Within the Babylonian Talmud are dozens of stories depicting sharp confrontations between the Amoraim, the Talmudic sages. These narratives portray the charged relationships among the sages, the emergence of conflict, and the profound emotional harm that results from it. Why do conflicts among the creators of Talmudic literature occupy such a central literary place? This book examines these stories as a distinct literary corpus. The analysis shows that the conflicts consistently center on one domain: injury to personal honor. They are also marked by a characteristic plot structure, in which conflict develops unintentionally and escalates uncontrollably, leading to a rupture between the characters. Using tools from narrative theory and comparative poetics, the book explores how these stories operate. They draw the reader into a web of misunderstandings and communicative failures, making simple moral judgment difficult. Instead, they direct attention to the inner and interpersonal worlds of the characters, and to the literary construction of the Talmudic study house as a space of mutual dependence and identity formation.

The Jewish communities of Speyer, Mainz, and Worms (known collectively as ShUM), the ancient center of Torah scholarship in Ashkenaz, produced many generations of scholars who wrote glorious chapters in the history of Jewish culture. Particularly prominent was the distinguished circle of sages active there at the turn of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, including Rabbi Yehudah ben Kalonymos of Speyer, Rabbi Yehudah ben Kalonymos of Mainz, Rabbi Shmuel the Pious and his son Rabbi Yehudah the Pious, Rabbi Simcha of Speyers and Rabbi Eleazar of Worms. Even though the names of the sages of ShUM appear countless times throughout rabbinic literature, only a very small portion of their work in the fields of Talmud and halakhah has come down to us. For centuries, the only works available in print were Sefer ha-Rokeach by R. Eleazar of Worms and Sefer Raban. Even the great surge in the critical publication of texts from the nineteenth century onwards has only slightly increased that number. The present volume seeks to fill this gap to some extent. It presents the full text of Rabbi Eleazar of Worms’s Sermon for Passover , and the introduction describes two additional halakhic works by him that have been discovered in manuscript. The Sermon provides the earliest evidence for several well-known Ashkenazic customs—among them the dripping of sixteen drops of wine during the Passover Seder, the prohibition of eating legumes (kitniyot) on Passover, and the eating of dairy foods on Shavuot. A first edition of the Sermon was published twenty years ago; it is now republished with additions and corrections.

Kobez Al Yad , an annual of the Mekize Nirdamim Society, is a forum for the publication from manuscript sources of ancient texts in Jewish studies that are shorter than book-length. The articles in this issue: Menahem Eisenberg | Qerovot for the 17th of Tammuz Attributed to Rabbi El’azar berabbi Qillir Sarah Cohen | Tokhehah poems according to the model of ‘Shikḥi yegonekh’ by Shelomo ibn Gabirol Simcha Emanuel | Additional Glosses of Rabbi Samuel ben Meir (Rashbam) to Alfasi Chen Maaravi and Adam Afterman | A Unique Version of the Kabbalistic Collections Ascribed to the Unpublished Fourth Part of ‘Sha‘arei Kedushah’

In this volume: Avi Shveka | The Prohibition to Capture a Mother Bird along with Her Young: A Reassessment Itamar Kislev | The Story of Nadav and Avihu: A Renewed Examination Yisca Zimran | Motion and Change in Micah 1:2–9 Noam Mizrahi | On the Importance of Text-critical Secondary Versions for Reconstructing the Literary Formation of Isaiah 61:1–7 Uri Gabbay | The Mesopotamian ‘Mouth Washing’ Ritual: A Hebrew Translation And more...

In this issue: David Fialkoff | From Disqualifying Deeds to Disqualifying Thoughts: The Early Form of Mishnah Zevahim Elyashiv Cherlow | A Unique Cairo Genizah Manuscript of Babylonian Talmud Tractates Shevu’ot Idan Pinto | "Shulhan shel Arba" of R. Bahya ben Asher: Explorations into Its History and Several of Its Kabbalistic Sources Daniel Abrams | The Awareness of Scribes and Kabbalists to Multiple Versions of Texts in Kabbalistic Manuscripts

In this issue: Menahem Kahana | Sabbath Expositions in Mekhilta de-Rabbi Simeon Bar Yohai : On the Use of Sources from the School of R. Ishmael by hte Redactor of Mekhilta de-Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai Simcha Emanuel | TheResponsa of Rashba: Bringing Order to a Maze of Manuscripts Michal Aziza Ohana | R. Rephael Berdogo's Roke'ah Mirkahat - On Aggadic Materials, Authority and Interpretation Barak Hoffman | Meir Mina - the Great Iraqi Kabbalist who Became a Heretic

The Sages of Yavneh traces the rebirth of Jewish law and thought in the aftermath of the Great Revolt and the destruction of the Temple. In Yavneh the early Sages laid the foundations for post-Temple Jewish life and created the conceptual framework that continues to shape halachic discourse to this day. Through close analysis of early Tannaitic traditions, the book uncovers the sages’ intellectual world, their diverse approaches, and the deep ideas underlying their disputes. At a decisive historical crossroad, the sages of Yavneh bridged second Temple traditions with the emerging Tannaitic corpus, offering a farsighted response to the crisis of their age and charting a path for the future of Jewish law, Halacha.

