Post by Admin on Jul 17, 2016 11:18:13 GMT
Temple Emanu-El Lifelong Learning Program – Summer 2016
Neusner, Jacob. Understanding Jewish Theology
Neusner’s Intro to Ch.11 – “The Literature of the Law”
Neusner, Jacob. Understanding Jewish Theology
Neusner’s Intro to Ch.11 – “The Literature of the Law”
Neusner’s Way of Torah’s thusfar addressed:
• routine and spontaneity in religious observance,
• how the theoretical foundations of halakhah have been the keystone linking belief and behavior, and
• the role of Torah (and its commentaries) in developing an ethical framework for living.
In this fourth and final segment of Part II, Neusner turned to Isadore Twersky’s explication of the role of the independent, yet coterminous, works of the 16th century Rabbis Joseph Karo and Moses Isserles in codifying the laws of Torah according to both Talmudic interpretations and to Sefardic and Ashkenazic practice.
Karo’s two works, Bet Yosef and the Shulchan Aruk and Isserles’ Darke MoshehI (often integrated in modern editions of the Shulchan Aruk) provide the basis for virtually all halakhic discussions to this day.
While describing a bit about the contents of these seminal documents, Twersky’s article generally focused on the historical and spiritual impetuses that led to their creation, asking:
Given the prior existence of the Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, what unanswered needs prompted Karo and Isserles to each devote three or more decades to produce what has come down to us as the Shulchan Aruk? Who were these authors? How clear were they in their intent?
With particular reference to Karo, how does one understand the linkage between Karo’s kabbalistic mysticism and what, on the surface at least, appears to be a didactic codification of law?
And for us as Reform and Conservative Jews, what spiritual insights can these 400+ year-old documents offer in the way of inspiration both to lead our lives in harmony with traditional halakhah and to provide a framework for contemporary generations’ expanded understanding and application of halakhah to our lives?