Huge news!!

Three days ago my paper on Rabbi Elazar ben Arach was accepted for publication!

Technically speaking, this is the second time something I've written has been accepted for publication. The first time was for the NLI's history blog, but then a few days later they changed their minds and it was rejected. But either way, this is the first time one of my academic papers has been accepted for an academic journal. It's very exciting.

I don't know when it'll be published. Probably the upcoming June issue or the one after that, the December issue.

The Mystery of the Vilna Gate-Caper

...is yet to be resolved.

Okay, I've been quite intensively researching the origins of the famed Vilna-gate title-page that appears in most modern gemaras:


Yup, this old thing. Anyway, I've made some interesting discoveries, which will be for another time, when I'll have more koach to write about it.
What boggles my mind is that no one seems to care who made this. It's an engraving, and from a base look, it's quite good. But who made it? Nothing. Nadda. Now, researching different versions and editions, I managed to make out some signatures - but their meanings are unclear.

I hope to go later this week to the NLI (National Library of Israel) in hopes of maybe digging up more info. I'll be quite bummed if they don't have an answer.

For me it'll be an adventure, though. This'll only be my second time at the NLI, and actually walking up to a worker there for info...well, hope it'll turn out alright.

Will update eventually.