Tagged Questions
6
votes
2answers
162 views
How historically accurate is Josephus?
How accurate is the writing of Josephus? Can we rely on any of his writings to establish authentic Jewish practices or in areas of halacha?
8
votes
3answers
339 views
Were the Books of Maccabees found in the Dead Sea Scrolls?
Were there copies of any of the Books of Maccabees (and/or Megillas Antiochus) found amongst in the Dead Sea Scrolls?
3
votes
3answers
138 views
What are the major ancient literature on Judaic mysticism and spiritual development?
What are the major ancient literature on Judaic mysticism and spiritual development? By ancient I mean B.C.E.
I also would appreciate if you can also provide links to online English translations if ...
7
votes
1answer
92 views
Which came first the Mishnah Torah or the Pirush HaMishnayos
Which sefer did the Ramabm author first, was it his Mishnah Torah (Yad HaChazaka) or his commentary to Mishnayos?
11
votes
1answer
211 views
How does Orthodox Judaism view the Book of Jubillees
How is the Book of Jubilees regarded by Orthodox Jewry (I'm not asking if we believe it existed, but if we hold any of the information in it to be accurate).
Is it ever quoted by any of the ...
7
votes
5answers
216 views
Learning History on Shabbos
Is there a Halachic problem to read and or learn the topic of History on Shabbos for enjoyment purposes? and why?
3
votes
1answer
91 views
'fixed' wording of the g'mara justified by found mss.?
In the margins of the g'mara are many notations indicating changes that various rabbis (Bach, G'ra, Tzon Kadashim, Shita M'kubetzes, etc.) made in the wording of the g'mara, seemingly to resolve ...
12
votes
1answer
350 views
What is the oldest manuscript of Torah Shebaal Peh?
We don't have (and more's the pity!) R' Yehudah Hanassi's autograph copy of the Mishnah (well, okay, it's a controversial issue whether he actually wrote it or only arranged it orally), or Ravina and ...
3
votes
1answer
76 views
“The Romans' Book” in Ramba"n
The commentary of Ramba"n on Vayikra 26:16 explains a large swath of parashas B'chukosai as an allegory to the two batei Mikdash and the corresponding exiles. Included therein, he elaborates on the ...
4
votes
2answers
137 views
Shakespeare in Classic Jewish Sources
Does anyone know of any references to Shakespeare, translations of his works, or anything related to Shakespeare in classic Rabbinic sources?
10
votes
2answers
236 views
What rabbinic/Judaic scholar has the lowest Erdős number?
From Wikipedia:
The Erdős number describes the "collaborative distance" between a person and mathematician Paul Erdős, as measured by authorship of mathematical papers. ...
Due to the very high ...
11
votes
2answers
467 views
Origins of איל משולש and Vilna Ga'on's bathroom math
There is a well-known fact that the Vilna Ga'on studied math while in the bathroom since Torah was out of the question in an unclean place. It is also somewhat well-known that he produced the material ...
2
votes
4answers
135 views
When and What was the first Hebrew Sefer published?
When and What was the first Hebrew Sefer that was mass published?
1
vote
2answers
58 views
When was the Shulchan Aruch HaArizal first published?
On HebrewBooks.org they have this edition. Is there any previous edition and when?
מקום דפוס ווילנא
שנת דפוס תרמא
Pub. Place Vilna
Pub. Date 1881
Pages דפים 95
6
votes
2answers
145 views
Biography on Rav Hirsch
Anyone know of any good (i.e. non-hagiographical) biographies on Rav Samson Rafael Hirsch zt"l?
5
votes
1answer
117 views
9
votes
3answers
313 views
How Kabbalistically accurate is the golem-making procedure described in “Niflaos Maharal”?
There's been plenty of discussion about the historic authenticity of "Niflaos Maharal", a book that appeared in the early 1900s describing how the Maharal made a Golem to defend the Jews against blood ...
3
votes
1answer
151 views
Me'or Einayim-The Maharal
What was the reason that the Me'or Einayim by Azariah deRossi's was considered problematic and what is its Historical development and signifigance of this book Basicly what was all the fuss about?
0
votes
3answers
211 views
Sherlock Holmes & the Maharal of Prague [closed]
What is the connection between the Maharal and SHerlock Holmes?
