Yair Lorberbaum – författare

This book provides an in-depth exploration of the Jewish legal tradition, or halakhah, through the lens of modern legal philosophy. The interdisciplinary approach of the book makes complex ideas accessible, offering insights into how Jewish legal thought both parallels and diverges from modern legal theory. By examining primary sources through a contemporary legal-theoretical framework, the volume offers a pedagogical approach to halakhah. Readers will gain a nuanced understanding of the deep structure of Jewish law through the rigorous application of modern legal philosophy. The book’s structured approach, dividing chapters into conceptual discussions, primary source analyses, and synthetic reflections, provides a comprehensive guide for exploring Jewish legal thought. The collection not only enhances the study of halakhah but also contributes to broader discussions in legal theory and philosophy, making it a valuable resource for diverse audiences.The book is intended for scholars and students of Jewish law, legal theory, and Jewish studies. It is also designed for law schools, Judaic studies programs, and lay readers interested in the philosophical dimensions of religious legal systems.

The idea of creation in the divine image has a long and complex history. While its roots apparently lie in the royal myths of Mesopotamia and Egypt, this book argues that it was the biblical account of creation presented in the first chapters of Genesis and its interpretation in early rabbinic literature that created the basis for the perennial inquiry of the concept in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Yair Lorberbaum reconstructs the idea of the creation of man in the image of God (tselem Elohim) attributed in the Midrash and the Talmud. He analyzes meanings attributed to tselem Elohim in early rabbinic thought, as expressed in Aggadah, and explores its application in the normative, legal, and ritual realms.

This is an absorbing and original study of the concept of kingship in classical Jewish literature, as well as three approaches to it found in the Bible. "Subordinated King" studies the conception of kingship, and its status, powers and authority in Talmudic literature. The book deals with the conception of kingship against the background of the different approaches to kingship both in biblical literature and in the political views prevalent in the Roman Empire. In the Bible one finds three (exclusive) approaches to kingship: rejection of the king as a legitimate political institution - since God is the (political) king; a version of royal theology according to which the king is divine (or sacral); and a view that God is not a political king yet the king has no divine or sacral dimension. The king is flesh and blood; hence his authority and power are limited. He is a 'subordinated king'. "Subordinated King" is the first book to offer a comprehensive study of kingship in Talmudic literature and its biblical (and contemporary) background. The book offers a fresh conceptual framework that sheds new light on both the vast minutia and the broad picture.The Robert and Arlene Kogod Library of Judaic Studies publishes new research which provides new directions for modern Jewish thought and life and which serves to enhance the quality of dialogue between classical sources and the modern world. This book series reflects the mission of the Shalom Hartman Institute, a pluralistic research and leadership institute, at the forefront of Jewish thought and education. It empowers scholars, rabbis, educators and layleaders to develop new and diverse voices within the tradition, laying foundations for the future of Jewish life in Israel and around the world.