Hakirah: The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought (Volume 35)

The Simḥat Torah massacre and its aftermath have made clear to our community that the Jewish people stand alone in a world that has not changed much since the Holocaust. Our opening essay, “Halakhic Man in Gaza,” looks to the road ahead. The nation of Israel and the people of Israel must be unified and strong not only to survive but to lead us to yemot ha-Mashiaḥ̣. It is the blossoming of Rav Joseph Dov Soloveitchik’s vision of the Jew who combines mankind’s desire to dominate nature with the man who wishes to know G-d that will unify the divided factions in Israel and lead eventually to the enlightenment of the entire world. In the other essay in the Jewish Thought section, titled “Same-Sex Attraction and the Responsibility of the Community,” the author refutes an essay by a prominent Modern Orthodox leader that calls for “welcoming” into our community those who openly flaunt their rejection of one of the seven Noachide laws. The author of the Ḥakirah essay notes that the present revelations about the moral compass of today’s “intellectuals” show us that we must do nothing to accommodate their sense of morality. In honor of Reb Sender, who was a professor of Applied Mathematics, this edition has a major focus on Torah and science, especially on kiddush ha-ḥodesh, on which he frequently wrote. In a special section devoted to the Hebrew Calendar, the essay titled“History of the Jewish Calendar During the Talmudic Period” claims that even in the early years, when the new month was determined by visual sighting, there was gradual movement towards using calculations in setting the calendar. The second article in the section, “The Enduring Usefulness of the Tur’s 247-Year Calendar Cycle,” shows that though this table is flawed, it nevertheless gives insight into the lunar/solar difference and points the way to perfecting our present calendar. In our Torah and Science section, “Jewish Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence and Synthetic Biology” covers a wide range of issues with which halakhah will soon be dealing, such as creating human-like life and programming moral driverless cars. In a completely different type of article, “Ramban’s Anatomic Description of the Visual Pathway for the Placement of Tefillin of the Head,” a psychiatrist makes the startling claim that Ramban “used his knowledge of the visual pathway in the brain in his explanation of the word totafot.” In our Halakhah section as well, we deal with an issue raised by modern science and technology in the article titled “The Use of Hearing Aids on Shabbos and Yom Tov: Issues Relating to Changing Batteries and Recharging.” Our Talmud Torah section deals primarily with issues of methodology in studying the primary texts of Ḥazal. “Talmud Oversimplified? A Partial Review of Talmud Reclaimed: An Ancient Text in the Modern Era”demonstrates, contrary to the claim of many, that the methodologies of talmudic analysis of Rambam and the Ba‘alei Tosafot were, in fact, not far apart. Similarly, “Targum D-Rabbanan: On the Commentators’ Onkelos” argues that, unlike the position taken in modern scholarship, the evidence suggests that Onkelos’ translation was firmly rooted in rabbinic tradition. “Understanding Unicorns in Talmudic Literature Through the Lens of the Night Sky” posits that Ḥazal’s knowledge of astronomy that was so vital in establishing the calendar was used by them in expressing ideas as well.
ASIN: 1936803240
VSKU: BVV.1936803240.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Zelcer, Heshey|Goldman, David P|Lelonek, Gary|Bush, Asher|Grossman, Yitzhak|Krakowski, Eliyahu|Farkas, Aviva|Oppenheimer, Steven|Heller, Marvin J|Buchman, Asher Benzion
Binding: Paperback
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact including the dust cover, if applicable . Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.