Rabbi Adam Mintz Glimpses into the religious Lives of Early Modern European Jewry http://www.rayimahuvim.org/ en-us ℗ & © 2006-20 Rabbi Adam Mintz & Family Rabbi Adam Mintz smond@yahoo.com Rabbi Adam Mintz This lecture will explore the transmission of Jewish learning and halakhah in Franco-Germany in the eleventh through thirteenth centuries. Rashi's commentary on the entire Talmud served to make the Talmud the authoritative text in Ashkenaz and to make the gemara "user-friendly." Tosafot introduced the study and reconciliation of the entire Talmud. This method, known as dialectic, became the norm in the study of Talmud and halakhah. Yet, it was not without its opponents. We will explore the reasons for Tosafot's innovation and the basis of the opposition in developing the halakhic tradition in Franco-Germany. roach of the Christian world a significant moment in the development of Jewish law in the medieval period? Tue, 1 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT 01:05:55 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/Ashkenaz.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz This lecture will explore the transition from the Gaonic tradition of the Moslem period to the rabbinic tradition of the Ramban in Christian Spain. In what ways did the Ramban integrate the traditions of the Gaonim and his predecessors in Moslem Spain with the approach of Tosafot and the Franco/German school of rabbinic teaching? Why is the position of the Ramban as a transitional figure from the traditions of the Moslem world to the approach of the Christian world a significant moment in the development of Jewish law in the medieval period? Tue, 8 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT 01:10:45 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/Ramban.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz The Rambam writes in the Introduction to his Mishneh Torah that his work will replace all rabbinic literature so that each Jewish library needs only a Tanach and a Mishneh Torah. When confronted regarding the arrogance of this statement by his colleagues, he retreats and explains that this was not really his intention. Yet, the Rambam took a bold and creative approach to Jewish law and rabbinic literature in his Mishneh Torah. This lecture will explore the history of the Mishneh Torah and the rabbinic reaction to it. Finally, we will study a section of the work and attempt to identify its unique characteristics Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT 01:04:22 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/Rambam.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz When Rabbenu Asher, the leading rabbinic authority left Germany for Toledo in 1302, it brought an end to the creative rabbinic tradition in Germany. Rabbenu Asher was accepted in Spain. Yet, his outlook and much of his rabbinic work reflects his German heriatge. His son, Rabbi Jacob, integrated the Franco-German and Spanish traditions in his Code entitled Arba Turim. Although he chose a codification approach of compilation of various opinions rather than the rejection and ignoring of other opinions practiced by Rambam, Rabbi Jacob introduced a practical aspect to his Code. This was reflected in the exclusion of certain non-practical material and the organization philosophy of the work. The Tur was widely accepted within the Jewish community and was the second Jewish book printed. to halakhah? Why was the Shulhan Arukh with the notes of the Rama accepted as the authoritative code of Jewish law? Why didn't Jewish history and the Jewish people choose the Mishneh Torah of the Rambam or the Tur of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher? Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT 00:59:29 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/Tur.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz Rabbi Joseph Caro and Rabbi Moshe Isserles brought an end to the ear of codification in Jewish history. This lecture will explore the journey of each of these great rabbinic scholars through their lengthy commentaries on the Tur to their concise codes in the Shulhan Arukh. Why did both Rabbis Caro and Isserles choose to later their styles from the lengthy code to the more simplified one? What is the major difference between their approaches to halakhah? Why was the Shulhan Arukh with the notes of the Rama accepted as the authoritative code of Jewish law? Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT 00:59:01 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/Shulhan_Aruch.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz The Shulhan Arukh was first printed in Venice in 1564. The lecture will explore whether the code of Rabbi Joseph Caro was immediately accepted as authoritative among the Jews of the Spanish diaspora and the role that this code played in the unification of these Jews in the century following the expulsion from Spain. The code of Rabbi Moses Isserles was printed alongside the Shulhan Arukh for the first time in Cracow in 1569-71. We will explore the role of printing in the opposition in Ashkenaz to this code and the innovation of the Rema to the history of codification. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:59:01 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/Acceptance-of-ShA.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz This lecture will explore the process by which the Rema's commentary on the Shulhan Arukh was accepted throughout Poland. We will examine the alternative codes of Rabbi Solomon Luria and Rabbi Mordechai Jaffe and explain why these codes were not considered authoritative. Then, we will analyze the battle between the authors of the Shach and the Taz and evaluate how their battle for supremacy served to solidify the position of the Rema in Poland. