Yehudah Henkin, Urim Publications, 1999
Rabbi Henkin, a well known and quite contentious halachist, has written a number of volumes of ‘Beney Banim’, erudite halachic response on modern issues. He is known for his forward-thinking views on women’s issues, as well as covering the usual range of subjects, such as tefillah, Shabbat, etc.Henkin is the grandson of the very famous Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Henkin, one of the most important halachic decider in America alongside Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. The book under discussion is a small selection of Beney Banim, as well as some other, more exegetical material, in English. There is much on women’s issues, but plenty on other contentious modern subjects too. Indeed, the subtitle of the collection is ‘Essay in Torah Commentary, Halachah and Jewish Thought’. Some of the more eye-catching examples of subjects covered are ‘Women and Kaddish’, ‘Killing Captured Terrorists’ and ‘It May be glatt…’ An interesting collection; well worth a look.
