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9-1-1975
Leo Strauss on Jerusalem and Athens
Stanley Gilbert Weber
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Weber, Stanley Gilbert, "Leo Strauss on Jerusalem and Athens" (1975). Open Access Dissertations and Teses. Paper 3047.

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LEO STRAUSS .
ON JERUSALEM AND ATHENS
STANLEY GILBERT WEBER. 13. A .. M.'A.

A Thcsis
Submlttcd to thc School of Gradl.ntc Studics
in Pnrtial Fulfllmcnt of thc Rcquircmcnts
Doctor of Philosophy
,
McMastcr Univcrsity
(Septcmber) 197 5
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STANLEY GILBERT WEBER
1976
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LEO STRAUSS
ON JERUSALEM 'AND ATHENS
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(1975) DOCTOR .OF PlIILOSOi'IIY
(Religious
'TITLE:
AUTHOR: Stanley Gilbert Webcr,
. .-
B, A. (Washington Univc'rsity)
Rabbinical Ordination.
(Rabbi Chaim Berlin Rf\bbinical
Seminary),
M. A. (McMaster" University)
Professor G. P. Grant
NUMBER OF PAGES: xii 5Z7
ii
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Strauss
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Thill' thesis a;ttempts to" nudeat.e the thought of Leo
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'an Athens: The specific focus and
:of this thesis in L o Strauss' s of
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Jerusalem,and Ath':lns ill the relation of judaism and philosophy.
The es'sential asser'tion o'f Straus's:position is the funda-,
mental and opposition bet ee,n Jerusalem and',Athens.
is chiefly in the _
classical and the of tl).e
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Bible. and in the contrast of philosophic
,.
,
,
of the Bible.
Although evidencing change "development." Strauss's
thought remains centrally concerned with "das th'eologisch-
politische Problem. II His early work on Maimonides and his Islamic
predecessors, und Gesetz, exhibits his concern with
the relation of political philosophy and theology, exotericism. the
relation of the Law and the natural law. the quarrel between
and the distorting effect of reading pre-modern writers
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through modern lenses and the' inadequacy of modern philosophies
of Judaism., The 'extent and charader of Strauss's "development,"
. 'as well as the abiding of. his vision, is indicated in viewing
his earlier understanding in light ofiiis own later "corrections."
The thesis concludes with Strauss's thematic elaboration of '.
the insufficiency generally of Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment
accommodations of and of modern Jewish" movements,"
in particular.
.. What is all important to thi .. is the central fact .of
I.
.
Strauss' to Jerusalem and Athens, to "das
che to Judaism and philosophy.
Attention is the essence of the "third alternative" to unreasoned
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belief and unreasoned. unbelief.
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\ " \' ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS " _.'
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This thesis taken long. and over its long' course I have taken'
I much from many -- 'most. from those ,closest to my wife Deborah and
..... ".. . .' .' ., ' . .
\mychildren: Sara. Kalman. Peri Linda. Y'ael Tamara and David Mordechai.
\ . . .!) . ..
"'" ' ,
Deborah typed my way through graduate school; it was she who not only'
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, "'i( " . ., .
tJed ev&ry letter of this thesis at every stage., in end. it was she,who
. . . ".
got iYdone. susta:ining an immense effort in tJ:te face of
'. .
The better 'part of my higher must he credited, to 'my super-,
visor. Dr. GeorgeP. Gra:nt. who stimulated and guided my endeavours
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,yeducated things: For the past three years, I enjoyed
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/ the privilege and opportunity of being a teaching member of the Department.
'/
for which I thank him. I thank him for his long-suffering endurance of the
work of supervision of the exceedingly/long work of this thesis. I am
gr'ateful for his seeing it through to completion and for seeing to it that
..
it was completed.
Dr. A. Eugene my teacher. colleague. and cla,ssroom
collaborator is a friend and, as such, his contribution to the work of this
G .j
thesis. at every stage. was substantial. ' I
'1 gratefully acknowledge the generous a'ssistance of Canada cjuncil
for the four years it awarded me the Doctoral Fell,Owshi'p.
.....
I pray I may look forward to giving.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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. Abstract : . ',' 0 : :1 .
. - I'

Abbreviations ..... , ..... 00 ' '.' , , '._ ', , ,

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. 1. INTRODUCTION< , ,., .
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5,
6.
7.
8.
9,
10.
11.
12.
U'.

