Menachem Mendel

In 2008 the Israel Democracy Institute sponsored a conference on Zionist Halakhah. Below are some videos from the conference. (Hebrew)

Posted on December 28th, 2011 under Halakhic Literature, Israel, Rabbinic Authority, Rabbinic Literature, Religion in Israel, Religious Authority, Religious Zionism. Comments Off

Jonathan Sarna has written in the Forward about the recent merger between the Jewish Publication Society (JPS) and the University of Nebraska Press. In the meantime, even as we mourn JPS’s disappearance as an independent Jewish publisher, lovers of Jewish books should wish the new couple well. Sarna is also the author of JPS: The [...]

Posted on September 25th, 2011 under Halakhic Literature, Hebrew Printing, Rabbinic Literature, Talmud, Talmud Study. Comments Off

The Jewish Law Association 17th International Conference July 30-August 2, 2012 Yale University Call for Papers: Location and schedule: The Jewish Law Association in conjunction with Yale University Program in Judaic Studies will hold the 17th International conference of the JLA at the Yale University Law School, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.A., on July 30-August 2, [...]

Posted on September 24th, 2011 under Academia, Conferences, Halakhic Literature, Jewish Law, Public Events. Comments: 1

Posted on September 22nd, 2011 under Halakhic Literature, Jewish History, Jewish Law, Middle Ages, Public Events. Comments Off

Recommended reading: Adiel Schremer’s working paper, Toward Critical Halakhic Studies. Here is the abstract: Current scholarly study of Jewish law concentrates either on a description and analysis of halakhic doctrines, or on the jurisprudential theories underlying the thought of halakhic thinkers. Questions such as: “how halakhic decisions are actually produced?”, and “what are the various [...]

Posted on September 14th, 2011 under Early Rabbinic Law, Halakhic Literature, Jewish Law, Legal History. Comments: 2

The limits that a democratic society can place on the freedom of speech is a difficult question. During the past few days this question has been in the headlines in Israel. The reason for this is that the police detained Rabbi Dov Lior after he refused the be investigated regarding the approbation that he wrote [...]

Posted on June 28th, 2011 under Halakhic Literature, Israel, Jewish Law, Legal Theory, Politics. Comments Off

Next Monday there will be a conference in honor of Prof. Daniel Sperber at Bar-Ilan University. The details are below.

Posted on June 9th, 2011 under Ancient Judaism, Early Rabbinic Law, Halakhic Literature, Jewish Law, Rabbinic Literature, Talmud, Talmud Study. Comments Off

Below is a source sheet from a shiur that I’ll be teaching at tonight’s Tikkun. Hag Sameaḥ. Competing Communities

Posted on June 7th, 2011 under Customs, Halakhic Literature, Rabbinic Literature, Responsa, Shavuot. Comments Off

Shasnik has a long interview (Hebrew) with Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the author of Yalkut Yosef and the son of Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef. The interview, which was originally published in Hamodia, gives an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the origins of Yalkut Yosef.

Posted on April 13th, 2011 under Halakhic Literature, Jewish Law, Rabbinic Authority. Comments Off