The Secret Symmetry of Maimonides and Freud

Nathan Szajnberg

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN: 9781032414669
• eBook ISBN: 9781000882827
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Medieval & Renaissance Philosophy
• Index: Psychology

The Secret Symmetry of Maimonides and Freud presents the parallels between The Guide of the Perplexed and The Interpretation of Dreams, considering how Maimonides might be perceived as anticipating Freud's much later work.

The Secret Symmetry of Maimonides and Freud suggests that humankind has secrets to hide and does so by using common mechanisms and embedding revealing hints for the benefit of the true reader. Using a psychoanalytic approach in tandem with literary criticism and an in-depth assessment of Judaica, Szajnberg demonstrates the similarities between these two towering Jewish intellectual pillars. Using concepts of esoteric literature from the Torah and later texts, this book analyses their ideas on concealing and revealing to gain a renewed perspective on Freud's view of dreams. Throughout, Szajnberg articulates the challenges of reading translated works and how we can address the pitfalls in such translations.

The book is a vital read for psychoanalysts in training and practice, as well as those interested in Judaica, the history of ideas, and early medieval studies.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half-Title Page
• Endorsement Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication Page
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• 1 Introduction—Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed as a Medieval Precursor to Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams
• 2 Rambam: B’reishit (“In the Beginning”; or “At the Head”)
• 3 Mishnah Torah: Precedence for The Guide (מורה נבוכים); Historical Context
• 4 Guide
• 5 The Exoteric and Esoteric of Freud’s Dream Book
• 6 Denoumént: Rambam’s Perplexing Moreh and Freud’s Perplexing Dreams
• Index