Questions related to how something was in the past, and how it's developed since then.
3
votes
1answer
172 views
Intermarriage among Middle eastern Jews right before 1948
I was wondering does anyone know where I can find out the Intermarriage rate among Middle eastern Jews right before 1948 particularly amongst the Iraqis and the Syrians?
5
votes
2answers
225 views
What is the Real Alter Rebbe Ksav?
There is a tradition that the Alter Rebbe (R' Shneur Zalman of Liadi) innovated a new Ksav (not the one in the Shulchan Aruch Harav) and taught it to sofrim who passed it on from teacher to student.
...
1
vote
1answer
197 views
Was the Hebrew Alphabet also given with the Tablets and Law?
My research for my answer to Which alphabet were the original Torah scrolls in? gave me an idea--Since the Early Alphabetic alphabet is also called Sinaitic, and the timing seems about right, maybe ...
14
votes
1answer
437 views
What was daily life like for Jewish women living in al-Andalus in the 10th/11th centuries?
The emir of Al-Andalus (approximately the Iberian peninsula) declared himself a new caliph, breaking off from the caliphate in the east, circa 950 CE. I have read that the next couple hundred years ...
8
votes
5answers
777 views
Have Jews believed that Ezra was the son of God?
In reading the Qur'an, I noticed this passage:
Qur'an 9:30 The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allah "; and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of Allah ." That is their statement from their ...
4
votes
1answer
155 views
Aleinu L'Shabeach - Nusach HaTefila
The words "Sheheim Mishtachavim Li-Hevel Voryk Umispallelim El Eil Lo-Yoshiya" - Was this originally part of Aleinu and then removed, or was it added later to Aleinu? Why was this done?
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 ...
6
votes
1answer
111 views
Sefer Milhamot Hashem - from Bamidbar 21:14
Does anyone know of any discussion of the the "sefer Milkhamot Hashem" mentioned in Bamidbar 21:14? Someone had asked me about the content of the book and I had no idea of what to answer him.
2
votes
1answer
95 views
Celebrating the Hashmonaim as part of Hanukkah
The Hashmonaim are an integral part of the Hanukkah story.
BUT after the story of Hanukkah the Hashmonite family did some very terrible things (wars between Jews etc) during their reign.
Why do we ...
7
votes
5answers
205 views
Have there ever been inter-faith debates between Jews and Muslims?
There are records of many inter-faith debates (disputations) between Jews and Christians even up to modern times. However I have never heard of similar such debates between Jews and Muslims. Are there ...
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 ...
12
votes
1answer
192 views
Are there any halachic authorities which relate to the non-mechitza, pre-1967 prayers which were held at the Kotel?
There are various pictures pre-dating the 1967 Six Day War, available on the Internet and in various scholarly sources, clearly showing free mixing among the genders at the Kotel (Western Wall) in the ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
how old is Judaism?
How old is Judaism - not legendary, but indicated by science?
What are the oldest scriptures found of the story of Moses, for example? Or are the scriptures imported from very different cultures so ...
4
votes
1answer
99 views
How old was Pharoah when he died?
According to some opinions, Pharoah was the same from when Yosef went to Mitzrayim until Krias Yam Suf, and he was the king in Ninveh when Yonah went to warm them of their immoral behavior (Yalkut ...
7
votes
2answers
557 views
Who is the last prophet in Judaism?
Who is the last person regarded as a true prophet in Judaism? What was his time frame?
2
votes
1answer
102 views
What is the meaning of this painting?
I am in possession of this mysterious painting with Hebrew characters, but I do not know what words mean. I suspect that they may provide a clue to what is being represented in each of the painted ...
7
votes
0answers
93 views
How were coins that were destined for the Dead Sea managed?
A mishna on Meila 11a talks about money that a nazarite set aside for his offerings; if he died before completing the term and had set money aside specifically for the sin-offering, those coins are ...
4
votes
2answers
227 views
When did the use of Rashei Tevot, Heh Kuf, הק׳ in writings, books, letters, etc., begin?
Perhaps I'm among the last to have found this out, but it took me quite a while to understand why, in a signature, the name was preceeded by a הק׳. THe Ozar Rashei Tevot book has 31 different ...
5
votes
1answer
51 views
How much of the sefer torah did the king read each day?
According to D'varim 17:18-20, a king was required to write for himself a sefer torah and read from it each day ( וְקָרָא בוֹ כָּל-יְמֵי חַיָּיו). This doesn't say he had to read the whole sefer each ...
5
votes
0answers
38 views
The Torah scrolls written by Jewish kings
The Torah commanded Jewish kings to write their own Torah scroll from a master in the possession of the Levites, and to read it every day of their life so that they should not become haughty and so ...
-4
votes
2answers
200 views
When did the switch to matrilineal descent occur?
Does anyone know when the switch the matrilineal descent took place? I've seen other information about the potential impetus, but when did it become so? Was there even a switch?
2
votes
1answer
87 views
Who edited the “Nusach Sefarad” nusach?
There are two (Ok, three if you count Teimani) traditional families of nusach in use - Ashkenaz (the Nusach which people from northern/eastern Europe traditionally prayed in) and Eidot Hamizrach (the ...
4
votes
2answers
137 views
How are pre-creation >4000 BCE human civilization and pre-flood >2300 BCE civilizations that continued reconciled with Judaism?
How does human history fit in with the Torah's timeline?
Not even worrying about why the universe and Earth look so old, there is extensive evidence of a human population and human civilizations from ...
9
votes
4answers
1k views
Is a rabbi required to be married?
I have heard (I honestly cannot remember where...) that to be a rabbi a man must be married. Is there any truth to this?
