Pinchas Hacohen Peli (Hebrew: פינחס פֶּלִאי הכהן, 6 May 1930 – 3 April 1989) was an Israeli modern Orthodox rabbi, essayist, poet, and scholar of Judaism and Jewish philosophy.
Pinchas Hacohen Peli (right) & Louis Finkelstein (left), New York, 1969
At age 16, he started publishing poetry in the Israeli newspaper Davar. He used the pen name "Peli" ("wonder") because he was afraid to use his real name, given that his family was a distinguished rabbinical family living in Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim. He subsequently adopted it as his actual name.[1]
He was also the editor of the Encyclopaedia Judaica Year Book, the Jerusalem Quarterly for Literature, and Panim-el-Panim ("Face to Face"), and served as the Torah Commentator for the Jerusalem Post.
Frequently lecturing to both Jews and Christians, he participated in the Israel Interfaith Committee and discussed Jewish-Catholic relations at the Vatican.
Peli opposed efforts to impose greater religious control over life in Israel. He told an interviewer in 1986, "I think for the sake of religion and for the sake of Israel there must be a separation between state and religion."[2]
Familyedit
Peli married his cousin Penina Cohen, whom he met in 1951 when he went to the United States as emissary of the Jewish Agency, lecturing on behalf of the Synagogue Council of America and the Israel Bonds organization.
pinchas, hacohen, peli, hebrew, פינחס, אי, הכהן, 1930, april, 1989, israeli, modern, orthodox, rabbi, essayist, poet, scholar, judaism, jewish, philosophy, right, louis, finkelstein, left, york, 1969, contents, early, life, academic, career, interfaith, activi. Pinchas Hacohen Peli Hebrew פינחס פ ל אי הכהן 6 May 1930 3 April 1989 was an Israeli modern Orthodox rabbi essayist poet and scholar of Judaism and Jewish philosophy Pinchas Hacohen Peli right amp Louis Finkelstein left New York 1969 Contents 1 Early life 2 Academic career 3 Interfaith activity 4 Friendship with Joseph B Soloveitchik 5 Views 6 Family 7 Works 8 References 9 External linksEarly life editHe was born in Jerusalem Israel in 1930 to a Hasidic family named Hacohen At age 16 he started publishing poetry in the Israeli newspaper Davar He used the pen name Peli wonder because he was afraid to use his real name given that his family was a distinguished rabbinical family living in Jerusalem s ultra Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim He subsequently adopted it as his actual name 1 Peli received a B A in Jewish History and Talmud at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and became a strong supporter of Religious Zionism 1 Academic career edit nbsp Pinchas and Penina Peli with author Shai Agnon at their home He was Professor of Jewish Thought and Literature at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev and a visiting professor at Yeshiva University Cornell University Notre Dame University the Seminario Rabbinico in Argentina and the Makuya Bible Seminary in Japan He was also the editor of the Encyclopaedia Judaica Year Book the Jerusalem Quarterly for Literature and Panim el Panim Face to Face and served as the Torah Commentator for the Jerusalem Post His writings include studies of the thought of rabbis Abraham Joshua Heschel and Joseph B Soloveitchik discussions concerning Shabbat the Land of Israel anti Semitism the problem of evil and commentary on the weekly Torah portion parsha Interfaith activity editFrequently lecturing to both Jews and Christians he participated in the Israel Interfaith Committee and discussed Jewish Catholic relations at the Vatican Friendship with Joseph B Soloveitchik editWhile a professor at Yeshiva University between 1967 and 1971 he became a friend and important disciple of Rabbi Joseph B Soloveitchik publishing a volume based on his oral discourses entitled On Repentance Hebrew Al haTeshuva Jerusalem 1979 redacting the major points of Soloveitchik s teachings See Joseph B Soloveitchik Works by Joseph Soloveitchik Views editPeli opposed efforts to impose greater religious control over life in Israel He told an interviewer in 1986 I think for the sake of religion and for the sake of Israel there must be a separation between state and religion 2 Family editPeli married his cousin Penina Cohen whom he met in 1951 when he went to the United States as emissary of the Jewish Agency lecturing on behalf of the Synagogue Council of America and the Israel Bonds organization They raised four children Dr Bitkha Har Shefi lecturer of Talmud at Hebrew Union College Emuna Elon Israeli author and journalist who is married to Rabbi Binyamin Elon Bat Sheva Peli Seri active in Kolech the Israeli Religious Women s Forum Deuell Peli a lawyer Peli died in Jerusalem on 3 April 1989 and is buried in Jerusalem s Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery Works editAbraham Joshua Heschel An intellectual Biography New York University Press 1986 Torah Today A Renewed Encounter With Scripture 1987 Shabbat Shalom A Renewed Encounter with the Sabbath 1988 Chapters in Jewish Thought in the Land of Israel 1990 ed On Repentance The Thought and Oral Discourses of Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik 1980 References edit a b Wrestling with God Jewish Theological Responses During and After the Holocaust USA Oxford University Press 4 Jan 2007 p 244 Goldman Ari 1989 Pinchas H Peli 59 Dies in Israel Noted Author and Judaic Scholar New York Times Retrieved 31 July 2018 External links edithttps www nytimes com 1989 04 04 obituaries pinchas h peli 59 dies in israel noted author and judaic scholar html https web archive org web 20051118163830 http www kolel org pages parasha commentator html Anchor Rabbi 49425 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pinchas Hacohen Peli amp oldid 1186280576, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
