Moses Mendelssohn (1725-1786) is considered the foremost representative
of Jewish Enlightenment. In No Religion without Idolatry, Gideon
Freudenthal offers a novel interpretation of Mendelssohn's general
philosophy and discusses for the first time Mendelssohn's semiotic
interpretation of idolatry in his Jerusalem and in his Hebrew biblical
commentary. Mendelssohn emerges from this study as an original
philosopher, not a shallow popularizer of rationalist metaphysics, as he
is sometimes portrayed. Of special and lasting value is his semiotic
theory of idolatry.
From a semiotic perspective, both idolatry and enlightenment are
necessary constituents of religion. Idolatry ascribes to religious
symbols an intrinsic value: enlightenment maintains that symbols are
conventional and merely signify religious content but do not share its
properties and value. Without enlightenment, religion degenerates to
fetishism; without idolatry it turns into philosophy and frustrates
religious experience. Freudenthal demonstrates that in Mendelssohn's
view, Judaism is the optimal religious synthesis. It consists of
transient ceremonies of a "living script." Its ceremonies are symbols,
but they are not permanent objects that could be venerated. Jewish
ceremonies thus provide a religious experience but frustrate fetishism.
Throughout the book, Freudenthal fruitfully contrasts Mendelssohn's
views on religion and philosophy with those of his contemporary critic
and opponent, Salomon Maimon. No Religion without Idolatry breaks new
ground in Mendelssohn studies. It will interest students and scholars in
philosophy of religion, Judaism, and semiotics.
