Message From Professor Haym Soloveitchik
It has come to my attention that a critique of my article “Halakhah, Hermeneutics and Martyrdom” published by the Jewish Quarterly Review has appeared in the Tradition Seforim blog in Fall of 2008. In principle, I do not respond to blogs, as this would place my time at the mercy of anyone who can type. However, I am preparing my articles for re-publication in 3 volumes by the Littman Library. The articles will be reproduced as originally published. However, I…
Dr. Lange’s Commentary on Koheleth
In a recent post, Dr. Leiman noted that Rabbi Dr. Dovid Tzvi Hoffmann’s commentary on Shemot is being translated into Hebrew and printed in the near future. While the volume on Shemot will be published, a commentary of one of R. Hoffmann’s student on Koheles has recently been translated and printed. Indeed, there are two editions of the same commentary that have been recently been printed. The fact that someone who has been ignored for a while then merits to…
Some Literary, Scholarly & Halachic Perspectives on Medieval Ash
George Eliot, in Daniel Deronda, depicts the ineffable, exquisite Mirah Lapidoth contemplating her recent abortive suicide attempt: She went on musingly– “I thought it was not wicked. Death and life are one before the Eternal. I know our fathers slew their children and then slew themselves, to keep their souls pure. I meant it so. (George Eliot, Daniel Deronda, Chapter XVII) She elaborates, several chapters later: Then I thought of my people, how they had been driven from land to…
Meir Hildesheimer – Historical Perspectives on Rabbi Samson Rapha
of The Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch Cathedra for the Research of the Torah im Derekh Eretz Movement (Bar-Ilan University), delivered a paper entitled “Historical Perspectives on Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch,” at the Jüdisches Museum in Frankfurt (7 June 2008). The remarks below appear with the express permission of Dr. Hildesheimer. Historical Perspectives on Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch by Meir Hildesheimer 1. Introduction 200 years ago, on June 20th, 1808 Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch was born. And this year, 2008 –…
The “Holy Woman” in Jewish Literature
Any discussion regarding prostitution in Jewish literature starts with the various mentions in Tanach. Obviously, some are clearer than others, compare the case of Rachav with that of Tamar. But we will leave those comparisons for the readers of the Seforim blog who consider themselves biblical exegetes. Additionally, we will not focus on the Talmudic or overly legalistic discussions regarding prostitution. Instead, starting in Medieval times, we will attempt to document some of the mentions of prostitution and its effect,…
Obituary for R. Yosef Tzvi Dunner, zt”l (Dei’ah veDibur)
As a followup to a previous post, here is an excerpt from the obituary for R. Yosef Tzvi Dunner, zt”l, that appeared in Dei’ah veDibur: At the age of 19 he wanted to leave home to study in one of the illustrious yeshivas of Lithuania, but his father felt that given the dearth of rabbonim in Germany communities, before going to yeshiva he should study at a place that provides rabbinical training (smichus). He sent the young man to Beis…
Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Dunner (1913-2007), the final surviving musmakh of the Berlin Rabbinical Seminary
HaRav Yosef Tzvi Dunner, who recently passed away in London at the age of 94, was the scion of a prominent European rabbinical family and father and grandfather of noted British Orthodox rabbis, Rabbi Abba Dunner and Rabbi Pini Dunner, respectively. In a recent email correspondence with Professor Marc B. Shapiro, author of the landmark biographical study of Rabbi Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg and several articles related to the leaders of the Berlin Rabbinical Seminary, he informed me that Rabbi Yosef…
Simchat ha-Nefesh: An Important But Often Ignored Work on German Jewish Customs
While doing research for a forthcoming article on the topic of saying דרשות at wedding celebrations, I kept noticing secondary sources citing to the work שמחת הנפש. Yet, after obtaining many editions of the שמחת הנפש I was still unable to locate the quotes regarding wedding speeches! After a while, I came across a citation to a specific edition of the שמחת הנפש and came to the realization that there was a second volume to this title, one that is…