The correspondence between Orobio and Bredenburg brings to light the superiority of classical philosophy over the faulty reasoning of propositions influenced by Spinoza's philosophy. Through meticulous logical analysis and verification of Jan Bredenburg's propositions, Isaac Orobio exposes and reveals the inherent contradictions of modern philosophical materialism. For Isaac Orobio, Spinoza and his contemporaries conceal the heresy of a new pantheistic atheism that replaces God with “Nature,” relying on new sophisms, whose principles are self-necessary and independent of disciplines, ignoring all common foundations of logic, grammar, metaphysics, and ontology. Isaac Orobio rejects this fragmentation of the concept of truth between science and religion, and vigorously defends the foundations on which science and religious thought converge through simultaneous and logical truths that allow for a rational understanding of the existence of a necessary being, creation from infinite possibilities, and the limitations of existing finite agents. Through these propositions, his work becomes an essential reference for those seeking to grasp the challenging interaction between reason, faith, and existence, forming a crucial reading for philosophers, theologians, and anyone interested in the classical foundations of faith in relation to reason. With his sharp pen and keen reasoning, Orobio became the first critic to oppose the new philosophical wave of modern materialism that threatened to undermine the foundations of revealed religion. This translation aims not only to make this fundamental work of classical philosophy accessible to contemporary readers but also to illuminate, through notes, the connections between Orobio's classical context and the modern existential questions that persist to this day.

Isaac Orobio de Castro (1617-1687) is distinguished as the first anti-modern in 17th-century philosophy. He undertook medical studies in Osuna, Andalusia, where he received a classical education that included the “Trivium,” meaning the three arts of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. His teaching career in medicine took a turn when the Spanish Inquisition slandered and imprisoned him for at least two years in 1654. In 1657, after receiving a second life sentence in Seville, he took refuge with his family in Toulouse, where he practiced as a physician and counselor to the French royal family. He spent two years at the Maison de l'Infante in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, near Maria Teresa of Spain, daughter of the King of Spain, who later became Queen of France and Navarre. In 1659, he served as a counselor to King Louis XIV during the peace negotiations with Spain. At the royal house in the Pyrenees, Orobio started to write his work, thus gaining recognition not only in medicine but also in philosophy. Diverse contemporary figures such as Voltaire, Diderot, and Leibniz praised his erudition and character. In 1662, he settled in the Jewish community of Amsterdam, where he passed away in 1687. His rationalist philosophical legacy remains an essential reference in the reconciliation between reason and religion. His tombstone in the Portuguese Jewish cemetery in Ouderkerk, near Amsterdam, attests to his impact: “Isaac lives in the heavens; this stone marks the grave of a man of worth. A man still alive, who has illuminated the world.”

Citation:
Orobio de Castro, Isaac. Certamen Philosophicum: Philosophical Combat for Divine and Natural Truth. 2nd Revised Edition. Foreword and notes by Jean-Pierre Rothschild. Introduction and notes by Seymour Feldman. Prologue and translation by Walter Hilliger. Le Cercle Hilliger, 2024. ISBN 978-2-494509-39-9. Collection Veritas è terra orietur. ISSN 3003-8898. 172 pages. 

The major work of Rabbi Moses Almosnino (1515-1580), Conduct of Life, remains to this day an essential reference in classical Judeo-Spanish literature, now finally available in English in its first translation. First published in Ladino in 1564 as  "Sefer Hanhagat ha-chayim," and in 1729 as "Regimiento de la vida," this three-volume edition is part of the prestigious collection Veritas è terra orietur. The introduction by Jean-Pierre Rothschild, Director of Research at CNRS and Director of Studies at EPHE, specializing in mediaeval philosophy, enlightens the reader on the foundations and stakes of the work.

The first volume aims to provide practical advice for leading a good life from an early age. It emphasizes the distinction between spiritual, physical, and external goods (I, ch. 1-3), including suggestions on dietary habits, sleep and waking, going to bed and getting up, walking and sitting, speaking and silence (I, ch. 4-10), the four types of discourse (I, ch. 11), and why the righteous die young (I, ch. 11). Finally, it addresses questions on eschatology, classical philosophy, and theodicy (I, ch. 12-14).

