Abortion, stem-cell research, conversion standards, female rabbis, DNA testing, animal cruelty, civil marriages in Israel. While today's most hot-button halakhic issues elicit strong opinions on all sides, few understand the halakhic origins of their views, their historical development or social implications. Without fully grasping the issues at hand, respectful dialogue between conflicting opinions becomes impossible. In A Guide to the Complex, Brody presents over 130 of the most provocative, controversial topics in Jewish law today. The book s concise, articulate essays, based on the author's popular Ask the Rabbi column in The Jerusalem Post, cite sources and scholars from across the ideological spectrum in an effort to increase respect for the diversity of voices of the halakhic dialogue. This compendium of highly relevant essays gives an accurate picture of the legal, historical, and sociological factors that are fundamental to understanding halakhic debates.
As technology and culture change, as unique situations arise, many people want to know what Judaism has to say about the issues of the day. Yet Jewish law is anything but straightforward. An honest discussion must include multiple opinions that weave their way through history, at times intersecting and then diverging. Many have attempted to simplify these stories, but few have succeeded.
Rabbi Shlomo Brody consistently presents issues “ripped from the headlines” in an accessible yet comprehensive way. Think of a hot topic, and he has discussed it. Quoting opinions throughout the ages and across the spectrum, he explains the different views with clarity and authority. Yet, given the great significance of his topics, he cannot fail to take a side, unlike what one may do with theoretical issues of little social importance. Rather, he often subtly shows his personal view, as one would expect from an author who deeply cares about these issues.
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