This article explores a story taken from the Talmud Bavli (Yevamot 65b) which describes a dialogu... more This article explores a story taken from the Talmud Bavli (Yevamot 65b) which describes a dialogue between the arguments raised by an anonymous woman and a rabbinical judge, R. Ammi, with regard to her demand for a divorce and for receipt of the payment for her prenuptial agreement. The article examines aspects relating to the design of the Talmudic story, which belongs to the genre of halakhic stories containing an argument, the law, and its explanation, i.e., elements that are not always explicitly stated in the Talmudic text. The article also examines the point of encounter between the pleas of the anonymous woman who sought a divorce from her husband alleged that he was infertile and that she wished to have a child, versus the strict customary legal halakhic law that exempted her from the religious obligation to procreate and therefore did not protect her rights. In addition, the article provides the context of the woman’s pleas in court and the attitudes of the judge towards th...
Journal for The Study of Religions and Ideologies, 2017
This article describes the tripartite structure, a formative style used in the redaction of some ... more This article describes the tripartite structure, a formative style used in the redaction of some sugyot in Tractate Eruvin. The attitude to the tripartite structure is portrayed here as reflected by commentators and researchers who mentioned this pattern, whether directly or indirectly. The purpose of the article is to present several select examples of the tripartite structure in some sugyot in Tractate Eruvin. This will have the significant effect of illuminating different literary forms worthy of exploration, such as the tripartite structure here, as well as in other Talmudic sugyot whose focus is mainly halakhic. Sometimes the form utilized has a considerable effect on redaction of the contents, for example for understanding the sugya or solving various difficulties that it contains. These patterns are also evident in other additional sugyot and they constitute an important research foundation for examining their application in additional sugyot in the different tractates.
Journal for The Study of Religions and Ideologies, 2019
The Jewish faith and lifestyle requires the individual to address issues that involve many facets... more The Jewish faith and lifestyle requires the individual to address issues that involve many facets of life, including education, religious matters, self scholarship, personal development, and many other issues. The main problem in the 21 st century is that modern Jewish society does not subscribe to a homogenous worldview concerning Judaism. There are several different typical sectors within Jewish society. Haredi (Ultra-orthodox) Jews, secular Jews (Bar Elli 2010, 3-5), Modern Orthodox, and traditional (meaning: less observant). The article does not discuss the two extremes: Haredi Jews and secular Jews. The main concern of this article involves Modern Orthodox and traditional Jews and their personal development within the Jewish faith. In many cases, Modern Orthodox and traditional Jews in the 21 st century are inclined to increasing strictness and extreme attitudes in all issues related to Judaism, as a result of ignorance and personal lack of development in Jewish religious matte...
This article engages in the explanation and interpretation of three unclear words, dyofe, meiarak... more This article engages in the explanation and interpretation of three unclear words, dyofe, meiarak and kitana, that appear in the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Eruvin 104a–b. The words are part of the Talmudic text and the article addresses the various meanings ascribed to them and explains them. This is required because of the contradiction and confusion that exist in the explanation and interpretation of these three words. The research method employed involves examining the various explanations given by the commentators, comparing the words with other sources and checking their suggested meanings in Talmudic dictionaries. The research results show different versions of these three words and the conclusions indicate that the different versions change their possible explanation and interpretation.Contribution: The innovation of this article is in presenting the various sources of these words, noting their various versions and the different interpretations that derive from them. The art...
B. Erubin 43b describes a special tube of Rabban Gamaliel, with which he was able to measure dist... more B. Erubin 43b describes a special tube of Rabban Gamaliel, with which he was able to measure distances of up to two thousand cubits on a plane, and which he would also use to measure the depth of ravines. With this tube, he could also measure angles, or at least set the tube on a specific angle to measure distances using congruent triangles. Although the method of measurement presented in the Talmud is not clear, very few sages thoroughly studied or interpreted the measurement method. Some have understood the method, on the basis of their own contemporary mathematical knowledge, while others simply laconically quoted their predecessors without understanding the earlier sages’ explanations. Notably, in Rabban Gamaliel’s period, optical lenses were not in use. Instead, a hollow tube was adapted to allow the measurement of a fixed distance. There are diverse opinions on how this tube was used to measure distance, depth, and height. In this paper we address the measurement methods of th...