Conduct of Life draws heavily from the Nicomachean Ethics but transcends this source by situating itself at the universal intersection of several traditions: Greco-Arabic philosophy, Judeo-Christian scholasticism, classical Sephardic Judaism, and mediaeval Jewish thought. Thus, this work contributes to peace and intercultural understanding among peoples.

R. Moses Ben Barukh Almosnino (c. 1515-1580) was a major figure in Classical Judaism. He settled in the Ottoman Empire, and possessed extensive knowledge of both Jewish and secular subjects and was known for his Responsa and exegeses. He also took an interest in various scientific fields, translating and commenting on works by Aristotle and other scholars. R. Moses Almosnino wrote on topics such as ethics, including commentaries on the Nicomachean Ethics and Pirkei Avot. He also authored “Extremos y grandezas de Constantinopla,” a historical work in Judeo-Spanish. His original work “Regimiento de la vida,” (Conduct of Life) a treatise on ethics, was published during his lifetime in 1564 and remains a reference in classical Judeo-Spanish literature.

Citation:
Almosnino, R. Moïse. Conduct of Life - Volume 1. Introduction by J.-P. Rothschild. First translation and notes by Walter Hilliger. 1st Edition. Le Cercle Hilliger, 2024. ISBN 978-2-494509-08-5. Collection Veritas è terra orietur. ISSN 3003-8898. 174 pages. 

The major work of Rabbi Moses Almosnino (1515-1580), Conduct of Life, remains to this day an essential reference in classical Judeo-Spanish literature, now finally available in English in its first translation. First published in Ladino in 1564 as "Sefer Hanhagat ha-chayim" and in 1729 as "Regimiento de la vida," this three-volume edition is part of the prestigious collection Veritas è terra orietur. The work aims to disseminate the timeless teachings of ethics, in the words of the author: “In all that has been said, my intention is only to make you understand how the one who follows the path of virtue and customs of practicing good and pure knowledge since childhood lives a happy and fulfilled life” (I, ch. 2).

The second volume addresses the confusion of indeterminism with free will (II, ch. 1) and how virtues arise from free will to surpass the force of destiny (II, ch. 2), their conditions (II, ch. 3); the three types of strength or courage, which is the first virtue (II, ch. 4), its five properties and eleven conditions (II, ch. 5); as well as the ten ethical virtues: temperance (II, ch. 6), the sixteen properties of liberality (II, ch. 7-8), magnificence (II, ch. 9), magnanimity and its fifty properties (II, ch. 10-12), modesty (II, ch. 13), meekness (II, ch. 14-16), affability (II, ch. 17), honesty or truth (II, ch. 18-19), and courtesy (II, ch. 20), following the order and numbering of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (II, ch. 1-20).

Conduct of Life draws heavily from the Nicomachean Ethics but transcends this source by situating itself at the universal intersection of several traditions: Greco-Arabic philosophy, Judeo-Christian scholasticism, classical Sephardic Judaism, and mediaeval Jewish thought. Thus, this work contributes to peace and intercultural understanding among peoples.

R. Moses Ben Barukh Almosnino (c. 1515-1580) was a major figure in Classical Judaism. He settled in the Ottoman Empire, and possessed extensive knowledge of both Jewish and secular subjects and was known for his Responsa and exegeses. He also took an interest in various scientific fields, translating and commenting on works by Aristotle and other scholars. R. Moses Almosnino wrote on topics such as ethics, including commentaries on the Nicomachean Ethics and Pirkei Avot. He also authored “Extremos y grandezas de Constantinopla,” a historical work in Judeo-Spanish. His original work “Regimiento de la vida,” (Conduct of Life) a treatise on ethics, was published during his lifetime in 1564 and remains a reference in classical Judeo-Spanish literature.

Citation:
Almosnino, R. Moïse. Conduct of Life - Volume 2. Translation, introduction, and notes by Walter Hilliger. 1st Edition. Le Cercle Hilliger, 2024. ISBN 978-2-494509-08-5. Collection Veritas è terra orietur. ISSN 3003-8898. 230 pages. 

