–End of the so–called Dark Ages 476–1000 CE)
An approximate mid–point of the Middle Ages
(476 CE* – 1492 CE***)
Not particularly dark intellectually, as far as sophisticated Jewish philosophical output was concerned. In the midst of abject poverty, persecutions, pogroms, blood libels, Black Deaths, and expulsions, the Jews are writing—for their contemporaries—and for posterity.
Somehow, many of these texts have been protected to this day. Interestingly, the themes and writings are overwhelmingly quite sophisticated and nuanced, picking up where Aristotle left off. Seamlessly.
Nahmanides, Abba Mari ben Moses, Simon ben Zemah Duran, Joseph Albo, Isaac Arama, and Joseph Jaabez intellectually arm–wrestle with Maimonides on a range of metaphysical issues. They generally come down on the side of a much smaller “core” of so–called “principles of faith.”
Maimonides had articulated 13 core principles of (Jewish) faith.
1) To know the existence of the Creator
2) The unity of God
3) The denial of physicality in connection with God
4) God’s Antiquity
5) The “worthiness” of God
6) Prophecy
7) The prophetic aspect of Moses
8) The divinity of the Torah
9) The completeness of the Torah
10) Divine omniscience
11) Reward & Punishment
12) The era of the Messiah
13) Resurrection of the Dead
* Fall of the Roman Empire
*** Columbus discovers the New World
However, just three core beliefs manifest with this above–noted group of philosophers (Nahmanides et al.)
1) Belief in God
2) Belief in Revelation
(that God revealed himself at Sinai)
3) Belief in Providence (God’s protection)
Hasdai Crescas, David ben Samuel Estella, David ben Yom Tov ibn Bilia, Jedaidah Penini, and Isaac Abravanel, among other notables then join the particular intellectual fray with full–scale expositions.