ד"ר בנימין קצוף

Curriculum Vitae: Binyamin Katzoff

Updated: November 2024

1.    Education

1999 – 2004      Ph.D. in Talmud in Bar Ilan University Subject of Ph.D. Thesis: The Relationship                                        Between Tosefta and Yerushalmi of Berachot Advisor: Prof. Leib Moscovitz

1995-1998         B.A. in Talmud and Computer Science in Bar Ilan University summa cum laude

2.    Academic Positions

2016-                  Senior lecturer (equivalent to Associate Professor) in the Talmud & Rabbinic                                            Literature Department in Bar Ilan University

2011-2016         Lecturer (equivalent to Assistant Professor) in the Talmud & Rabbinic Literature                                    Department in Bar Ilan University

2004-2011         Instructer in the Talmud & Rabbinic Literature Department in Bar Ilan University

2004-2008         Instructer in the Jewish Studies Program in the Ashkelon Academic College

3.    Conferences Presentations

1.      “Inter-Community Relationships and Viewpoint Plurality in Medieval Rabbinic literature: A Citation Network Digital Analysis”, together with Prof. M. Zhitomirsky-Geffet, Prof. J. Schler and N. Ben Gigi, 56^th Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies (virtual), 17.12.24

2.      “Disqualified witnesses who have another profession: on a Tannaitic view that has disappeared”, Canon, Authority, the Creation of Halakhah, Jewish Law Association International Conference, Harvard Law School, 20.8.24

3.      “Citation Networks and Assessment of viewpoint plurality in the Medieval Rabbinic Corpus”, together with Prof. M. Zhitomirsky-Geffet, Prof. J. Schler and N. Ben Gigi, Historical Network Research conference, University of Lausanne, 10.7.2024

4.      “The Strange Case of the Misleading Numeration of Chapters in the Tosefta”, Misattributions and Forgeries in Middle Eastern Manuscript Workshop, organized by the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, and the Institute for Medieval Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, 16.5.24

5.      “Citation Network Construction and Analysis for Inter-Community Relationships and Viewpoint Plurality Assessment of the Medieval Rabbinic literature”, together with Prof. M. Zhitomirsky-Geffet, Prof. J. Schler and N. Ben Gigi, #DHJewish Conference, University of Potsdam, 11.4.2024

6.      “Methodological Considerations Preparing Tosefta Neziqin Edition”, together with Prof. A. Schremer, Editions of Classical Jewish Literature in the Digital Era International Conference, University of Haifa, 19.6.23

7.      “Talmudic Baraitot in the Tosefta”, together with Prof. A. Schremer, Transmission and Expansion Methods in Rabbinic Literature Conference, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 15.6.23

8.      “Investigating Inter-Sage Influences in the Responsa Literature through the Prism of Citation Networks”, together with Prof. M. Zhitomirsky-Geffet, Prof. J. Schler and N. Ben Gigi, 18^th World Congress of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, 10.8.22

9.      “Global and Local Citation Networks as a New Paradigm for Multiple Viewpoint Investigation in Historical Literature: a Case Study of the Rabbinic Literature Corpus”, together with Prof. M. Zhitomirsky-Geffet, Prof. J. Schler and N. Ben Gigi, Digital Humanities 2022, University of Tokyo (virtual), 28.7.22

10.  “The Tosefta in a Tosefta-Yerushalmi Manuscript”, Talmudic and Post-Talmudic Literature Conference, Bar-Ilan University, 13.6.22

11.  “Uncovering a Cross-Generation Social Network of Jewish Scholars and their Learnings in the Responsa Literature”, together with Prof. M. Zhitomirsky-Geffet, Prof. J. Schler and N. Ben Gigi, #DHJewish – Jewish Studies in the Digital Age, University of Luxembourg (virtual), 13.1.21

12.  “‘They Ordered to Spill the Ashes’: A New Version of a Pharisee-Sadducee Debate”, 52^nd Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies (virtual), 17.12.20

13.  “Ishmael b. Piabi Burnt Two: A New Text from the Geniza on a Pharisee-Sadducee Debate”, HaMeir LaAretz: A Conference on Jewish Society and Culture, Bar Ilan University, 16.1.20

14.  “The Contribution of Some Genizah and Bookbinding Fragments to the Textual Tradition of the Tosefta”, Tosefta: New Perspectives International Workshop, Bar Ilan University, 27.5.19

15.  “The Second-Hand Scribe: A Unique Tosefta Fragment from the Levant, Its Intellectual Environment, and Its Influence”, Scribal Habits in Middle Eastern Manuscripts Workshop, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, 10.5.19

16.  “Confluence of Traditions in the Levant: A Geniza Tosefta-Manuscript and Its Corrections”, The XIth Congress of the European Association for Jewish Studies, Krakow, 18.7.18

17.  “Chapter Divisions and the Interpretation and Transmission of the Tosefta”, Dots, Marginalia and Peritexts in Middle Eastern Manuscripts Workshop, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, 28.6.18