The major work of Rabbi Moses Almosnino (1515-1580), Conduct of Life, remains to this day an essential reference in classical Judeo-Spanish literature, now finally available in English in its first translation. First published in Ladino in 1564 as "Sefer Hanhagat ha-chayim," and in 1729 as "Regimiento de la vida," this three-volume edition is part of the prestigious collection Veritas è terra orietur.
The work aims to disseminate the timeless teachings of ethics, in the words of the author: “In all that has been said, my intention is only to make you understand how the one who follows the path of virtue and customs of practicing good and pure knowledge since childhood lives a happy and fulfilled life” (I, ch. 2).

The third volume deals with justice (III, ch. 1-3) and friendship (III, ch. 4-8 and 13), love (III, ch. 9), the five intellectual virtues: understanding, science, wisdom, prudence, and art (III, ch. 10-11), and the learning of sciences as a path to virtue (III, ch. 12). This work presents itself as a pedagogical endeavor, intended to provide advice for leading a virtuous life.

R. Moses Ben Barukh Almosnino (c. 1515-1580) was a major figure in Classical Judaism. He settled in the Ottoman Empire, and possessed extensive knowledge of both Jewish and secular subjects and was known for his Responsa and exegeses. He also took an interest in various scientific fields, translating and commenting on works by Aristotle and other scholars. R. Moses Almosnino wrote on topics such as ethics, including commentaries on the Nicomachean Ethics and Pirkei Avot. He also authored “Extremos y grandezas de Constantinopla,” a historical work in Judeo-Spanish. His original work “Regimiento de la vida,” (Conduct of Life) a treatise on ethics, was published during his lifetime in 1564 and remains a reference in classical Judeo-Spanish literature.

Citation:
Almosnino, R. Moïse. Conduct of Life - Volume 3. First translation and notes by Walter Hilliger. 1st Edition. Le Cercle Hilliger, 2024. 154 pages. ISBN 978-2-494509-08-5. Collection Veritas è terra orietur. ISSN 3003-8898. 154 pages.

At his own expense, Menasseh Ben Israel self-published Thirty Problems Concerning Creation (De Creatione Problemata XXX) from his home. This work aimed to restore the classical doctrine of creation and to address intricate philosophical and theological questions related to the creation of the world and faith. The present edition is the first translation of the Latin edition that was published in 1635, nearly 400 years ago. The thirty problems explore various questions, including the existence of a beginning of the world, the nature of the raw material, the origin of Moses' knowledge of creation, the universality of this knowledge, the duration of the world's creation, the existence of other worlds before ours, the direct emanation from God, the number of elements necessary for creation, the creation of souls and bodies, the creation of Paradise and Hell, the existence of Purgatory, the creation of demons and angels, the roundness of the sky, the final cause of the world's creation, and the alterability of the world if it is eternal. These problems invite deep reflections on the nature of existence and faith.

Menasseh Ben Israel (1604-1657), born in La Rochelle, France, around 1604 (Cardozo de Béthencourt, 1904; Levy, 1924; H.P. Solomon, 1983; Meinsma, 2006; S. Rauschenbach, 2019) and buried in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, Dutch Republic, in 1657, is renowned for founding the first Hebrew printing house in Amsterdam. A philosopher, exegete, diplomat, writer, editor, and printer, he published at his own expense Thirty Problems Concerning Creation (De Creatione Problemata XXX) from his own home.

Citation:
Ben Israel, Menasseh. Thirty Problems Concerning Creation: De Creatione Problemata XXX. Introduction “On Creation” by Seymour Feldman. Foreword, translation, and annotations by Walter Hilliger. First English translation and edition. Le Cercle Hilliger, 2023. ISBN 978-1-73567-379-0. Collection Veritas è terra orietur. ISSN 3003-8898. 243 pages. 

