Barry Dov Walfish
University of Toronto, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Department Member
- Barry Dov Walfish was the Judaica Bibliographer and Curator at the University of Toronto Libraries and the Thomas Fis... moreBarry Dov Walfish was the Judaica Bibliographer and Curator at the University of Toronto Libraries and the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library from 1980-2017. He retired June 30. 2017. He holds a PhD from the University of Toronto in Medieval Jewish Studies.edit
- Frank Talmageedit
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Daniel al-Qūmisī (late ninth to mid-tenth century, Jerusalem), an important Karaite communal leader and the first systematic medieval Jewish exegete, left a small but significant body of writings. His most important and most studied work... more
Daniel al-Qūmisī (late ninth to mid-tenth century, Jerusalem), an important Karaite communal leader and the first systematic medieval Jewish exegete, left a small but significant body of writings. His most important and most studied work is his commentary on the Twelve Minor Prophets, first published by Isaac Markon from a single St Petersburg MS.1 While a great deal of attention has been directed to his exegetical methods, and especially to his two-tiered comments at certain points in his commentary2 and their similarity or lack thereof to the pesher-type
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Known by the acronym Pardes, four approaches—peshat, the literal, remez, the philosophical-allegorical, derash, the midrashic-allegorical, and sod, the mystical—can be found not only in commentaries on the Song of Songs but also in a... more
Known by the acronym Pardes, four approaches—peshat, the literal, remez, the philosophical-allegorical, derash, the midrashic-allegorical, and sod, the mystical—can be found not only in commentaries on the Song of Songs but also in a variety of musical settings.
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Review of Eric Lawee, Rashi's Commentary on the Torah (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019).
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The paper analyzes the unique role of "the day of Gog" in the eschatology of Daniel al-Qumisi, the 9-th-10th century Karaite communal leader and exegete, in comparison to depictions in rabbinic literature and other sources, Karaite and... more
The paper analyzes the unique role of "the day of Gog" in the eschatology of Daniel al-Qumisi, the 9-th-10th century Karaite communal leader and exegete, in comparison to depictions in rabbinic literature and other sources, Karaite and non-Jewish.
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The article shows how the rabbis in the Talmud and midrash besmirched the reputation of Orpah, Naomi's other daughter-in-law, turning into a wanton woman, betrayer of her adoptive people and mother of Goliath, Israel's bitter enemy.... more
The article shows how the rabbis in the Talmud and midrash besmirched the reputation of Orpah, Naomi's other daughter-in-law, turning into a wanton woman, betrayer of her adoptive people and mother of Goliath, Israel's bitter enemy. Recent literary authors portray her in a more sympathetic light.
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Why does Esau in Jewish tradition come to be known as עשו הרשע “Esau the Wicked”? The answer has to do with the history of Judea’s relationship with Esau’s eponymous descendants, the Edomites, and the connection Jews made between them,... more
Why does Esau in Jewish tradition come to be known as עשו הרשע “Esau the Wicked”? The answer has to do with the history of Judea’s relationship with Esau’s eponymous descendants, the Edomites, and the connection Jews made between them, Rome, and Christianity. The negative view of Esau is expressed nowhere more forcefully than in Rashi’s commentary.
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Survey of Amalek in Jewish tradtion through the ages.
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The Song of Songs, a collection of love poems, very early on, began to be interpreted allegorically as describing the relationship between God and the Jewish People. This interpretation held sway throughout the Jewish world until the time... more
The Song of Songs, a collection of love poems, very early on, began to be interpreted allegorically as describing the relationship between God and the Jewish People. This interpretation held sway throughout the Jewish world until the time of Rashi (1040-1105), who was the first to pay attention to the literal meaning of the text, while still maintaining the allegory as the main message. In subsequent generations, followers of Rashi, would write commentaries which devoted more space to the peshat or the plain meaning of the text. This trend culminated with two late twelfth or early thirteenth century commentaries which interpret the text entirely as peshat, without resort ot the allegory at all.
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Discusses the meaning of פסח in Exod 12, arguing for the meaning "protect" or "spare," rather than "skip" or "pass over."
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ABSTRACT
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... letters and cargo on the Sabbath (with the help of Gentile carriers) 25 and whose appetite for accumulated wealth knew no bounds. 26 Even when they took a break from their affairs they would then turn to banquet halls to eat and drink... more
... letters and cargo on the Sabbath (with the help of Gentile carriers) 25 and whose appetite for accumulated wealth knew no bounds. 26 Even when they took a break from their affairs they would then turn to banquet halls to eat and drink to excess. 27 And Sahl ben Masliah ...
