On September 27, 2024, the Department of Near Eastern Languages and the Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard invited colleagues, friends, and family to honor Shaye J. D. Cohen, Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy, at his retirement.
On July 1, 2025, Professor Cohen’s retirement has taken effect.
Below is a tribute from his colleague, Jay M. Harris, Harry Austryn Wolfson Professor of Jewish Studies.
DR. SHAYE COHEN, NATHAN LITTAUER PROFESSOR OF HEBREW LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY, RETIRES
On June 30 Shaye J.D. Cohen retires as the Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy after a fifty-year career—half spent at Harvard. The Littauer chair is the oldest chair in Jewish Studies in North America; it is now a century old, and Cohen is the third person to occupy the chair. Like his predecessors, Harry Wolfson and Isadore Twersky, Cohen’s research is characterized by incisive questions, philological rigor, and remarkable clarity of presentation. He brings command of all the relevant languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac, Greek, and Latin—to his studies on ancient Jewish history and culture (and, at times, treating later periods as well).
He has literally written the book on ancient Jewish history; I refer to his remarkable From the Maccabees to the Mishnah, now in its third edition. It is a work used by scholars while also serving the needs of students at all levels. Like all his studies, it is remarkably judicious; in each chapter, Cohen lays out evidence carefully, explains how he understands it, notes possible counter-arguments, and leads readers to decide for themselves. I’ve frequently used it in my teaching, and it always meets the mark beautifully.
While it is a challenge to briefly characterize his highly influential corpus, it is clear that two areas of Jewish life and culture are recurring interests. The first revolves around questions of Jewish identity: his The Beginnings of Jewishness (1999) addresses a range of questions, including: What makes a Jew a Jew, and what makes a non-Jew a non-Jew? Can a non-Jew become a Jew, and can a Jew become a non-Jew? How does the Jewish boundary between Jew and non-Jew compare with the Jewish boundary between male Jew and female Jew? The last question led to his study of circumcision and gender, Why Aren’t Jewish Women Circumcised? (2005). On this and other sets of questions Cohen has written or edited ten books, and has published well over sixty articles. His other recurring interest is the Mishnah. He recently edited a volume entitled What Is the Mishnah? and also served as an editor of a remarkable new translation of the Mishnah, accompanied by commentaries on each tractate. It is a true labor of love, and will surely be the definitive edition of the Mishnah in English for the foreseeable future.
Written by: Dr. Jay M. Harris, Harry Austryn Wolfson Professor of Jewish Studies
Originally published in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations July 2025 Newsletter.