On Disagreement in Jewish History: Edward Fram, “The Glory and Limits of Dispute in the Study in Rabbinic Culture”

In today’s world of sharp polarization, animosity, and rigidity of opinions, it appears to be increasingly difficult to pursue disagreement and mutual engagement on complex issues. But an ethos of disagreement has been a long-standing feature of Jewish culture. Early Rabbinic literature, especially the Talmud, extols “dispute for the sake of Heaven” and embraces a form of legal pluralism, with minority opinions and interpretations very often being recorded. Later, medieval and early modern rabbis continued to quote alternative interpretations of Jewish law. Chaim Grade’s story “My Quarrel with Hersh Rasseyner,” first published in 1952 in Yiddish, is one of the most powerful pieces of contemporary literature about disagreement between friends on the most profound existential questions. But as the traditional explanation of the destruction of the Second Temple suggests, strife and ungracious confrontation can have tragic consequences for a collective. Our programs this year will explore the question of disagreement—its ideal and its reality—in Jewish history and culture through lectures, film screenings, and a reading list.

In this lecture, Edward Fram, PhD, will discuss disagreement in rabbinic culture and legal disputes. Rabbinic culture is characterized by a multiplicity of possibilities. Even in codes of law, be they from ancient or modern times, presenting readers with more than one conclusion is commonplace. Jews do not view this as an anomaly—quite the contrary. Once basic guidelines were established, rabbinic culture encouraged the discovery of new meanings, as this expanded the parameters of the source texts. This was crucial because the ultimate source text, the Five Books of Moses, could not be altered for it was perceived as the word of God. If the word of God was not to become a dead letter in changing times, it had to be updated to meet evolving needs and values of those who lived by it.

Edward Fram taught for many years in the Department of Jewish History at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva, Israel. His research focuses on the history of Jewish law in the early modern period. He is the author of numerous books and artiles on Jewish history and rabbinic culture in the early modern period. His most recent book, The Codification of Jewish Law on the Cusp of Modernity, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022.