Palestine’s newest institution was dedicated last week, the Harry Fischel Foundation for Research in the Talmud and Community Center for the Study of Torah and Daily Prayers.
The institution is the gift of Harry Fischel of New York, prominently identified with orthodox Jewish undertakings there, one of the largest donors to the fund which made possible the Yeshiva College in New York, and for a period acting president of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, a component part of the Yeshiva College.
The institution is housed in a building set in a large tract of land surrounded by four streets, and is made possible through a $20,000 gift from Mr. Fischel for the purchase.
Chief Rabbi Abraham I. Kook of Palestine is the head of the institution, while his brother, Rabbi Dov Kook, is the supervisor.
Thirteen Talmudic scholars have been chosen from various institutions in Palestine to undertake the research work. Mr. Fischel has arranged for their maintenance so that they may be enabled to devote their time to scholarship, without material worries. The income from a large building in New York has been assigned as a permanent maintenance fund for the scholars, it is understood.
The program of the institution calls for several hours daily of creative work.
Among the various subjects outlined by Rabbi A. I. Kook for his group of thirteen to work on are: Parallels in the Babylonian and Palestinian Talmuds, “Mishna” and “Tosefthah”; to explain the “Shoth” of the “Rishonim” and the differences of their opinions according to the following rules: (a) Changes in the texts; (b) Differences in the accepted commentaries; (c) Differences in the rules of the Talmud; (d) Differences of opinions; to explain the “Halachoth” by reasons of the rules of the “Poskim”; to explain the “Halachoth” by the inferences derived from each “Halacha”; to fix the origin of each “Halacha” according to the “Hagra” (Rabbi Elia Landau—the Vilna Gaon); to point out at every treatise (sugya) at the Talmud, the “Halacha” derived from it; to compile an encyclopedic book on the order of the “Shitoth Mekubetzeth”; to compile a book of rules in alphabetical order for the different terms (hagdaroth) in Talmud and in the “Rishonim”; to compile a collection of all that was discovered and decided about the measures (Midroth) in which the Torah was commentated; to set a plan for methodical literary work in subiects of “Agada,”
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