Perpetuating the Masorah

This volume is a collection of essays on aggadic, halakhic, ethical, and spiritual themes by Rabbi Professor Yitzhak Twersky (1930-1977), the Talner Rebbe, dedicated to the memory of his father-in-law, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. An important question for Jews in our time revolves around our relationship to the masorah -- the Jewish tradition of the Written and Oral Law revealed at Sinai, and interpreted and elaborated upon throughout the generations. How do we, in today's world, give a place of preeminence to the observance of Jewish law and the intellectual demands of its study, and at the same time embrace religious spirituality, and moral and ethical living? How can we ensure that the masorah is perpetuated and continues to remain relevant? These questions lie at the heart of the essays in this volume, which originated as Shiurim delivered by Rabbi Twersky. Some of the issues addressed are: the teaching of Torah and its goals, becoming a Torah scholar, the prerogatives of Torah scholars and their responsibilities and obligations, the qualities of teachers and students of Torah, and the uniqueness of Jewish tradition. Commitment to the masorah, the passion and love of Torah, the excitement of understanding penimiyut hatorah -- the inner spirituality of Torah -- all flow from the words and between the lines of these essays. -- Cover page 4.