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Category Archives: Marc B. Shapiro
What’s The Difference Between A Torah Scholar And A Gadol?
In a lecture on rabbinic biographies for Torah in Motion, Orthodox rabbi and history professor Marc B. Shapiro says: “In the haredi world [ultra-Orthodoxy], [Rav J.B. Soloveitchik] is recognized as a Torah scholar but not as a gadol [great rabbi]. … Continue reading
Posted in Marc B. Shapiro, Orthodoxy, R. J. B. Soloveitchik, Rabbis
Tagged chazon ish, haredi world, Marc B. Shapiro, orthodox rabbi, torah in motion, torah scholar
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It’s OK To Go To Lectures By Old Ladies
Marc B. Shapiro writes: “Who says we make no distinctions between a regular woman and what I termed a “very old” woman. R. Aviner told me that in his opinion it is forbidden to attend a lecture given by a … Continue reading
Posted in Marc B. Shapiro, Orthodoxy
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The Jewish View Of Hinduism
Marc B. Shapiro writes: I think readers will find this document interesting: link (pdf). It contains the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s acknowledgment that Hinduism is monotheistic. In fact—and I know that people will find this hard to accept—from a Jewish … Continue reading
Posted in Marc B. Shapiro
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The Last Of The Pure Sephardic Poskim
In a 2008 lecture for Torah in Motion on Rabbi Ben Zion Uzziel (former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel), history professor Marc B. Shapiro says: He’s one of the last of the few Sephardic poskim (deciders of Jewish law). The … Continue reading
Posted in Ashkenazim, Marc B. Shapiro, Orthodoxy, R. J. B. Soloveitchik, Sephardim, Yeshiva
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Was Rabbi Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg The Only Gadol In History To Have A Real Friendship With A Non-Jew?
In his first lecture on the Sridei Aish (Rabbi Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg) for Torah in Motion, Dr. Marc B. Shapiro says: Rabbi Weinberg was friends with Paul Kahle, a leading [non-Jewish] scholar of masoretic studies of the Targum. He was … Continue reading
Posted in Marc B. Shapiro, Orthodoxy
Tagged gadol, intimate friendship, jewish scholar, Marc B. Shapiro, paul kahle, torah in motion
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Outside Of Chabad, Hasidic Women Are Not Allowed To Drive
In his second 2007 lecture on David Zvi Hoffman, Dr. Marc B. Shapiro says: If some Hasidic leader got up and said that we value our women so much, that is why they’re not allowed to drive. We believe that … Continue reading
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Is James Kugel Orthodox?
James Kugel is a famous Bible scholar who takes unorthodox approaches to understanding the origins of the Torah. Dr. Marc B. Shapiro says in a 2007 lecture for Torah in Motion on Rabbi David Zvi Hoffman: “The idea that the … Continue reading
Posted in Bible, James Kugel, Marc B. Shapiro
Tagged bible scholar, James kugel, louis finkelstein, Marc B. Shapiro, shomer, torah in motion, umberto cassuto, unorthodox approaches
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Denying Science Makes A Mockery Of Orthodox Judaism
In a 2009 lecture on Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch for Torah in Motion, Dr. Marc B. Shapiro says: “It’s impossible to cover up these things now they’re out there [online]. “Hirsch says we’re not bound to any opposition to science. … Continue reading
Posted in Evolution, Marc B. Shapiro, Orthodoxy
Tagged great lover, kook, Marc B. Shapiro, mythical creatures, orthodox judaism, Rabbis, samson raphael hirsch, slifkin
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The Rav Forbade Congregational Singing
In his part two lecture on Rabbi Esriel Hildesheimer for Torah in Motion, Dr. Marc B. Shapiro says: “Congregational singing wasn’t even done in Germany. It was choir singing. It’s an American thing. It might be a development of the … Continue reading
Posted in Marc B. Shapiro, Orthodoxy, R. J. B. Soloveitchik
Tagged israel movement, Marc B. Shapiro, torah in motion, yeshivish, Young Israel
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Racist Statements In Torah
DF writes to Marc B. Shapiro: You assert that some things, viz, negative comments about non-Jews or blacks, should be kept out of school. But there are many such statements, about both categories, in rabbinic works down throughout the centuries. … Continue reading →