Every Year at This Time of Year We See a Stream of Haggadot. What a Surprise. Some Are

Dear Friends,

Every year at this time of year we see a stream of haggadot. What a surprise. Some are reprints of popular haggadot used for commercial purposes and some are beautifully illustrated modern works and others are new editions of haggadot with the commentary, customs and teachings of rabbinic scholars.

I have seen the haggada of “Mahari” Steiff. R’ Yonatan Steiff, was a 20thcentury rabbi who escaped Europe (Hungary) and was a prominent rabbi in Brooklyn whose manuscripts were the basis for this 2007 publication. I have even seen a pop –up Haggada from the IsraelMuseum based on the medieval ‘Bird’s Head’ Haggada.

Having said this, I would like to note two important Kabbalistsic Haggadot which have just been published in Israel. The ‘Haggada Shel Pesah Shel Ha- Ari”zal..’ edited by “HaRav Ha-Mekubal Ha-Elohi, Hanasi,” R’ Natan Shapiro, from Jerusalem, first published now from manuscript (from 1646). Cat. # 63209 $ 24.00

‘Siddur Kavanot Haggada Shel Pesah..’ the Haggada of the Rashash, R’ Shalom Sharabi, from manuscript. It is actually a manuscript of the Rashash’s scribe (R' Yosef Deri) with his (Rashsah’s), notes and includes a facsimile as well. The hagadah is edited by Reuven Nissim Sofer. Cat. #63450 $25.00

Even Hoshen has also just published a “Passover Haggadah,’ with artwork and typography by Dafna Brafman. What can one say, it is art, it is liturgy, it is lovely – and it's bilingual – English / Hebrew. ISBN 965-7270-45-6, Cat. #63358 $36.00

In the area of Jewish Thought, Ben-GurionUniversity of the Negev Press has published, in English, an important, scholarly volume entitled, “Tradition, Heterodoxy and religious Culture, Judaism and Christianity in the Early Modern Period.’ The work which researches relations between the religions, theologies, philosophies in the 16th and 17th Centuries and includes subjects like Sabbateans, the writngs of Don Isaac Abarvanel and articles researching Jewish concepts in the works of Milton. The 488 page book is edited by Chanita Goodblatt and Howard Kreisel, ISBN 965-342-926-4, Cat. #62850 $33.00

The categories of Jewish History and Israel and Zionism are significant but broad. They stretch over centuries and many sovereigns and kingdoms as well as political philosophies. It can also overlap with subjects like Diaspora Communities. A recent book which exemplifies an aspect of this broadness and overlap is ‘ Neshikha Tzarfatit,’ French Bite, with a rhyme recalling the Hebrew words for French Kiss. The book by Ben Simon, a well respected Israeli journalist, depicts the struggles of French Jewry to integrate and form an identity or identities in multi-cultural and often anti-SemiticFrance. Cat. #63337 $24.00

Categorizing and allocating books can be an ongoing challenge because of the different needs and parameters requested by our clients. A recent really important book reflects these issues. ‘Sefat Kir,’ “Written on the Wall is a new book published by Miskal – Yediot Aharonot, by Aliza Olmert and Gil Hareven. Most of our customers specifically exclude Art books or Coffee Table books. However, this book of photos is really a powerful window onto Israeli society and politics. Without editorial comment it is also noteworthy that the author/editor is the current PM’s wife.

This book is highly recommended for libraries and scholars interested in Israeli society, politics, conflicts, and art as well as anyone who drinks coffee or has a table or sophisticated friends that they care to give gifts to. Cat. #63392 $44.50

Mossad Harav Kook has published another volume of Tosefot HaRash, le-Rabenu Asher (Ben Rav Yehiel) on tractate Brakhot. This is important, scholarly material on Talmud by an important 13thcent. Rishon. It is part of a series but each volume stands alone. Cat. #63426 $22.50

Mossad Bialik has also just published, Hidushei Hagra al Hashas lemarna ve-Rabana Rabenu Eliyahu me-Vilna, the Vilna Gaon, on Berakhot Tractate, ed. By R’ Movshovitz. Cat. #63429 $18.50

A really interesting book entitled, ‘Sefer Le-Mate Moshe,’ on R’ Moshe Sofer and his Rabbinic dynasty. The book has much very important German Jewish History from the 17– 18th Centuries (CE), including letters. The book is published by Machon Shem Olam, 2007. Cat. # 63355, $ 36.00

On Hassidut and Kabbala, let us note, ‘Sefer Pit’he Sha’arim by R’ Isaac Haver z’l, a 19th Cent Sage. Cat. #63432 $21.50. Another volume entitled ‘Sefer Ka”Lakh Pithe Hokhma by the Ramhal, R’ Moshe Hayim Luzato has also been published by the same anonymous author. Both books have the commentary ‘Bilvavi Mishkan Evne.’ Cat. # 63433 $18.00

Among the books on Halacha that have been recently published is a large volume entitled, ‘Sefer Otzar Halacha,’ on Shulhan Arukh, it includes 192 commentaries many classic and some lesser known, from 1650 – 1950, with over 30 pages of indices. It is a serious work collecting many commentaries and organizing them according to the order of the Shulhan Arukh. It is published by Machon HaRav Matzli’ah, and has haskamot from R’ Ovadia Yossef and R’ Bakshi Doron. It is the first of a multi volume set.

Another first volume to note is ‘Sefer Taryag Mitzvot Hashalem,’produced by, editor, R’ David Wax with a team of over 50 modern Rabbis, Scholars, contributors, including Rabbis Walkin, Eliashiv and Ehrlanger. The work is somewhat encyclopedic with subjects, some tables, footnotes with references and citations to Talmud, Commentaries, Responsa and Aggada. It is also distributed by Taryag Legacy of Lakewood, NJ.2007, and has a US ISBN 1-933296-03-08. Cat. #63313 Price $ 29.00