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Category: History

Daniel Sperber’s New Book – “The Path of Halakha”

Daniel Sperber’s New Book – “The Path of Halakha”

As was noted in a prior post, Prof. Daniel Sperber has published another book – Darkah shel Halakha Kiryat Nashim b’Torah. As the title implies the main focus of the book is to discuss the permissablity of women being called to the Torah. Much has already been written on the topic, however, Prof. Sperber’s focus is distinct. He focuses on two aspects (aside from other halachic considerations) kavod ha’briyot and more generally, how halakha has adapted over time. In his…

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Two News Items

Two News Items

First, the sale on the Seforim Hard Drives has been extended until June 22 for the Otzar haChomah and the 25th for the Morgenstern hard drive. Second, a new issue of Ohr Yisrael has just come out and includes more articles on wheat for matzot from Arizona, an article on definition of Darkei Emorei and the related laws, the second installment on the custom of candle lighting. Additionally, there is another article by R. B. Oberlander, related to the Yerushalmi…

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Review – New Volume of Peskei Teshuvos on Mishna Berurah

Review – New Volume of Peskei Teshuvos on Mishna Berurah

Over the centuries, throughout our rich history, every time there has been a codification of halacha of any sorts there has been some opposition; the examples abound – the Rif who was opposed by the Bal Hamaor; the Rambam who was opposed by the Raavad. Even after that the Shach and Taz were also not accepted right away. One of the (many) reasons for this opposition was a fear of giving the law “to the simple people” who would then…

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Shavuah HaSefer: A Recommended Reading List

Shavuah HaSefer: A Recommended Reading List

Shavuah HaSefer: A Recommended Reading List by Eliezer Brodt Every year in Israel, around Shavous time, there is a period of around ten days called Shavuah Hasefer-book week. Shavuah HaSefer is a sale which takes place all across the country in stores, malls and special places rented out for the sale. There are places where strictly “frum” seforim are sold other places have most of the secular publishing houses. Every year we witness the publishing of hundreds of new seforim…

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Marc B. Shapiro: Obituary for Prof. Mordechai Breuer zt”l

Marc B. Shapiro: Obituary for Prof. Mordechai Breuer zt”l

Obituary: Professor Mordechai Breuer zt”lBy Marc B. Shapiro Professsor Mordechai Breuer passed away on the twelfth of Sivan, 5767. It is a great loss for the world of Jewish scholarship as well as that of Orthodox Jewry. Breuer, born in Frankfurt in 1918, was the great-grandson of R. Samson Raphael Hirsch, the grandson of R. Shlomo Zalman Breuer, who succeeded Hirsch as Rav of the Frankfurt separatist community, and the son of Dr. Isaac Breuer, the leading theoretician of the…

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The Story of the Publisher of the Forged Yerushalmi Kodshim

The Story of the Publisher of the Forged Yerushalmi Kodshim

Most are aware of the famous forgery perpetrated by Shlomo Yehuda Friedlaender at the beginning of the 20th century – the Yerushalmi on Seder Kodshim. (For background see here). Recently, R. Baruch Oberlander has written a series of articles, which appeared in Or Yisrael, further illuminating this episode. Now, the great-grandson of the publisher (Ya’akov Weider who was killed in the Holocaust) of this Yerushalmi offers the story behind his great-grandfather decision to publish this book. (link) He also defends…

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