The "Originality" of this Thesis .. 0 0 , ,
The Introduction of Leo Strauss by Le? Strauss:
The Jew in tne Grip of the Contempo'rary
Theologico-Political Predicament , ..
"The Jewish Problem" , , .......
Liberalism, Conservatism and "the Jewish
-Pro!>.lem", .. 0 , 0 : , 0 0 0
On the "Conservatism" of Herzl and Polith:al
Zionism .
Liberalism: Less Than a Perfect Solution But
the Best Viable -- According to 'Classical
Conservatism, Jud'aism, and Zionism,
RespectiYely... : 0 0 0 0 , 0 ,
"The Jewish Problem" and the "Preestablished
Harmony Between Value,.free Science and
Liberal Values" 0 0 0 0
Strauss the Conservative and the Liberal
J
. h "0 .. L d "
pIniOn ea er ..... -0 0 ,
The Nearness 0< the Philistines .. 0 0 0" 0
"In What Sense or To What Extent Is Judaism
One of the'Roots of Liberalism? Are Jews
Compelled by Their Heritage, . '; To Be
LOb I?" '.'
1 era s ,:.,., 0'_"
O
"L" . II ' . . :-.....
n IVes .. 0 0 0 0 '\
Socrates and Thucydides: Athenian_s
Starting From What "!Jas Hitting l'lim,Direc y'
"Jerusalemite
ll
or "Athenian" /"
- ----
, .
vi
Page
iii
x
1
2
.::"
'9
15
20
23
25
(
29
. 36
43
"
48
56
58
65
'\ 67
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69
77
81
84
94

