Language:
English
Year of publication:
2021
Titel der Quelle:
Revue des Etudes Juives
Angaben zur Quelle:
180,1-2 (2021) 71-96
Keywords:
Luzzatto, Simone, Criticism and interpretation
;
Luzzatto, Simone, Political and social views
;
Machiavelli, Niccolò, Influence
;
Astrology Religious aspects
;
Judaism
;
Jewish philosophers 17th century
;
Judaism and state Philosophy
Abstract:
The shift from astrology to astronomy in the early modern period speaks to the ways in which various religious traditions in Europe responded to contemporary scientific developments. The purpose of this article is to explore how the gradual decline of astrology and the rise of astronomy were manifested in the Jewish tradition. The focus of the present study will be on the works of the Venetian rabbi Simone Luzzatto (ca. 1580-1663). A key facet of Luzzatto’s oeuvre is to offer an apology for the contribution of the Jews to the Venetian economy and trade, and one of his main addressees is the government of the Republic. At the same time, his political theory engages with early modern debates about a variety of issues ranging from astronomy to ethics and politics. Luzzatto’s Socrate yields valuable insights into the ways in which the transition from astrology to astronomy is mirrored in the Jewish political tradition. Solar and lunar metaphors are shaped in Luzzatto’s thinking into a powerful tool to illustrate the operation of the state and the principles and methods of successful political action. Luzzatto’s deployment of astronomical similes hints at a current of thought which was not only distinct from purely astrological intent, but also sought to play down some of the implications of Machiavelli’s political theory and analyzed the trends and processes that led to a depersonalized pattern of authority and regulation of political power.
DOI:
10.2143/REJ.180.1.3289437
URL:
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