Sefarad : Revista de Estudios Hebraicos y Sefardíes, 2006
This article presents a novel methodology for the analysis of passages (Sugyot) foundin the Babyl... more This article presents a novel methodology for the analysis of passages (Sugyot) foundin the Babylonian Talmud based upon identifying the objectives of the redaction that guided the editors of that passage. Three different Talmud passages are presented, and the various objectives of the redaction were indicated: First, a passage whose objective was to take the form of ten statements in the name of R. Yirmiyah ben Elazar, though there exist more of his statements. Second, a Sugya dealing with the stylistic use of the expression "and further" (ve<sup>c</sup>od), in order not to leave the first part of the Mishna withoutany Talmudic commentary. Third, a section whose objective was to reject the position taken by R. Yossi berabbi Yehuda from being accepted as standard Jewish Law. Were it not for the editorial intervention by the redactors, the law would have been determinedby R. Yossi's position. The question is to understand why a Sugya is found as is in thetex...
<jats:p>This article examines the connection between the stylistic structure and the conten... more <jats:p>This article examines the connection between the stylistic structure and the content of a five-story cluster in the Babylonian Talmud on Bava Batra 151a–b. We point out that in the first story, there are two judges (dayanim), R. Bibi Bar Abaye and R. Huna, son of R. Yehoshua, while in the other four stories, there is only one judge (dayan), R. Naḥman. An important question we seek to elucidate is why the redactor of the sugya chose the first story rather than a similar story that appears in tractate Ketubot (78b–79a), wherein R. Naḥman is the only judge, as in the other four stories in the five-story cluster under study. Given its similar content, the story in Ketubot would appear to be a better fit with the cluster of stories in Bava Batra. This article seeks to show that this five-story cluster expresses a thought-provoking process of redaction, in terms of both the chronological sequence of the generations of characters it portrays and the content of the stories. While the cluster may have originally included four stories, the first story was likely added in a later redaction. This addition gave a chiastic structure of five stories to the cluster. Describing the chiasmus, we suggest that its formation was indeed a consideration of the redactor of the sugya.</jats:p>
In the Yerushalmi Tractate Eruvin 1:5, the structure of the basin is discussed in an attempt to r... more In the Yerushalmi Tractate Eruvin 1:5, the structure of the basin is discussed in an attempt to reconcile its shape as described in verse 23 (10 cubits wide and 5 cubits high) with its volume in verse 26 (2000 bat). In the context of this discussion, the volume values appear to be incorrect, as we show below in section 'Difficulties in the Words of the Yerushalmi'. In this article, we present the inaccurate volume values from the Yerushalmi, review the various suggestions for explaining the inaccurate volumes (section 'Explanations given for the difficulties in the Yerushalmi') and offer a new explanation for these values (section 'Our proposal for explaining the volumes in the Yerushalmi's discussion of Solomon's sea'). Solomon's sea (a brass basin used in the First Temple) was discussed in the Yerushalmi Talmud Eruvin 1:5 (as well as in BT Eruvin 14a-b), and it revolved around the shape of Solomon's sea. However, inaccurate volume values of the basin were cited in the Yerushalmi. The aim of this article was to offer a new explanation for one problem arising in connection with these values. The setting of this study was the inaccurate volume values of the basin appearing in the Yerushalmi. The background of the issue at stake is the fact that Jewish scholars cannot accept that Scripture contains discrepancies (cf. BerR. 4:6). Our methods were to review the different explanations given by different commentators and to introduce a discussion by R. Avraham Ben Hiyya ha-Nassi and the Book of Tashbetz dealing with an explanation of verses related to the basin's shape. We suggested a new idea based on the above-mentioned discussion: by reducing the basin's width by one handbreadth as the verse states, one could reach exactly the values appearing in the Yerushalmi for the volumes of a squared basin and a circular basin. Based on our suggestion, one could settle the volume values appearing in the Yerushalmi without correcting them. The key insight was that one could settle the volume values appearing in the Yerushalmi without correcting them. This insight was connected with the textual history of the Rabbinic literature, which exactly fit HTS's scope.
