Midrash Conference

Upcoming Aggada Conference

Bar Ilan UniversityFaculty of Jewish Studies Department of Talmud
Lander Institute Jerusalem Academic CenterGraduate School of Jewish Studies
Touro College New YorkGraduate School of Jewish Studies
Announce a two day international academic conference onAggadah and Aggadic Interpretation Throughout the GenerationsJanuary 18-19, 2010

The conference sessions will deal with attitudes towards the authorityof Aggadot, the methods used to interpret them, the use of Aggadah inbiblical commentary, Aggadah in philosophic and in non-philosophiccontexts over the ages, Aggadah and Halakhah, as well as Aggadah inpoetry and in polemics. Participating in the lectures will beprofessors from the sponsoring academic institutions, prominentprofessors from most of Israel's major universities, as well aslecturers from the U.S.A. and Canada.

The sessions will take place on Monday and Tuesday, January 18-192010. On Monday the sessions will be held at the Mintz auditorium onthe Bar Ilan University campus and on Tuesday at the campus of LanderInstitute at 3 Am Ve'olamo St. in Jerusalem.

Monday January 18 - Bar Ilan Campus
14:00 Opening remarks: Dr. Meir Rafeld, Chair, Department of Talmud, Bar-Ilan UniversityGreetings: Prof. Moshe Kaveh, President, Bar Ilan UniversityProf Eliezer Tauber, Dean of the Faculty of Jewish Studies, Bar-Ilan UniversityProf. Carmi Horowitz, Rector, Lander Institute, Jerusalem

First Session 14:15-16:15Chair: Prof Shama Friedman (Bar-Ilan University)

Prof. Moshe Halamish (Bar Ilan University)Differing Approaches to the Status of Rabbinic AggadahProf. Eli Yassif (Tel Aviv University)Aggadot Hazal in the Middle Ages: the Story as Cultural InterpreterProf. Meir Bar Ilan (Bar Ilan University)Thoughts on Numerology in Talmudic AggadotProf. Marc Bregman (University of North Carolina)Tanhuma-Yelamdenu Midrashim in Medieval Biblical Exegesis

Second Session 16:30-18:30Chair: Dr. Aharon Amit (Bar Ilan University)

Prof. Hananel MackJewish and Christian use of the Midrash of R. Moshe Hadarshan
Dr. Ayelet Seidler (Lander Institute and Bar Ilan University)Rashbam and Radak: Their Use of Aggadah in their Genesis CommentariesDr. Arnon Atzmon (Bar Ilan University and Lander Institute):The Corrections of the Author of Ot Emet and of R. David Luria toMidrash Esther RabbahDr. Tsafi Zeba-Elran (Haifa University)R. Yossi min Yokrat as a Modern Jewish Hero
Tuesday January 19 at Lander Institute Jerusalem9:00Opening Remarks: Prof. Carmi Horowitz, Rector Lander InstituteGreetings: Major-General (Res.) Yaacov Amidror, Vice-
President, Lander Institute

First Session 9:30 - 11:30Chair: Prof Yosef Tabory, Dean, School of Jewish Studies, Lander Institute

Prof. Sara Yefet (Hebrew University)From Peshat to Derash and Back Again as Seen from the Perspective ofShir HashirimProf. Shulamit Elitzur (Hebrew University)The Early Liturgical Poets of Eretz Yisrael as Creators of MidrashProf. Berekhyahu Lifshitz (Hebrew University)On the Definition of the term "Aggadah"Dr. Avinoam Rosenack (Hebrew University)Theory and Practice: the Contribution of the Rabbinic Derashah to theUnderstanding the Halakhah

Second Session 11:45-13:45Chair: Dr. Arnon Atzmon (Bar Ilan University and Lander Institute)

Dr. Aviram Ravitsky (Hebrew University and Ariel University Center)Tractate Avot in Maimonides' Ethical SystemDr. Esti Eisenman (Lander Institute and the Open University)Maimonides and R. Moshe ben Yehuda on Interpreting Rabbinic MidrashProf. Nahem Ilan (Lander Institute)Metaphor and Allegory - or the Simple Meaning? Exegesis and Philosophyas Reflected in Three Sephardic Commentaries to the Story of R. Yosi ben KismaProf. Eric Lawee (York University)"Davar lo Davur al Ofnav": A Late Medieval Criticism of Rashi'sMidrashic Hermeneutic in His Commentary to the Torah

Third Session 14:45-16:45Chairman: Prof. Nahem Ilan (Lander Institute)
Dr. Hannah Davidson (Lander Institute)Nahmanides' Approach to Midrash in the Context of the Barcelona DebateProf. Yaacov Elbaum (Hebrew University)Ein Yaacov and Aggadic Interpretation in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth CenturyProf. Carmi Horowitz (Lander Institute)Sixteenth Century Polemics Surrounding Aggadic ExegesisDr. Orah Wiskind Elper (Lander Institute)"Could They Have Spoken Speciously of the Lord"!? Maharal's Defense ofRabbinic Aggadah
Fourth Session 17:00- 18:30Chairman: Dr. Orah Wiskind-Elper (Lander Institute)

Prof. Ze'ev Greis (Ben Gurion University)Hassidic Interpretations of Avot in the 18th and 19th CenturiesRabbi Yitzhak BlauAggadic Exegesis Among Aharonim in the 18th and 19th CenturiesMr. Michael Gross (Lifschitz College)Peshat Exegesis of Rabbinic Aggadah by the Kabbalist Rabbi YosefHayyim of Bagdad

(via Look-JED)