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11
votes
2answers
165 views
Is there a chief Rabbi of the United States?
Is there currently or has there ever been historically a chief Rabbi of the United States? If not, why not?
8
votes
2answers
255 views
Why was Chassidus controversial?
When Chassidus came about, it was very controversial. The Vilna Gaon even put Chassidim in cherem. What were the reasons for the controversy? And why is there peace and mutual respect today between ...
7
votes
3answers
164 views
relative fractions of Kohanim and Levi'im
Does anyone have reliable statistics (and barring that, reasonable anectdotal evidence) of the fraction of Kohanim, Levi'im, and Yisraelim in various Jewish communities today. By "communities" I don't ...
7
votes
1answer
103 views
Mesorah exchange between communities
Based on this thread
What exactly prevents Ashkenazim from accepting Mesorah from other communities on things that we have not done in our own community?
Taking an extreme reverse example, can ...
6
votes
0answers
48 views
Were there any sages who supported the Zealots during the seige of Jerusalem?
In Gittin 56a-b, we read how the sages warned the Zealots (a.k.a. the Biryonim) to not wage war with the Romans who were holding Jerusalem under seige, but that the Biryonim set fire to the store ...
5
votes
2answers
88 views
Who are the Yekis?
I once heard someone identifying as a "Yeki", or something like that, and the "Yekis" apparently have an interesting musical tradition where they use a different Yigdal tune before Kiddush at each ...
4
votes
1answer
262 views
Hebrew Havarah?
Similar to this question
Different parts of Eastern Europe had different dialects.
For example, Ukrainian, Polish and Hungarian Jews pronounce a "Shuruk" as a EE, or a Komatz as an oo (so Boruch ...
3
votes
5answers
712 views
What does Heimishe mean?
Literally it means "homey." My best guess is that it means "midway between Hassidish and Litvak." But given that differences between Hassidim and Litvaks, though they surely exist, are not what they ...
3
votes
1answer
162 views
Who were the Magharians?
Title says it all. Who were the Magharians? It seems like they were some group of Pre-Christianity Jews or something like that that lived in caves?
3
votes
2answers
129 views
Does Jewish mysticism involve “feeling” G-d?
I have read an accusation from the Traditionalist Catholics that Modern Catholicism has changed under the influence of Judaism its understanding of the Holy Ghost. Modern day Catholicism together with ...
3
votes
0answers
139 views
Minhag not to learn Torah on the night of Nitel (Who and where)
This related question explains what this minhag is and a couple of reasons for it.
I was wondering to what extent is this minhag practiced today apart from Chabad (see Hayom Yom - 17 Tevet)...do all ...
2
votes
3answers
148 views
Good place in Israel for English-speakers
I currently live in Neve Yaakov, but it's getting expensive.
Does anyone know of a good community in Israel for English-speakers, with a diversity of people, yet with a strong sense of community (not ...
2
votes
3answers
349 views
Recognition of Chabad conversions
I have read and heard in certain places that among certain Orthodox groups, if one converts with Chabad-Lubavitch that their conversion will not be valid, if someone were to convert with Chabad and ...
2
votes
1answer
118 views
If someone had a family tradition that he came from an Edomite, would he be allowed to marry a Jew?
An Edomite cannot marry a Jew for three generations.
Nowadays (since the time of Sancheiriv, who mixed all nations together), this law no longer applies as we no longer know who is an Edomite. ...
0
votes
1answer
68 views
Hebrew Israelites recognition by mainstream Judaism
Are the adherents of 'Hebrew Israelites' church Jews from the 'mainstream' point of view and why (why yes or why not)? I have found mixed information on the topic.
Also some of them seek conversion, ...
0
votes
0answers
77 views
Who will be the new Posek Ha-Dor? [closed]
A generation of leadership has been vanishing with the passage of time. Concurrently, divisiveness has spread us out so thin that terms like "posek ha-dor," which imply Jewish unity, seem very hard to ...
