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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>The
definitive methodic article on Halakhic periodization (era division): <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>R.
SZ Havlin, <i>Al HaHatimah Hasifrutit KeYesod HaHalukah LeTkufot B'Halakha</i>,
<a
href="http://aleph.nli.org.il/F/?func=direct&doc_number=000927001&local_base=NNLALL">Studies
in Talmudic Literature</a>, 1983, pp. 148-192.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>This
includes much focus on what Micah Berger observed: "The mishnah was
a kind of line, but there was blurriness around it." Rav Havlin tends to over-emphasize
the centrality of the canonized Halakhic literature as the primary element. But
this is <i>Lisheetaso</i>. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>As
for The Shoah as a dividing line, this does not fit Rav Havlin's model. Nonetheless,
a general observation can be raised. One need simply compare to the control
group- the Sephardic poskim. Rav Ovadiah has no qualms about taking a stance
against the Ben Ish Hai, or even RH Palagi. Whereas Ashkenazic poskim after the
Hazon Ish will be adverse to disagreeing with the Mishnah Brurah without backup
from other Ahronim (even though the MB is clearly not intended to be a corpus
of psak, rather a summary of ahronim). The destruction of the Yeshivot in
Europe can be seen as the central element, a schism that the Sephardic
Halakhic realm did not suffer. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>On
the remark : " …the line between ge'onim and rishonim. It had no
characterizing text…". The Rif is one of the most landmark
demarcation lines in Halakhic periodization. Simply put, no one after the Rif allows
himself to ignore the book referred to by the Rishonim as "the
Halakhot". In the generation after the Rif, the RI Migash (Tshuvot, Warsaw
1870 no. 104) already determines that now that the Talmud has been summarized,
no one is permitted to <i>poseq</i> based on Talmudic scholarship. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal dir=RTL><span dir=LTR><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>Dr.
Ezra Chwat<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>The
Department of Manuscripts/<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>National
Librarhy of Israel <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>blog:
Giluy Milta B'Alma: http://imhm.blogspot.com<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal dir=RTL><span dir=LTR><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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