Nahum Rabinovitch

Rabbi Nahum Eliezer Rabinovitch (Hebrew: נחום אליעזר רבינוביץ'‎‎; born 1928) is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi and posek, and head of Yeshivat Birkat Moshe in Ma'ale Adumim. He was born in Montreal, Canada. His late daughter was Dina Rabinovitch (1963–2007).

Studies

Rabinovitch began studying with rabbi Pinchas Hirschsprung at age 14. At age 20, he studied in Yeshivas Ner Israel, Baltimore, where he received Semicha from Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman. He also obtained a master's degree in mathematics from Johns Hopkins University. He later completed a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Science at the University of Toronto.

In 1951, Rabinovitch married Rachel Malka Shuchatowitz, the niece of rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman.

Public life

Rabinovitch taught Judaism in several places and served as a congregational rabbi: Between 1952 -1963 he was the Rabbi of the Jewish Community in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1963 he was called to serve as a community Rabbi in Toronto. In the 1970s, he completed a Ph.D. in the field of statistics and probability in the Talmud at the university of Toronto; the results are in his book which is highly cited: "Probability and Statistical Inference in ancient and medieval Jewish Literature" (Toronto, 1973). At that time he also gave lectures at the University and was an editor of the Rabbinical Council of America's journal "Hadarom".

Rabinovitch also lived in London (1971–1982), where he served as dean of Jews' College and had a reputation as an influential scholar. He later agreed to be a head of Yeshivat Birkat Moshe in Ma'ale Adumim, Judea and Samaria, a Hesder institution.

Philosophy and major works

Rabinovitch is an authority on Maimonides; he has published scientific, theological, and halachic books and essays on Maimonides' writings. His philosophical approach is influenced by Maimonides' rationalism. It emphasizes the connection between philosophy and halacha, between Torah and scientific studies, and between theoretical learning and practical application in life.

In a recent interview (in Hebrew), Rabinovitch said that he backed religious studies for women, and did not see a problem in Halachic decisions taken by women. Jewish law has always spoken of monarchy as an ideal, but Rabinovitch said that it might not be dictatorial, and drew a picture of constitutional society, where the law is above everything else.


Works

Hebrew

English

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