A review of Marc Michael Epstein’s The Medieval Haggadah, Narrative & Religious Imagination

A review of Marc Michael Epstein’s The Medieval Haggadah, Narrative & Religious Imagination

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Marc Michael Epstein, The Medieval Haggadah, Art, Narrative & Religious Imagination, Yale University Press, New Haven & London: 2011, 12, 324 pp. Most discussions regarding the Haggadah begin with the tired canard that the Haggadah is one of the most popular books in Jewish literature, if not the most popular, and has been treasured as such throughout the centuries. Over sixty years ago, Isaac Rivkin noted that as a matter of fact, only since the 19th century has the Haggadah…

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Women and the Recitation of Kaddish by Rahel Berkovits – A Review Essay (Hebrew with English Synopsis) by Yael Levine

Women and the Recitation of Kaddish by Rahel Berkovits – A Review Essay (Hebrew with English Synopsis) by Yael Levine

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Women and the Recitation of Kaddish – A Review Essay Rahel Berkovits, A Daughter’s Recitation of Mourner’s Kaddish, New York: JOFA 2011, 102 pp. By Yael Levine The author holds a Ph.D. from the Talmud department at Bar Ilan University. She is the author of numerous articles related to women in Judaism. Rahel Berkovits has written a work about the recitation of kaddish by daughters and women generally. The main texts appear in Hebrew alongside an English translation. The publication…

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Answers to Quiz Questions and Other Comments, part 2

Answers to Quiz Questions and Other Comments, part 2

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Answers to Quiz Questions and Other Comments, part 2   by Marc B. Shapiro 1. In my previous post, in discussing the words in Ecclesiastes 2:8 עשיתי לי שרים ושרות, I referred to the interpretation in Kohelet Rabbati. This very section of Kohelet Rabbati has an amazing comment, which as far as I know was never referred to in the dispute over Sara Hurwitz’ rabbinical ordination. Commenting on the words שדה ושדות, which appear in the same sentence as שרים…

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Megillat Sefer Translation: A Review By Pini Dunner

Megillat Sefer Translation: A Review By Pini Dunner

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Megillat Sefer Translation: A ReviewBy Pini Dunner Rabbi Pini Dunner is a scion of one of Europe’s preeminent rabbinic families. He studied at various yeshivot and then graduated University College London with a degree in Jewish History. Best known as the founding rabbi of the trailblazing Saatchi Synagogue in London’s West End, he is also a prominent collector of, and expert on, antiquarian Hebrew books and manuscripts, and is frequently consulted by libraries, book dealers, and private collectors. In Summer…

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The Pesach Drasha of the Rokeach

The Pesach Drasha of the Rokeach

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The Pesach Drasha of the Rokeach by Eliezer Brodt By way of introduction, in the Shulchan Aruch it is written that thirty days before Pesach one should learn the halachos of Pesach. As Pesach is fast approaching, it is appropriate to discuss anew a post from five years ago, of which this is an update. Every once in a while we are privileged to have the venerable printing house Mekizei Nirdamim release something special from the great rishonim (aside from…

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Purim roundup

Purim roundup

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Since Purim is almost upon us, here are some older Seforim Blog posts dealing with Purim themes (arranged chronologically): Purim, Mixed Dancing and Kill Joys (3.06.2006); Mahar”i Mintz permitted cross dressing and mixed dancing on Purim. Also discussed are other rabbinic reactions to Purim merrymaking. Review of Reckless Rites by Elliott Horowitz (4.07.2006). This controversial book subtitled “Purim and the Legacy of Jewish Violence” discusses incidents of Jewish violence toward non-Jews on Purim and the way Jewish historians sometimes downplayed…

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