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... 1. Why did not Mordecai allow Esther to reveal her people's name and her family history (2:10A and B)? 2. Why did not Mordecai bow down before Haman (3:4A and B)? 3. Why did Esther delay her request... more
... 1. Why did not Mordecai allow Esther to reveal her people's name and her family history (2:10A and B)? 2. Why did not Mordecai bow down before Haman (3:4A and B)? 3. Why did Esther delay her request for one day and invite Ahasuerus and Haman to a second feast (5:8A, 6 ...
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This paper deals with problems encountered in applying AACR2 as interpreted by the Library of Congress to Hebrew and Yiddish personal names. It also discusses some problems relating to the romanization of such names and proposes some... more
This paper deals with problems encountered in applying AACR2 as interpreted by the Library of Congress to Hebrew and Yiddish personal names. It also discusses some problems relating to the romanization of such names and proposes some solutions. A plea is made for the eventual development of the capability to handle vernacular records for non-Roman languages in machine-readable form.
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Helen Leneman and Barry Dov Walfish, both specialists in biblical reception history, have compiled an unusually rich collection of new essays by experts in their fields. This book is a pioneering attempt to portray and analyse the visions... more
Helen Leneman and Barry Dov Walfish, both specialists in biblical reception history, have compiled an unusually rich collection of new essays by experts in their fields. This book is a pioneering attempt to portray and analyse the visions of twentieth- and twenty-first century Jewish artists working in different media—visual art, literature (novels, poetry and short stories), music (opera, oratorio and song), and film—who have retold biblical narratives through their art. Reading these essays together will bring a new appreciation and understanding of what makes the perspective of these visual artists, writers, composers and filmmakers on the Hebrew Bible uniquely Jewish.
All of these Jewish visions can be considered a form of modern midrash, as the artists imaginatively fill in gaps in the biblical narrative, bringing a modern sensibility to the meanings of the stories.
Under the heading ‘Biblical Women’, the stories of the matriarchs, Hagar, and other biblical women are re-imagined in the visual arts, poetry and music. Several further chapters focus on the story of the Aqedah (Binding of Isaac), as represented in the visual arts, literature and music. Other retellings of biblical narratives through short stories are then examined, while yet other chapters explore the books of Esther and Psalms as envisioned and retold in the visual arts, opera, literature and film
These retellings, analysed and discussed by the authors of this ground-breaking volume, will stimulate the reader to view the texts in new ways or to confront their challenge to personal or traditional interpretations of those texts.
All of these Jewish visions can be considered a form of modern midrash, as the artists imaginatively fill in gaps in the biblical narrative, bringing a modern sensibility to the meanings of the stories.
Under the heading ‘Biblical Women’, the stories of the matriarchs, Hagar, and other biblical women are re-imagined in the visual arts, poetry and music. Several further chapters focus on the story of the Aqedah (Binding of Isaac), as represented in the visual arts, literature and music. Other retellings of biblical narratives through short stories are then examined, while yet other chapters explore the books of Esther and Psalms as envisioned and retold in the visual arts, opera, literature and film
These retellings, analysed and discussed by the authors of this ground-breaking volume, will stimulate the reader to view the texts in new ways or to confront their challenge to personal or traditional interpretations of those texts.
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"The publication is an exhibition catalogue highlighting some of the Fisher Rare Book Library's Judaica holdings which span over 1000 years. It will touch on items that were produced every century from the 10th to the 21st, including... more
"The publication is an exhibition catalogue highlighting some of the Fisher Rare Book Library's Judaica holdings which span over 1000 years. It will touch on items that were produced every century from the 10th to the 21st, including biblical manuscripts, works of Jewish law and liturgy, incunabula, rare Constantinople imprints, and much more. Highlights are the manuscript of the Zohar, which belonged to the famous false Messiah Shabbetai Tsevi, and a copy of Maimonides law code Mishneh Torah with Sabbatean markings. Another highlight is a facsimile of the Alba Bible, one of the most elaborate illuminated biblical manuscripts ever produced. The exhibition will also feature contemporary works by Jewish and Israeli artists and bookmakers. A section devoted to Canadiana features one the earliest Canadian imprints, dating from 1752 as well as the first English translation of the Hebrew prayerbook (1770), among whose sponsors were the Canadian merchant Aaron Hart and his wife."--
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... Esther in medieval garb: Jewish interpretation of the book of Esther in the Middle Ages/Barry Dov Walfish. p. cm. — (Suny series in Judaica) Revision of thesis (Ph. ... 41r-49v. Halayo Mosesben Isaac Halayo, [Commentary in] MS.... more
... Esther in medieval garb: Jewish interpretation of the book of Esther in the Middle Ages/Barry Dov Walfish. p. cm. — (Suny series in Judaica) Revision of thesis (Ph. ... 41r-49v. Halayo Mosesben Isaac Halayo, [Commentary in] MS. Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna) Heb. ...
