JEWISH LAW AND ORTHODOX LAW

One of the foundational distinctions of the past three centuries in Jewish history from its predecessors is the changing role of Jewish law. Jewish law long served primarily as a dividing line between Jews and Gentiles-or those gravitating toward apostasy. In contrast, the queries in this chapter demonstrate a clear, self-conscious emphasis by the authors on disparities between their core Jewish constituencies-the Orthodox, as opposed to non-Orthodox or nonobservant Jews. Attention to such divergences is not simply a cosmetic or technical matter. When evidenced broadly, it reflects a more fundamental characteristic of the transition from pre-modern Jewish law to an adjusted novel articulation. A system that celebrated divisions between Jews and non-Jews shifted to one that did not abandon prior principles regarding non-Jews-although many authorities sought to neutralize them-but brought to the fore that which differentiated between Orthodox Jews and their Jewish counterparts.