ר׳ מרדכי ברויאר

ר׳ מרדכי ברויאר (14 May 1921–24 February 2007; Marcus Breuer) was a German-born Israeli rabbi, Bible teacher and scholar of the Masoretic text. Born in Karlsruhe to ר׳ שמשון ברויאר and Leah Frankel, he was a great-grandson of ר׳ שמשון רפאל הירש. His family immigrated to Mandatory Palestine when he was twelve. He studied in Jerusalem at Horev, Yeshivat Kol Torah and Yeshivat Hebron, then taught Tanakh from 1947 in religious-Zionist schools and yeshivot, including Yeshivat Kfar HaRoeh, Yeshivat HaDarom, Jerusalem College for Women and Yeshivat Har Etzion. His textual work sought the authoritative Tiberian Masoretic text by comparing manuscripts, Masorah and early printed editions. When he gained access to the Aleppo Codex, its readings closely confirmed the text he had independently reconstructed. His editions entered the Da'at Mikra series, the Horev Tanakh and, with graphic design inspired by the Aleppo Codex, כתר ירושלים—the Hebrew University's official Bible edition and the edition used for ceremonial presentations by the Knesset. Breuer also developed שיטת הבחינות, accepting many literary divisions identified by documentary criticism while interpreting the Torah's contrasting voices as intentionally revealed divine perspectives whose combination expresses a fuller truth. The method generated lasting debate within religious Bible study. His books include פיסוק טעמים שבמקרא, כתר ארם צובה והנוסח המקובל של המקרא, פרקי מועדות and פרקי בראשית. He received the Bialik Prize in 1984, the Israel Prize for original rabbinic literature in 1999, and an honorary doctorate from the Hebrew University.