Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: New Books in Law
Episode: Zev Eleff et al. eds., "The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Law" (Oxford UP, 2025)
Description: Jewish law, known as halakhah, is a unique legal system that has developed over a period of nearly two millennia, across multiple continents, and in innumerable different contexts. Dealing not only with ritual, Jewish law extends to virtually every aspect of life including ethics, business, war, and sex. This Handbook highlights foundational questions about the nature of Jewish law, emphasizing what distinguishes it from other legal systems and illuminating its vitality throughout history.ย The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Lawย ๏ปฟ(Oxford UP, 2025) navigates core issues such as halakhah's authority, its interpretation, and the meaningfulness of an ancient legal system in a mo...