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Contributor: Eliezer Brodt

To Censor or Not to Censor, that is the Question

To Censor or Not to Censor, that is the Question

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Legacy Auction’s latest auction will take place on March 26, 2020. Their catalog provides us the opportunity to discuss a few items of interest to bibliophiles. There are many examples of the phenomenon of censoring or declaring forgeries of teshuvot and other halakhic rulings especially when those rulings are contrary to contemporary practices. Nonetheless, there is at least one example where the urge to suppress contrary halakhic rulings was rejected. R. Yehiel Mikhel Halevi Epstein of Novogrudok is most well-known…

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Review of Mada Toratekha: Studying Gemara in Broad-based Depth 

Review of Mada Toratekha: Studying Gemara in Broad-based Depth 

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Review of Mada Toratekha Rav Yehuda Zoldan: Studying Gemara in Broad-based Depth ר’ יהודה ברנדס מדע תורתך מסכת ברכות, מכללת הרצוג, אלון שבות תשעט The Following post is a short review on a new work from Rabbi Professor Yehuda Brandes on Berakhot. For another recent article of Rabbi Brandes about Learning Gemara see this issue of Hakirah. For a sample chapter of this new work or to purchase this work email Eliezerbrodt@gmail.com Over the years, a variety of different styles…

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Four New Books

Four New Books

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In this post I would like to briefly describe four new (well, newish) works. For a short time, copies of these works can be purchased through me for a special price. Part of the proceeds will be going to support the efforts of the Seforim Blog. Contact me at Eliezerbrodt@gmail.com for more information. .תשובות ר’ יצחק בן שמואל מדמפייר, (ר”י הזקן), ההדירו והוסיפו מבואות פנחס רוט ואברהם (רמי) ריינר, הוצאת מקיצי נרדמים, ירושלים תש”ף, לט עמודים+ 331 עמודים The first…

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New Journal Announcement: Mekhilta

New Journal Announcement: Mekhilta

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מכילתא, כתב עת לתורה ולחכמה, ר’ יואל בינדר, עדיאל ברויאר, יעקב ישראל סטל ומשה דוד צ’צ’יק (עורכים), גליון א, כסלו תש”פ, 364 עמודים A new Journal just came out tonight called Mekhilta. The volume begins with their mission statement and will be published biannually. The first issue has an all-star lineup of writers on great topics. Some of the writers are Professor Simcha Emanuel & Rabbi Yakov Stahl (on the Minhag of saying Pitum Haketoros); I have written about both…

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Book announcement: Roots and Rituals: Insights into Hebrew, Holidays, and History by Mitchell First

Book announcement: Roots and Rituals: Insights into Hebrew, Holidays, and History by Mitchell First

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The Seforim Blog is proud to announce the publication of our contributor Mitchell First’s newest bookRoots and Rituals: Insighats into Hebrew, Holidays, and History (Kodesh Press, 2018.) Mitchell First’s 62 short articles address interesting questions about the Hebrew language, liturgy, Jewish history, the calendar and holidays. For example: On Jewish Liturgy: the origin of the Haftarah, the origin of the blessing “Who Has Not Made Me A Woman,” and the origin of our prayer for the government. On Jewish Holidays…

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Book Sale 2019

Book Sale 2019

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This Book list of over three hundred and fifty titles, consists of a few sections. I have attempted to put them in some sort of categories to make it easier to use. Most of these titles were printed in the past five to six years and are not found in regular stores. Almost all the books are either brand new or in good shape. E mail your order to eliezerbrodt@gmail.com. I will than send you a bill based on what…

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Book Week 2019

Book Week 2019

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Book week just began in Eretz Yisrael. Continuing with my now thirteenth year tradition, every year in Israel, around Shavuos time, there is a period of about ten days called Shavuah Hasefer – Book Week (for previous years lists see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here). Many of the companies offer sales for the whole month. Shavuah HaSefer is a sale which takes place all across the country in stores, malls and special…

