Four New Responsa by Professor Louis Gin
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Hidden among Rabbi Harry Cohen's papers lay four remarkable responsa penned by Louis Ginzberg (1873-1953), the preeminent Talmudist who shaped Conservative Judaism's legal framework for four decades. Written between 1920-1924, these previously unpublished religious rulings address questions ranging from the permissibility of animal engravings on gravestones to female conversion procedures, mourning practices, and scholarly inquiries about medieval biblical commentary. Through philological analysis and historical contextualization, the responsa reveal Ginzberg's sophisticated legal methodology: his first ruling demonstrates a nuanced approach to graven image prohibitions, balancing strict interpretations with contemporary needs. His second showcases a complex negotiation of conversion standards amid American Jewish realities, particularly regarding ritual immersion requirements. The third responsum exhibits flexibility in mourning customs related to synagogue roles, while the fourth displays Ginzberg's masterful scholarly tracing of medieval midrashic interpretations. Together, these newly discovered texts illuminate how Ginzberg navigated between traditional Jewish law and modern American Jewish life, significantly advancing our understanding of Conservative halakhic development and revealing his profound, previously underappreciated influence on early twentieth-century American Jewish religious practice.

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Published 2000
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David Golinkin