Barry Dov Walfish is the Judaica Specialist at the University of Toronto Libraries and Lecturer in Modern Hebrew Language in the University’s Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations. He also is on the faculty of the University’s Centre for the Study of Religion. He completed his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto and a degree in Library Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His current research areas are History of Jewish biblical interpretation and Karaism. Among his publications are: Commentary on the Book of Job by Moses Kimhi (1992; co-editor), and Esther in Medieval Garb: Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Esther in the Middle Ages (1993).
UofT Libraries, Collection Development Department
BSc (Toronto), MA (Toronto), PhD (Toronto)
Robarts Library, 130 St. George Street
tel: (416) 978-4319;
Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, 120 St. George Street
tel: (416) 946-3176
email: barry.walfish@utoronto.ca
Areas of research
History of Jewish biblical interpretation; Karaism.
Selected publications
“Karaism and the Dead Sea Scrolls: an annotated bibliography (2005)
“Medieval Jewish Biblical Exegesis” (2004)
With Reverence for the Word: Scriptural Interpretation in Medieval Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (2003; co-editor)
“Typology, Narrative, and History: Isaac ben Joseph Ha-Kohen on the Book of Ruth” (2003)
“Kosher Adultery? The Esther-Mordecai-Ahasuerus Triangle in Talmudic, Medieval and Sixteenth-Century Exegesis” (2003)
“Karaite Press and Printing” (2003)