I am more interested in knowing if this "WAS" true in time of Jesus, than if ...
11
votes
7answers
200 views
Zmanim accuracy before digital clocks?
How was time measured for the purpose of Zmanim before we had accurate clocks like we do today? Was it possible to accurately determine Chatzos (at night) or the different watches of the night? I know ...
8
votes
4answers
239 views
Why did nobody succeed the Lubavitcher Rebbe?
The late Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson zt"l had no successor as the rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. Why is this? Was it simply because he had no children? If so, why was nobody else ...
2
votes
1answer
249 views
How do rabbis explain the reason for the Spanish Expulsion. Why did the Jewish people deserve it
I notice you already have this question for the Holocaust but haven't found it for the Spanish expulsion. I understand that many great people gave reasons for it, like the seder hadoros, tsror hamor ...
6
votes
2answers
64 views
Were there restrictions on marrying members of other tribes?
In ancient Israel, when there were clear differences between members of different tribes, were there restrictions on members of one tribe marrying a members of another tribe?
If yes, what would ...
6
votes
0answers
137 views
Chad Gadya: The price of a kid goat
Was the fair market value of a kid goat really two zuzim? This piyyut is of course allegorical, but, if the value given is highly inaccurate, is the discrepancy in value symbolic beyond the symbolism ...
12
votes
4answers
297 views
Is there any evidence that Rabbi Akiva's students fought alongside Bar Kochba?
Various sources say that "12,000 pairs" of Rabbi Akiva's students died between Pesach and Shavuos because they did not treat each other with respect. See Genesis Rabba 61:3, Ecclesiastes Rabba 11, ...
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
1answer
212 views
First year counted from creation
What is the first year for which there exists a record of it being dated according to the currently used system that starts counting from creation?
2
votes
0answers
77 views
Have the empires of old perished?
I remember being taught when I was younger that the fact that Jews are around is a testimony to the eternity of our religion; that we survived them all and that they are no longer.
I am unaware ...
13
votes
1answer
204 views
When did Matza become dry?
It's pretty commonly accepted that Matza used to be soft (sort of like a tortilla) and was used by Hillel to make a wrap (not a sandwich).
When did this change in various geographic locations which ...
5
votes
1answer
124 views
“Rabbi, teach me something new”
Throughout the Talmud* there are launch-pad stories of sages being asked by their students and even their peers to teach them something they've never been taught before or else something that was ...
8
votes
2answers
330 views
Which 20th-century Rosh Yeshiva studied under the mysterious Monsieur Chouchani?
Monsieur Chouchani was a mysterious figure who travelled around post-World War II and taught several great Jewish thinkers, including Emmanuel Levinas z"l and [yibadel l'chayim] Elie Wiesel.
...
5
votes
1answer
62 views
May one say kaddish for a non-Jew?
I have read that Jews recited kaddish on behalf of Abraham Lincoln after he was assassinated. What is the halachic basis for this and has kaddish ever been said en-masse on behalf of other non-Jews?
2
votes
3answers
528 views
Agudath Israel Convention
Where can I find information on the annual Agudath Israel (of America?) convention that happens around Thanksgiving time?
I have been hearing references to this convention since I was young, but ...
1
vote
0answers
104 views
How did the modern day Beis Hora'ah phenomenon develop?
Here in Eretz Yisrael, we find Batei Hora'ah in many cities - places where a moreh hora'ah sits either during special times or perhaps the whole day or different rabbonim throughout the day answering ...
6
votes
2answers
97 views
Counting the omer with doubt before the fixed calendar
Currently, according to a previous question on this site, we count the omer without doubt: "Today is the Xth day of the omer" because we have a fixed calendar, and because counting with doubt is ...
10
votes
2answers
271 views
Why do we think of the korban pesach as a sheep, not as a goat?
Ask many a grade-schooler (and many an adult, for that matter) what animal the korban pesach is, and he'll tell you "a sheep".[1]
In fact, it can be a sheep or a goat. (It's explicit in chumash ...
9
votes
4answers
263 views
Can a convert be a prophet?
I don't think there were any gerim amongst the nevi'im, but would it have been possible?
14
votes
4answers
246 views
When did kosher bakeries, restaurants, etc. start requiring supervision?
If my neighbor Shmerel keeps kosher and otherwise appears to be observant to the best of my knowledge, then I'd be allowed to eat in his house (assuming I'm invited), eid echad ne'eman b'issurin, his ...
0
votes
1answer
74 views
Why is the Kitzur so much more popular than the Chayey Adam?
The Chayey Adam was considered to be the "popular kitzur Shulchan Aruch" for almost a century before the "Kitzur Shulchan Aruch" was printed. Why did people stop learning the Chayey Adam and switch to ...
4
votes
2answers
65 views
Chametz u'matza?
The first of four questions specifically says, "On all other nights we eat chametz or matza, why on this night only matza?"
While I understand that it's halakhically acceptable to eat matzah when it ...
7
votes
3answers
201 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?
0
votes
2answers
82 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 ...
5
votes
2answers
64 views
Bracha on giving Machatzis HaShekel
In the times of the Beis HaMikdash when the Machatzis HaShekel was given was a bracha recited?
3
votes
2answers
125 views
When and why did women change to ritually bathing in the Evening?
Do you happen to have any ideas, or any sources, detailing why women first became required to bathe in the evening as in current practise, as opposed to the recorded biblical requirement to wash ...
12
votes
7answers
848 views
Archeological proof of Exodus?
Is there empirical proof that the exodus from Egypt and related happenings (like Har Sinai etc) did in fact occur (i.e: Archeological proof)?
I believe in the Torah, but how would you prove to someone ...
