In the new Bevis Marks synagogue in London, in 1701, the hazan, or salaried prayer-leader, was fined for every mistake he made while reading from the Torah. The minute books of the synagogue record actual cases of fining the hazan. In his book, The … [Continue reading] about Costly Mistakes
Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine
I am happy to report a significant upgrade to the site, Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine. The site will eventually make accessible all of the published inscriptions from the region that date from the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman periods. … [Continue reading] about Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine
Last Friday I delivered a plenary address at the NE regional SBL meeting in Newton, MA. Below is the text:Who Needs Theory? An Historian’s PolemicMichael SatlowI have to start with a confession: I hate plenary sessions. I’ve always disliked … [Continue reading] about
The Gift in Antiquity
On May 2-4, 2010, Brown will be hosting a conference entitled "The Gift in Antiquity." The purpose of this conference is to use the theoretical frame of the "gift" (especially as discussed by Marcel Mauss) as a way to explore a range of practices in … [Continue reading] about The Gift in Antiquity
Jewish Time
I have always been interested in how real people lived their lives; how they negotiated the quotidian demands and stresses that accompany all human societies. I like intellectual history, but one of the real joys of my job is seeing how ideas work … [Continue reading] about Jewish Time