96
108
111
129
-,>
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15. An Example of Disinclination To Take
Strauss Seriously As a Serious Scholar of
"Der'herme.neutische Weg von
Leo Strauss" .
1&. Strauss's Rediscovery of Exotericism.%. "
17. "Definitions" Exoteric". and '.' ..
18. Str.auss's Redlscovery of he
Prime Target of His Critics; " .
19. Exotericism and" The Twin Sisters"
Positivism and Historicism .
2Q. Reading "Old .Books" anc\ Historicism and
.Positivism , .
21. The Need for Historical Studies .
22. Conclusibn: The Question of Strauss',S'
"Nonorthodoxy" ; /,' .
23. Plan of the Chapters Following .
I II. U:0 STRAUSS ON THE FUNDAMENTAL OPPOSITION
___ OF 'JERUSALEM AND ATHENS................ 13&
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Section One
Introduction .L. '. : .
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Strauss and Christian Theology.. ' .
Apparent Affinities .
Some Apparent Resemblances of Jerusalem
and Athens and Some Significant Differences
Nature -- The Root Issue Between Athens
and Jerusalem ' ' .
GenesIs As Read By Strauss: The Bible's
Rejection of Athens ..
Trust and Hope in' God and Tears in Jerusalem.
The Ql\est for Knowledge and Laughter in
Athens: .
More Respective Views of The
. Beginnings .
On Plato 'on Beginnings : .
On the Bible On the Arts " .
More than" Apparent" , .
11 Anticipations" .:1 ................ : ..
137
138
147
149
154
170
179
186
189
192
196
202
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217
222
224
225
,234
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14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Section Two,
13. \ s p e c ~ s of the Conco;orn ,with Justice in
, )Athens and Jerusalem Respectively:
Some Significant Differences '; .... '.
The Fusion of Nature and Law 't' ..
On Strauss's Early" Leaning" .. , .. " . , , , . , , ...
"The natural law", , , " , .. , , .', . , :
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"The natural law" and the Law, , ... , , . , .. , .. ,
"The natural law" Lacks" Categoric.
11 '
Imperatives , ............. : , .. ,.".
Section Three
'19. "Am I My Brother's Keeper?" -- The "Answers"
Respectively of the Philosopher. the Greek
Gentleman,and the Pious Adherent of Biblical
, Tradition,. ~ ........... , ',' . , .' ..... , ..... ,
20, The Philosopher -- "a benefactor only
accidentally" ,' , , .', "
/' 21. "The Two Ways of Life" and Bibli9al Piety ,
22. The Pious of Jerusalem , . , . , , , ..
23. Biblical Piety Viewed from the" Heights"
Ascended by" the Philosopher. , , , .. ,
24. Patris and Politeia and Jew, , , .
25. , Love of Neighbor -- How Difficult It is., '..
26. Strauss's "Restatement on, Xenophon' s Hiero":
Love and the Philosopher.. , ', , .
27. The Contrast and Affinity with Biblical Teaching
28. The Greek Ruler and the Jewish King..... , ...
29. Aristotle's Gentleman Contrasted to Maimonides'
Jewish "Wise" Map and "Pious" Man ".,
30. Conclus;,on, .. ,.', :". , , , :. , ..
(244
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'\247
266 '
271
277
296
305
310
.316
323
325
329
Ill. LEO STRAUSS'S PHILOSOPHIE UND GESETZ
ON,PLATONIC POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND
MAIMONIDES -- THE "ARISTOTELIZING" CLASSIC
\ RATIONALIST IN JUDAISM" , , , . . . . 332
1. Introduco.;n , , ..' , .. ,.. 333
2. Political Philosophy Its Two Significations
and Strauss's Chapter Headings ".Die gesetzliche
Begrundung der Philos'ophie" and "Die philosophische
Begriindung des Gesetzes" ............ ; .. : . . 335
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419
399
343
358
348
355
340
337
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3. ,:,The'Meanings of "Political Philosophy" .\.. , ,
4, 'Difference Betwe'en Pl<lto and Aristotle
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Not" a Central Theme But Not I'gnoreri in
Strau's s' s Work.......... , . , .... " . , .. '...' .
5. The Contrast Between Christian
. and Maimonides: : .': ' .. , .
. 6. Abravanel
'
s -Anti_Political Politfcal
. Thought..... , ... , . .. , ,,: , .. , .. '.' ... , . , ,
7. Gersonides: A Truer Arist.ote.1ian.. , .. , ; . , .
8, Aspects of the Impa'ct of Jerusalem on
. Platonism.. , , , , . ; ', '..
9. "Was hat der Jude mit Platon oder
..'. \
Aristoteles zu/schaffen"? , .....'.. , .'. . . . . . . 372
10. '!, .'. aUth'e difference in the world" . : ... 387
11. "Die'gesetzliche Begrundung d'i'r philosophie"
and the Extreme Rationalists Averroes and
GersonideW , ..... ' , .
12. Conclusion: The Three Major Moments in the
'. Development of Strauss's Understanding of
Maimonides .......... , :;,.
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LEO STRAUSS ON MODERN ENUGHTENMENT
AND BIBLICAL TRADITION
1. Introduction , :....... 429
2. The. Theologico-Political Garden. . . . . . . . . . . . 430
3. Strauss' 5 'Theological Focus on Modernity
Follows (the More Political Focus Not
Treated Here)... . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 436
4. The Peculiar Epicureanism of Modernity. . . . . 4}9
5. The Introduction to Philosophie und Gesetz... '470
Appendix A '. , .. , . . 517
Bibliography . 521
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Works of
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LJo Strauss
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ABBREVIATIOt:'!S-,-
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Abravanel ' -- "On Abravanel
t
s 'Philosophical Tendency and Political
Teac\>ing" in Isaac Abravariel.

