Publisher's Synopsis
The book begins with a discussion of the Rambam's views on the importance of the study of the mathematical. physical and life sciences. The Rambam considers scientific study to be a search of truth, and, as such, it is a prime and an integral goal of Judaism. He considered that scientific truth cannot be separated from truth. Thus, he greatly inspired his Sephardi brethren and eventually, Jews worldwide, to engage in the sciences.Subsequently, the book briefly describes the evolution of Jewish scientific involvement from Biblical times till the rise of Sephardi scholarship.Following these introductory chapters, the book reviews and evaluates the important contributions of Sephardi scholars to the exact sciences and medicine. Specifically, it considers the works 40 out of many more Sephardi scholars in mathematics, astronomy and medicine. The 40 scholars whose scientific work is recounted, include pre-Rambam Sephardi scholars, such as Ibn Ezra, Yehuda Halevi and Yehuda Ibn Tibbon and post-Rambam scholars, such as Shimon ben Zemach, Levi ben Gershon, Ramban, AlHarizi and Zacuto, who were at the same time important rabbinical leaders.This Sephardi scientific activity spans the Dark Ages of Europe, which were the Golden Age of Sephardi Jewry that ended with the 1492 Jewish exile from Spain.