This book contains one hundred and ninety-two written and oral responses by Rabbi Yaakov ben Meir, better known as "Rabbenu Tam," which were not included in the responses section of Sefer Ha-Yashar , compiled by his students. The first introductory chapters will be devoted to a concise presentation of his character, family, the stages of his life, and his teachers, while the other chapters will discuss his responses, their recipients, the sources in which the responses were found, the edition, and its contribution. At the top of each reply is a short introduction that discusses the main contents of the reply and points out historical and other aspects that arise from it.

In this landmark volume, noted Jewish scholar Alon Goshen-Gottstein offers a full-orbed treatment of the Jewish faith for today. Goshen-Gottstein's presentation explores the history and practice of Judaism and offers a framework in which this complex religious tradition makes sense to both the insider and the outsider. Painting a composite picture of Judaism from its beginnings until today, Goshen-Gottstein draws on history, literature, theology, spirituality, and practiced religious life to craft an overview in which these different parts are appreciated as pieces of a larger whole. Beyond the canonical foundations of the Bible and the Talmud, Goshen-Gottstein incorporates mystical sources in presenting an image of spiritually engaged Jewish practice and belief. He thus argues that Judaism is best understood as a religious tradition that seeks to uphold not only a life lived in allegiance to God's law but, more importantly, a life lived in God's presence. Written by a senior scholar well known in Jewish, Christian, and interreligious circles, In God's Presence will appeal to Jewish and Christian academic readers, those interested in the intersection of Jewish and Christian thought, and students in introduction to Judaism courses.

This study examines the evolving nature of Hasidic leadership, with a focus on the institution of the Admorut (leadership of Rebbes) in Israel from 1966 to the early 21st century. Hasidic leadership is rooted in the doctrine of the Tzadik, a theological-ideological concept developed since the mid-18th century. The Tzadik is believed to possess a unique connection with God, enabling him to channel divine blessing, guide individuals spiritually, and lead entire communities. Central to Hasidic life is the demand for both faith in the Tzadik and attachment to the Tzadik, encompassing emotional, spiritual, and practical devotion. The study traces the historical development of these ideas and their transformation in the context of contemporary Israeli society, where Hasidim constitute a significant segment of the Haredi population and wield notable political and economic influence. It analyzes the ways in which Rebbes exercise authority in both spiritual and material realms, operating within dynastic frameworks that have endured since the 18th century. By examining the theological foundations, social functions, and mechanisms of power associated with the Admorut, the study aims to offer a comprehensive account of a leadership model that continues to shape the religious and public life of ultra-Orthodox Jewry in Israel.

Laws of Sale by Rabbi Hayya b. Sherira Gaon deals with the laws of commerce and property according to Hebrew law. The book is translated for the first time from the Arabic original, which survived in the Cairo Genizah , and is published in a scholarly edition, with comparisons to medieval translations, and with the addition of place references and notes, by Dr. Zvi Stampfer and Rabbi Moshe Gross, published by Yad Rav Nissim, Mekitze Nirdemim and the Hebrew Law Institute. This book constitutes a foundation for understanding commercial and property laws in Judaism, and is an essential tool for Torah scholars, Jewish scholars, and Hebrew law practitioners.

Since its creation, the Babylonian Talmud has stood at the center of the Jewish intellectual canon and the heart of Torah study. Despite its wide circulation and enduring significance, it remains an elusive work to define. It is a religious text, yet contains little theology; it is deeply legal, yet it is hardly concerned with practical rulings; it is framed as a commentary on the Mishnah, yet frequently departs into independent expansive discussions. What, then, is this composition? How was it constructed? How did it come to occupy such a central place in Jewish tradition? And how has it been interpreted over the centuries? The first part of The Talmud: A History of Learning is devoted to analyzing the Talmud itself—dissecting its constituent parts and exploring their formation, purpose, and historical context. The second part turns to the reception of the Talmud: the ways in which it has been read, studied, and reinterpreted from its redaction through the present day. The title of the book reflects this dual focus: it addresses both the internal processes of learning that gave rise to the Talmudic text, and the external history of its study and the discourses it has generated from late antiquity to the present.