Rabbinic Traditions of Personal Behavior: A New Window into Halakha
Alongside Talmudic rulings and discussions, there are hundreds of traditions that describe the personal behavior and habits of rabbis. These are descriptions, often at a very high resolution of rabbis’ religious practices and bodily movements and gestures. Sometimes the behavior is presented as an example or proof of a certain halakha, while other times, it is scrutinized and challenged, as it goes against other known teachings. These many traditions reveal a culture in which the careful examination of the personal actions and habits of teachers, peers, and students, and the subsequent transmission and discussion of these recorded moments, was a central component of rabbinic training and study. What is more, the traditions disclose another dimension to rabbinic halakha. A concept that is often translated as Jewish law, that emerges through these traditions as rabbinic habit and way of life.
In this series, we will analyze a selection of rabbinic traditions of personal behavior, and discuss their meaning and significance, what they contribute to our understanding of rabbinic culture, and how they reshape our notions of halakha. We will also use these materials to reflect on contemporary forms of examination of personal behavior and habit and how they impact our culture
