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Category: Censorship

Critique of the Oz VeHadar Edition of the Arukh HaShulhan

Critique of the Oz VeHadar Edition of the Arukh HaShulhan

In some of the recent posts we have discussed various new publications of Rabbi Yehiel Mihel Epstein, author of Arukh HaShulhan. Recently, Makhon Oz VeHadar reprinted the Arukh HaShulhan, and that reprint has been the subject of some harsh criticisms. The critique points to two major problems. First, this edition includes the Piskei Mishnah Berurah which, in the reviewer’s mind, unconscionable. His reasoning is as the Arukh HaShulhan is a “piskei” work in its own right, there is no need…

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Printing of the Arukh HaShulhan: The Missing Line About Rabbi Epstein’s Daughter

Printing of the Arukh HaShulhan: The Missing Line About Rabbi Epstein’s Daughter

In the prior post, R. Brodt discussed the new work of R. Yechiel Michal Epstein. R. Epstein is most famous for his Arukh HaShulhan a comprehensive halakhic work. Although the work itself is very well-known there is one point about the work that is not as well known. Today, the Arukh HaShulhan is sold as a set, a set which covers most of Shulhan Arukh. However, when it was orignally published, R. Epstein did not put out all the volumes…

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Kuntres ‘al Inyan Shabbat HaChatuna – A “Found” Book

Kuntres ‘al Inyan Shabbat HaChatuna – A “Found” Book

Many times the rarity of a book is due to a controversy; either because it was limited in scope, i.e. was a polemic, and thus was no need to print thousands of copies or because of bans and the like. One such book is Kuntres ‘al Inyan Shabbat HaChatuna by R. Eliezer Supino (d. 1746). Until recently, it was thought this book no longer existed. But, a single copy (Unicum) was located and it has now been reprinted. The book,…

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Eliezer Brodt – A Lively History of Reprinting Rabbeinu Yeruchem

Eliezer Brodt – A Lively History of Reprinting Rabbeinu Yeruchem

A Lively History of Reprinting Rabbeinu YeruchemRabbi Eliezer Brodt In recent years, a host of critical editions of works on various rishonim have been published on all topics – some seeing the light of day for the very first time – on topics related to halakha, kabbalah, and chiddushim on the Talmud. These works have been made available via the major printing presses such as Mossad HaRav Kook, Machon Yerushalyim, Machon Talmud Yisraeli, Machon Harry Fischel and others.[1] However, one…

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A Behind the Scenes Look at the Banning of HaGaon

A Behind the Scenes Look at the Banning of HaGaon

It appears that at least one controversial book can not escape being criticized even after a significant passage of time. In this case, R. Dov Eliach’s book the R. Elijah, Gaon of Vilna, published five years ago and, at the time, subject to some harsh criticism, is the subject of a new magazine – אמת מול שקר (Truth Against Lies) published by “the Institute for Truth and Faith.” That is, the entire purpose of this magazine is to disproving and…

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Rabbi Adam Mintz: Rabbi Henkin and The First Heter Agunot in America

Rabbi Adam Mintz: Rabbi Henkin and The First Heter Agunot in America

Rabbi Henkin and The First Heter Agunot in AmericaBy Adam Mintz The tragedy of the agunah, the woman who is unable to receive a get from her husband, has plagued the Jewish people since time immemorial. Rabbis and scholars throughout the centuries have contended with this issue in an attempt to free agunot to remarry. In the United States this issue was first formally addressed following World War I. European Jews soldiers, fighting on both sides of the war, were…

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