July 2012 – Excerpted

No other book composed in the early modern period had as profound and lasting an impact on Jewish life as Rabbi Karo’s Shulhan ‘arukh

31 July 2012 Drew KaplanBooks

No other book composed in the early modern period had as profound and lasting an impact on Jewish life as Karo’s. The Shulhan ‘arukh (“The Prepared Table” or “The Ordered Table”) eventually became the standard[…]

The problem of reconciling the ideal justice of God with the sufferings of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked in the world was forced inescapably on the attention of the Rabbis

31 July 2012 Drew KaplanBible

The problem, frequently mooted in the Bible, of reconciling the ideal justice of God with the sufferings of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked in the world, was forced inescapably on the attention[…]

The Shulhan ‘arukh would not have had its staying power as a work of enormous cultural authority had Rabbi Isserles’ glosses with it

30 July 2012 Drew KaplanBooks

…it is safe to say that the Shulhan ‘arukh would not have had its staying power as a work of enormous cultural authority had it not become an entirely different text when it appeared in[…]

Talmud study has engendered a remarkable series of innovations by dint of the cascade of new media in the past century

30 July 2012 Drew KaplanBooks

One of the most venerable of Jewish book practices—Talmud study— has engendered a remarkable series of innovations by dint of the cascade of new media of the past century. These recent developments rest on a[…]

Education at any level is not concerned with progress in a limited area, but in the general intellectual development of a student

27 July 2012 Drew KaplanEducation

…classes should reflect concern with texts but also concern for people’s feelings. Education at any level is not concerned with progress in a limited area, but in the general intellectual development of a student. Students[…]

At some time in the history of Israel, the belief in a perfectly retributive providence began to be shaken

26 July 2012 Drew KaplanBible

This doctrine of a rigid correspondence between merit and reward, and between sin and punishment, however, is not propounded by every one of the biblical writers. At some time in the history of Israel, the[…]

For Jews, one might posit that the composition of texts in manuscript never disappeared from Jewish culture.

26 July 2012 Drew KaplanJewish

In his Print, Manuscript, and the Search for Order, David McKitterick characterizes the relationship between print and manuscript in the early modern period as a long divorce. For Jews, one might posit that the divorce[…]

The study of the Pentateuch with the view of indicating the re-attachment of halachoth to the written law was known as middoth

23 July 2012 Drew KaplanHalakhah

The study of the Pentateuch with the view of indicating the re-attachment of halachoth to the written law was known as middoth (modes, measures) or, in its Aramaic equivalent, mekilatha. Thus, we read: ‘Better is[…]

The renewed activity of re-attaching halakhot to the written Torah in Hillel’s time are due to the struggles of the times

22 July 2012 Drew KaplanHalakhah

The circumstances which brought about renewed activity in re-attaching halachoth to the written Torah at the time of Hillel are undoubtedly to be sought in the struggle of the Pharisees with the Sadducees, and in[…]

The legal device is introduced to preserve the principle and the purpose for which the law was ordained

20 July 2012 Drew KaplanHalakhah

The legal device is introduced to preserve the principle and the purpose for which the law was ordained. In Jewish law, likewise, the legal device was instituted not to circumvent the law, but to serve[…]

Excerpted

Excerpts of Interest

Month: July 2012

No other book composed in the early modern period had as profound and lasting an impact on Jewish life as Rabbi Karo’s Shulhan ‘arukh

The problem of reconciling the ideal justice of God with the sufferings of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked in the world was forced inescapably on the attention of the Rabbis

The Shulhan ‘arukh would not have had its staying power as a work of enormous cultural authority had Rabbi Isserles’ glosses with it

Talmud study has engendered a remarkable series of innovations by dint of the cascade of new media in the past century

Education at any level is not concerned with progress in a limited area, but in the general intellectual development of a student

At some time in the history of Israel, the belief in a perfectly retributive providence began to be shaken

For Jews, one might posit that the composition of texts in manuscript never disappeared from Jewish culture.

The study of the Pentateuch with the view of indicating the re-attachment of halachoth to the written law was known as middoth

The renewed activity of re-attaching halakhot to the written Torah in Hillel’s time are due to the struggles of the times

The legal device is introduced to preserve the principle and the purpose for which the law was ordained