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Volume III, Issue 3 December 11, 2009/24 Kislev 5770 KOL HAMEVASER The Jewish Thought Magazine of the Yeshiva University Student Body Academic Interviews with, and Jewish Studies Articles by: Dr. David Berger, R. Dr. Richard Hidary, R. Dr. Joshua Berman, and Dr. Shawn-Zelig Aster p. 6, 8, 9, and 13 Jewish Responses to Wellhausen’s Docu- mentary Hypothesis AJ Berkovitz, p. 14 Tsiluta ke-Yoma de-Is- tana: Creating Clarity in the Beit Midrash Ilana Gadish, p. 18 Bible Study: Interpre- tation and Experience Ori Kanefsky, p. 19 Religious Authenticity and Historical Con- sciousness Eli Putterman on p. 20 Kol Hamevaser Contents Kol Hamevaser Volume III, Issue 3 The Student Thought Magazine of the Yeshiva December 11, 2009 24 Kislev 5770 University Student body Editorial Shlomo Zuckier 3 Academic Jewish Studies: Benefits and Staff Dangers Editors-in-Chief Letter-to-the-Editor Sarit Bendavid Shaul Seidler-Feller Mordechai Shichtman 5 Letter-to-the-Editors Associate Editor Academic Jewish Studies Shlomo Zuckier Staff 6 An Interview with Dr. David Berger Layout Editor Rabbi Dr. Richard Hidary 8 Traditional versus Academic Talmud Menachem Spira Study: “Hilkhakh Nimrinhu le-Tarvaihu” Editor Emeritus Shlomo Zuckier 9 An Interview with Rabbi Dr. Joshua Alex Ozar Berman Staff Writers Staff 13 An Interview with Dr. Shawn-Zelig Aster Yoni Brander Jake Friedman Abraham Jacob Berkovitz 14 Jewish Responses to Wellhausen’s Doc- Ilana Gadish umentary Hypothesis Nicole Grubner Nate Jaret Ilana Gadish 18 Tsiluta ke-Yoma de-Istana: Creating Clar- Ori Kanefsky ity in the Beit Midrash Alex Luxenberg Emmanuel Sanders Ori Kanefsky 19 Bible Study: Interpretation and Experi- Yossi Steinberger ence Jonathan Ziring Eli Putterman 20 Religious Authenticity and Historical Copy Editor Consciousness Benjamin Abramowitz Dovid Halpern 23 Not by Day and Not by Night: Jewish Webmaster Philosophy’s Place Reexamined Ben Kandel General Jewish Thought Cover Design Yehezkel Carl Nathaniel Jaret 24 Reality Check?: A Response to Mr. Sei- dler-Feller’s Response Business Manager Saadia Fireman Yossi Steinberger 26 Spreading Serarah Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik 27 Rav Soloveitchik’s “A Yid iz Geglichn tzu About Kol Hamevaser a Seyfer Toyre” Kol Hamevaser is a magazine of Jewish thought dedicated to sparking the dis- Reviews cussion of Jewish issues on the Yeshiva University campus. It will serve as a forum Shlomo Zuckier 29 A Fresh Look at the Aggadah for the introduction and development of new ideas. The major contributors to Kol Hamevaser will be the undergraduate population, along with regular input Benjy Bloch 30 Ensuring That the World Does Not For- from RIETS Rashei Yeshivah, YU Professors, educators from Yeshivot and Semi- get: The Illinois Holocaust Museum and naries in Israel, and outside experts. In addition to the regular editions, Kol Education Center Hamevaser will be sponsoring in-depth special issues, speakers, discussion groups, shabbatonim, and regular web activity. We hope to facilitate the religious and intellectual growth of Yeshiva University and the larger Jewish community. This magazine contains words of Torah. Please treat it with proper respect. 2 www.kolhamevaser.com Volume III, Issue 3 Academic Jewish Studies Editorial Academic Jewish Studies: Benefits and Dangers BY: Shlomo Zuckier the second in The Lonely Man of Faith if not ied in traditional settings,xiii and there is no in- Jewish thought. The academic enterprise of for the famous critical understandings of Be- herent talmud Torah value in learning about the study of Jewish philosophy can also be Reshit 1 and 2?vi In a similar vein, certain ac- historical events, so the primary question re- very helpful to traditional learning; for exam- s the enterprise of Academic Jewish Stud- ademic approaches to the Talmud enrich our garding history is not how it assists some other ple, it benefits the traditional student by organ- ies a worthwhile one? This issue of Kol understanding of the text. What might be re- endeavor but rather what value it possesses in izing stray pieces of information, which Hamevaser deals with the interaction be- ferred to as the intellectual history of the its own right. At one level, assuming God promotes an ease of access to it.xviii,xix I vii xiv tween this wide and varied field, with all its Bavli, the analysis of Amoraic opinions with shapes history, learning the Jewish People’s We now turn to the other side of the story, distinct branches, and the Orthodox Jew. I an eye towards consistency in their approaches history is essentially the study of how God has the potential drawbacks resulting from an Or- would like to take a broad look at what this ap- (which some claim is an extension of the “le- related to Israel in this world, which is of ut- thodox