Splitting Hairs: Law, Tradition, and Lived Practice

Join Rabbi Michael Broyde and Rabbanit Talia Weisberg for an in depth discussion about the sometimes complicated relationship between halakhic (Jewish legal) texts, communal norms, and lived religious practice. Using Broyde's 2026 book, Splitting Hairs, and the history of Jewish women’s hair covering as a case study, Broyde and Weisberg will focus not only on what the classical sources say, but also on how those sources were understood and practiced in different Jewish communities over time. They will examine how modern social changes have shaped both stricter and more lenient approaches to hair covering. The intention of this class is not simply to present a bottom-line ruling, but to show how a serious halakhic (Jewish legal) conversation develops across centuries and why communities can arrive at different practices. Whether you are familiar with the practice of hair covering or just curious about how law and lived practice intertwine, this conversation invites you to think more deeply about how Jewish communities navigate the space between what the texts say, what tradition has taught, and how people actually live. . . . Rabbi Michael J. Broyde is a professor of law at Emory University School of Law and a longtime scholar, teacher, and dayan in the field of halakhah. He has written extensively on Jewish law, family law, medical ethics, religious practice, and the relationship between halakhah and modern legal systems. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including Splitting Hairs: The History, Law, and Future of Jewish Laws of Modesty and Women’s Head Covering. Rabbi Broyde has spent many years teaching Torah and serving the Jewish community, as a synagogue rabbi, Rosh Kollel, and Daya,with a particular interest in how classical halakhic sources are applied to contemporary life. His work combines close engagement with the sources of halakhah with attention to history, communal practice, and the realities of modern Jewish life. Rabbanit Talia Weisberg is a connector, passionate about facilitating rich Jewish experiences and helping people make informed Jewish decisions. She is currently pursuing a PhD in religion at Boston University, learned Torah at both Yeshivat Maharat and Bais Yaakov, and earned an AB in religion at Harvard University. She loves to learn and teach about the weekly parsha, women in Jewish text and tradition, kashrut, and the development of halacha. As a Va’Tichtov fellow, she is working on a book about animals in the Torah. She lives in Cambridge with her family.