Hakirah: The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought

The articles in the Community section speak of the need for the Orthodox Jewish community to involve itself with the secular world in which they live. "Toward a Conservative Chareidiism" directs itself primarily to the Hareidi community in Israel, explains that the politically conservative ideology and traditional values and lifestyle of Judaism call for them to integrate into Israeli society to ensure the Jewish state with Jewish values. In "Emerging from Isolation" the author argues that a change of attitude is called for in America as well. If the Orthodox community develops a clear sense of mission and purpose, it may help strengthen these values in future generations. The articles in our Jewish Thought section are also related to Israel’s destiny and responsibilities. One deals with the vision of Israel's future by two of its greatest modern leaders. "Pre-Messianic Modifications in the Thought of Rav Kook and the Lubavitcher Rebbe" argues that while there seems to be little in common between the Religious-Zionist community of Israel and the Habad community of Crown Heights, leaders of both these communities believed we are living in a time close to the coming of Mashiah. This requires shifting our perspective to be more in line with the characteristics of the messianic era in order to accelerate the process. The other essay in this section, "Moral Intuition and Jewish Ethics" asks our community to see whether we express the ethical values of the Torah in our own lives before we prepare to influence others. Mourning and loss are the backdrop of this issue. A special section deals with mourning in specific instances. In "A Note on Comforting Parents Who Suffer a Perinatal Loss" the author writes that "the current generally silent response of the community can create distress instead of nehama." He recommends a change in community response to this sorrowful circumstance. The other article, "Guidance on the Loss of a Baby or Fetus" seeks to provide guidance and structure for Jewish parents facing this grievous loss. The articles in the Talmud Torah section demonstrate how broad knowledge can deepen our understanding of the Torah’s teaching. "If I am here, then all is here" demonstrates how modern insights in philosophy and psychology can illuminate "that the study of Hillel’s Mishnaic and Talmudic personality is deeply related to the study of Beit Hillel's rulings about the halakhic (legal) subject." In "Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra: On Seeing God’s Back" the author unravels a philosophical passage in Ibn Ezra’s commentary on the Torah and gives the reader profound insight into the methodology and thought of one of Israel's greatest commentators, who used his command of all the science and philosophy of his time to expound upon the Torah. "Embalming Jacob" argues that careful analysis of the text in light of archaeological and historical data supports the idea that the forty-day Egyptian process of mummification was not actually performed on Yaakov Avinu's body, and the process performed did not violate Halakhic concepts of kevod ha-met. The articles in the Jewish Law section show how science and ethics are factors in determining halakhah. The timely "The Great American Eclipse of 2017: Halakhic and Philosophical Aspects" discusses the classic Jewish sources on the origins of a solar eclipse and the attempts to harmonize them with modern astronomy. In "Jewish Ethics in To-rah Reading," the authors elucidate that the Halakhic dispute is, in fact, a dispute about ethical priorities. And in the History of Halakhah section, "The Halakhic History of Coffee, Tea, Sugar, and Chocolate" offers a window into the social aspects of p'sak.