Studies in Halakhah and Rabbinic History

By the time of his death at age 31, Rabbi Eitam Henkin Hy”d had authored over fifty articles and four books. The scion of an illustrious rabbinic dynasty, he was acclaimed for both his halakhic writings and his mastery of the byways of the rabbinic world of the 19th and 20th centuries. Those who grasped his gifts forecast for him a future as a rabbinic luminary. Rabbi Eitam Henkin and his wife, Naama Hy”d, were murdered by terrorists who attacked their car on Ḥol HaMoed Sukkot 5776 (2015). This book provides the reader with a sampling of Rabbi Eitam’s halakhic and historical works and reflects his range of interests within both of these genres. Each chapter is a masterpiece in its own field. The topics range from the kosher status of strawberries (“What You Permitted, We Prohibited”) to electronic sensors on Shabbat, from the Bruria episode in the Talmud to “The Haredi/National-Religious Dichotomy in Israel: Case Studies in Historical Revisionism.” Each subject is approached with an astonishing breadth of knowledge, analytic incisiveness, careful scholarship, and creative insight. This volume allows us to benefit from the lasting impact of Rabbi Eitam Henkin’s legacy.