Maimonides’ Latin translation of Moreh Nevukhim | Guide for the Perplexed was the most influential Jewish work in the last millennia (Di Segni, 2019: Rubio, 2006; Wohiman, 1988, 1995; Kohler, 2017). It marked the beginning of scholasticism, a daughter of Judaism raised by Jewish thinkers, according to historian Heinrich Graetz (Geschichte der Juden, 1861, V. 6, p. xi). Printed by Gutenberg’s first mechanical press, its influence in the West went as far as the Fifth Lateran Council (1512 — 1517) “where scholars were encouraged to remove the difficulties which seemed to divide the whole of theology and philosophy (Leibniz, Théodicée, 11).”
For centuries, the Guide revolutionized the curriculum of school instruction by reintegrating the natural laws of thought in the sphere of faith (the fourth of which became Leibniz’ Principle of sufficient reason).
This collection of notes expounds the ideas of the Guide and features all the passages selected and rewritten by Leibniz. This first complete annotated bilingual translation of the original manuscripts in Latin serves as an entry point to faith in conformity with Reason.
"Rabbi Moses Maimonides’ excellent book, A Guide to the Perplexed, is more philosophical than I had imagined and worthy of careful reading. The author, distinguished by his intelligence in philosophy, was well-versed in mathematics, medical art, and also in the knowledge of the sacred Scriptures."
— GW. LEIBNIZ, 1685, Leibniz’ Anthology of Maimonides’ Guide, Chapter III,
"Doctors of faith placed the wisest Rab. Moseh de Egypto on the same level as Plato and Aristotle."
— ISAAC OROBIO, 1666. Resp. al Libro, Esc. I, Disc. 3, p. 80.

Maimonides (Moses ben Maimon, Rambam, 1135-1204 CE), an eminent polymath, philosopher, theologian, astronomer, and Jewish physician, left his mark in various fields. His Mishneh Torah codified Jewish law, while his Guide for the Perplexed became the most influential Jewish work of the past millennium, reconciling faith and reason. Fleeing persecution in Spain, he flourished in Egypt, where he made significant contributions to medicine. Despite the controversies he faced, Maimonides' imposing legacy in classical thought remains undeniable.

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) was a polymath active in mathematics, philosophy, physics, history, law, and logic. He co-founded differential and integral calculus alongside Newton, was a pioneer in the development of the binary system, and made significant contributions to metaphysics, ethics, and theodicy (the problem of evil). Leibniz's vast knowledge and his ability to bridge disciplines across the ages solidified his reputation as the last universal genius.

Citation:
Ben Maimon, Moses; Leibniz, G.W.; Strickland, Lloyd; Hilliger, Walter. Leibniz’ Anthology of Maimonides’ Guide. Introduction, translation, and annotations by Walter Hilliger. Foreword by Lloyd Strickland. Associate editor: Aaron Kerben. Edited by Le Cercle Hilliger. First complete English translation and edition. Shehakol, 2023. ISBN 978-1-73567-378-3. Collection Veritas è terra orietur.  ISSN 3003-8898. 160 pages. 

Rabbi David Nieto published De La Divina Providencia o Naturaleza Universal to clarify that the vulgar term "Nature" has replaced the classic word "Providence" since its adoption during modern times to describe nature in general. He argues that "With the passing of time, this name gained daily credit and began to take form in the minds of men as a simulacrum or idol causing serious damage to the understanding and consciousness." Hence, Spinoza was famously excommunicated after referring to an "eternal or infinite entity that we call God or Nature" (i.e., Deus sive Natura, Ethics, IV, Preface, 1677), whereas David Nieto was acquitted for saying, "God, and Nature, Nature, and God, is all one." This raises the question of why Spinoza faced condemnation while R. David Nieto received praise in what could be seen as the most significant exoneration in history. This question is explored in
in an extended conversation between a rabbi and a member of his synagogue, Reuben and Simon. The rabbi insists that the nature defined by materialists does not exist, positing instead that everything exists as a manifestation of Divine Providence, which means that everything is, in a sense, God. The synagogue member counters that this perspective amounts to a form of polytheism. They examine the corpus of Hebrew Scriptures, noting that the word "Nature" does not appear even once in the Scriptures, not even during the Early Middle Ages.

David Nieto (Venice, 1654 - London, 1728) was the Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish Community in London. He was one of the most accomplished Jews of his time and was equally distinguished as philosopher, physician, exegete, poet, mathematician, astronomer, and theologian. Rabbi Nieto published in 1704, On Divine Providence or Universal Nature; The Triumphs of Poetry in 1709. He died in London and is buried in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Mile End Road. An inscription on his grave reads: Sublime theologian, profound sage, a distinguished physician, a sweet poet, a famous astronomer, elegant preacher, subtle logician, ingenious physician, fluent rhetorician, pleasant author, an expert in languages, learned in history.

