The pursuit of nuance

As the temperature slowly reaches 50 degrees, the spring holidays are upon us. This past weekend, Christians and Jews celebrated Easter and Passover.

As many know, Passover is about retelling a story we have heard a lot, thanks in part to Charlton Heston’s portrayal of Moses in a dated Hollywood epic. We explore the story of the Exodus from Egypt every year not only to avoid forgetting, but also to grow by seeking new knowledge. As a child, I was taught that the idea of Passover is to try to learn one new thing each year, no matter how familiar the antiquated story seemed. In other words, much of Passover is centered upon the sanctity of nuance in historical recollection and interpretation.

Regardless of political background, it is clear that in this day and age, the ever-relevant element of nuance is missing from dialogue. This tragic dearth manifests itself most prominently in discussion of Middle Eastern conflicts. From Iran to Yemen to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, political conversations lack requisite complexity.

In this spirit, I find it is worth saying a few words about a forgotten time when Jews and Muslims not only coexisted, but thrived. To ISIS and Al-Qaeda’s chagrin, this was under medieval Islamic rule.

From the eighth century to the eleventh century, the Jewish people of Al-Andalus (the Iberian Peninsula) enjoyed unprecedented freedom and opportunity. Hasdai ibn Shaprut offers an apt embodiment of this phenomenon. Personal doctor to the Caliph Abdar-Rahman III, he eventually took on the role of foreign minister and close advisor.

Renowned poet Samuel ibn Nagrillah, or Samuel HaNagid, served in the cabinet of Berber King Habbus al-Muzaffar, later appointed vizier and commander of the Granada Army. Outside of politics, he promoted Jewish scholarship and studies of Arabic poetry outside of his political life.

The most famous Jewish figure of this age was Maimonides. Born in the Almoravid Empire, Maimonides would become one of the greatest Jewish scholars in history.

This brings me back to the present. Though it may have seemed otherwise, I do not intend to make a trite call for peace in the Middle East, arguing its potential by citing one historical age of coexistence. We already know that coexistence requires shared interests and rational payoffs of cooperation. Besides, the Israeli-Palestinian situation is quite different altogether. I would argue it is much more complicated.

One may ask, then, why I chose the story of the Golden Age of Jewish Spain. Much like the new detail I try to find each year in celebrating Passover, this story is not discussed nearly enough all these centuries later. Revisiting it from a variety of angles enriches our knowledge and historical consciousness. In the face of the ever-proliferating divisive rhetoric on religious and ethnic tensions, it’s worth thinking about a different view of history once in a while.

In this age of divisive rhetoric and absent dialogue, it is imperative to challenge what we believe and what we think we know, be it by reading contrarian op-eds or debating an issue with friends.

I am not a particularly religious person, but the drive to reject complacency in knowledge and understanding that is crucial to meaningful Passover celebration is an apt example for all of us, regardless of religious background.

I hope this coming year is one of new knowledge, of pursuit of interesting and challenging viewpoints. This, as I see it, is the key to a meaningful year of intellectual growth.