The paper introduces the tripartite structure used to shape principles of halachah. The unique de... more The paper introduces the tripartite structure used to shape principles of halachah. The unique design is expressed in a formal style consisting of three statements made by different sages, where each statement contains three halachic principles that have been grouped together in one place in the passage. The design of the halachic principles using a tripartite structure also clarifies the absence of additional halachic rules and the lack of material discussion of the halachah principles brought in the passage. The aim and the importance of this article is in presenting the design of halachic principles in the form of a tripartite structure, as well as how this pattern emerged and the special style of its appearance in the passage.
The Genizah fragment Cambridge U-L T-S F2 (2) 23, numbered C98948 in the Friedberg Jewish Manuscr... more The Genizah fragment Cambridge U-L T-S F2 (2) 23, numbered C98948 in the Friedberg Jewish Manuscript Society, includes among other things the amoraic controversy between R. Eleazar and R. Jose son of R. Hanina, as well as the give and take between R. Safra and Abaye in Tractate Eruvin 103a. Some of the researchers are divided concerning the initial formation of the sugya. The controversy between R. Eleazar and R. Jose son of R. Hanina as presented in the fragment’s version poses difficulties and interferes with the ordered understanding of the methods utilized by these amoraim to solve the contradiction between the Mishna in Eruvin and the Mishna in Pesaḥim. The purpose of the article is to present the difficulties in the fragment’s version with regard to the abovementioned amoraic controversy and reach conclusions regarding the precise original version of the fragment. Thus too in the matter of the fragment’s version of the give and take between R. Safra and Abaye, which differs fr...
The article relates to a Genizah fragment associated with Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified ... more The article relates to a Genizah fragment associated with Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified as Cambridge, UL T-S F1 (2) 114, FGP No. C 93385. The article describes the Genizah fragment, the scribe‟s manner of work, the style of writing, and the palaeography of the script letters. The article presents the Vilna edition‟s version (Eruv. 54a) and then the wording of the Genizah fragment itself. Finally, there are several comments that refer to the fragment‟s contents in light of comparison between the Genizah fragment and the printed and manuscript versions of Tractate Eruvin.
The Talmud Bavli presents in Tractate Eruvin (104a) a controversy between two Amoraim, Ulla and R... more The Talmud Bavli presents in Tractate Eruvin (104a) a controversy between two Amoraim, Ulla and Rabbah. This controversy on the topic of producing a sound on the Sabbath is the context of the present study. According to Ulla, any production of sound on the Sabbath is forbidden, and according to Rabbah, producing a musical sound is prohibited on the Sabbath but producing a sound that is not musical is permitted. The purpose of the study is to present the two approaches to solving the controversy, where the dilemma is which of them should the halakha follow. The setting of the study is a comparative analysis of two different halakhic approaches. Accordingly, this controversy created two different fundamental halakhic approaches that have implications for the authority of the Talmud Bavli compared to the Talmud Yerushalmi, that is, which of these Talmuds has more authority than the other. The research methods of this article portray the various outlooks of the poskim and commentators, ...
The article presents a Genizah fragment related to Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified as Camb... more The article presents a Genizah fragment related to Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified as Cambridge, UL T-S F1 (2) 114, FGP No. C 93386. The article begins with a description of the Genizah fragment, and presents the contents of the fragment in writing together with a reproduction of the fragment itself. At the end of the article, reference is made to the content and several comments are brought in an effort to characterize the fragment.
Today's society in Israel is divided and torn on many issues, including religion, and Jewish and ... more Today's society in Israel is divided and torn on many issues, including religion, and Jewish and Israeli identity, yet occasionally, a single event emerges which combines several divisions. One such issue is the "identity crisis" also known as the question of "Who is a Jew?". This is a thorny complex problem, and one which has not yet been awarded a clear-cut constitutional solution. For example, it continues to be debated whether the religious definition should be the decisive factor, that is, should a Jew defined as an individual born to a mother who is Jewish or has been converted according to halacha, or whether Israeli identity is the more critical element and whether any individual born in or immigrated to Israel who served in the army, works and pays taxes in Israel, and identifies with the state's values should be identified as a Jew? In this paper, the author wishes to focus on equally complicated issue, although one has attracted less attention. This is the issue of halachic polarization or extremism that characterizes Judaism in modern Israel. Following a brief historical explanation, the author defines the problem at hand, and propose a solution.
