The Open Canon

Reviews / Votes

"Avi Sagi is one of the most brilliant scholars of our day. This book demonstrates that he possesses a prodigious command of the vast corpus of rabbinical literature as it has developed over the centuries and his knowledge of secular philosophical literature is equally erudite. In THE OPEN CANON, Sagi draws upon these two areas of expertise to provide a description and analysis of the nature of halakhic discourse that is at once sophisticated and illuminating. He allows the sources to speak for themselves, even as he provides philosophical contexts and considerations that shed light on those sources. This book is an unparalleled feast for knowledgeable laypeople and scholars who are interested in grasping the dynamic and manifold nature of Jewish law and its many approaches to the questions of authority." - David Ellenson, President, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Mention - New Testament Abstracts, Vol. 52 No. 3, 2008 "Sagi presents a very stimulating and thought-provoking discussion of the receptio-history and development of classical halakhah, which can serve as the basis for further discussions on halakhah amongst jews of different outlooks and denominations" Catherine Hezser, Book Reviews Vol.10 No.1 2009