The names tag has no wiki summary.
5
votes
2answers
186 views
The spelling of the name פינחס Pinchas in Tanach
In the entire Tanach the name Pinchas פינחס is spelled with a Yud. The only place the Yud is missing is שמואל א: א. ג.
ועלה האיש ההוא מעירו מימים ימימה להשתחות ולזבח ליהוה צבאות בשלה ושם שני בני עלי ...
5
votes
1answer
65 views
Was the tana Rebbi Meir blind?
I have heard that the name Meir (lit:enlightening) is actually a "lashon naki" because he was actually blind. Similar to "sagi nahor". Is there any source for this notion that Rebbi Meir was blind?
5
votes
1answer
159 views
Where are the rules for naming parshiyot explained?
Here I asked about the naming of parshat Noach and parshat Toldot.
Is there someplace where parsha-naming questions like this are addressed in general, or are answers to individual questions ...
5
votes
2answers
225 views
Meaning of the name Sivan
I recently met a young lady with the name of Sivan. She did not know the meaning of it, other than it is a name of a month. I was wondering if there is a meaning to this name and what it is?
5
votes
1answer
103 views
Rashi's apparent internal confusion over יתרו/רְעוּאֵל
Per Bamidbar 10:29 (see below), חֹבָב בֶּן רְעוּאֵל was the father-in-law of מֹשֶׁה. There, רש"י asks why רְעוּאֵל is referred to in Shemoth 2:18 as the "father" of בנות יתרו, and he answers that ...
5
votes
1answer
93 views
Reason why the name Ben Tziyon is a Segula for a long life
I saw in Igros Kodesh 11, page 73 mentioned in the Chida in the name of the Yerushalmi that the name Ben Tziyon is a Segula for a long life and good years. What is the reason that this name has such a ...
5
votes
1answer
84 views
Why didn't they call her Mara?
Naomi returns to Israel and tells people to call her Mara cause God has embittered her life (Ruth 1:20). But no one actually ends up calling her Mara.
Is a person allowed to change her name for ...
5
votes
1answer
91 views
“There they buried Yitzchak” — not “my father”?
"What is awe" of a parent? asks Shulchan Aruch Yore Dea 240:2. It includes, SA answers, that one
shall not call [his parent] by [the latter's] name, neither during [the parent]'s life, nor in his ...
5
votes
1answer
118 views
Ben Drosai - what was his Zechus?
Gemara Shabbos 20a and in other locations mentions
כמאכל
בן דרוסאי
Rashi explains that Ben Drosai was a thief who ate his food when it was only cooked 1/3. Did Ben Drosai have some sort of Zechus ...
5
votes
1answer
76 views
Midlife Name Crisis
If someone lives their entire life under the assumption that their name is X, and suddenly finds out that their name is Y, are there serious halachic ramifications that can result?
More specifically, ...
4
votes
5answers
480 views
ALL Names of God
Where can I find an exhaustive list of all of the names of Hashem (preferably שמות and כינוים) in תנ"ך (Tanakh) and elsewhere?
Is this too ill-defined a topic to have an exhaustive answer?
Do the 70 ...
4
votes
4answers
207 views
What is the correct spelling of Akiva?
Is Akiva spelled with an Aleph at the end עקיבא or is it spelled with an Hai at the end עקיבה?
Please answer only with a source.
4
votes
4answers
138 views
Is there a Possuk in Tanach that starts with a Samech ס and ends with a Aleph א?
I have a relative with the name סימא and she has been unable to find a Possuk in Tanach that starts with a Samech ס and ends with a Aleph א. Is there such a Possuk?
4
votes
3answers
194 views
Tzlach - source of name?
The Noda BiYehuda has a commentary on Shas known as Tzlach - can someone help me by explaining what that stands for?
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?
4
votes
2answers
431 views
Hebrew letters Hey-Yud-Dalet after a name
I'd seen some stuff written about a man, with the Hebrew הי"ד (Hey-Yud-quotes-Dalet) after his name. What does that mean?
4
votes
1answer
110 views
The (female) name Freeda amongst Sefardim
I am under the impression that the name Freeda is a female Yiddish name. For some reason it seems to be very popular amongst the Sephardim. How did this happen?
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
2answers
62 views
Naming a child after two relatives
I once heard Rabbi Shmuel Niman, Mashgiach Ruchani of the Chafeitz Chaim Yeshiva, say that he had "recently learned" that it is improper to give a child parts of the names of two relatives. For ...
4
votes
2answers
106 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
132 views
Reciting a Posuk representing your name at end of Shemona Esrei - source?
Many Sidurim mention in the name of the Shela that one should say a Posuk at the end of Shemona Esrei that begins and ends with the same letter as ones name. Does anyone know where in the Shela this ...
4
votes
1answer
111 views
Why refer to Isaac Luria as the Arizal, and not Arizatzal?
One of the common ways to refer to the R' Isaac Luria is "the Arizal". I understand this to mean, The Ari, zecher L'bracha (may he be mentioned/remembered for blessing).
However, one usually refers ...
4
votes
1answer
91 views
Can an adopted child call birth parents by first name?
Consider someone adopted by Jewish parents, whom he grew up calling 'mom' and 'dad'. After he reaches adulthood, he meets his biological parents. Can he call them by their first names, if 'mom' and ...
4
votes
2answers
76 views
Parasha named after Balak?
I've heard from Harav Mansour Shelit"a as well as other Hachamim that Yitro was rewarded by getting a Parasha named by him. With that in mind, why did Balak get a Parasha named after him?
