Halakhah for the Ages? Reading Responsa from a Bygone Era
Halakhic responsa provide a window into the minds of legal scholars and decisors – and also into the social, political, and religious fabric of the societies they serve. In this course, we will study a sampling of such texts from medieval Europe on topics ranging from organized crime to marital conflict and interfaith cooperation. We will examine these premodern rabbinic rulings with an eye to their legal significance and creativity, as well as to their value as sources of Jewish history. Class discussions will address fundamental questions about the evolving and contingent nature of halakhah and the role of scholars and laypeople in its development and dissemination. Sources will be provided in both original language and English translation.