Peace is a key concept in Jewish tradition with an extensive history. It is also an extremely bro... more Peace is a key concept in Jewish tradition with an extensive history. It is also an extremely broad concept. As former deputy to the president of Israel's Supreme Court, Chief Justice Prof. M. Elon, stated at a lecture he delivered at a 2004 conference at Haifa University, that peace is equivalent to liberty, justice, and equity. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss various attitudes and ideals concerning peace that are reflected in a selection of sources from the Hebrew Bible and are complemented by other Jewish sources.
Arquivo Maaravi: Revista Digital de Estudos Judaicos da UFMG
The article refers to a Cairo Genizah fragment related to Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified ... more The article refers to a Cairo Genizah fragment related to Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified as Cambridge, UL T-S F1 (1) 85. FGP Nº C 96542. The article begins with a description of the Genizah fragment, and presents the text of the printed version and finally, reference is made to the content of the fragment and several comments are brought in an effort to characterize the fragment. A reproduction of the fragment presented at the end of the article.
How to cite this article: Zur, U., 2020, 'Tale of a plaster-Different versions of a story and pos... more How to cite this article: Zur, U., 2020, 'Tale of a plaster-Different versions of a story and possible meaning of the phrase Lo shmiʿa li (Bavli Eruvin 102b)', HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 76(4), a5942.
The fragment is a segment from the Cairo Genizah, which refers to Tractate Eruvin in the Talmud B... more The fragment is a segment from the Cairo Genizah, which refers to Tractate Eruvin in the Talmud Bavli (4b-5a), and it is identified as Cambridge UL T-S F1 (1) 44. Here, we shall refer to one folio from the fragment, numbered C96446, in the Friedberg Jewish Manuscript Society website and selected at random. The length of the page is 27.4 cm. There are 30 lines in each page. The length of the inscribed part is 21 cm. The folio is torn along the entire outer left edge and perforated at the bottom. The edges of the fragment are faded because of damp stains. The fragment opens with the words חוצץ' דבר יהא שלא במים ...הי... ' (4b) and ends with the words תימא' וכי 'דפ[תח] (5a). From a palaeographic perspective, the type of writing in the fragment is of a familiar type, that of R. Joseph ben Jacob Rosh Hasseder (Ginat 1990) who lived in the late 12th century.
This article explores a story taken from the Talmud Bavli (Yevamot 65b) which describes a dialogu... more This article explores a story taken from the Talmud Bavli (Yevamot 65b) which describes a dialogue between the arguments raised by an anonymous woman and a rabbinical judge, R. Ammi, with regard to her demand for a divorce and for receipt of the payment for her prenuptial agreement. The article examines aspects relating to the design of the Talmudic story, which belongs to the genre of halakhic stories containing an argument, the law, and its explanation, i.e., elements that are not always explicitly stated in the Talmudic text. The article also examines the point of encounter between the pleas of the anonymous woman who sought a divorce from her husband alleged that he was infertile and that she wished to have a child, versus the strict customary legal halakhic law that exempted her from the religious obligation to procreate and therefore did not protect her rights. In addition, the article provides the context of the woman’s pleas in court and the attitudes of the judge towards th...
Journal for The Study of Religions and Ideologies, 2017
This article describes the tripartite structure, a formative style used in the redaction of some ... more This article describes the tripartite structure, a formative style used in the redaction of some sugyot in Tractate Eruvin. The attitude to the tripartite structure is portrayed here as reflected by commentators and researchers who mentioned this pattern, whether directly or indirectly. The purpose of the article is to present several select examples of the tripartite structure in some sugyot in Tractate Eruvin. This will have the significant effect of illuminating different literary forms worthy of exploration, such as the tripartite structure here, as well as in other Talmudic sugyot whose focus is mainly halakhic. Sometimes the form utilized has a considerable effect on redaction of the contents, for example for understanding the sugya or solving various difficulties that it contains. These patterns are also evident in other additional sugyot and they constitute an important research foundation for examining their application in additional sugyot in the different tractates.
