Rabbi Löw und sein Bild des Menschen
Rabbi Löw and his image of man

Summary/Abstract: This article explores the image of human being in the teachings of Rabbi Löw (Maharal, 1512-1609), a prominent Jewish scholar and leader in Prague. It argues that Maharal's view of human being is based on the Kabbalistic and Jewish Neoplatonic philosophy, which regards human being as a microcosm that encompasses all the levels of existence, from the biological to the divine. It also shows that Maharal's view of human being is inseparable from his view of the world and the Torah, which form an indivisible whole. The article discusses the main aspects of Maharal's anthropology, such as the centrality of human being in the cosmos, the constant development of human being from matter to spirit, the role of Torah as the guide and the source of human freedom, and the ideal types of human being, such as the Chassid and the Zaddik.

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