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... As Sarah Kamin and Eleazar Touitou (whom Brin does mention), and most recently Michael Signer,4 have demonstrated, Qara and his school shared many concerns with the twelfth-century school of biblical exegetes at the monastery of St. ...
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מקראות גדולות "הכתר": מהדורת יסוד חדשה" ההדרה מדעית על-פי כתבי יד עתיקים: נוסח המסורה של המקרא עם מסורהגדולה ומסורה קטנה על-פי כתר אר צוה [Mikra'ot Gedolot "Haketer": a revised and augmented scientific edition of "Mikra'ot Gedolot" based on the Aleppo Codex and early medieval MSS: Joshua-Judges] ...more
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Review essay of: The Retelling of Chronicles in Jewish Tradition and Literature: A Historical Journey by Isaac Kalimi, The Commentary of Rabbi David Kimhi to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary by Yitzhak... more
Review essay of: The Retelling of Chronicles in Jewish Tradition
and Literature: A Historical Journey by Isaac Kalimi, The Commentary of Rabbi David Kimhi to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary by Yitzhak Berger, and The Commentary on Chronicles Attributed to Rashi by Eran Viezel.
and Literature: A Historical Journey by Isaac Kalimi, The Commentary of Rabbi David Kimhi to Chronicles: A Translation with Introduction and Supercommentary by Yitzhak Berger, and The Commentary on Chronicles Attributed to Rashi by Eran Viezel.
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This book, slim in size (160 pages, excluding footnotes) but ambitious in scope, seeks to chart the complex relationship between the Jewish people and its foundational text, the Bible, here meaning the Hebrew Bible, which Jews refer to by... more
This book, slim in size (160 pages, excluding footnotes) but ambitious in scope, seeks to chart the complex relationship between the Jewish people and its foundational text, the Bible, here meaning the Hebrew Bible, which Jews refer to by various names—Tanakh (an acronym for Torah, Nevi'im, Ketuvim [Pentateuch, Prophets , Writings]), Miqra (the book to be read, a very nondescriptive title), Esrim ve-Arba (the twenty-four, the number of individual books that comprise the Hebrew Bible)— names that in and of themselves give indications of the book of book's complexity and diversity. It is a veritable tour de force. The author displays command of a diz-zying array of sources, spanning two thousand years. The book is very densely written , condensing a vast amount of scholarship and making it accessible to the inquiring reader. Attias's book points out numerous paradoxes concerning the Jews' relationship with the Bible, not least of which is the fact that although the Bible is traditionally considered the word of the living God, it is not to be used as the source for Jewish practice. This purpose is assigned to the Oral Law, which according to tradition was given to Moses at the same time as the Written Law. It follows from this that the study of the Oral Law, as formulated in the Mishnah and Talmud of the Sages, is much more highly valued in Judaism than the study of the written. And, indeed, one only has to look at the tiny sect of the Karaites, the true Jewish scripturalists, who adhere much more closely to biblical norms than their Rabbanite brethren, to imagine what would have become of rabbinic Judaism had it chosen to follow a rigid scripturalist path. For the rabbis and the rabbinic tradition, the Bible must be understood through the filter of that tradition. To give just two examples, the practice of separating meat and dairy dishes is not required in the Bible, but is derived by hermeneutics and tradition from the thrice-occurring verse, " You shall not cook a kid in its mother's milk " (Exod. 23:19, 34:26, Deut. 14:21). Another example is the lex talionis (Exod. 21:24, Lev. 24:20), which the rabbis nullified in the Mishnah, requiring monetary compensation for the loss of a body part (eye, tooth, etc.) rather than removal of the offend-er's equivalent body part. Attias makes the paradoxical point over and over again that the Bible, for all that it is revered and respected, has a relatively low status in the Judaic hierarchy. Studying the Bible on its own is not highly regarded in terms of Jewish learning, at least in highly traditional circles. Furthermore, Bible study must always be done with a traditional commentary such as that of Rashi, who filtered the text through the rabbinic tradition and whose commentary consists to a large extent of reworked midrashim. What's more, the tradition is a living one, which depends on the interaction with a live carrier of that tradition, the rabbi or teacher who can transmit to the student the meaning of the words of scripture. Attias unpacks a beautiful metaphor by Emmanuel Levinas that compares the Bible as it is read by Jews to " a text stretched over a tradition like the strings on the wood of a violin " (91). Each component on its own is nothing. Even the dormant instrument is nothing. It is only when the instrument is played by a skilled musician, that is, a teacher, who learned the skill from his teacher, that the texts come to life and meaning can be derived. This is the living tradition.