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Kol Nidrei, Choirs, and Beethoven: The Eternity of the Jewish Musical Tradition

Kol Nidrei, Choirs, and Beethoven: The Eternity of the Jewish Musical Tradition

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On April 23, 1902, the cornerstone to the Taharat Ha-Kodesh synagogue was laid, and on Rosh Ha-Shana the next year, September 7, 1903, the synagogue was officially opened. The synagogue building was on one of Vilna’s largest boulevards and constructed in a neo-Moorish architectural style, capped with a blue cupola that was visible for blocks. There was a recessed entry with three large arches and two columns. The interior housed an impressive ark, located in a semi-circular apse and covered…

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A Compromise in Halacha – On Menachot 33a

A Compromise in Halacha – On Menachot 33a

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A common D’var Torah delivered at a wedding goes something like this: “Dear Chatan and Kallah. You are standing beneath a Chupah which is representative of the home you will build within the Jewish people. When you walk into your home, you will notice that that Mezuzah is placed in a diagonal position on the doorpost. There is a disagreement between Rashi and his grandson Rabbeinu Tam as to whether the Mezuzah should be affixed in a vertical or horizontal…

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New Book Announcement: Ginzei Chag HaSuccos

New Book Announcement: Ginzei Chag HaSuccos

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אסופת גנזים מתורתם של ראשונים בענייני חג הסוכות היוצאים לאור לראשונה מכתבי-יד עם מבואות, ביאורים והערות, עיונים ומפתחות, מהדיר: ר’ יעקב ישראל סטל, שע עמודים A new work by Rabbi Yakov Stahl was just printed. Rabbi Stahl’s work is familiar to many of the readers of the blog; for reviews of some of his earlier works see here, here and here. This volume is very similar in style to Kovetz Al Yad; it’s a collection of material by Rishonim all…

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A Conversation With Professor Marcin Wodziński on Hasidism

A Conversation With Professor Marcin Wodziński on Hasidism

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This article appeared in Ami Magazine July 11, 2018/ 28 Tamuz 5778 and is reprinted here with permission. This is not my first conversation with the Polish scholar Marcin Wodzinski. In 2013, following the release of his book on chasidism and politics, he visited my office together with the well-known askan Reb Duvid Singer. Today as then, my conversation with him elicits paradoxical emotions. His knowledge of chasidism, particularly its roots and subsequent development, is shockingly broad. In fact, many…

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New book announcement

New book announcement

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יצחק לנדיס, ברכת העבודה בתפילת העמידה, עיונים בנוסחיה ובתולדותיה, 170 עמודים This recent work written by Yitz Landes, of the Talmud Blog looks rather impressive and I am sure will be enjoyed by many readers of the blog. What follows is the abstract of the book and the Table of Contents. If you are interested in purchasing the book contact me at eliezerbrodt@gmail.com The present work traces the history of the ante-penultimate blessing of the Amidah, “Birkat ha-Avodah”, from Second…

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Book Announcement

Book Announcement

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ספרות חז”ל הארץ-ישראלית, מבואות ומחקרים, המערכת מנחם כהנא, ורד נעם, מנחם קיסטר, דוד רוזנטל, ב’ חלקים, 732 עמודים. I am very happy to announce the publication of an important work which numerous people will find very useful. This is a collection essays from various experts in the field of Chazal’s Eretz Yisrael Literature. If one wants a proper introduction to various works of Chazal from the Mishna and on, this is the place to look Up until now there were…

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The Ze’enah –Re’enah and its Author

The Ze’enah –Re’enah and its Author

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Ze’enah –Re’enah and its Author Morris M. Faierstein, Ph.D. It has traditionally assumed that Rabbi Jacob ben Isaac of Yanova was the author of the Ze’enah U-Re’enah. Every edition of the Ze’enah U-Re’enah lists him as the author on the title page. Recently, this assumption has been questioned and the suggestion made that there may have been another author of this seminal work in addition to Rabbi Jacob ben Isaac. This article will consider two aspects of the Ze’enah U-Re’enah…

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Book announcement: Two books on Karlin-Stolin Chasidim

Book announcement: Two books on Karlin-Stolin Chasidim

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בנימין בראון, כספינה מיטלטלת, חסידות קרלין בין עליות למשברים, 659 עמודים, מרכז זלמן שזר ר’ אברהם אביש שור, כתבים, פרקי תולדות ועיון במשנת קרלין-סטולין, תדפיסים מתוך קובץ בית אהרן וישראל, 1229 + 18 עמודים. Recently a good amount of literature devoted to Chasidim has appeared. In this announcement I am just mentioning two recent works, related specifically to Karlin-Stolin Chasidim. One is written by an academic (outsider) and one is written by a Stoliner Chassid (insider). This would be a…

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Happy July 4th

Happy July 4th

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From a Hebrew Bible printed by the Vaad Hatzalah, Munich, 1947, for the use of Displaced Persons (DPs), the”Sherith Hepleita,” with a dedication to President Harry S. Truman

The Satmar Rebbe and a Censored Mishnah Berurah, and R. Baruch Rabinovich of Munkács

The Satmar Rebbe and a Censored Mishnah Berurah, and R. Baruch Rabinovich of Munkács

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1. In my recent interview in Der Veker, available here, I said that I hope to discuss how the Satmar Rebbe was mistaken in identifying a Zionist censorship in the Mishnah Berurah. In Ha-Maor, Elul 5716, p. 30, M. Abramson tells the following story that appears under the heading על זיוף המשנה ברורה. The Satmar Rebbe was away from home and asked his assistant, R. Joseph Ashkenazi (who is the source of the story), to bring him a book. Ashkenazi…

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New Book sale 2018 : Part Two

New Book sale 2018 : Part Two

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This list consists of a few parts. All the books are brand new. Email your order to eliezerbrodt@gmail.com. I will than send you a bill based on what is available. Payment is with Pay Pal, but other arrangements can be made. Shipping is not included in the price; that depends on the order and size of the book. All books will be air mailed out after I receive payment. There are other shipping possibilities available depending on quantity of books….

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Book Week 2018

Book Week 2018

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week just began in Eretz Yisrael. As I have written in the past, every year in Israel, around Shavous 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 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 places rented…

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Gems from Rav Herzog’s Archive (Part 2): Sanhedrin, Dateline, the Rav on Kahane, and More

Gems from Rav Herzog’s Archive (Part 2): Sanhedrin, Dateline, the Rav on Kahane, and More

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EDIT Please see this post for a crucial correction – it is the conclusion of the Rav’s family that the letter in the Herzog Archive about Kahane is a forgery. This post continues from Part 1, here. V Renewal of Sanhedrin Another important file in Rav Herzog’s archive is his file on the renewal of Semicha and the Sanhedrin. Among other letters, the file contains an unpublished letter from Rav Herzog to R’ Yehuda Leib Maimon regarding the issue. R’…

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