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Of Making Many Books

And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end (Ecclesiastes 12:12) A pdf version of this essay  can be downloaded here [*] Years in brackets refer to an individual’s or book author’s year of birth Thought experiment for the day: Anyone born 1945 would be pushing towards 80 and mostly past their prime. So name any Charedi sefer written by someone born post war that has or is likely to enter the canon, be it haloche, lomdus, al hatorah or mussar. Single one will do for now — IfYouTickleUs (@ifyoutickleus) July 27, 2022 A tweet in the summer which gained some traction asked for a book by an author born from 1945 onwards that has entered the Torah and rabbinic canon or is heading in that direction. I didn't exactly phrase it this way and some quibbled about 'canonisation'. The word does indeed have a precise meaning though in its popular use it has no narrow definition. Canonisation, or ‘entering the canon’ is generally understood to
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The Chaims they are a changin

Spot the difference The above is the call in support of the of Leyton Orient internet rally. It is signed by almost all London Rabbonim affiliated to the UOHC. Ringed are those who signed the recent letter in support of Chaim Halpern. What a sign of the times!
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Exit at Rear

At least we can now be assured of the impartiality of the forthcoming Beth Din.
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Wrestling Day Quiz with bonus Chaim Carol

1. The 6th Rabbi did not sign the Gilui Da’ath because: a. his wife forbade him b. his great-great-great-great grandfather forbade him c. both d. he lost his pen in the peak of his Sabbath hat? 2. When Rav Padwa was taken hostage by family Halpern he: a. called the police b. called Hatzole c. both d. mumbled for his hammer? 3. Keddasia flesh was transported with pig carcasses because: a. only the JC reported it b. pigs aren’t women and so needn’t be segregated. c. both d. prohibitions don’t apply to Porky? 4. Rabbi Robers wrote a letter saying: a. Chaim Halpern is unfit to be a rov becasue a beis din ruled he’s a perv b. Chaim Halpern is fit to be a rov until a beis din rules he’s a perv c. both d. he’s still deciding whether to write the letter? 5. Divrei Chaim remains an integral part of UOHC becasue: a. the letter expelling them was not meant to be released b. the letter expelling them was retracted c. both d. the retraction w
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Bridge over Troubled Waters

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Hall of Shame

The 5th Candle of Chanukah 5773, London To the Esteemed Members and Participants of Shiurim of the Beis Medresh "Divrei Chaim" In light of the "Gilui Da'as" [proclamation] that was publicised on 22 Kislev against your Rabbi the Gaon and Tzadik shlita , after he had resigned from those positions that gave rise to the complaints. Yet [the rabbis who signed the proclamation] were still not satisfied and publicised their decision for all to see. They decided all of this without a hearing in front of a formal Beth Din and a proper Din Torah in accordance with Shulchan Oruch, Choshen Mishpat . [This was required] in order to comply with the Biblical prescription "Hear the causes between your brothers" without which one cannot oust a rabbi's presumption of innocence. Prior to publicising their Gilui Da'ath , [Rav Padwa] ordered the formation of a Beth Din composed of distinguished out-of-town Rabbonim to rule on the matter as is set out in haloc
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