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:59:01 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/Rema.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz The Misnagdim criticized he Hasidim as rejectors of the traditional halakhah. This lecture will explore the Hasidic attitude to halakhah and evaluate whether the Misnagdim were correct. We will explore the Shulhan Arukh of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Lyady and several halakhic decisions of the nineteenth century Hasidim. How did the Hasidim balance their separatist views with the need to be pragmatic? Tue, 7 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:58:39 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/Hasidim-on-Halakha.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz The end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries brought many modernizations to the Jewish comunities of Eastern Europe. How did the halakhic works address these innovations and cahnges in reality? This lecture will explore the approaches of Arukh Ha-Shulhan and Mishneh Brurah to halakhic codification during this period. The works focused on the changes in society as well as the fact that halakhah was no longer only the property of the rabbinic elite. These two codes set the stage for the contemporary attitude towards halakhah. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:58:54 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/Aruch-Hashulchan.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz Hazon Ish is considered the "grandfather of the Charedi movement in Israel". This lecture will explore the fascinating biography of Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz from his early life in Lithuania through his years as the rabbinic authority in Bnei Brak, Israel. We will analyze his approach to halakhic decision making which differed from the traditional Lithuanian approach and set the standard for the halakhic approach of the Israeli Charedim. In addition, we will study the background and significance of the meeting between Hazon Ish and Prime Minister Ben Gurion regarding National Service for Orthodox women in Israel and the precedent it set for the relationship between the Israeli government and the Charedi leadership Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT 01:05:54 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/audio/Hazon-Ish.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz This lecture will survey the history of the Ashkenazi community in Jerusalem in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. How did this traditional community react to the introduction of schools that taught secular subjects? How did this community respond to the relocation of the Slabodka Yeshiva to the Land of Israel and how does this reaction still resonate in the Israeli Orthodox community today? Wed, 2 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:59:01 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/yishuv-hayashan.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz In 1921, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Ha-Kohen Kook was appointed the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Modern Israel. In that same year, he founded Mercaz Ha-Rav which he designed as the "Universal Yeshiva" to which students would come from around the world and after six years of study would return to provide rabbinic leadership for their communities. This lecture will explain several aspects of this yeshiva including the proposal to merge Mercaz with the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. We will also explore Rabbi Kook's legacy and discuss why his legacy and his yeshiva developed as they did. Wed, 9 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:57:51 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/Mercaz.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz Today there are almost 70 Hesder Yeshivot in Israel which combine yeshiva learning and army service. Although there is a debate about the exact origins of the Hesder movement, the idea of integrating learning and service in the IDF originated 10-20 years after the founding of the State of Israel. This lecture will explore the challenges and criticisms of the Hesder movement especially within certain segments of the Religious Zionist community. It will conclude with an explanation of the challenges and benefits of Hesder written by Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein Wed, 16 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT 01:00:51 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/Hesder.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz This lecture will explore the stablishment of private minyanim in Lemberg, Galicia under the Habsburg rule. These minyanim were authorized by government officials and were not under the jurisdiction of the Jewish community. Why was the government interested in these minyanim? What do this minyanim tell us about the evolving Jewish community in Galicia at the time? Tue, 23 Oct 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:59:53 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/private_minyanim.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz The Rabbinic ban or herem was utilized by the Jewish communities until the beginning of the nineteenth century to punish those Jews who violated Jewish law and communal practice. This lecture will explore the beginning of the breakdown of the effectiveness of the herem through the study of two cases in Hamburg in which Jews challenged the authority of the Rabbinic court by presenting their case to the Hamburg Senate. What were the factors in the delicate balance between the Jewish community in Hamburg and the local authorities and how did this relationship set the groundwork for the integration of the Jewish community into the larger general population? Tue, 6 Nov 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:51:48 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/Herem.