A COLLECTION OF ACADEMIC WRITINGS CONCERNING THE 16TH CENTURY SEMIKHA EPISODE

(Edited, Translated and Foreword by. M. Avrum Ehrlich)

• Prologue;
  
  
• Introduction by M. Avrum Ehrlich
  
  
• “Sanhedrin and Semikha Studies within Jewish Philosophy and Jewish Political Thought” by M. Avrum Ehrlich, lecture initially given at Clare Hall, Cambridge University.
  
  
• “Renewal of Semikha in the Present” (Hebrew) by Rabbi M. M Kasher, Originally published in Torah Shleima, Notes for Part 15 pp 180-200.
  
  
• “Attempts to Restore Semikha” by Jacob Newman.
  Originally published as a chapter in his work “Semikhah”, 1950.
  
  
• “The Dispute Between Jacob Berab and Levi ben Habib Over Renewing Ordination” by Jacob Katz, originally published in Divine Law in Human Hands, Jerusalem, 1998
  
  
• “Two New Documents Regarding the Ordination Controversy” (Hebrew) by Dimitrovsky Chaim Zalman. Originally published in Sefunot, Mekhon Ben-Tzvi, 1966.
  
  
• “Renewal of Semikhah in Safed”, By Meir Beneyahu, originally published in Isaac F. Baer Jubilee Book.
  
  
• “Renewal of the Sanhedrin from 400 years ago” by Rabbi Dov Revel (Hebrew). Originally published in Horeb 5, 1939
  
  
• “Halakhic vs Mystical Messianism in the Semikha Controversy of 16th Century Safed”, by M Avrum Ehrlich, initially given as a Paper at the International Medieval Congress, Leeds, 2002.
  
• “Failure to Renew the Semikha and its Implications for the Future Development of Judaism”, by M. Avrum Ehrlich, Initially given as a paper at the 13th World Congress on Jewish Studies, Hebrew, University, Jerusalem, 2001.
  
  
• “The Matter Needs a Decision: Clarification of Maimonides’ Opinion on the Question of Renewing the Semikhah” (Hebrew) by Eliav Shochetman.
  Originally published in Hebrew Law Annual 14, 1988