4
votes
1answer
160 views
4
votes
3answers
95 views
Pronunciation of חשמונאי
A friend today told me that the word חשמונאי traditionally pronounced "Chashmonai" should really be pronounced "Chashmunai" with the vav being read as a shuruk vowel instead of a cholom.
Is this ...
4
votes
1answer
333 views
What do the names Pesil, Pesa, and Pesha mean?
What is the meaning and source of the name Pesil or Pesa or Pesha?
4
votes
1answer
151 views
Was Pharoh's daughter named Basya or Bisya?
Was Pharoh's daughter named Basya or Bisya? Sources please!
4
votes
3answers
143 views
The essence of a thing is in its Hebrew name?
Based on this comment here.
According to Kabbalah, how do physical objects derive their life-force from their Hebrew name, if Hebrew doesn't have names for everything?
4
votes
2answers
130 views
The name of Adam, and his descendants
I've heard it said that Adam and his descendants all have names with very specific meanings, and that when the meanings are strung together they form a message in and of themselves. Is there any ...
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 ...
4
votes
1answer
50 views
Why didn't Hashem call twice to Yitzchak like he did to other prophets?
Avraham Avraham, Yaakov Yaakov, Moshe Moshe, Shmuel Shmuel - why not Yitzchok Yitzchok?
Related to Hashem calls people twice and Hinneni
We find in Tanach that Hashem called Avraham Avraham, ...
4
votes
1answer
85 views
How could Yaakov name his children Gad and Dan?
Shabbos 67b says Gad was the name of an idol of the Amorites, and Dan was an idol of Samaria. If we're not supposed to even say the name of idols, how could Yaakov name his sons after them? (or is it ...
4
votes
1answer
100 views
Why isn't Shimson's mother named?
Why isn't Shimson's mother named in Pesukim that tell the story? She is featured rather prominently, and the angel appears to her before speaking with both her and Manoaḥ. It would stand to reason ...
4
votes
1answer
144 views
Tetragrammaton homophone
If someone has a name in a foreign language which sounds like the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton (YKVK), is there any problem calling the person by name?
4
votes
1answer
180 views
Does 'Levi-' as half of a surname indicate a family of Levites?
I've come across a number of surnames of the form Levi-[Something]:
Tullio Levi-Civita was from an Italian Jewish family.
Claude Lévi-Strauss was from an Alsatian Jewish family.
Rita Levi-Montalcini ...
4
votes
1answer
68 views
Why is the name Yehoshua spelled with an extra vav?
In this past weeks Parshas Devarim 3:21 and in Shoftim 2:7 Yehoshua is spelled with an additional Vav.
דברים: ג. כא.
ואת יהושוע צויתי בעת ההוא לאמר עיניך הראת את כל אשר עשה יהוה אלהיכם לשני המלכים ...
4
votes
0answers
170 views
Naming after the Patriarchs/Matriarchs and Biblical heroes
Nowadays it is very common for Jews to name their children after the Patriarchs, Matriarchs, and Biblical heroes.
But it doesn't seem (to me) as though this was very common until well into the period ...
4
votes
0answers
86 views
Origin/meaning of common surname Naiman (or similar)
What is the origin and/or meaning of the common Jewish surname Naiman (or Neiman, Najman, etc.)?
According to this site the common Jewish name is of Germanic origin, meaning "Newcomer".
However, ...
4
votes
0answers
44 views
Different names for Dovid in regular Selichos vs Yom Kippur Selichos
Why do we refer to Dovid Hamelech as "Mashiach Tzidkecha" in Selichos (towards the end, paragraph begins with those words) except on Yom Kippur when we refer to him as "Dovid Avdecha" (in the same ...
3
votes
2answers
183 views
Spouses in Tanach whose names start with the same letter?
This is one of those parsha sheet trivia questions: There are six couples in Tanach where the names of the spouses start with the same letter. Who are they?
I've got five of them, but I can't think ...
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?
3
votes
3answers
244 views
Hillel ben Shahar on gravestone
A follow up question to this one about my ancestor's gravestone. The bottom two lines of the inscription have a mysterious (to me) reference to Hillel ben Shahar, and unfortunately are partially cut ...
3
votes
3answers
190 views
Why is Parshas Beshalach called Shabbos Shira?
Most people know that we read Az Yashir on Shabbos Shira and we put out bread for the birds. However this is the only Shabbos that has a special name simply because of what we read in the Parsha. ...
3
votes
3answers
504 views
Changing a name for a sick person
Sometimes people add a name for a sick person. Can you just change it to an entirely different name? I know of a case where they kept the first name and changed the second name - originally the name ...
3
votes
2answers
103 views
Megilah Chumash Riddle [closed]
Which four people’s names from the Chumash also come up as names in Megillas Esther?
3
votes
1answer
136 views
Named a male by mistake with a female name
Suppose a person's wife goes to the hospital to give birth and the husband remained home with the rest of the children. They made up that the nurse will call and let the phone ring once if it is a boy ...
3
votes
2answers
103 views
cities that start with ה־
There are a good number of cities referred to in Y'hoshua, of course, and a sizable percentage (I'm guesstimating about 5%) of them start with ה־ (most famously הָעַי, I think).What ...
3
votes
1answer
63 views
Why are few names the same in Tanakh?
Nowadays we name our children after characters in Tanakh and/or great tzaddikim. In Tanakh why weren't people named after the Avot, the Shevatim, Moshe Rabbeinu, etc?
3
votes
3answers
147 views
Are there analogs to “Abba” & “Ima” for in-laws?
I know that “אבא” and “אמא” are originally Aramaic translations of the Hebrew “אבי” and “אמי” which have become adapted to Hebrew, especially in the accusative case. Are there similar forms in ...
