A nay bintl briv:
Personal Reminiscences of Rabbi Israel Meir ha-Kohen from the Yiddish Republic of Letters
Shaul Seidler-Feller
Editor’s note: The present post is part one of a two-part essay. Part two will be published in the coming days.
Introduction
Beginning on January 20, 1906, Abraham (Abe) Cahan (1860–1951), the legendary founder and longtime editor of the Yiddish-language Forverts newspaper in New York, published a regular agony uncle … Read More...
A Newly Discovered Work of the Rambam?
By Eli Genauer
I recently purchased a Chumash which was printed in Sulzbach in 1741 by Meshulam Zalman ben Aharon Fraenkel
Marvin Heller succinctly sums up the history of Hebrew printing in Sulzbach as follows:
… Read More...“This small Bavarian community was for over two centuries the site of Hebrew presses that printed many important titles. Duke Christain-Augustus due to his interest in Kabbalah, permitted
You are cordially invited to the following shiurim/lectures by the noted author, Rav Yechiel Goldhaber, whose respected research and scholarship is well-known.
1. The next shiur will take place Monday, September 16th, 8 PM at Lakewood Courtyard Simcha Room 8:00 pm Yiddish/English.
2. Tuesday, September 17th the shiur will take place in Monsey at 20 Forshay Rd at בית המדרש אור החיים פארשעי At 12:30 it will be in Yiddish … Read More...
Legacy Judaica is holding an auction on Monday, September 23rd, and a few items of note. The Viennese Schmidt press produced two books with rather striking portraits. One of R. Shmuel Eidels, Maharsha, and other of R. Yitzkah Alfasi, Rif, which is at lot 54. Rif is depicted wearing robes and a turban with a long white beard. Of course, there are no contemporaneous portraits of Rif, and … Read More...
Copies of Marc Shapiro’s recent work Iggerot Malkhei Rabbanan mentioned here, are now available for purchase in Israel. To purchase contact Eliezerbrodt@gmail.com.… Read More...
The Fish Motif on Early Hebrew Title-Pages and as Pressmarks
by Marvin J. Heller
Fish are a symbol replete with meaning, among them, in Judaism, representing fertility and good luck, albeit that fish are not an image that, for most, quickly comes to mind when considering Jewish iconography. Created on the fifth day of creation, fish symbolize fruitfulness, and, as Dr. Joseph Lowin informs, the month of Adar on the … Read More...
Musings on the Piyut היום הרת עולם
By Joseph Wertzberger
The following post is based in part on a lecture by Rabbi Ben Greenfield, newly installed Rabbi of the Greenpoint Shul, and several of its key ideas are his.
* * *
The poem היום הרת עולם is a very early piyut by an unknown author, appearing in writing as early as Siddur Rav Amram Ga’on, and is very widely … Read More...
Sinful Thoughts: Comments on Sin, Failure, Free Will, and Related Topics Based on David Bashevkin’s new book Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought (Boston: Academic Studies Press, 2019)
By Rabbi Yitzchok Oratz
… Read More...A Bashevkin-inspired Bio Blurb:[1] Rabbi Yitzchok Oratz is Rabbi of the Monmouth Torah Links community in Marlboro, NJ. His writings can be found in various rabbinic and popular journals, including Hakira, Ohr Yisroel, Nehoroy, Nitay Ne’emanim, and
The Gaon’s Impact on the Interpretation of both Primary Sugyot in Zemanim
By William Gewirtz
Unquestionably, almost all ḥiddushim in the understanding of the vast literature on zemanim have halakhic implications. My intent is not to influence what has become minhag Yisroel; my focus is on establishing more precise halakhic definitions and theoretical innovations in sugyot that are central to the study of zemanim. Competent poskim can … Read More...
The Alleged Blindness of R. Jacob Joshua Falk During the Emden-Eibeschuetz Controversy
by Shnayer Z. Leiman
R. Jacob Emden’s animosity toward R. Jonathan Eibeschuetz throughout the Emden-Eibeschuetz controversy could easily be explained away on grounds that are not necessarily bound up with an accusation of heresy. Emden, who proudly depicted himself as “a zealot the son of a zealot,” would hardly pass for Mister Nice Guy. In his autobiography, and
Response to the Recent Discussion Relating to the Emden-Eibeschuetz Controversy
By Shnayer Z. Leiman
Whatever else the world may require, it certainly doesn’t need more bans emanating from the Emden-Eibeschuetz controversy. No one is insulted and no apologies are necessary.
All sober comments and criticisms are most welcome – איזהו חכם הלומד מכל אדם. I try to learn from everyone. I’m also a card-carrying member of the class
Book announcement: Roots and Rituals: Insights into Hebrew, Holidays, and History
By Eliezer Brodt
The Seforim Blog is proud to announce the publication of our contributor Mitchell First’s newest bookRoots and Rituals: Insighats into Hebrew, Holidays, and History (Kodesh Press, 2018.)
Mitchell First’s 62 short articles address interesting questions about the Hebrew language, liturgy, Jewish history, the … Read More...
Apostates and More, Part 1
Marc B. Shapiro
Continued from here
A nay bintl briv:
Personal Reminiscences of Rabbis Baruch ha-Levi Epstein and Aaron Walkin
from the Yiddish Republic of Letters
Shaul Seidler-Feller
Editor’s note: The present post is part two of a two-part essay. Part one can be found here.
Second Letter
Approximately eight and a half years after his column on the Hafets Hayyim appeared, Rabbi Aaron B. Shurin penned another essay, entitled “The Mistake of the
Further On A Forged Letter of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik
By Mosheh Lichtenstein
Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein is a co-Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion.
He is a grandson of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik.
It was recently brought to my attention that various readers of the Seforim Blog have expressed skepticism regarding the determination that the letter found in President Chaim Herzog’s archives and supposedly written by my grandfather, Rabbi Joseph … Read More...
For the Sake of Radin! The Sugar Magnate’s Missing Yarmulke and a Zionist Revision
Israel Brodsky (1823-1888), built an empire on the sugar trade. After inheriting a substantial fortune, in 1843, he became a partner in a sugar refinery.[1] Eventually, he vertically integrated his business, and he controlled sugar beet lands, processing plants, refineries, marketing agencies, and warehouses throughout the Russian Empire. At its height, Brodsky controlled a quarter of … Read More...
New Journal Announcement
By Eliezer Brodt
מכילתא, כתב עת לתורה ולחכמה, ר‘ יואל בינדר, עדיאל ברויאר, יעקב ישראל סטל ומשה דוד צ‘צ‘יק (עורכים), גליון א, כסלו תש“פ, 364 עמודים
A new Journal just came out tonight called Mekhilta. The volume begins with their mission statement and will be published biannually.
The first issue has … Read More...
Keter Shem Tov: A Study in the Entitling of Books, Here Limited to One Title Only[1]
by Marvin J. Heller
Entitling, naming books is, a fascinating subject. Why did the author call his book what he/she did? Why that name and not another? Hebrew books frequently have names resounding in meaning, but providing little insight into the contents of the book. This article explores the subject, focusing on … Read More...
Should we celebrate birthdays or not? Is it better to ignore them?
By Rav Binyamin Wattenberg
This post was originally an answer posted on july 25 2016 on the French website techouvot.com (https://www.techouvot.com/feter_les_anniversaires-vp46393.html).
The author agreed to have it translated into English but did not review the translation.
The author, Rav Binyamin Wattenberg teaches Talmud in Neuilly sur Seine, France, among other talmudic activities (techouvot.com…)
This subject is … Read More...