I was talking with a friend about all manner of things (mostly his research, which I do like to hear about). We got onto the topic of the Chofets Chayim, and I mentioned that whenever I learn the Shulchan Aruch, it's as if the Chofets Chayim is commenting on another work entirely, so different his world view seems from that of the Mechaber and the Rema.
So I thought: where is the Conservative commentary on the Shulchan Aruch? Shouldn't there be a maestro halachist somewhere in JTS (or UJ, or Schechter) that can bestride the centuries, bringing Caro's mystical magid into our studies?
Failing that, maybe the lay public can try, in the spirit of open source Judaism. An act of massive chutzpah? Sure. But what of worth was constructed without it?
10/25/09
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Isn't that Klein?
ReplyDelete"R", huh?! I had no idea you had a blog!
ReplyDeleteI didn't think of Klein - good point. But Klein is to my way of thinking more a companion/halachic compendium/Conservative "kitzur SA" than a commentary. Of course, Klein does comment, but I think psak rather than commentary is his thrust.
See you around with the other letters of your alphabet.
Z and C
Also, Klein wrote the book from his notes from a course he taught to rabbinical students. He never meant it to be used as a sefer halacha for the C movement. And even if it were, it does not cover a lot of areas people need to know about.
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