The Phoenix Jewish news., 1959-12-04
JEWISH BOOK CORNER
Progress Of Law Noted

/ For generations this literature
was only known to rabbinical
scholars who wrote and cores
ponded with each other on many
questions which arise in Jewish
life. It took a reform rabbi, DR.. Solo
mon Freehof of Pittsburgh, to Gre
ate a new depth of understanding
of the legal heritage of our people.
What was the purpose of RES
ponsa Literature" DR.. Freehof's
book? 1t was to show our people
that the law of the Lord has never
been dead, and we have never
been an old people. Law is the
means by which the Jew fulfills
the purpose of his existence. The
great body of law which we have
received from generations past has
not only regulated our lives but
sanctified them with holy pur-
pose. The great question for DR..
Freehof was to show that in every
circumstance the Torah rose with
the people.
WHEN OUR PEOPLE lived in
Palestine and in Babylonia, new
questions arose and so the leaders
began to answer these questions
by writings. So universal were
these writings that book produc-
ed in Babylonia could be read in
Germany, and one produced in
Turkey could be discussed in
Poland There was a universal
bond among all Jews.
What kept our people together?
They had a common Torah with
laws regulating their community
and their lives. So great was this
literature of questions and an
swers, the Response, that nearly
/, 800 books have been produced in
the last 1000 years in this field.
It kept alive Jewish adjustment.
Wherever there was catastrophe,
Jews had a source in the law
whereby they could readjust them
selves to a different environment.
For example, when the Jews OF
Spain were forced to convert to
Catholicism, the question arose,
can such Jews be allowed to re-
turn to their people? Are they still
in the fold? From this came the
great Response literature of Simon
Ben Duran He wrote a profound
statement showing that one who is
born of the Jewish people is Jew
even though he may depart. AS he
says, "a myrtle standing amid the
willows is still a myrtle, and is
known as SUCH"
ONE OF THE fascinating factors
about the Response literature is
the fact that it was always pro-
gressive in its outlook. It tried to
| liberalize the conditions, so as to
make the laws applicable to the
needs of the people.
The vigor and vitality of the lit
erature of the Response depend
upon the knowledge of the people
to observe the law. The law today
| for the most part is not only unob-
served, but it is practically un-
known. For this our author points
out there can be no excuses. 1t is
true that a great deal of Jewish
law has become obsolete, for it
| was written in a time when condi-
tions demanded certain laws. Now
the times have changed, but the
need for law has not disappeared.
DIR. Freehof asserts that If this
great Response literature is to be
continued in our time, our people
have to know and to do. There can
be no substitute for the fact that
all Jewish families need ritual
guide. It will only be when rabbis
and congregations set up a new
Response, a literature that will
make decisions so that chaos will
not reign in our midst, that we
will know more profoundly the
meaning of fulfilling the life of
Jewish tradition.