H-Judaic CFP: International Conference: David Zvi Hoffmann (1843-1921): Scholar, Exegete, Halakhist

Discussion published by Elli Fischer on Tuesday, June 29, 2021

The Hebrew Year 5782 will mark the 100th anniversary of the passing of Rabbi David Zvi Hoffmann, the Hungarian-born rector of the Orthodox Rabbinical Seminary in during the first decades of the 20th century. In addition to training a generation of , his literary legacy includes his commentaries and scholarly writings on the Pentateuch, volumes of halakhic , and several treatises on Talmudic literature, especially on the formal composition of Tannaitic literature.

These works not only display his breadth of knowledge and intellectual versatility, but also his capacity to inhabit different roles in parochial settings and the academy, to “code-switch” from the style and conventions of critical scholarship to the parlance of the traditional halakhah, engaging Wissenschaft des Judentums practitioners in one essay, then citing traditionalist authorities in his halakhic rulings.

We will mark his centennial yahrzeit by examining these distinct elements of his works and activities with the aim of achieving a more rigorous and critical portrait of a person who became an exemplar for Jewish scholars who seek to navigate the standards of balanced, scientific investigation with remaining embedded in and committed to their faith communities.

Scholars are invited to submit proposals for 20-minute lectures on aspects of Hoffmann’s life, works, or legacy.

The conference is scheduled to take place at Bar-Ilan University on Tuesday, January 3, 2022 (1 Shevat, 5782)

Please send proposals to [email protected] by August 31, 2021 (23 Elul, 5781)

Academic Organizing Committee: Emmanuel Bloch, Adam Ferziger, Elli Fischer, Tova Ganzel

Citation: Elli Fischer. CFP: International Conference: Rabbi David Zvi Hoffmann (1843-1921): Scholar, Exegete, Halakhist. H-Judaic. 06-29-2021. https://networks.h-net.org/node/28655/discussions/7880558/cfp-international-conference-rabbi-david-zvi-hoffmann-1843-1921 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 1