Menachem Mendel Kasher

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This list may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (October 2007)

Menachem Mendel Kasher (1895-1983) was a Polish-born rabbi. A prolific author, his major work on the Hebrew Bible and midrashic literature, Torah Shelemah, can be divided into two parts. The first part is the Encyclopedia, the first work to publish all of the Written law (the Pentateuch) and the Oral Teachings (Talmud and Midrashim) side by side. He published from manuscript form several previously unknown midrashic works such as the Midrash Teiman. The latter part consists of the extensive annotations and addendum in which he uses his awareness of variant texts as well as his almost encyclopedic knowledge in all Jewish works to clarify many obscure points in the Talmud and Maimonides.

Kasher edited the periodical Degel Ha'Torah, the mouthpiece of the Polish branch of Agudas Yisrael, at age 19.

He was the editor of a Torah journal "Noam".

He helped bring the Rebbe of Gur to Israel during WWII. He was the Rosh Yeshiva (Dean) of Yeshivas Sefas Emes of Gur in its first two years.

Another work, Gemarah Shelemah, which was to have discussed and compared variant texts of the Talmud was never completed. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University. He was awarded the Israel prize (1953).

[edit] Some of his Halachic ruling

Permitted an [eruv] in [Manhattan] (against the ruling of R. Moshe Feinstein)
He formulated a [Halakhic] stance on the International Dateline in Jewish Law
He argued against the "Lieberman clause" as a solution to the Agunoh problem. (see Get (conflict))

[edit] He was the author of

Torah Shlemah, an encyclopedic work on the [Torah];
Hatekufah Hagedolah, a book explaining the meaning of our times according to Judaism.
Ha'odom Al Hayareach a book discussing the theological and legal issues involved when the moon was explored.
Ha'mechilta D' Rashbi V' HaRamabam discusses the relationship between Mishne Torah and this recently published Midrash.
Divrei Menachem Responsa (includes [responsa] from many of the foremost scholars of the day including the Rogatchover Gaon and Kli Chemda)