that regards Islamic Sufis as preserving the original devotional practices of the biblical prophets.