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Rav Steinsiltz, or, as he was known in some circles—Rav Adin, z”l.
There really aren’t any words to do him and his projects justice, especially not now, so here are just some random thoughts and anecdotes: 1/?
There really aren’t any words to do him and his projects justice, especially not now, so here are just some random thoughts and anecdotes: 1/?
It’s of course far too early to tell, but I don’t think the comparisons with Rashi are so far off.
His “short and sweet” approach to commentary was obviously inspired by Rashi’s model. 2?
His “short and sweet” approach to commentary was obviously inspired by Rashi’s model. 2?
But more importantly, I really do think that, since Rashi, no other single individual has so drastically increased the number of people who can have access to the Talmud. It's really as simple as that. 3?
Another comparison is that it’s not just a person, but a brand—a team of scholars who cultivated a voice & approach: not exactly a hassidus (in other regards it kind of is), but a joint project of commentary—like what we call דבי רש״י or בית מדרשו של רש״י.
4/?
4/?
His “Reference Guide to the Talmud” is, I think, the best one volume introduction to how the Talmud “works,” and I often recommend it to academics. 5/?
I can’t really speak as much to his work on Hassidus and Kabbalah (or Bible!), but I do hope that ppl speak about his contributions in those areas as well (paging @jorosenfeld) 6/?
Actually, I do remember Rav Froman once commenting on “a friend of his” who got flack for his “rewording” of Rav Nahman’s stories.
Rav Froman said he agreed with “this friend” that “rewording” (perhaps a form of translation?) was, ahem, part of the point, and legitimate. 7/?
Rav Froman said he agreed with “this friend” that “rewording” (perhaps a form of translation?) was, ahem, part of the point, and legitimate. 7/?
Also, still can’t believe there was once a yeshiva, albeit short-lived, where Rabbis Shagar, Froman, and Steinsaltz all taught together—known colloquially as “Shefa” (= Shagar + Froman + Adin; while I'm no longer in that world, the products of Shefa had a big impact on me.) 8/?
(Remembering seeing Steinsaltz just walking around the neighborhood in Jerusalem, his pipe not far; and wishing him a “Gut Shabbes” in the Hildesheimer synagogue in the German Colony) 9/?
One amazing thing abt the Talmud commentary and translation was that he just went on doing it despite the vitriolic criticism from leading Hareidi rabbis. 10/?
Most critiques centered on the “heretical” aspects of his work—utilizing some academic conclusions and methods, and, in his stuff on the Bible, using literary strategies and providing some unflattering images of "Biblical Characters." 11/?
As is often the case, the most interesting critique was Rav Shach’s, published in Yated Ne’eman om 8.11.89
(perhaps @MyShtender has a scan??)
12/?
(perhaps @MyShtender has a scan??)
12/?
According to R. Shach, not only is Steinsaltz a heretic, but his commentary/translation “makes the the study of Gemara easier," “erasing any spark of holiness and faith,” making the Talmud “like a law book of the goyim,” and leading to “the forgetting of the Torah” (!!) 13/?
For Rav Shach (a widely influential rabbi, whose essays and speeches don’t get enough recognition in the US, imo) it is better that fewer study, but study correctly—“a little bit of light can extinguish much darkness.” 14/?
So yah, Rav Steinsaltz’s view on access to Talmud and other Jewish texts was the exact opposite of that (even if he may have, at the time, tried somewhat to step back some of what he had written).
And I think it's fair to say that he won this battle. 15/?
And I think it's fair to say that he won this battle. 15/?
And also, ofc noteworthy that Steinsaltz did what he did “not so as to receive a reward.”
Famously, Steinsaltz *just happened* to be out of the country when he was supposed to receive the Israel Prize, in 1988 (from Ma’ariv 4.25.88). Certainly a move. 16/?
Famously, Steinsaltz *just happened* to be out of the country when he was supposed to receive the Israel Prize, in 1988 (from Ma’ariv 4.25.88). Certainly a move. 16/?
@YehudahMirsky once wrote of the Steinsaltz Talmud that “the very typeface and layout bespoke this kind of Mapai/zionist realist aesthetic.”
(This was in a convo on the @TalmudBlog, before the heyday of Twitter, when ppl would comment on blog posts) https://thetalmud.blog/2012/03/01/talking-about-a-revolution/#comment-863 17/?
(This was in a convo on the @TalmudBlog, before the heyday of Twitter, when ppl would comment on blog posts) https://thetalmud.blog/2012/03/01/talking-about-a-revolution/#comment-863 17/?
I love that description.
Yet what is amazing is that Steinsaltz’s Talmud has already far outlived this aesthetic, its moment, its ideological boundaries and geographies, and also its very stage in the history of the Jewish book. 18/?
Yet what is amazing is that Steinsaltz’s Talmud has already far outlived this aesthetic, its moment, its ideological boundaries and geographies, and also its very stage in the history of the Jewish book. 18/?
There’s no doubt, in my mind, that the success of Steinsaltz & the brand is due to this not caring abt what people think, & just doing instead what he thought would be best for spreading Torah to as many people as possible—he was a Chabadnik, afterall. 19/?
Yet I’m remembering also how during a fabrengen in Tekoa for the 18th of Elul—one of the most important days in the Chabad calendar!—he criticized us for not reading the writings of the Maharal of Prague, whose yahrtzeit is the 18th of Elul. 20/?
And I’m thinking also of the future fabrengens that we will no doubt have on the 17th of Av.
יהי זכרו ברוך
21/end
יהי זכרו ברוך
21/end