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz Many of the Jews of Poland in the sixteenth and seventeenth century relied on trading non-kosher wine in order to make a living. This lecture will explore the interplay between the rabbis and the community regarding deriving profit from non-kosher wine which the rabbis had declared to be forbidden. How did the rabbis address the fact that Jews at the fairs and in everyday life were trading in non-kosher wine? Furthermore, how does this interplay reflect the realities about Jewish life in Poland at this time? Tue, 13 Nov 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:54:28 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/polish_fairs.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz In 1772, the Duke of Mecklenburg issued an edict requiring the Jews to wait three days after death prior to burial in order to prevent the premature burial of a live person. The Jewish community approached Rabbi Yaakov Emden and Moses Mendelssohn. Emden and Mendelssohn disagreed about the role of medical evidence in a halakhic ruling and the definition and delineation of halakhic tradition. Their dispute reflects two approaches to Orthodoxy that defined traditional Judaism at the end of the eighteenth century and are prevalent until today. Tue, 20 Nov 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:54:28 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/Delayed-Burial.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz The Responsa volume Besamim Rosh was published in 1793 by Rabbi Saul Berlin, a respected rabbinic scholar, and claimed to contain responsa written by the famed early fourteenth century rabbinic authority, Rabbenu Asher. Rabbis at the time of its publication argued that it was a forgery and this is the accepted view in the rabbinic and scholarly communities to this day. Why did Rabbi Saul Berlin publish this volume? How could this volume stillbe studied and quoted in respected rabbinic circles? Tue, 3 Dec 2012 08:00:00 GMT 00:27:28 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/Besamim_Rosh.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz This lecture will explore the establishment of private Jewish schools for girls in Vilna and St. Petersburg in the 1800s. What was the background that led to the creation of these schools? What was the curriculum and the manner of fund raising? Most importantly, what role did these schools play in the modernization of the Russian Jewish communities? Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:00:00 GMT 00:59:34 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/girls_education.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz Rabbi Kalsicher served a rabbi in a small town in Prussia in the first half of the nineteenth century. He was the founder of modern active messianism as expressed in the desire to renew sacrifices thereby leading to the bringing of the Messiah. This lecture will explore the origins of this philosophy and the reactions to his activity. How was this debate a reaction to the challenges of modernity during this period? Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:00:00 GMT 00:53:02 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/Kalischer.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz This lecture will explore the manner in which European Jews viewed American Jewry in the years preceeding and during t he Civil War and the effect on this attitude of General Grant's edict to expel the Jews from the Department of Tennessee in 1862. We will study the views of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch in Frankfurt who called General Grant "a thousand times worse than Haman." In addition, we will read two entries from the Hebrew Russian newspaper Ha-Maggid and their reporting of American democracy and General Grant's edict. Tue, 3 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT 00:56:02 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/Civil-War.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz Between 1881 and 1924 over two million Jews immigrated to America, mainly from Eastern Europe. This lecture will explore how the Eastern European rabbinate addressed this issue; did they approve or disapprove of this phenomenon? We will examine the wrings of Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, a rabbi who immigrated to New York in 1880 and wrote about his experinces in 1887. We will also look at the writings of the famed Chafetz Chaim on the subject. How did he react to the powers of modernity that led to the desire to immigrate to America? Tue, 12 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT 00:56:02 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/Chafetz-Chaim.mp3 Rabbi Adam Mintz In 1864, Rabbi Bernard Illowy of New Orleans write a letter to Der Israelit asking for assistance on the following issue. A Jewish man married a non-Jewish woman and they had a son. The boy was not Jewish but the parents wanted to have the son circumcized in infancy to facilitate a possible conversion when he reaches maturity. Rabbi Illowy forbade this practice. The rabbinic community in Germany disagreed whether to circumcize the boy. This issue reflected both a halakhic disagreement and two view son the best way to preserve the vitality of Orthodoxy in Germany at the time. SAT, 16 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT 00:56:02 Mintz, Jewish, Psak, Rabbi, Jewish History, Adam http://www.rabbimintz.com/wp-content/uploads/controversy-1864.mp3