Responsa in a Historical Context

“Each chapter has a helpful historical and halachic ( Jewish legal) introduction, followed by a discussion, the responsum itself (presented in Hebrew with an English translation), discussion questions, and suggestions for further readings. This collection will be of interest to the scholar and general reader alike and is highly recommended, especially for academic libraries.”

— David Tesler, AJL News & Reviews

“Through the analysis of responsa written by contemporary halakhic authorities, Debby Koren provides a deep understanding of the rejuvenation of Spanish-Portuguese Jewish communal life during an otherwise tragic period of Jewish history.”

— Tradition

"In Responsa in a Historical Context, Debby Koren makes these fascinating yet extraordinarily difficult documents come alive. She succeeds admirably in overcoming the challenge that faces all who would write about responsa for an audience of non-specialists, namely to offer a sufficient explanation of the historical and halakhic (Jewish legal) context behind each submitted question without allowing that explanation to overwhelm the text and to drown out the unique voice of the rabbinical author. The book is an indispensable source of information, both on the history of the period it covers and on the ways that rabbis thought, how they utilized textual analysis, logic, and rhetoric to craft answers to the questions that Jews asked.” 

— Mark E. Washofsky, Professor Emeritus of Jewish Law and Practice, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati