Further on, when I discuss the reflections of Rosenzweig and Soloveitchik on the eventfulness of
halakic observance, I will remark on their attempts to understand the interaction between time and eternity as a central feature of religious experience.
In 1960, at the urging of Ben Gurion, the new Minister of Interior passed a regulation that allowed only those people who fulfilled the
Halakic definition to register as Jews.(315)
Aharon Horowitz's "Modern Orthodox Diaspora as a Strategic Asset" speaks to the Odyssey Generation, which must return to its
halakic obligations as a means of furthering social values.
(144) This answer is most likely on the part of the Jews as it contains more than a touch of the concept of Muslim supersession of earlier revelations (Wansbrough, Qur anic Studies, 192ff.), although it may, perhaps, allude to the
halakic concept of halaka ke-batrai ("the law is according to the last [most recent, authorities]"), which, of course, does not imply abrogation of a previous legal interpretation, but rather refers to the cumulative growth and development of a law that builds upon and amplifies the ideas of predecessors (Ensiqlopedia Talmudit [Jerusalem, 1959], 9: 341-45, s.v., "halaka ke-batrai").
Paul's urgings are directed to the "strong" (14:13b, 15:1, 16:17), those who were ignoring minimal
halakic regulations for righteous gentiles, such as can be found in Acts 15:28-29 and in the Noahide laws developed later in rabbinic Judaism.
The six essays included in this issue provide an excellent overview of the range of Berkovits's
halakic and theological contributions, and offer a sustained look at his sometimes sharp, often original, and, in today's climate, refreshing arguments and proposals.
His belief in the power of the
halakic system and his desire to defend the moral dignity of God's law spurred him, as a legal authority, to address women's spiritual, religious, and ritual needs in the modern day.
For Eliezer Berkovits, these changes require a different approach to halakah than is currently seen, yet this approach should should not be seen as any sort of "reform," but rather a return to original
halakic values that due to historical circumstances were not able to be brought to fruition until modern times.
This article describes the activist stance Berkovits took on this issue in the larger Jewish world, and analyzes in detail his
halakic analysis of traditional laws of conversion.
On the other hand, he tries to influence Jews to adopt certain moral values that have been neglected by
halakic authorities.
Principles of modern democracy posed a problem for the
halakic system of the religious Zionists, but also, as Kaye shows, provided philosophical tools to solve those problems.
Religious Zionists were very much aware of the challenge that democratic principles posed to the Jewish tradition and were often reluctant to compromise their
halakic commitments for the sake of the demands of a democratic state.
