Recommended Summer Reading

By Eliezer Brodt

There are various “agendas” in the following post.

One goal is to continue to inform the Seforim Blog readership of some of the recently published seforim and provide them with descriptive reviews. Another goal is to make some of them available for sale; the proceeds help support the Seforim Blog.

Summertime affords some people a bit more time to relax and read a little. So even though book buying\selling has been dying, seforim & books are still being published at full speed. I have often wondered who is even buying\reading them. However, from various sources on line I see that some people are still interested in at least knowing about the new publications.

R’ David Bashevkin has created a whole following on Twitter discussing books weekly. In his podcast series he has given this month to devote to talking about different aspects related to books. Nachi Weinstein at Seforim Chatter is still going strong between book listings and podcasts, and Tradition has released their Summer recommended reading lists (here and here).

R’ Yoel Catane has just released the latest issue of Hamayan [#242], which includes his regular, excellent column of Book Reviews. This issue also includes an index of over 70 pages of the Books and Seforim reviewed in the Journal over the past twenty years. A PDF of the Journal is available upon request.

The books mentioned bellow are not “light reads” for, let’s say relaxing after the chulent, but are still very worthwhile.

ר’ בנימין ברוך קרלנשטיין, ים ודרום ירשה, גבולי ארץ ישראל, תקלה עמודים +119 עמודים של מפות

The first work I would like to mention is called Yam Udrom Yarsha. Every once in a while, a new topic comes to the forefront. Sometimes this topic has been around for a while, with much literature, but for whatever reason it becomes hot and an explosion happens at which many articles and works on the topic are published all at the same time. The topic in this case is the Boundaries of Eretz Yisroel. In the past few months at least six works have been published on this, all containing valuable material. I wish I had the time to discuss this fascinating subject, the geography of Eretz Yisroel and its importance for various fields such as Halacha, Chumash and Navi at length but my time is very limited. I hope to do a proper write up (or talk) about it in the near future.

This particular work is beautifully produced; it looks like the author has literally left no stone unturned. And it includes over a hundred pages of beautifully produced color maps to help one understand the topic better.

Email me if you would like a PDF of the Table of contents and some sample pages.

ירחמיאל ברודי, פירוש מסכת כתובות מן התלמוד בבלי, ג’ חלקים, 1200 עמודים

The next work I would like to bring the readers’ attention to is Professor Robert Brody’s three volume work on Mesechtas Kesuvot. Professor Robert Brody is recognized as one of the world’s experts on the Geonim. He has authored numerous articles and published materials of and about the Geonim, including numerous lost works.

In recent years he has published a lot on the subject of Academic Talmud. This is a subject which is worthy of its own series of posts which maybe one day I will have time to write. Most people that talk about it do not really have a grasp about what it is exactly. Lately, Academic Talmud has been discussed by various people as one of the famous Scholars of this field, Rabbi Professor David Halivni, recently passed away.

Brody’s articles on this topic were papers read at various conventions, there he discussed and many times disagreed with previous theories of scholars such as Halivni, Shamma Friedman and others. Most of these discussions and publications are read by a small readership who follow the ins and outs of Academic Talmud. In recent years Brody has published two books related to this subject, one in Hebrew (here) and one in English (here). A few weeks ago, and just in time for Daf Yomi learners, his three-volume running commentary on the whole Mesechata was released. It includes a detailed introduction about his method. For those “into” this kind of stuff this is an excellent and important work to be aware of and for some to learn carefully.

Email me if you would like a PDF of the introduction or some sample pages.

ר’ יעקב חיים סופר, מנוחת שלום, ד’ חלקים, כולל מפתחות

Rabbi Yakov Chaim Sofer is one of the most prolific writers of our generation and his expertise in all areas of Torah is legendary. In 2002, his father was Niftar and he decided that for each month of the year of Aveliut he would publish a volume of his writings, calling this work Menuchat Sholom. He successfully completed these 12 volumes, which touched upon a wide range of subjects, including: Shas, Torah, Bibliography, Minhaghim and much more. This special series has just been re-issued in four hardcover volumes with a 299pp. index, making this incredible encyclopedia more user friendly.

ר’ עובדיה זכאי, בקרבך קדוש, ניתוחי קיצור קיבה בהלכה, 350 עמודים

It is well known that many people seek out to write on some exotic/obscure topic and then turn it into a whole work. One such recent work is all about Stomach stapling (Sleeve gastrectomy), an operation that many overweight people consider having. This work literally deals with dozens of areas throughout the Halachic spectrum that could possibly present themselves. It also deals with some of the medical aspects of the procedure. For those into the genre of Medical halacha books this is an important new work worth owning.

