Samuel David Luzzatto (1800-1865), known by his Hebrew acronym Shadal, was the leading Italian Jewish scholar of the 19th century. A linguist, educator, and religious thinker, he devoted his talents above all to the interpretation of the Bible. As a master of Hebrew grammar and usage, he focused on the plain meaning of the text. Although he was a devout believer in the divinity, unity, and antiquity of the Torah, Shadal approached the text in a remarkably free spirit of inquiry, drawing upon a wide variety of sources, ancient and contemporary, Jewish and non-Jewish. As a result, his interpretations may strike even the modern reader as fresh and novel. Among the highlights of Shadal's Exodus (Shemot) commentary are his view of the Ten Plagues as nature-based phenomena that nevertheless contained supranatural qualities, his discerning literary analysis of the Song of the Sea, and his daring willingness--despite his acceptance of rabbinic halakhah in practice--to look behind the Rabbis' interpretation of the book's legal sections and examine their literal meanings. Shadal's treatment of Exodus, as well as the other books of the Torah, consisted of his Italian translation of the text and his Hebrew-language commentary. Here, for the first time, is an all-English version of both the text translation and the unabridged commentary, the first complete edition of Shadal's Exodus since its original publication in 1872. The translator-editor has supplied explanatory notes and a list identifying the sources cited.

Shadal on Exodus

Religion & Spirituality

Klein, Daniel A.

Luzzatto, Samuel D

Judaism

Kodesh Press L.L.C.

Judaism's emphasis on the value of human life has always spurred Jews to study medicine, and in this edition we feature a special section on Medicine and Halakhah. In "Gestational Surrogacy," prominent experts in halakhah and medicine describe what they feel are the steps that should be taken to avoid any halakhic questions with this modern medical miracle. In "Criminalization of HIV Transmission," a leading AIDS researcher and a rabbi discuss the serious risks that HIV poses to society and analyze, from the perspective of halakhah, what steps can and should be taken to stem its spread. The third article in this section is a departure from the others. "Obstetrics and the Curse of Eve," rather than celebrating the power of modern medicine, questions whether halakhic considerations such as modesty and hillul Shabbat should not argue for a return to natural childbirth. Several articles deal specifically with Hanukkah. In "The Movement of the Chanukah Menorah Indoors: a Historical and Halakhic Analysis," we see that some Rishonim considered the discomfort felt in lighting the menorah publicly among gentiles as included in what Hazal consider shaat hashmad. The menorah should therefore be lit outdoors only in Eretz Yisrael. A Hebrew article argues that ner Hanukkah is unique in requiring greater financial sacrifice than any other mitzvah and explores the reason for this and the meaning of pirsumei nissa. "What Motivated Antiochus to Issue His Decrees Against the Jews?" explores from a historical perspective why the Greeks were apparently willing to accommodate the religious practices of all nations in their Empire except that of the Jews. Other articles, while not dealing specifically with Hanukkah, touch upon its themes. In an article on "The Soul of the Jew and the Soul of the Non-Jew," we see that since the medieval period, most religious authorities have explained the enmity that Israel constantly experiences from the gentiles as a function of an essential difference in their makeup. Rambam is almost alone in not agreeing with this perspective. In "Rabbi Ishmael, Meet Jaimini" we see how other cultures use methodologies similar to those of the Rabbis to analyze their ancient texts, but a comparison also highlights the differences - among them how Judaism integrated study with prayer. This concept of the search for knowledge and truth is also the subject of a Hebrew essay on Tanur shel Ahinai. A review of R. Benny Lau's "Yirmiyahu: The Fate of a Prophet" shows how understanding the historical context of Sefer Yirmiyahu can help us learn valuable lessons that can be applied to overcome the internal and external challenges to rebuilding the land and people of Israel. In "Where Jerusalem Jews Worship" we learn that only in relatively recent history did Jews retreat to the Western Wall, and that the site that the Hashmonaim rededicated has always remained the holiest site in Judaism. Two scholarly studies round out this volume. "Kedushah, Shema, and the Difference Between Israel and the Angels" focuses on the differences between the Ashkenaz and Sefard versions of Kedushah and detects a conceptual underpinning to the divergent nushaot. A study of the early printings and manuscripts of the Talmud reveals the drawings that Rashi actually drew and traces how printers changed them to meet their needs. Finally a review of a recent book on the Vilna Gaon raises the question as to whether sufficient scholarship is being utilized in the study of Jewish History.

Hakirah: The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought

Zelcer, Heshey

Loike, John D.

Tendler, Moshe D.

Lockshin, Martin I.

Korobkin, N. Daniel

Balk, Hanan

Spira, Shalom C.

Wainberg, Mark A

Winberg, Seth

Hakirah

Hakirah: The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought (Volume 31)

Buchman, Asher Benzion

Triebitz, Meir

Weiner, Jason

Steinmetz, Jonah

Faur, Abe Halevy

Sochaczewski, Betzalel

Twersky, Geula

Storch, Ari

Reichman, Edward Isaac

Samuel David Luzzatto (1800-1865), known by his Hebrew acronym Shadal, was the leading Italian Jewish scholar of the 19th century. A linguist, educator, and religious thinker, he devoted his talents above all to the interpretation of the Bible. As a master of Hebrew grammar and usage, he focused on the plain meaning of the text. Although he was a devout believer in the divinity, unity, and antiquity of the Torah, Shadal approached the text in a remarkably free spirit of inquiry, drawing upon a wide variety of sources, ancient and contemporary, Jewish and non-Jewish. As a result, his interpretations may strike even the modern reader as fresh and novel. Shadal sets the tone with his very first comment on the Book of Genesis (Bereshit): “The wise understand that the intent of the Torah is not to teach of the natural sciences, but that the Torah was given only to direct humankind on the path of righteousness and justice…. Therefore it is not proper for the Torah scholar to force the Scriptures from their literal meaning to make them conform with the natural sciences, nor is it proper for the critic to deny the Divine origin of the Torah if he finds things in its stories that do not conform with scientific research.” Shadal’s treatment of Genesis, as well as the other books of the Torah, consisted of his Italian translation of the text and his Hebrew-language commentary. Here is an all-English version of both the text translation and the commentary, first published in 1998 but now revised and updated to reflect new and newly available sources of information and the latest Shadal-related scholarship.

Shadal on Genesis: Samuel David Luzzatto’s Interpretation of the Book of Bereshit (Shadal on the Torah)

Luzzatto, Samuel David

Kodesh Press

Samuel David Luzzatto (1800-1865), known by his Hebrew acronym Shadal, was the leading Italian Jewish scholar of the 19th century. A linguist, educator, and religious thinker, he devoted his talents above all to the interpretation of the Bible. As a master of Hebrew grammar and usage, he focused on the plain meaning of the text. Although he was a devout believer in the divinity, unity, and antiquity of the Torah, Shadal approached the text in a remarkably free spirit of inquiry, drawing upon a wide variety of sources, ancient and contemporary, Jewish and non-Jewish. As a result, his interpretations may strike even the modern reader as fresh and novel.

Shadal on Leviticus: Samuel David Luzzatto’s Interpretation of the Book of Vayikra (Shadal on the Torah)

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