Pinchas Hacohen Peli

Pinchas Hacohen Peli (19301989) was an Israeli modern Orthodox rabbi, essayist, poet and scholar of Judaism and Jewish philosophy.

Early life

He was born in Jerusalem, Israel in 1930 to a Hasidic family named Hacohen. In his poetry, which was published in the Israeli newspaper Davar, he adopted the pen name 'Peli' ('wonder'). He received a B.A in Jewish History and Talmud at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Academic career

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 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

Frequently 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

While a professor at Yeshiva University he became a friend and important disciple of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, publishing a volume based on his oral discourses entitled On Repentance.

Family

Peli is the father of Israeli author and journalist Emuna Elon (marriage to Rabbi Binyamin Elon).

Works

References

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