On Presidents’ Day, Ó£»¨¶¯Âþ hosted Chaim Saiman, Professor of Law and Chair in Jewish Law at Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law, for a guest lecture about his book Halakhah: The Rabbinic Idea of Law. The event, co-sponsored by the Zahava and Moshael J. Straus Center for Torah and Western and the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Yeshiva College Honors Program, featured a thought-provoking and engaging conversation between Saiman and Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern, Deputy Director of the Straus Center. Saiman shared insights on his professional journey, the intersections of Jewish and American legal traditions, and his reflections on the evolving role of halakhah in contemporary society.
Saiman began by recounting his early experiences growing up in Atlanta, Georgia and his educational trajectory from his yeshiva learning to law school and beyond. After reading a captivating selection from his book, Saiman reflected on the distinct nature of Jewish legal thought, highlighting how halakhah, unlike other legal systems, has continued to thrive independently of political and societal structures, noting that it flowered after the loss of Jewish sovereignty.
Additionally, Saiman contrasted American and Jewish legal culture. He pointed out that the idea of Torah study as a religious ideal sets halakhah apart from Western legal frameworks, where study of legal knowledge is not an essential aspect of citizenship or religious devotion. He also reflected on the contemporary challenges and transformations within Jewish legal practice, particularly in the realm of arbitration by Beit Din (a court of Jewish law). He noted the increasing complexity of modern-day Jewish financial disputes and how the Beit Din must navigate both halakhic principles and American legal frameworks.
Moving toward a cultural perspective, Saiman shared his analysis of the Star Wars film franchise through the lens of Jewish law. He explored how the film’s portrayal of Jedi texts reflects the tension of fidelity to received tradition. The burning of the Jedi books in one film, he noted, seemed to subvert the series’ own narrative by deemphasizing its earlier emphasis on the Jedi/Sith polarity, only for the old framework to reappear in a subsequent film.
Looking ahead, Saiman discussed his current research project focusing on the role of Beit Din in the American legal system, which will rely on extensive interviews and case studies to assess how Jewish courts operate within the broader legal and communal landscape. The event concluded with an engaging Q&A, where attendees delved deeper into the complex relationship between Jewish and American law.
