Category Archives: Marc B. Shapiro

What’s The Difference Between A Torah Scholar And A Gadol?

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Luke Ford

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 →

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Racist Statements In Torah

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Luke Ford

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 →

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It’s OK To Go To Lectures By Old Ladies

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Luke Ford

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 →

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The Jewish View Of Hinduism

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Luke Ford

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 →

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The Last Of The Pure Sephardic Poskim

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Luke Ford

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 →

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