Journal for The Study of Religions and Ideologies, 2019
The Jewish faith and lifestyle requires the individual to address issues that involve many facets... more The Jewish faith and lifestyle requires the individual to address issues that involve many facets of life, including education, religious matters, self scholarship, personal development, and many other issues. The main problem in the 21 st century is that modern Jewish society does not subscribe to a homogenous worldview concerning Judaism. There are several different typical sectors within Jewish society. Haredi (Ultra-orthodox) Jews, secular Jews (Bar Elli 2010, 3-5), Modern Orthodox, and traditional (meaning: less observant). The article does not discuss the two extremes: Haredi Jews and secular Jews. The main concern of this article involves Modern Orthodox and traditional Jews and their personal development within the Jewish faith. In many cases, Modern Orthodox and traditional Jews in the 21 st century are inclined to increasing strictness and extreme attitudes in all issues related to Judaism, as a result of ignorance and personal lack of development in Jewish religious matte...
This article engages in the explanation and interpretation of three unclear words, dyofe, meiarak... more This article engages in the explanation and interpretation of three unclear words, dyofe, meiarak and kitana, that appear in the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Eruvin 104a–b. The words are part of the Talmudic text and the article addresses the various meanings ascribed to them and explains them. This is required because of the contradiction and confusion that exist in the explanation and interpretation of these three words. The research method employed involves examining the various explanations given by the commentators, comparing the words with other sources and checking their suggested meanings in Talmudic dictionaries. The research results show different versions of these three words and the conclusions indicate that the different versions change their possible explanation and interpretation.Contribution: The innovation of this article is in presenting the various sources of these words, noting their various versions and the different interpretations that derive from them. The art...
B. Erubin 43b describes a special tube of Rabban Gamaliel, with which he was able to measure dist... more B. Erubin 43b describes a special tube of Rabban Gamaliel, with which he was able to measure distances of up to two thousand cubits on a plane, and which he would also use to measure the depth of ravines. With this tube, he could also measure angles, or at least set the tube on a specific angle to measure distances using congruent triangles. Although the method of measurement presented in the Talmud is not clear, very few sages thoroughly studied or interpreted the measurement method. Some have understood the method, on the basis of their own contemporary mathematical knowledge, while others simply laconically quoted their predecessors without understanding the earlier sages’ explanations. Notably, in Rabban Gamaliel’s period, optical lenses were not in use. Instead, a hollow tube was adapted to allow the measurement of a fixed distance. There are diverse opinions on how this tube was used to measure distance, depth, and height. In this paper we address the measurement methods of th...
Sefarad : Revista de Estudios Hebraicos y Sefardíes, 2006
This article presents a novel methodology for the analysis of passages (Sugyot) foundin the Babyl... more This article presents a novel methodology for the analysis of passages (Sugyot) foundin the Babylonian Talmud based upon identifying the objectives of the redaction that guided the editors of that passage. Three different Talmud passages are presented, and the various objectives of the redaction were indicated: First, a passage whose objective was to take the form of ten statements in the name of R. Yirmiyah ben Elazar, though there exist more of his statements. Second, a Sugya dealing with the stylistic use of the expression "and further" (ve<sup>c</sup>od), in order not to leave the first part of the Mishna withoutany Talmudic commentary. Third, a section whose objective was to reject the position taken by R. Yossi berabbi Yehuda from being accepted as standard Jewish Law. Were it not for the editorial intervention by the redactors, the law would have been determinedby R. Yossi's position. The question is to understand why a Sugya is found as is in thetex...
