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14
votes
2answers
840 views
Abbreviations before/after names
What are the more common abbreviations one might see printed before or after a person's name, and what do they mean? Please include honorifics (R'=Rabbi) as well as memorial - or prayerful - suffixes ...
12
votes
1answer
353 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 ...
11
votes
4answers
219 views
Why was Torah sheBal Peh not allowed to be Written?
The Gemara states that it is forbidden to write down the Oral Torah [1]:
דרש רבי יהודה בר נחמני מתורגמניה דרבי
שמעון בן לקיש, כתיב: +שמות ל"ד+ כתוב
לך את הדברים האלה, וכתיב: +שמות ל"ד+
כי ...
11
votes
2answers
232 views
Stacking Seforim
From the things I heard in yeshiva category:
Are we allowed to place less revered seforim on top of more revered seforim? I believe that the consensus is that you are only allowed to stacks seforim ...
11
votes
1answer
377 views
What does this pointing hand symbol mean?
I've seen in the Shulchan Aruch the hand symbol ( ☜ ) appearing quite a few times.
What does it do? Does it reference to mforshim on the side?
11
votes
2answers
473 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 ...
11
votes
1answer
212 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 ...
10
votes
2answers
159 views
Can a book with ancient text really be copyright?
Pick up your local chumash, siddur or gemara. Open it to the front page. There it is, the dreaded ©.
But to me that seems quite odd. Can the text of the actual davening or talmud really be ...
10
votes
2answers
174 views
Reading secular books on shabbat?
Which prominent halakhic authorities permit (or forbid) the reading of secular books, magazines, and newspapers from Friday evening until Saturday nightfall? Why? Is it uvda dechol? What if it is ...
10
votes
2answers
237 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 ...
9
votes
3answers
315 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 ...
8
votes
2answers
448 views
Citation format for G'mara
If one is citing a g'mara in a scholarly article, what is the proper publication information to use, including title, etc.? I can't seem to find reliable examples in either English or Hebrew.
This ...
8
votes
3answers
346 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?
8
votes
1answer
90 views
Why were the prophecies of Eliyahu and Elisha not written as separate books?
The prophets during the second half of the First Temple era have their prophecies and actions recorded in books of Tanach named for them (or, as in the case of Trei Asar, in sections of a book). This ...
7
votes
2answers
200 views
Fulltext search across sources: Gemara, Zohars, Rishonim and Aharonim
I know about Hebrewbooks.org for searching for sources in books, but the problem is you have to get to let's say every Masechta to look for a phrase. Is there a program (doesn't have to be free) that ...
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?
7
votes
1answer
135 views
Marcus Jastrow Dictionary Copyright
Is the dictionary that he wrote still in copyright, or has it entered the public domain? If not, who owns the rights to it?
7
votes
4answers
336 views
Good books for non-Jews who are interested in understanding Judaism, especially branches of Orthodox judaism
I have found that the first thing to do when you want to learn something about a subject, is to start with the idea that you know absolutely nothing. I understand, for example, that Judaism has ...
7
votes
2answers
290 views
Is there a good children's parsha book that's focused on pshat, not midrash?
Is there a good children's parsha book that's focused on pshat, not midrash?
Something like a Little Midrash Says, but based on just the psukim (simple verses), not all the medrish?
7
votes
5answers
221 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?
7
votes
0answers
103 views
Pronunciation guide by a Gerer Rebbe?
I heard from a friend years ago that one of the Rebbes from Gur (possibly the S'fas Emes) wrote a book describing the proper pronunciation of Hebrew letters and words. I am not able to find any trace ...
6
votes
2answers
54 views
“Hagahos MaimoniYOS”?
Is the correct title for the work abbreviated "ה"מ" "Hagahos Maimoni" or "Hagahos Maimoniyos"?
6
votes
2answers
146 views
Biography on Rav Hirsch
Anyone know of any good (i.e. non-hagiographical) biographies on Rav Samson Rafael Hirsch zt"l?
6
votes
2answers
115 views
The original Mesilas Yesharim
Mesilas Yesharim is a digest version of a previous work by the Ramchal. This work is an ongoing conversation between a wise man and a pious man (Thank you chanoch for the correction). I don't recall ...
6
votes
6answers
135 views
Beginning a comprehensive study of Moreh N'vuchim
A friend of mine would like to begin learning Moreh N'vuchim seriously and is unsure of exactly where/with what to start.
What is the best version out there of the book itself?
Are there any ...
6
votes
2answers
163 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?
6
votes
2answers
138 views
Is using a book with letters stamped on the sides melacha (erasing) if the book wasn't closed in the first place?
A comment on this question points to the following from OU:
Likewise, when words are stamped on the edge of a book (as is the case with most library books), these letters are separated when the ...
