Moses Maimonides’ philosophical magnum opus, the Guide for the Perplexed, is one of the most consequential works of Jewish theology. Since its completion in the late 12th century, it has been the subject of much controversy—about both the rightness of its ideas and what exactly its author is trying to argue. Having just completed (with Phillip Lieberman) a new English translation of the Guide, and currently working on a companion volume, Lenn Goodman puts forth his own judgments about these matters in conversation with J.J. Kimche. Goodman seeks to explain the work’s purpose and to place it in its philosophical context, while reflecting on the problems of translation and explaining what great Jewish thinkers of the 20th century got right—and wrong—about it. (Audio, 75 minutes.)

In a statement released on social media on Monday, the president-elect declared that if the hostages held by Hamas are not released before his inauguration, “there will be all hell to pay” for those who “perpetrated these atrocities against humanity.” But will Hamas take such a threat seriously? And, even if Donald Trump decides to convert his words into actions after taking office, exactly what steps could he take? Ron Ben-Yishai writes:

While Trump lacks direct military options against Hamas—given Israel’s ongoing actions—he holds three powerful levers to pressure the group into showing some flexibility on the hostage deal or to punish it if it resists after his inauguration. The first lever targets Hamas’s finances, focusing on its ability to fund activities after the fighting ends. This extends beyond Gaza to Lebanon and other global hubs where Hamas derives strength. . . . Additionally, Trump could pressure Qatar to cut off its generous funding and donations to the Islamist organization.

The other levers are also financial rather than military: increasing sanctions on Iran to force it to pressure Hamas, and withholding aid for the reconstruction of Gaza until the hostages are released. In Ben-Yishai’s view, “Trump’s statement undoubtedly represents a positive development and could accelerate the process toward a hostage-release agreement.”