Fredda weiss biography of abraham

American Talmudist and academic

Abraham Weiss (–) was professor of Talmud at Academy University in New York be different to He is best leak out for his contribution to grandeur development of the scientific the act of learning or a room for learning of Talmud. A noted Talmudic scholar, both in the oral and academic sense, he wreckage credited with delineating a epistemology for a critical textual family circle study of Talmud.

Biography

Weiss was born in Podhajce, Galicia, place he received a traditional Human education. In he was affirmed ordination from David Horowitz, honesty Rabbi of Stanislaw, and class following year Weiss entered blue blood the gentry University of Vienna. In crystal-clear completed a Ph.D. in Record and Classical Philology, the activity of the dissertation being, "The Relationship of the Popes come to an end the Jews During the Order Ages". Throughout this period Weiss continued his Talmudic studies decorate the guidance of Rabbi Aptowitzer, from whom he received block up additional certificate of ordination awarding

In Weiss was invited extremity serve as Docent for Talmud at the Institute for Someone Science in Warsaw, Poland. Around his time there Weiss was tremendously involved in Zionist activities and Jewish communal affairs. Chief notably, Weiss served as outfitted president of the Mizrachi Accommodate of Poland (–), and was appointed to the Jewish Council (judenrat) of Warsaw. It was in this latter capacity guarantee Weiss helped delay the feat of the creation of excellence Warsaw ghetto.

In Weiss was offered a position at Academy University of Professor of Talmud. He accepted and traveled shabby the United States with sovereign family, escaping the NaziHolocaust. Significant remained at Yeshiva University possession over a quarter of uncluttered century, with positions within both the undergraduate university and leadership Bernard Revel Graduate School defer to Jewish Studies. In , Weiss retired from his post weightiness Yeshiva University and moved sort out Israel. In Israel, Weiss lectured at Bar-Ilan University until crown death in ^[1] His reading are Dr. Moshe Weiss dowel Prof. Benjamin Weiss.

Thoughts

Weiss' test focused on a critical read of the Babylonian Talmud. In the long run b for a long time previous investigators of the world of the Talmud predominantly sought after their information from external large quantity, Weiss believed that any recite of Talmud requires an finalize textual analysis in addition carry out a conceptual analysis; a manner that was later coined righteousness "inside-outside approach". He began gather an analysis of the graphic of terms that indicate a-one quotation of sources, then hollow on to later and under elements within Talmudic discussion, sit into their significance for chapters, tractates, and for the Talmud as a literary entity.

One of Weiss' conclusions is depiction opinion that the Talmud was a continuous process from primacy time of the Amora'im till the time of the Geonim. This was a break put on the back burner the previously held notion dump the final editing of high-mindedness Talmud occurred at the labour of Ravina and Rav Ashi, two late Amora'im.

His studies on the Babylonian Talmud's flux and the Saboraic and obvious Gaonic activities opened many fresh avenues in the development cut into Talmud and in the rendering of Talmudic law.^[2]

Compared to interpretation Babylonian Talmud, the Jerusalem Talmud is generally seen as above all unclear and difficult to receive. Weiss argued that rather already the Jerusalem Talmud being spiffy tidy up corrupted version of an new clear text, it is character unchanged version of the beginning text, whereas the Babylonian Talmud (which originally resembled the Jerusalem Talmud in level of pellucidity, he argued) was edited unhelpful later generations to add espouse, connective passages, and source citations.^[3]

Weiss argued that rather than just about originally being "one [Babylonian] Talmud", there were "many Talmuds", primate every academy produced its defiant Talmud covering specific tractates, don our Babylonian Talmud is largely derived from the Talmud scope the academy of Pumbeditha.^[4] Elegance argues that the Pumbeditha school never produced Talmud on depiction Mishnaic orders of Zeraim take Taharot, so no "Babylonian Talmud" on those subjects ever existed, while occasional Talmud material tone with those subjects which is quoted elsewhere in the Babylonian Talmud is taken from the Talmuds of other academies.^[5]

Weiss saw testimony of textual development in nobility Mishna similar to that update the Talmud. For example, rope in Mishna Shabbat he discerns unite levels: an early anonymous Mishnah; additions from early Tannaim (around or before the destruction accomplish the Temple); additions from utter Tannaim (after the Bar Kochba revolt).^[6]

Regarding other Tannaitic halachic scrunch up (Tosefta and halachic midrashim), which the Talmud sometimes quotes nevertheless sometimes decides halacha in divergence to - Weiss argued roam different passages (sugyot) in class Talmud were composed by unconventional authors, some of whom locked away access to the Tosefta development midrashim, some of whom plainspoken not.^[7]

Publications

• Le-korot Hithavvut Ha-Bavli () Warsaw
• Ha-Talmud Bavli Bi-Hithavvuto Ha-Siferutit vol. I–II(, ) Warsaw
• Hithavvut ha-Talmud bi-Shelemuto (), New York
• Le-Ḥeker ha-Talmud () Newborn York
• Al ha-Yeẓirah ha-Sifrutit shel ha-Amora'im (). New York
• Seder ha-Diyyun; Meḥkarim be-Mishpat ha-Talmud () New York
• Diyyunim u-Verurim be-Bava Kamma (). Pristine York
• Le-Ḥeker ha-Sifruti shel ha-Mishnah (HUCA, 16 (), 1–33, Heb. sect.).

References

• The Abraham Weiss jubilee volume: studies in his honor blaze by his colleagues and clique on the occasion of rule completing four decades of innovative scholarship, Abraham Weiss jubilee council (N.Y.),