18.  “The Origin and Significance of the Differences in the Chapter Divisions of the Tosefta”, 17^th World Congress of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, 8.8.2017

19.  “The Hire of Donkeys and Camels: Reconstruction of the Sources of the Sugya”, 16^th World Congress of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, 31.7.2013

20.  “What Did They Study?: On the Talmudic Curriculum in the Geonic Period”, 44^th Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies, Chicago, 18.12.2012

21.  “New Texts on Old Traditions: The "European Geniza" and the Transmission of the Tosefta”, 42^nd Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies, Boston, 21.12.2010

22.  “'Forewarned' Damages in Tannaitic Law”, 16^th International Conference of the Jewish Law Association, Netanya Academic College, 22.6.2010

23.  “A Story in Three Contexts: On the Relation of Halakhic and Non-halakhic Material in the Redaction of Rabbinic Works”, 41^st Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies, Los Angeles, 20.12.2009

24.  “Nine at Once: A Study of the MSS of the Talmud and the Tradition of the Geonim and Tosefta”, 15^th World Congress of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, 5.8.2009

25.  “Reciting the Shema: Redactional History and the Ascendancy of the House of Hillel”, 40^th Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies, Washington, 21.12.2008

26.  “'God of our Fathers': An Investigation into Rabbinic Liturgy”, 38^th Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies, San Diego, 18.12.2006

27.  “The Toseftas Text-Tradition in Relation to the Baraitot in the Talmudim: A New Analysis of Tractate Berachot”, 14^th World Congress of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, 31.7.2005

Other Academic Presentations

1.    “Tosefta: Text and Context”, Rabbinic Literature Seminar, Leo Baeck College, London (virtual), 30.11.20

2.    “The Tosefta in the Cairo Geniza and European Bookbindings”, Jewish History and Literature in the Graeco-Roman Period Seminar, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford, 19.11.19

3.    “The ‘Eighteen Benedictions’: Traditions from Babylonia and the Land of Israel”, The David Patterson lecture series at the Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, University of Oxford, 7.11.19

4.    Main Grants and Awards

2021-2023         Ministry of Science and Technology Grants in Digital Humanities, Global and Local Citation Networks as a New Paradigm for Multiple Viewpoint Investigation in Historical Literature: a Case Study of the Rabbinic Literature Corpus, together with Prof. M. Zhitomirsky-Geffet and Dr. J. Schler, 320,000NIS

2019-2021         Israel Science Foundation, Tosefta Nezikin: Critical Edition and Introduction, together with Prof. A. Schremer, 130,000NIS per year

2018                   Israel Science Foundation, Tosefta International Workshop, together with Prof. A. Schremer, 64,000NIS

2015-2017         Israel Science Foundation, Tosefta Fragments from the Cairo Genizah and European Bookbindings and Their Place in the Tosefta's Textual Tradition, together with Prof. A. Schremer, 116,000NIS per year.

5.    Graduate Students

MA Students

1.    Chava Kahanian, Tosefta Eduyot – Chapter One (2020-)

2.    Baruch Sapir, The Relationship Between Mishna and Tosefta Yevamot (2020-2023)

3.    David Dentelski, The Relationship Between an Opening Sugiya to Halakhic Discussions in Other Sugiyot Addressing the Same Subject: A Study in the Second Chapter of Ketubot and the First Chapter of Baba Metzia (2017-2020)

4.    Ran Sahar, The Laws of Betrothal in Halakhot Pesuqot and Their Connection to the Babylonian Talmud (2015-2017)

PhD Students

5.    Batya Denes, Studies in Halachot Pesuqot: Laws of Loan, together with Dr. Judah Galinsky (2021-)

6.    Yeshayahu Fisherman, The Halakhic and Educational Profile of Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, together with Prof. Adam Ferziger (2015-2020)

7.    Merav Suisa, Conceptual Aims in Introductory Sugyot of the Babylonian Talmud, and Their Expression in Following Sugyot, together with Prof. Moedechai Sabato (2014-2018)

6.    Organization of Conferences

1.    The third Inter-University Graduate Student Conference in Talmud and Halakhah, virtual, together with Prof. M. Bar-Asher Siegal, 14.3.21

2.    Tosefta New Perspectives International Workshop, Bar Ilan University, together with Prof. A. Schremer, 27-28.5.19

3.    The second Inter-University Graduate Student Conference in Talmud and Halakhah, Ben Gurion University, together with Dr. M. Bar-Asher Siegal, 11.4.19

7.    Other Academic Activities

Editor of SIDRA, A Journal for the Study of Rabbinic Literature, Talmud & Rabbinic Literature Department, Bar Ilan University (2017-2022)

Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, University of Oxford, Michaelmas Term 2019

Head of the Chair for the Study of the Jerusalem Talmud named after Maran the Chief Rabbi Aluf Harav Shlomo Goren ZT”L (2024)