Jew’s engagement in Academic Jewish proach has to offer the thinking Orthodox Jew shittatam” method in Talmudic parlanceviii), most value to the religious individual.xv On a Studies.xx I believe there are three main prob- and what dangers it holds in store for him or can help us better understand the positions of less divine level, analyzing the history of the lems that may result, which vary in intensity her.i This presentation is by no means compre- these Sages. periods in which important religious figures and relevance across the different areas of Jew- hensive, and it does not necessarily reflect any Furthermore, the label “Academic Jewish lived helps us understand their Weltanschau- ish Studies. one position on the issue, but I hope that this Studies” can be somewhat misleading at times, ungen and thus better appreciate their impact. The most obvious issue facing a person adumbration of the range of relevant advan- as many of the approaches now pursued prima- Furthermore, in order to contextualize certain pursuing academic approaches to Judaism is tages and dangers in the academic study of rily or exclusively in the Academy were for- religious questions that consistently appear that of kefirah. We have all heard about the Jewish texts can be a useful resource nonethe- merly firmly rooted in the metaphorical beit throughout Jewish history, such as the chal- story of Rav Soloveitchik’s student who en- less. midrash. The study of Hebrew grammar, the lenge of how to interact with the outside world, tered academia and the “plane crash” that re- Academic Jewish Studies possesses a implementation of certain literary tools, efforts one must properly understand the relevant his- sulted,xxi and the risk of accepting heretical complicated relationship with traditional Jew- to ascertain the proper girsa of the Gemara and torical periods.xvi In a more practical sense, beliefs is probably the most visible and oft-dis- ish learning and prac- cussed problem raised by peo- tice, serving as both its “In the academic world, the greatest respect is reserved for the very institution of academic pur- ple discussing the field of handmaiden and rival. Academic Jewish Studies. Many methods later suit and its findings, while the object of study – in our case, Judaism – is at times subjected to There are several cardinal be- championed in aca- criticism or at least indifference, and religious texts might not receive the respect due them.” liefs (ikkarim) that might po- demic study were first tentially be endangered by utilized by classical mefareshim, and novel ac- the analysis of consistent Amoraic opinions and in consonance with George Santayana’s one’s encounter with the Academy. Com- ademic interpretations can aid the religious referenced above are each a part of the tradi- dictum “Those who ignore history are destined monly mentioned in this context is Rambam’s Jew as well; at the same time, however, much tional commentaries on the Tanakh and/or Tal- to repeat it,” we have an obligation to learn eighth ikkar, which states that the Torah as we of academic scholarship directly or indirectly mud. from our mistakes; Judaism has both a colorful have it was given to Moshe Rabbeinu in that undermines classical learning and/or belief. Additionally, approaching the Bible and and dark history, but it has always survived, same form. This is obviously not the main- How should we view this dually oppositional Talmud with a historical mindset, a modus and we must maintain that perseverance. stream view of the Academy.xxii An additional and supportive role that academic study serves operandi of the academic method but a tool Aside from history’s intellectual function of concern is the possibility of falling prey to ke- to Torah study in particular and religiosity in often ignored in traditional learning, can at furthering our understanding, it can also serve firah regarding the halakhic process, which the general? times be very instructive in the study of these to deepen the connection of a Jew to his reli- Academy may understand in a different way Beginning with the positive, Academic texts. Knowledge of the relevant history is in- gion and culture in a visceral, if not intellec- than traditional Judaism. The academic ap- Jewish Studies can assist the traditional Jew ei- strumental in understanding the basic meaning tual, sense. Last, but not least, it is important proach does not generally see halakhot as di- ther by providing technical information or of many perakim in Tanakh. At times, know- in another vein as well – all Jews (religious or vinely ordained (for de-Oraitas) or validly through offering alternative constructive ing the Ancient Near Eastern background of a otherwise) would be well served if they were interpreted by the Rabbis (for de-Rabbanans)
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