6
votes
1answer
91 views
Less disgraceful placement of a sefer kodesh?
Suppose I find myself in a public building, in need of a restroom, with a chumash in my hand that is too large to fit in a pocket. Outside the restroom, in a painted cinderblock hallway, there is no ...
6
votes
2answers
125 views
How to pronounce the name of the sefer “Bnei Yso(s)cher”
How does one pronounce the name of the sefer בני יששכר ?
I've heard people pronounce both sins -- so it is Ysoscher. (There is also a common custom to pronounce the name יששכר with both sins the ...
5
votes
4answers
208 views
Dealing with anger
What is a good sefer or even book that helps people with a problem with getting angry?
5
votes
2answers
2k views
5
votes
1answer
234 views
What is the font with points in the middle of the letters called?
What is this [type of] font called - the kind that makes it look like every leg of every letter is a snake that swallowed a block?
Where can I download such a font?
5
votes
2answers
134 views
What was the font of the first printed edition of Rash"i's commentary?
In what font was the first printed edition of Rash"i's commentary on the Torah printed? Was it some "standard" Hebrew block print or something more like the type face so eponymously associated with ...
5
votes
2answers
97 views
Why is Chulin in Kodshim
Why is the Gemara (Talmud) Chulin which talks about Ritual slaughter of animals not having to do with sacrifices in the Beis Hamikdash (temple) in the SEDER (order) of Kodshim which is talks about ...
5
votes
1answer
116 views
Torah Learning Time Calculator
I am looking for something that will take the sefer I want to learn, and the amount of time/days I want to complete it in and tell me the average amount I need to learn a day. It doesn't have to be ...
5
votes
2answers
201 views
What Mikraos Gedolos has the most meforshim?
What sefer (prob Mikraos Gedolos) has the most meforshim in it?
5
votes
2answers
139 views
Is one allowed to fold the corner of a book on Shabbos?
An easy way to keep a bookmark is to fold the upper-right corner of a book (aka Dog ears)
Is such an action permitted on Shabbos?
5
votes
1answer
79 views
Who was R' Jacob Pidanki?
Every once in a while the Judaica Press English translations (such as this one) will quote R' Jacob Pidanki in their commentary anthology.
Who was R' Jacob Pidanki? Where did he live? What ...
5
votes
5answers
743 views
Good Place Online For Cheap Seforim
Any one know where to get cheap seforim online? I mean real seforim.....not digital ones.
5
votes
1answer
117 views
Where are these mysterious OU documents?
I was recently reading a Halachically Speaking article and noticed that in many places in the footnotes, a reference to an OU Document is made. For example:
Refer to OU Document A-94
Is this ...
5
votes
1answer
147 views
Why can people write Torah sheBal Peh nowadays?
This is a follow up to: Why was Torah sheBal Peh not allowed to be Written?.
The Gemara in Temurah (14b) states that one may not write Torah sheBal Peh. It then states an exception that was made so ...
5
votes
1answer
117 views
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?
4
votes
3answers
264 views
Shulchan Aruch UTF-8
There are lots of Shulchan Aruch e-book applications for various different smart phones, but each is tied to the a particular smartphone platform.
Does anybody know where I can find a copy of the ...
4
votes
5answers
185 views
What is your favorite haggadah? [closed]
There are many classic and modern haggadot. Any recommendations? If so, why? And if available online (such as at HebrewBooks), please provide a link.
4
votes
1answer
93 views
Changing “shlit”a“s to ”za“l”s?
The name of living Torah scholar mentioned or quoted in another's book is often followed by an abbreviation of blessing such as שליט"א or נר"ו. The name of a past scholar, no longer living, is ...
4
votes
1answer
109 views
Where does the Sefer HaChinuch discuss geometry/“Handassa”?
I recall flipping through a Sefer HaChinuch and seeing some geometry diagrams. If I recall correctly, he talks about some mitzva involving fair evaluation of plots of land, and he writes you neeed to ...
4
votes
1answer
269 views
Where can I find the Maharal's Netivot Olam Online?
Where can I find a searchable copy of the Maharal's Netivot Olam (Netiv haTorah specifically) online?
4
votes
1answer
72 views
can someone recommend a niggunim / jewish melodies book
i read notes well enough to sing them. i need two things:
niggunim/jewish melodies song book
niggunim/jewish melodies ADVANCED for piano
4
votes
2answers
158 views
What are Brochos seforim for Sefardim?
There are many Hilchos Brochos (on food) seforim for Ashkenazim such as Halachos of Brochos, The Laws of B'rachos, etc.
What are examples of English Brachos seforim that sefardim could use? (in other ...
