G'dulat Mordechai

In this volume, students and colleagues of beloved teacher Mark Washofsky honor his erudition, superb pedagogy, kindness, humor, and flare with a collection of essays that reflect Washofsky's incisive thought and expertise. Rabbi Mark Washofsky, Ph.D., Solomon B. Freehof Professor of Jewish Law and Practice and distinguished ethicist of the Reform Movement, specializes in the literature of the Talmud and Jewish law. Dr. Washofsky focuses on how Jewish tradition responds to contemporary issues. His book, Jewish Living: A Guide to Contemporary Reform Practice, serves as a desk reference for many congregational leaders and professionals. His extensive publications include Reform Responsa for the Twenty-First Century as well as essays and articles on medieval halakhic literature, the application of legal theory to the study of Jewish law, Jewish bioethics, outreach and conversion.



Personal Introduction David E. Ostrich, Rabbi, Congregation Brit Shalom, State College, Pennsylvania Collegial Reminiscenses Richard Sarason, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion Publications of Mark Washofsky The Symbolic Power of Aggadic-Halakhic Discourse: The Strange Case of Jacob of Nevuriyah David H. Aaron, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion Literary Criteria by Which to Identify Sifra's "Simple" Core: Sifra Emor, Par. 1:1 53 Howard L. Apothaker, Capital University Why Are There Large Halakhic Midrashic Units in the Mishnah? Michael Chernick, Professor Emeritus, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion Constructing Ignorance: Judaic Manipulations of Non-Knowledge Jonathan K. Crane, Emory University One Foot In, One Foot Out: Intertextuality, Halakhah, and Aggadah in the Babylonian Talmud Tamar Duvdevani, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion Dr. Freehof Treats Job the Patient: Solomon B. Freehof as Parshan and Posek Jason Kalman, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion The Elusive "Torah" in the Texts of the Second Temple Era 247 John Kampen, Methodist Theological School in Ohio Yafeh Talmud Torah im Derekh Eretz: Torah Study Combined with Ethical Practice is Beautiful 285 Jan Katzew, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion The CCAR Responsa Committee under Dr. Mark Washofsky Audrey R. Korotkin, Rabbi, Temple Beth Israel, Altoona, Pennsylvania "Opened Lips, Tongues and Hearts": The Roles of the Verses Framing the Amidah Ruth Langer, Boston College Rabbis and Their Interlocutors between Palestine and Babylonia David Levine, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion "Not in the Heavens": A Poetic Celebration of Accessible Revelation Laura S. Lieber, University of Regensburg Types of Kavanah in the Classical Rabbinic Texts 421 Alona Lisitsa, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion Some Parascriptural Perspectives on the History of Religion: Prophets, Monotheism, and Scriptures according to al-Kis?'? and Cognate Sources 441 John C. Reeves, University of North Carolina at Charlotte "It Was All a Grand Deception": Yenta the Agunah, American Immigration Law, and Rabbi Abraham A. Yudelovitch 463 Jonathan D. Sarna, Brandeis University The Art of Halakhic Rhetoric: A Study in the Nature of Modern Responsa 475 A. Brian Stoller, Rabbi, Temple Beth-El, Great Neck, New York I Want to Come Home: An Exploration of Rosh's Responsum 32:8 and the Issue of the Converted Wife 503 Jeremy R. Weisblatt, Campus Director and Rabbi, Kristol Center for Jewish Life, Hillel, University of Delaware