<jats:p>This article examines the connection between the stylistic structure and the conten... more <jats:p>This article examines the connection between the stylistic structure and the content of a five-story cluster in the Babylonian Talmud on Bava Batra 151a–b. We point out that in the first story, there are two judges (dayanim), R. Bibi Bar Abaye and R. Huna, son of R. Yehoshua, while in the other four stories, there is only one judge (dayan), R. Naḥman. An important question we seek to elucidate is why the redactor of the sugya chose the first story rather than a similar story that appears in tractate Ketubot (78b–79a), wherein R. Naḥman is the only judge, as in the other four stories in the five-story cluster under study. Given its similar content, the story in Ketubot would appear to be a better fit with the cluster of stories in Bava Batra. This article seeks to show that this five-story cluster expresses a thought-provoking process of redaction, in terms of both the chronological sequence of the generations of characters it portrays and the content of the stories. While the cluster may have originally included four stories, the first story was likely added in a later redaction. This addition gave a chiastic structure of five stories to the cluster. Describing the chiasmus, we suggest that its formation was indeed a consideration of the redactor of the sugya.</jats:p>
In the Yerushalmi Tractate Eruvin 1:5, the structure of the basin is discussed in an attempt to r... more In the Yerushalmi Tractate Eruvin 1:5, the structure of the basin is discussed in an attempt to reconcile its shape as described in verse 23 (10 cubits wide and 5 cubits high) with its volume in verse 26 (2000 bat). In the context of this discussion, the volume values appear to be incorrect, as we show below in section 'Difficulties in the Words of the Yerushalmi'. In this article, we present the inaccurate volume values from the Yerushalmi, review the various suggestions for explaining the inaccurate volumes (section 'Explanations given for the difficulties in the Yerushalmi') and offer a new explanation for these values (section 'Our proposal for explaining the volumes in the Yerushalmi's discussion of Solomon's sea'). Solomon's sea (a brass basin used in the First Temple) was discussed in the Yerushalmi Talmud Eruvin 1:5 (as well as in BT Eruvin 14a-b), and it revolved around the shape of Solomon's sea. However, inaccurate volume values of the basin were cited in the Yerushalmi. The aim of this article was to offer a new explanation for one problem arising in connection with these values. The setting of this study was the inaccurate volume values of the basin appearing in the Yerushalmi. The background of the issue at stake is the fact that Jewish scholars cannot accept that Scripture contains discrepancies (cf. BerR. 4:6). Our methods were to review the different explanations given by different commentators and to introduce a discussion by R. Avraham Ben Hiyya ha-Nassi and the Book of Tashbetz dealing with an explanation of verses related to the basin's shape. We suggested a new idea based on the above-mentioned discussion: by reducing the basin's width by one handbreadth as the verse states, one could reach exactly the values appearing in the Yerushalmi for the volumes of a squared basin and a circular basin. Based on our suggestion, one could settle the volume values appearing in the Yerushalmi without correcting them. The key insight was that one could settle the volume values appearing in the Yerushalmi without correcting them. This insight was connected with the textual history of the Rabbinic literature, which exactly fit HTS's scope.
The paper introduces the tripartite structure used to shape principles of halachah. The unique de... more The paper introduces the tripartite structure used to shape principles of halachah. The unique design is expressed in a formal style consisting of three statements made by different sages, where each statement contains three halachic principles that have been grouped together in one place in the passage. The design of the halachic principles using a tripartite structure also clarifies the absence of additional halachic rules and the lack of material discussion of the halachah principles brought in the passage. The aim and the importance of this article is in presenting the design of halachic principles in the form of a tripartite structure, as well as how this pattern emerged and the special style of its appearance in the passage.
The Genizah fragment Cambridge U-L T-S F2 (2) 23, numbered C98948 in the Friedberg Jewish Manuscr... more The Genizah fragment Cambridge U-L T-S F2 (2) 23, numbered C98948 in the Friedberg Jewish Manuscript Society, includes among other things the amoraic controversy between R. Eleazar and R. Jose son of R. Hanina, as well as the give and take between R. Safra and Abaye in Tractate Eruvin 103a. Some of the researchers are divided concerning the initial formation of the sugya. The controversy between R. Eleazar and R. Jose son of R. Hanina as presented in the fragment’s version poses difficulties and interferes with the ordered understanding of the methods utilized by these amoraim to solve the contradiction between the Mishna in Eruvin and the Mishna in Pesaḥim. The purpose of the article is to present the difficulties in the fragment’s version with regard to the abovementioned amoraic controversy and reach conclusions regarding the precise original version of the fragment. Thus too in the matter of the fragment’s version of the give and take between R. Safra and Abaye, which differs fr...
The article relates to a Genizah fragment associated with Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified ... more The article relates to a Genizah fragment associated with Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified as Cambridge, UL T-S F1 (2) 114, FGP No. C 93385. The article describes the Genizah fragment, the scribe‟s manner of work, the style of writing, and the palaeography of the script letters. The article presents the Vilna edition‟s version (Eruv. 54a) and then the wording of the Genizah fragment itself. Finally, there are several comments that refer to the fragment‟s contents in light of comparison between the Genizah fragment and the printed and manuscript versions of Tractate Eruvin.