Citation:
Nieto, David. On Divine Providence or Universal Nature or Naturing Nature: De La Divina Providencia o sea Naturaleza Universal o sea Natura Naturante. First English Translation by Walter Hilliger. Le Cercle Hilliger, 2019; Shehakol, 2023. ISBN 978-1-73567-372-1. Collection Veritas è terra orietur. ISSN 3003-8898. 184 pages. 

Menasseh Ben Israel self-published, at his home and expense, De la Resurrección de los Muertos / De Resurrectione Mortuorum to restore the Pharisean doctrine of the immortality of the soul, reincarnation, and resurrection, refuted by Epicureans and atheists since the times of the Sadducees. In accordance with Scripture, ancient and medieval rationalist philosophers, Menasseh provides insights into the last of the thirteen Maimonidean Principles of Faith and demonstrates its superiority against the atheist and epicurean dogma of Carpe Diem, colloquially expressed in the aphorism You only live once (or “Yolo” in popular culture).The first rendition of the three books demonstrates through exegesis the universal eschatological view in Hebrew, Greek and Roman classical literature. This is the first translation of the Judeo-Spanish and Latin editions that appeared simultaneously in 1636.

Menasseh Ben Israel (1604-1657), born in La Rochelle, France, around 1604 (Cardozo de Béthencourt, 1904; Levy, 1924; H.P. Solomon, 1983; Meinsma, 2006; S. Rauschenbach, 2019) and buried in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, Dutch Republic, in 1657, is renowned for founding the first Hebrew printing house in Amsterdam. A philosopher, exegete, diplomat, writer, editor, and printer, he published at his own expense Thirty Problems Concerning Creation (De Creatione Problemata XXX) on the same collection.

Citation:
Ben Israel, Menasseh. On Resurrection of the Dead: De la Resurrección de Los Muertos. Translated by Walter Hilliger. Shehakol, 2023. ISBN 978-1-73567-376-9. Collection Veritas, è terra orientur. ISSN 3003-8898. 102 pages.

No author prior to David Nieto has offered a comprehensive exegesis of the metaphor and imagery of the chariot in Ezekiel's vision. His interpretation in Triumphs of Poverty, deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, has been transmitted through generations to the present day. Rabbi David Nieto (Venice, 1654 — London, 1728), a prominent figure in the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish Community in London, was renowned not only as a Hakham but also as a physician, astronomer, poet, theologian, and philosopher, as seen in his other work, On Divine Providence or Universal Nature or Natura Naturante, included in the same collection. In Triumphs of Poverty, Rabbi David Nieto elucidates as a rhetorician the significance of Ezekiel's mystical ascent to heaven in his chariot, boldly championing the virtues of poverty in an era dominated by materialistic thought in 18th-century England. Unfortunately, his work faced censorship and was largely forgotten over time, with no English translation until the first edition. This second unabridged edition has been meticulously expanded to include various sources omitted in the original facsimile, along with a prologue that explores the virtues of poverty in greater depth.

David Nieto (Venice, 1654 - London, 1728) was the Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish Community in London. He was one of the most accomplished Jews of his time and was equally distinguished as philosopher, physician, exegete, poet, mathematician, astronomer, and theologian. Rabbi Nieto published in 1704, On Divine Providence or Universal Nature; The Triumphs of Poetry in 1709. He died in London and is buried in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Mile End Road. An inscription on his grave reads: Sublime theologian, profound sage, a distinguished physician, a sweet poet, a famous astronomer, elegant preacher, subtle logician, ingenious physician, fluent rhetorician, pleasant author, an expert in languages, learned in history.

Citation :
Nieto, David. Triumphs of Poverty: Los Triunfos de la Pobreza. 2nd ed. Translated by Walter Hilliger. Shehakol Inc., 2020. ISBN 978-1-73567-374-5. First edition published by Le Cercle Hilliger, 2018. ISBN13 978-1-73567-374-5. Collection Veritas è terra orientur. ISSN 3003-8898. 102 pages.

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