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Towards a Bibliography of seforim related to Shavuos and Megilas Rus (both new and old) – updated

Towards a Bibliography of seforim related to Shavuos and Megilas Rus (both new and old) – updated

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Originally posted May 24, 2012 – Updated June 3, 2019 In this post I intend to start a list towards a more complete bibliography to the various seforim (new and old) and articles related to Shavuos (including many links). I hope to update it in the future. When learning the Halachos of Shavuos, one is struck how the Tur does not mention anything special for Shavuos except for instructions related to davening and Keriyas Hatorah. The only custom he mentions…

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Special book offer: Besamim Rosh

Special book offer: Besamim Rosh

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One of the most famous forgeries in Jewish literature is the Shu”t Besamim Rosh. This work was brought to print by Saul Berlin in 1793. Shortly after it was detected as a forgery. Over the years the Seforim Blog has featured many essays about this work (here, here, here, here, here, here). For a valuable post about the subject see here. For some very recent work on the BR see the three-part series by Rabbi Chaim Tessler, (PDF’s available upon…

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Three New Books

Three New Books

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In this post I would like to briefly describe three new works, which are hot off the press. For a short time, copies of these three works can be purchased through me for a special price. Part of the proceeds will be going to support the efforts of the Seforim Blog. Contact me at Eliezerbrodt@gmail.com for more information. The first title is printed by the World Congress of Jewish Studies: פירוש רש”י לספר משלי, ההדירה והוסיפה מבוא והערות ליסה פרדמן…

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Highlights of the Mossad HaRav Kook Sale of 2019, New Rabbi Tovia Preschel volumes & Beis Havaad Convention

Highlights of the Mossad HaRav Kook Sale of 2019, New Rabbi Tovia Preschel volumes & Beis Havaad Convention

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For over thirty years, beginning on Isru Chag of Pesach, Mossad HaRav Kook publishing house has made a big sale on all of their publications, dropping prices considerably (some books are marked as low as 65% off). Each year they print around twenty new titles and introduce them at this time. This year they printed close to thirty new volumes. They also reprint some of their older, out of print titles. Some years important works are printed; others not as…

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Book announcement: Ta’aroch Lifonai Shulchan by Rabbi Eitam Henkin, H”YD

Book announcement: Ta’aroch Lifonai Shulchan by Rabbi Eitam Henkin, H”YD

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הרב איתם שמעון הנקין הי”ד, “תערך לפני שלחן: חייו, זמנו, ומפעלו של הרי”ם עפשטיין בעל ערוך השלחן,” הוצאת קורן 413 עמודים It’s with great pleasure that I announce the second printing of the book Ta’aroch Lifonai Shulchan by R’ Eitam Henkin H”YD, published by Maggid Press. I had the unique privilege to edit this work, together with R’ Eitam’s special,learned parents. The first printing of this book was issued on January 2 earlier this year and sold out shortly after…

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Book announcement: Special sale

Book announcement: Special sale

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In this post I would like to briefly describe three new works printed by Schocken Institute, two of which were printed in the past year and the third is hot off the press – out just three days ago. For a short time, copies of these three works can be purchased through me for a special price. Contact me at Eliezerbrodt@gmail.com. חמודות מצרים, יד ושם לרבותינו שתשובותיהם לא נקבצו בספר, א, תשובות חכמי מצרים האחרונים מגניזת קהיר, שמואל גליק, 474…

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Book Announcement: The Lost Library by Dan Rabinowitz

Book Announcement: The Lost Library by Dan Rabinowitz

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Its with great pleasure that I announce the recent publication of an important work, that I am certain will be of great interest to readers of the Seforim Blog – The Lost Library by Dan Rabinowitz, founder and editor-in-chief of the Seforim Blog. This book is devoted to the legacy of the personal and expanded public library of Rabbi Mattityahu Strashun. From the back cover: The Strashun Library was among the most important Jewish public institutions in Vilna, and indeed…

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