Adam Schiff, the freshman Democratic senator from California, is making headlines for his choice of sefer during his swearing-in ceremony on Monday, taking the oath of office on a rare 1490 edition of the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah.
In a statement released before the ceremony, Schiff described the sefer, printed in the duchy of Milan (modern-day northern Italy), as “a monumental legal code and one of the most organized, comprehensive, and influential works of Jewish law.” The volume was published by Gershom ben Mosheh ish Sontsino, a member of the renowned Soncino family, who were early trailblazers in Jewish printing.
Schiff, who until now served as a congressman and federal prosecutor, said he chose the Rambam not only for its significance but also as a symbolic stand for justice and the rule of law, especially in light of the tumultuous state of American politics.
Schiff was at the forefront of leading the first impeachment against Donald Trump and co-chaired the investigation into the Capitol riots of January 6, 2021. Trump, set to re-enter the White House, recently called for Schiff’s imprisonment and vowed “retribution” against his opponents.
Schiff isn’t the first Jewish politician to make such a gesture during a swearing-in. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, also a Democrat, took his oath in 2023 on a stack of three Chumashim, including one from the bimah of the shul where 11 were murdered in the 2018 Pittsburgh shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue. Similarly, Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff was sworn in on a sefer once owned by an Atlanta rabbi whose shul was bombed in 1958 by white supremacists.
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16 Responses
This is the guy who lied to the country repeatedly during the Russia-gate debacle. He may as well swear on a stack of pizza boxes.
He might benefit from More Nevuchim to uncork the corrupt mind off his pencilneck.
The Rambam says your not allowed to make an oath.
He probably didn’t know how to read it and thought it was a “bible”
Get your טמא hands off the heilige Rambam!
maybe Chabad should stop giving them out to all these sick politicians.
Don’t be concerned.
It was a Genizah Repro …
He wouldn’t dare deface …
I agree with all of the above posts! No matter how “newsworthy”, YWN should not stoop to such a low of praiseworthy reporting of a seemingly holy act on the part of such a rasha. This does not exonerate his crimes! I would take a guess that the Rambam would be mortified!
@Jcohen-its because ywn is not really YESHIVA news. It’s owned by others who keep the title yeshiva world to deceive but put in their own nonsense that noone outside their sect actually cares about.
It’s called Mishna Torah for a reason.
It IS the whole Torah.
So this is very appropriate.
A chumash is not the whole Torah (because many halachos are not elucidated, down to the minute details). And Tanach is for sure not Torah.
So, let’s give credit where credit due.
The Mishna Torah is the most appropriate representation of Torah. More than a sefer Torah itself (especially bereshis).
Ah sheverer Rambam
Happy,
You have serious issues if you can post that “The Mishna Torah is the most appropriate representation of Torah. More than a sefer Torah itself”.
The rambam would be very proud of the pencilneck.
Shifty Schiff has excellent midos
I’m guessing he never actually opened it to learn anything, but if he did, it might wake something up inside him.
According to happy we should be leining from the mishna Torah instead.
@rightwriter
The Rambam himself said that, in his hakdama to mishna Torah. Ayen sham.