The Talmud Bavli presents in Tractate Eruvin (104a) a controversy between two Amoraim, Ulla and R... more The Talmud Bavli presents in Tractate Eruvin (104a) a controversy between two Amoraim, Ulla and Rabbah. This controversy on the topic of producing a sound on the Sabbath is the context of the present study. According to Ulla, any production of sound on the Sabbath is forbidden, and according to Rabbah, producing a musical sound is prohibited on the Sabbath but producing a sound that is not musical is permitted. The purpose of the study is to present the two approaches to solving the controversy, where the dilemma is which of them should the halakha follow. The setting of the study is a comparative analysis of two different halakhic approaches. Accordingly, this controversy created two different fundamental halakhic approaches that have implications for the authority of the Talmud Bavli compared to the Talmud Yerushalmi, that is, which of these Talmuds has more authority than the other. The research methods of this article portray the various outlooks of the poskim and commentators, ...
The article presents a Genizah fragment related to Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified as Camb... more The article presents a Genizah fragment related to Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified as Cambridge, UL T-S F1 (2) 114, FGP No. C 93386. The article begins with a description of the Genizah fragment, and presents the contents of the fragment in writing together with a reproduction of the fragment itself. At the end of the article, reference is made to the content and several comments are brought in an effort to characterize the fragment.
Today's society in Israel is divided and torn on many issues, including religion, and Jewish and ... more Today's society in Israel is divided and torn on many issues, including religion, and Jewish and Israeli identity, yet occasionally, a single event emerges which combines several divisions. One such issue is the "identity crisis" also known as the question of "Who is a Jew?". This is a thorny complex problem, and one which has not yet been awarded a clear-cut constitutional solution. For example, it continues to be debated whether the religious definition should be the decisive factor, that is, should a Jew defined as an individual born to a mother who is Jewish or has been converted according to halacha, or whether Israeli identity is the more critical element and whether any individual born in or immigrated to Israel who served in the army, works and pays taxes in Israel, and identifies with the state's values should be identified as a Jew? In this paper, the author wishes to focus on equally complicated issue, although one has attracted less attention. This is the issue of halachic polarization or extremism that characterizes Judaism in modern Israel. Following a brief historical explanation, the author defines the problem at hand, and propose a solution.
Peace is a key concept in Jewish tradition with an extensive history. It is also an extremely bro... more Peace is a key concept in Jewish tradition with an extensive history. It is also an extremely broad concept. As former deputy to the president of Israel's Supreme Court, Chief Justice Prof. M. Elon, stated at a lecture he delivered at a 2004 conference at Haifa University, that peace is equivalent to liberty, justice, and equity. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss various attitudes and ideals concerning peace that are reflected in a selection of sources from the Hebrew Bible and are complemented by other Jewish sources.
Arquivo Maaravi: Revista Digital de Estudos Judaicos da UFMG
The article refers to a Cairo Genizah fragment related to Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified ... more The article refers to a Cairo Genizah fragment related to Bavli, Eruvin tractate 54a, identified as Cambridge, UL T-S F1 (1) 85. FGP Nº C 96542. The article begins with a description of the Genizah fragment, and presents the text of the printed version and finally, reference is made to the content of the fragment and several comments are brought in an effort to characterize the fragment. A reproduction of the fragment presented at the end of the article.
How to cite this article: Zur, U., 2020, 'Tale of a plaster-Different versions of a story and pos... more How to cite this article: Zur, U., 2020, 'Tale of a plaster-Different versions of a story and possible meaning of the phrase Lo shmiʿa li (Bavli Eruvin 102b)', HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 76(4), a5942.
The fragment is a segment from the Cairo Genizah, which refers to Tractate Eruvin in the Talmud B... more The fragment is a segment from the Cairo Genizah, which refers to Tractate Eruvin in the Talmud Bavli (4b-5a), and it is identified as Cambridge UL T-S F1 (1) 44. Here, we shall refer to one folio from the fragment, numbered C96446, in the Friedberg Jewish Manuscript Society website and selected at random. The length of the page is 27.4 cm. There are 30 lines in each page. The length of the inscribed part is 21 cm. The folio is torn along the entire outer left edge and perforated at the bottom. The edges of the fragment are faded because of damp stains. The fragment opens with the words חוצץ' דבר יהא שלא במים ...הי... ' (4b) and ends with the words תימא' וכי 'דפ[תח] (5a). From a palaeographic perspective, the type of writing in the fragment is of a familiar type, that of R. Joseph ben Jacob Rosh Hasseder (Ginat 1990) who lived in the late 12th century.
Uploads
Papers by Uri Zur