Rabbi Dr. Yitzchak Twersky

On Sept. 11, 2022, the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies hosted a conference marking the 25^th yahrtzeit of Rabbi Dr. Yitzchak (Isadore) Twersky and the publication of his collected writings Ke-Ma’ayan ha-Mitgabber: Law and Spirit in Medieval Jewish Thought. Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University; Dr. Daniel Rynhold, dean of Revel; and Rabbi Dr. Carmi Horowitz, professor of Jewish Thought and Intellectual History at Michalalah Yerushalayim in Jerusalem and editor of this recently published work, introduced the conference with thoughts on Rabbi Twersky’s unique character.

(l-r) Rabbi Menachem Genack and Prof. Carmi Horowitz at the conference

Rabbi Twersky (1930-1997) was the Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy at Harvard University, was known as the Talner Rebbe in Boston, and served as the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth David (the Talner Beis Midrash).  He was renowned both as an academic scholar with groundbreaking insights into Jewish intellectual history as well as an inspiring and loving rabbi, wholly dedicated to his constituents’ well-being. The two morning sessions of the conference featured sessions on “Halakhic Scholars and Their Impact” and “Jewish Intellectual History, Medieval and Modern,” and were meant to reflect Rabbi Twersky’s breadth of scholastic inquiry and impact. The following topics were explored:

• “The Intellectual History and Literary Corpus of R. Isaiah di Trani” - presented by Dr. Ephraim Kanarfogel, Billi Ivry University Professor of Jewish History, Literature and Law at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies and Stern College for Women
• “Intellectual humility in the thought of the Rambam” – presented by Prof. Elisha Russ-Fishbane, associate professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University
• “Rationalizing Qeri u-Ketiv: Radak’s Methodology in his Biblical Commentaries” – presented by Prof. Naomi Grunhaus, associate professor of bible at Stern College for Women
• Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter, senior scholar, Center for the Jewish Future and University Professor of Jewish History and Jewish Thought at YU, reflected on his experience as a student of Rabbi Twersky
• Prof. Tamara Morsel-Eisenberg, Gruss Scholar in Residence at New York University, discussed aspects of Rabbi Twersky’s essay about the Shulkhan Arukh
• Ira Robinson, professor of religion and chair and director of the Concordia Institute for Canadian Jewish Studies, presented a snapshot of Yehuda Kaufman Even Shmuel, a modern-day commentator of the Moreh Nevukhim

Many of the speakers made reference to Rabbi Twersky’s scholarly attention to the works of Maimonides and his seminal assertion of unity between the Mishneh Torah and Moreh Nevukhim, at the same time noting that his academic influence was felt in the entire field of Jewish intellectual history. The afternoon sessions were dedicated to Rabbi Twersky’s own work and life. Dr. Bernard Septimus, the Jacob E. Safra Professor of Jewish History and Sephardic Civilization (emeritus) at Harvard University and Dr. Michael Shmidman, dean and the Victor J. Selmanowitz, professor of medieval Jewish history at Touro University (who both studied for their doctoral degrees at Harvard with Rabbi Twersky) presented different aspects of his Maimonidean scholarship. Dr. Shnayer Leiman, distinguished professor of Jewish history and literature at Touro University, spoke about his interaction with Rabbi Twersky as an academic colleague and highlighted the sincere respect he accorded his colleagues, as well as his deep dedication to improving Jewish education. Dr. Kalman Stein, interim head of school at Hebrew Academy in Miami, Florida, described his interaction with Rabbi Twersky as a member of his congregation and spoke movingly about the close relationships that he (Rabbi Twersky) had formed with Dr. Stein’s family and children and the formative influence this had upon his family’s spiritual development. The well-attended conference made clear the enormous impact Rabbi Twersky had during his life and was a meaningful tribute to his memory and legacy.