"Accounts"', -- "A Giving of Accounts"

i
C&M -- City and Man
,
,
Cohen's RR -- Introduction to Cohen's Religion of Reason
'"
I
, "On Collingwood's Philosophy of History'"
"FP" -- "Farabi' s Plato"
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Guide --!Introduction to Moses Maimonides' The Guide of th'e Perplexed
-- "Why We Remain Jews ?"
l-listPP -- History';f Political Philosophy
.-
}Jobbes -- The Political Philosophy of Hobbes
/
/ Husik -- Preface to Philosophical Essays .'by Isaac Husik
"InG,en" -- "Interpretation of Genesis"
interpretation -_ "Philosophy as Rigorous Science ana Political,
Philosophy" .
"J&A" -- "The Beginnip.g of the Bible and Its Gree Counterparts"
LAM -- Liberalism Ancient and Modern
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Macchi Thopghts on Machiavelli
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NR -- Natural Right and History
Ot'lTyr -- On Tyranny .
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PAW n Pcrsccutwn and of Writing

P&G __ Philosophic und Gcset".;
.'
S&A
__ "Quelquell remarques surla science politiqj1e de.
" "" .,..
et de.Farabi" .
,1>__,
__ and AristQphanes
__ Critique of Religion
"Sparta" _.lIThe Spirit of Sparta and the-Taste of Xenophon't>
"Vorwort" -- 1965 German edition of Hobbes
"Wild" -- "On a New Interpretation of .Plato's Political Philosophy"
WPP? n What is Political Philosophy?
X's Oeconomicus -- Xenophon's Socratic Discourse and Interpretation
of the Oeconomicus
X's Socrates -- Xenophon's Socratcs
Works on Leo Strauss
"LSI, __ 'ILeo Strauss"
"LS's Achievement" -_ "The Achievement of Lco Strauss
"On LS" -_ On Leo Strauss
"Hermeneutik" --" Der hermeneutische Weg von Leo Strauss"
: "Strauss -- S. G. Weber's two days with Strauss'
xi
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~ P -- Julius Guttmann's Philosophies of Judaism-
Weiss -- Wisdom and Picty The ,Ethics of Maimonidcs'
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This thesis attempts to enucleate the thought of Leo Str.auss
on Jerusalem
this writer is
and and. their. relation.
a Jew. The specific focus and
Leo Strauss WaS a Jew;
. ,
special interest of
both Leo Strauss, and this writer in the investigation of the relation
of J.crus alem and Athens is concerned primarily with the relation
of Judaism and philosophy. This thesis will examine various writings
; . , :
of Leo Strauss in an attempt to bring o",t c1darly their bearings on
this theme. The aspire" ,to a "careful and thorough" and straight
I
thinking discl\sBio,h of Leo Strauss's writings. writings which exemplify
the author's high standards of card, thoroughncss and straight
Consonant with its attempt to be true to the thought of Leo Strauss, .the
thesis is not primar,ily conccrncd with the achievement of originality.
1

1. The "Originality'" of This Thesis
Every one of us is probably flattered by the implication that we
could be original if w-e only tried. This implication draws our
attention away from our and urgent duties" the duties
to be careful and thorough a'nd to think straight. 1
The facile delusions which conceal from us our true situation
all amount tothis: that we are, at can be, wiser than the
wisest men of the past. We are thus induced to play the part,
not of attentive and docile,listeners, but of impresarios or
lion-tamers.
2
The writings, of Leo Straus s do not rais e claims to
originality; on the contrary, they are self_effacing; they conspicuously
"
present themselve's as" cCjmmentaries" on the thought of others. The
.../
aim of these II commentaries II of Leo Strauss
l
s writings. is to
understand "in an untraditional or fresh manner what was hitherto
I ,
understood only in a traditional or derivative manner." 3
ILea Strauss, "Comment," Church History, XV, 100.
"
2 Leo Strauss,
1968), 8 -- hereafter,
Liberalism Ancient and ,Modern
j
LAM,
(Ba'sic Books,
3
Leo Strauss, The City and Man (Rand McNally, 1964), 9 --
hereafter, C &M,
'.....,.
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