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1/28 - Introduction: Parameters of the course and methodological reflections: The problem of Divine justice; the tradition of the Jewish argument with the Lord; the "Law"; the question of parable; preliminary observations on Kafka. Readings: Kafka, "On Parables;" "The Problem of our Laws;" "An Imperial Message" (all in Kafka, The Complete Stories, ed. N. Glatzer). 2/4 - Two Poles of Biblical Faith: Abraham at Mt. Moriah and at Sodom Readings: Genesis chs. 18 and 22; Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling. 2/11 - The Individual and the National Debate with God Readings: The Book of Job; Psalm 44; II Baruch, ch. 10 and IV Ezra ch. 2 (xerox). 2/18 - The Gnostic Alternative Readings: H. Jonas, The Gnostic Religion, chs. 2-3, and pp. 165 - 169; G. Scholem, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, ch. 2; Jewish Gnostic texts (xerox). 2/25 - Halakhah ("Law") as Way of Life and Link between Human and Divine Readings: Deuteronomy ch. 30; selections from Talmud and Midrash in praise of "The Law" (xerox); H. N. Bialik, Halakhah and Aggadah (xerox). 3/4 - God's Withdrawal (hastarat panim -the "Hiding of the Face") Readings: Deuteronomy 31:17-18; Isaiah 8:17, 45:15, 57:17; Psalms 89:47; Nietzsche, The Gay Science, no. 125 ("The Madman" - xerox) 3/11 - The Argument in the Middle Ages Readings: Selections from the Hebrew chronicles of the First and Second Crusade; poetry of lament (kinnot); Solomon Ibn Verga's tales of the Spanish exiles of 1492 (all in xerox). S. Spiegel, The Last Trial. 3/18 - NO CLASS (SPRING BREAK) 3/25 -- The Argument in Modern Times Readings: Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev; selected poems and prose from modern Hebrew and Yiddish literature (xerox). 4/1 AND 4/8 - Probing Kafka's Jewish Identity Readings: Kafka, "Letter to His Father," in Kafka, The Sons; Kafka, Diaries (pages to be assigned). 4/15 -- 4/22 -- 4/29: Analysis of Kafka's The Trial [Note: Papers due 4/22] Readings: Walter Benjamin, Illuminations, pp. 111-140 ("Franz Kafka"); The Correspondence of Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem, letters nos.9, 63, 66, 109, and pp. 236-37; selections from the liturgy of the Day of Atonement (xerox). 5/6 - Concluding Symposium
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