When Knowledge Breaks Its Boundaries: Print, Truth, and Jewish Law

How do we make decisions when knowledge overflows? The printing revolution transformed Jewish learning: texts circulated across borders, unfamiliar sources became accessible, and readers encountered a growing range of conflicting opinions. Through the writings of Joseph Karo, author of the Shulkhan Arukh, and Solomon Luria, known as the Maharshal, we will explore two responses to this changing world. Their contrasting approaches raise questions about individual judgment and systematic decision-making, truth amid disagreement, and revelation at Sinai: what was given there, and what remains for each generation to interpret? . . . Shahar Steiner is an MA student in Comparative Religion at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where his research focuses on messianism and Jewish–Christian relations. His background combines several years of yeshiva study and rabbinical exams with a BA in Talmud and Comparative Religion from the Hebrew University. Alongside his studies, he teaches at Beit Midrash Hevruta at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and works as a tour guide in Jerusalem.