R. Chaim Vital and his Unknown Work Sefer ha-Pe'ulot

R. Chaim Vital and his Unknown Work Sefer ha-Pe'ulot

R. Chaim Vital and his Unknown Work Sefer ha-Pe’ulot: A Work on Science, Medicine, Alchemy and Practical Magic. by: Eliezer Brodt ספר הפעולות רבי חיים ויטאל, תש”ע, תלט עמודים כולל מבוא ומפתחות A few years back, in a post at the Seforim blog discussing the history of plant known as baladur, I mentioned a sefer, Refuah Ma’asiyot le-Rav Chaim Vital. At the time, I only briefly touched upon this work. What follows is a more detailed discussion of the recently…

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Response and Rejoinder to Chaim Rapoport’s The Afterlife of Scholarship

Response and Rejoinder to Chaim Rapoport’s The Afterlife of Scholarship

In response to the recent review by Chaim Rapoport, “The Afterlife of Scholarship: A Critical Exploration of Samuel Heilman and Menachem Friedman’s Presentation of the Rebbe’s Life,” the Seforim blog (14 June 2010), available here, of Samuel Heilman and Menachem Friedman, The Rebbe: The Life and Afterlife of Menachem Mendel Schneerson (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2010), available here, the editors of the Seforim blog are proud to present a response by Samuel Heilman and Menachem Friedman (submitted on Tuesday, 22…

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Some More Assorted Comments, part 1

Some More Assorted Comments, part 1

Some More Assorted Comments, part 1 by: Marc B. Shapiro 1. Following my last post, a number of people have corresponded with me about the issue of anti-Semitism and how it it sometimes self-inflicted because of Jewish actions that cause a hillul ha-Shem, meaning that we can’t always claim ידינו לא שפכו את הדם הזה. As many readers know, R. Jehiel Jacob Weinberg already pointed out that some anti-Semitism arises for precisely this reason. He was not the first. R….

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Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

There are few upcoming events that we wanted to highlight.  First, on the auction front.  There are two auctions, one Baranovich is having its auction on the 23rd of June.  Kedem is having its auction the next day on the 24th.  Additionally, Kedem now offers online bidding so those unable to make it to auction don't have to rely upon either phone bidding or absentee bidding. For those in the Washington, D.C. area next Tuesday, there will be a talk…

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Chaim Rapoport Review

Chaim Rapoport Review

In response to a request from the editorial board of the Seforim blog, we are pleased to present a monograph-length review essay of Samuel Heilman and Menachem Friedman, The Rebbe: The Life and Afterlife of Menachem Mendel Schneerson (Princeton University Press, 2010), by Rabbi Chaim Rapoport, who is a frequent contributor to the Seforim blog (see here for his earlier essays at the Seforim blog). We believe that Chaim Rapoport, “The Afterlife of Scholarship: A Critical Exploration of Samuel Heilman…

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Shavuah HaSefer: A Recommended Reading List III

Shavuah HaSefer: A Recommended Reading List III

Shavuah HaSefer 2010: A Recommended Reading List III by Eliezer Brodt Book week just began in Eretz Yisroel. As I wrote in previous years, in Israel, around Shavous time (some times right before some times right after), there is a period of about ten days called Shavuah Hasefer-book week. Shavuah HaSefer is a sale which takes place all across the country in stores, malls and special venues rented out for the sale. There are places where strictly “frum” seforim are…

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