Reading Reform Responsa: Study and Discussion Guide

What are reform responsa? Why do they matter? Why should we engage with them today? In Reading Reform Responsa: Jewish Tradition, Reform Rabbis, and Today's Issues, Rabbi Mark Washofsky, PhD, explores these questions and more as he addresses “why Reform rabbis write responsa, what makes them specifically Reform responsa, and [the roles] these legal texts play in the life of a modern, progressive Jewish movement” (2).

As Rabbi Washofsky explains, “‘Reform responsa’ is the name for the Reform Jewish version of the responsa literature, a vast treasury of rabbinic writing that stretches back nearly fifteen centuries” (1). At its most essential, the responsa literature is a collection of questions and answers (sh’eilot ut’shuvot). At the same time, responsa represent much more than the decisions they reach. As Rabbi Washofsky argues in Reading Reform Responsa, responsa are also a literary genre. We invite you to experience the compelling selection of responsa in this book and Rabbi Washofsky’s analysis of each—analyses that consider many spheres of influence, including the socio-historical, political, religious, theological, and literary.

This guide, written by Deborah Bell, is designed to facilitate the teaching and study of Reading Reform Responsa. It was written for adult and young adult learners and can be used in a diverse array of settings, such as adult education classes (in synagogues, community centers, campus Hillels, retirement communities), book clubs, and chavruta (paired learning), to name but a few possibilities. It can also be used to direct and enhance individual learners' involvement with the book. Each section of this guide provides a blueprint to facilitate deep learning of “how . . . Reform responsa work, how . . . they speak to their intended audience, and how . . . they attempt to exert influence upon the religious practice of Reform Jews today” (2). They also provide the opportunity to contribute your voice to the millennia-old conversation—arguments in the best possible sense of the word—about how to live a meaningful Jewish life.

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