The Halakhic Process: A (Brief) History
This class sketches the historical trajectory of the primary halakhic texts and the methods and processes they followed. What texts shaped how the law developed? Why did those texts become binding or at least central? As we move into new eras, how much of an active role do the earlier texts still play? Can the text of the Bible still be brought to bear directly on halakhic decisions, or can it only be accessed through the lens of the later canons of interpretation? As so much of halakhah was developed in particular communities and geographic regions, how has globalization affected the models of authority? What does this shift mean for both law and custom in the modern world? We will approach these questions in attempting to understand both how we reached the modern moment and what this means going forward.