Asaf Yedidya is head of the Department of History at Efrata College and a senior lecturer at Ariel University.

With the emergence of Zionism and the quest for a Jewish state, a series of issues involving a confrontation between modern Jewish sovereignty and traditional Jewish law, Halakha, developed. Asaf Yedidya's focuses on a number of the major issues and has written a book containing his fine analyses that is a significant contribution to the historical and social scientific study of Halakha

• Introduction 1 The Halakha in the Face of Modernity and Zionism Reform, Orthodoxy, Modernity Nationalism and Zionism The Shmita Debate of 5649 (1888–1889) 2 “Government in the Spirit of the Talmud”: The Pioneering Discussion of Zeev Jawitz (1904) Between Theocracy and the Separation of State and Religion Religion and Political Life Religion and Science Religion and Life 3 The Balfour Declaration and the Pioneering Debate on Halakha and the Challenge of Sovereignty (1917–1921)Against the Separation of Religion and State Restoration of the Sanhedrin Democracy and Halakhic Reforms Mishpatey HaMeluchah—The Proposal of a SeparateMonarchical Legal System National Acceptance of Halakha 4 The Age of Jurists (1918–1948) Jewish Law as Zionist Law Enactments, Not Amendments Abraham Chaim Freimann Isaac Breuer 15 The Rabbinical Debate on the Eve of the Establishment of the State of Israel and in its Early Years (1947–1953) The Chief Rabbinate of Israel: Halakha in the Grip of Democracy The Status of Non-Jewish Minorities A Daughter’s Inheritance Leo Cohen’s Draft of Constitution American Rabbis: Democratic Halakha 6 The Younger Generation of Zionist Rabbis Faces the Challenge of Sovereignty (1948–1962) Halakhic Validation: The Theoretical Halakhic Debate on Diverse Aspects of State Institutions Religious Legislation Halakha That Regulates and Halakha That Challenges: Renewing Halakhot of Battle and the Army 7 Religious Academics and the Challenge of Sovereignty (1948–1967) ”Permissive State or Torah State”—Criticizing the Need to Make Halakha More Flexible in Order to Adapt It to Reality Observing the Sabbath in the State of Israel The Status of Women Ephraim Elimelech Urbach and the Movement for Torah Judaism Epilogue Bibliography Index About the Author

Asaf Yedidya is head of the Department of History at Efrata College and a senior lecturer at Ariel University.

With the emergence of Zionism and the quest for a Jewish state, a series of issues involving a confrontation between modern Jewish sovereignty and traditional Jewish law, Halakha, developed. Asaf Yedidya's focuses on a number of the major issues and has written a book containing his fine analyses that is a significant contribution to the historical and social scientific study of Halakha

• Introduction 1 The Halakha in the Face of Modernity and Zionism Reform, Orthodoxy, Modernity Nationalism and Zionism The Shmita Debate of 5649 (1888–1889) 2 “Government in the Spirit of the Talmud”: The Pioneering Discussion of Zeev Jawitz (1904) Between Theocracy and the Separation of State and Religion Religion and Political Life Religion and Science Religion and Life 3 The Balfour Declaration and the Pioneering Debate on Halakha and the Challenge of Sovereignty (1917–1921)Against the Separation of Religion and State Restoration of the Sanhedrin Democracy and Halakhic Reforms Mishpatey HaMeluchah—The Proposal of a SeparateMonarchical Legal System National Acceptance of Halakha 4 The Age of Jurists (1918–1948) Jewish Law as Zionist Law Enactments, Not Amendments Abraham Chaim Freimann Isaac Breuer 15 The Rabbinical Debate on the Eve of the Establishment of the State of Israel and in its Early Years (1947–1953) The Chief Rabbinate of Israel: Halakha in the Grip of Democracy The Status of Non-Jewish Minorities A Daughter’s Inheritance Leo Cohen’s Draft of Constitution American Rabbis: Democratic Halakha 6 The Younger Generation of Zionist Rabbis Faces the Challenge of Sovereignty (1948–1962) Halakhic Validation: The Theoretical Halakhic Debate on Diverse Aspects of State Institutions Religious Legislation Halakha That Regulates and Halakha That Challenges: Renewing Halakhot of Battle and the Army 7 Religious Academics and the Challenge of Sovereignty (1948–1967) ”Permissive State or Torah State”—Criticizing the Need to Make Halakha More Flexible in Order to Adapt It to Reality Observing the Sabbath in the State of Israel The Status of Women Ephraim Elimelech Urbach and the Movement for Torah Judaism Epilogue Bibliography Index About the Author

Asaf Yedidya is head of the Department of History at Efrata College and a senior lecturer at Ariel University.

With the emergence of Zionism and the quest for a Jewish state, a series of issues involving a confrontation between modern Jewish sovereignty and traditional Jewish law, Halakha, developed. Asaf Yedidya's focuses on a number of the major issues and has written a book containing his fine analyses that is a significant contribution to the historical and social scientific study of Halakha

• Introduction 1 The Halakha in the Face of Modernity and Zionism Reform, Orthodoxy, Modernity Nationalism and Zionism The Shmita Debate of 5649 (1888–1889) 2 “Government in the Spirit of the Talmud”: The Pioneering Discussion of Zeev Jawitz (1904) Between Theocracy and the Separation of State and Religion Religion and Political Life Religion and Science Religion and Life 3 The Balfour Declaration and the Pioneering Debate on Halakha and the Challenge of Sovereignty (1917–1921)Against the Separation of Religion and State Restoration of the Sanhedrin Democracy and Halakhic Reforms Mishpatey HaMeluchah—The Proposal of a SeparateMonarchical Legal System National Acceptance of Halakha 4 The Age of Jurists (1918–1948) Jewish Law as Zionist Law Enactments, Not Amendments Abraham Chaim Freimann Isaac Breuer 15 The Rabbinical Debate on the Eve of the Establishment of the State of Israel and in its Early Years (1947–1953) The Chief Rabbinate of Israel: Halakha in the Grip of Democracy The Status of Non-Jewish Minorities A Daughter’s Inheritance Leo Cohen’s Draft of Constitution American Rabbis: Democratic Halakha 6 The Younger Generation of Zionist Rabbis Faces the Challenge of Sovereignty (1948–1962) Halakhic Validation: The Theoretical Halakhic Debate on Diverse Aspects of State Institutions Religious Legislation Halakha That Regulates and Halakha That Challenges: Renewing Halakhot of Battle and the Army 7 Religious Academics and the Challenge of Sovereignty (1948–1967) ”Permissive State or Torah State”—Criticizing the Need to Make Halakha More Flexible in Order to Adapt It to Reality Observing the Sabbath in the State of Israel The Status of Women Ephraim Elimelech Urbach and the Movement for Torah Judaism Epilogue Bibliography Index About the Author