Tagged Questions
0
votes
2answers
86 views
Who was the first person to be referred to by acronym? [duplicate]
Rashi, Rambam, the Maharal, the Rosh, the Rema, etc. are all usually referred to by their acronyms. This custom makes sense in a culture that is mostly transmitted through the written word where ink ...
7
votes
0answers
66 views
What is the source of Yartzeit tablet?
Who invented the Yahrtzeit tablet (panel)?
At first glance, this could not have been common before 150 years ago, as there is no room to place candles where the electric lights go.
Who invented ...
11
votes
1answer
228 views
Origin of the term Yoshke?
I have often heard Jews refer to Jesus as "Yoshke". Is the origin of that appellation based on halachic issues regarding mentioning names of foreign deities, or some other Jewish law or custom? When ...
0
votes
1answer
145 views
How could a man named Philip in USA have Hebrew name Yehoshua Falk?
My great-uncle from Eastern Europe had given name of Philip in America (came in 1880s), is shown in 1889 directory as Philip plus his surname. His gravestone gives his name as Yehoshua Falk [then ...
4
votes
2answers
104 views
Yerushalayim City of Gold
What is the origin of the concept of Yerushalayim being a "City of Gold"?
It is the name and theme of a famous Israeli song from the 1960s, and I always assumed it was either from that song, or that ...
11
votes
2answers
134 views
“Avram” for when he was young?
The Gemara in Brachot 13a teaches us that we should only refer to Avraham as Avraham and not as Avram.
תני בר קפרא כל הקורא לאברהם אברם עובר בעשה שנאמר (בראשית יז) והיה שמך
אברהם רבי אליעזר אומר ...
11
votes
1answer
246 views
What is a “Sephardic Jew”?
My name is Paul Avila (yea, I know, doesn't sound Jewish at all) I was born in the Azores Portugal and moved to the United States when I was 2. People always ask me if I am Persian. Never ...
12
votes
3answers
283 views
When/where did the practice of “recycling” names begin?
Perhaps this had never bothered anyone in the past, but for someone like myself who delves into genealogy, the fact that there are family naming patterns is a great boon. Of course, we can go only so ...
9
votes
1answer
137 views
Names of the books of Tanakh
When did the books of Tanakh get their canonical names? I understand that Five Books of the Torah were named after the first words in them, and that most of Navi was named after their authors, but ...
14
votes
2answers
381 views
What was wrong with the word Talmud?
The Wikipedia article on The Talmud says:
and Pope Pius IV commanded, in 1565, that the Talmud be deprived of its very name. The convention of referring to the work as "Shas" (shishah sidre ...
-4
votes
1answer
117 views
Founders of Jewish movements [closed]
The Baal Shem Tov was the founder of the Hasidic Movement, Rabbi Israel Salanter was the founder of the Musar Movement, and Theodor Herzl was the founder of the Zionist Movement.
What are other ...
7
votes
1answer
120 views
Unique signature of the Chida
The Chida has a very unique signature.
What is the significance of this signature (if any)?
Is it in any way related to the seven kabbalistic seals?
Are there other similarly unusual signatures by ...
2
votes
0answers
43 views
Was Bar Kochva disemboweled?
The gemarah in Gittin, 57a, details a story of "bar d'roma" who performs miraculous feats in defending the Jews before meeting his demise by being disemboweled by a snake (similar to the end of Bar ...
12
votes
4answers
182 views
Rabba bar bar Chana
There is a rabbi in the Talmud referred to as רבה בר בר חנה. Why is he called that way? It says that Rabba was the grandson of Chana.
Who was Chana? Was it(?) a woman? Why wasn't he called after his ...
4
votes
1answer
83 views
List of titles before different Rabbis
It is customary to put many honorific titles before most modern day Rabbis (I've even seen seforim that write Harav Hagaon etc. etc. So-And-So). Many times one sees long lines of adjactives praising ...
5
votes
6answers
686 views
Which surnames are exclusively Kohanim's and why?
It is well known that is a person has a certain surname (last name) they are more likely to be a Kohen.
Examples:
Cohen - for obvious reasons
Kahn
Katz - stands for "Kohen Tzedek"
What are some ...
9
votes
3answers
164 views
What's the origin of having more than one name?
I suppose this is more of a history question: as in when did Jewish people start naming their children with more than one name? But I would also be interested in knowing the circumstances behind it?
...
8
votes
2answers
114 views
Why is 'Rabbenu Tam' called Rabbenu Tam?
Rabbenu Tam's name was יעקב בן מאיר. Why then is he known as Rabbenu Tam?
7
votes
3answers
202 views
Meforshim Nick"names
It has become common practice to refer to most meforshim by acronyms of their name (eg Rashi, Rosh, etc.). When and why did this practice start, and is it proper?
3
votes
2answers
410 views
How many Maccabees were there and what were their names?
How many Maccabees were there and what were their names?
7
votes
4answers
264 views
“Veadar” as the name of the extra month in leap years?
In older books and other publications that describe the Jewish calendar, it's quite common to see the extra leap month referred to as "Veadar." (One example is here.)
But I have yet to hear that ...
3
votes
1answer
68 views
Margaliyos family tree
Many famous rabbanim have had the last name מרגליות. A couple that come to mind are ר' ראובן מרגליות and ר' אפרים מרגליות. Are they related? Where could I find genealogical information on such people?
...
4
votes
4answers
205 views
What's the origin of the name “Jew”?
Why are we called "the Jews"? Did Hashem pick out this name for us? What does the word "Jew" mean?
4
votes
4answers
527 views
Did Rav Moshe Feinstein pronounce his last name “Feinstain” or “Feinsteen”?
And, as a follow-up, does having the answer to this question dictate how we should say it?