Below is the Table of contents of the work

זכור לאברהם, בית מדרש ישיבת אליהו, ג’ חלקים, ב’תעז עמודים

In the early 1990’s one of the important Torah Journals to come out was Zechor LeAvrohom. Articles in the series included materials based on manuscripts alongside influential Halacha and Minhag discussions. Many of the manuscripts are housed in this Yeshivah’s library. About 18 volumes were published at the time; the last of which was published in 2005. A few weeks ago, there was a revival of sorts and three massive volumes were published, totaling over two thousand four hundred pages of new material!

As one can see from the Table of contents posted below, it’s full of interesting material on a wide range of subjects. The last few volumes of this journal are not available electronically and the plan is for this format to continue with these new volumes.

Hard copies of the earlier volumes are still available for purchase.

יעקב צבי מאיר, דפוס ראשון: מהדורת התלמוד הירושלמי ונציה רפ”ג וראשית הדפוס העברי, 265 עמודים

A short description of this book says: This study focuses on one medieval manuscript of the Palestinian Talmud, that served as a printer’s copy for the first edition of the composition, printed in Venice (1523). A detailed philological examination of the preparation of the text for print, drives a comprehensive description of transition of Talmudic literature from manuscript culture to print culture.

This work is technical but very important for people interested in understanding the transformation from a world of Manuscripts to a world with a printing press. In addition, it also helps one understand how exactly the first seforim were published.

Here is the Table of contents

רועי גולדשמידט, דורשי רשומות, רטוריקה, עריכה למדנות ומעמדות חברתיים בספרות הדרוש במזרח אירופה, 311 עמודים

This work is an important addition to the literature about Derush in general, and in particular in the early 1800’s. It also focuses a lot on the famous, popular work Arvei Nachal.

יוסף עופר, המסורה למקרא ודרכיה, פרקי מבוא, 345 עמודים

This latest work from Yosef Ofer, one of the world experts of the Masorah (and more), is meant to serve as an introduction to this complex subject.

קהילת צפרו, דורות ראשונים, סיפורה של קהילת צפרו במרוקו ואישי המעלה שחיו ופעלו בה, 387 עמודים \ קהילת צפרו, תהלה לדוד, סיפור חייו ומפעליו של הרב דוד עובדיה רבה האחרון של קהילת צפרו במרוקו,493 עמודים

These two volumes recently published by Kehillot Yisroel Institute are devoted to the city Sefrou in Morocco. The first volume traces its earlier history and the second volume concludes with an in-depth biography on its last Rav, R’ Dovid Ovadiah. These books are beautifully produced, with great pictures and many rare documents related to this city.

For a PDF of sample pages and a Table of Contents, email me.

משה הלל, מסכת תמורות, תולדות ר’ מרדכי שמואל גירונדי מפאדובה, לקורות הרבנית והקהילות באיטיליה בתקופת האמנציפצית וההשכלה, 592 עמודים

R’ Moshe Hillel has published yet another book via Kehillot Yisroel Institute. Like his previous works, this too is – simply put – incredible. It is meticulous researched and full of new information related to Italian Jewry in the early 1800’s based on manuscripts. The main focus of the book is R’ Mordechai Girondi’s life, a unique and fascinating person, with chapters about his library, his writings, his attitude towards Haskalah and much more. Moreover, materials related to the Ramchal among other personalities can be found in this work. A special section is devoted to R’ Girondi’s bibliographical work Toldos Gedolei Yisroel ViGeoni Italia. This is an important work, well worth owning and reading.

שד”ל, אוהב גר, 251 עמודים , בעריכת יונתן בשיא

In recent years many of Shadal’s works have been made available again (some with new material), some of which have not been easily purchasable for a long time. Some of these works have even been translated into English.

One of the classic works on Targum Onkelos is Shadal’s first book, Ohev Ger. It has now been reissued in a newly annotated edition.

Email me for a PDF of Sample pages.

ר’ משה פרנס, פרשת המלך, על מצות הקהל, תקטז עמודים

This new work, hot off the press, is an encyclopedic work devoted to every aspect of Hakhel. It has literally everything one can possibly think of related to Hakhel and includes a through index.

Email me for a PDF of Sample pages.