This essay focuses on the political philosophy of Rabbi Abraham Shalom, with the intent of clarifying aspects of 15th century Jewish thought. That thought developed out of an interpretive give-and-take with Maimonides' teaching; however, the discussion of Maimonides was influenced by the acute spiritual crisis which befell Spanish Jewry following the massacres of 1391. Shalom's political teachings are a defense of the philosophic ideal in Judaism, but also a polemical response to Christianity. In accord with the Platonic tradition of medieval political philosophy, Shalom argues that only in a social framework can an individual attain the human ideal: perfection of body and soul. Human perfection itself, he holds, can be attained only by study of the sciences, in the order set down by Maimonides. Therefore, he continues to defend the validity of the philosophic way in Judaism, as opposed to those who were attacking philosophy as the alleged cause of the mass conversions in Spain. Shalom, however, departs from Maimonides and from the Platonic political ideal, when he argues that metaphysics is not the supreme science possible to man, but rather knowledge of the divine Law is the ultimate knowledge required for human perfection. Shalom holds that a law is divine not because it may be proved to lead to perfection of body and soul (as Maimonides taught), but because it comes from God as a result of divine love. According to Shalom, the Torah given to Moses at Sinai is an all-encompassing, unchanging, absolute, perfect law, capable of bestowing eternal life. Human excellence is no longer defined as perfection of body and soul, but as conjunction with God Himself. The attainment of this conjunction is made possible by the study of the revealed Law with the help of the sciences, by observance of the practical commandments, and by perfect faith. On the basis of this notion of divine law, Shalom argues that the ideal form of government is a monarchy subjected to the Torah. The ideal king is a man who has achieved human excellence, and fulfils the divine Law in his virtues and actions. This monarchic ideal will be realized with the coming of the messianic king, which will be (as opposed to Maimonides' view) a miraculous event. Shalom's political ideas lead him to the formulation of a particularistic position, noticeably influenced by Rabbi Judah Halevi and Nahmanides. Only a Jew, who lives under the rule of the divine Law, is able to attain conjunction with God and immortality of the soul. This is a polemical anti-Christian position, intended to strengthen the spirit of those who remained faithful to Judaism despite the crisis in belief which had befallen Spanish Jewry.