The names tag has no wiki summary.
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2answers
118 views
Who was Naomi's Father?
Inspired by this comment here what information do we have on Naomi's father (from Megillas Rus)? Apparently his name was Avi-Naomi but was that his real name before Naomi was born? Who was his ...
1
vote
1answer
44 views
chassan/kallah signing the kesubah or tenaaim
I have seen bridegrooms and brides sign their names on their kesuba or tenaaim (prenup) before the chuppah (wedding ceremony). It seems maybe to be a chassidish custom, though I'm not sure.
Is there ...
2
votes
1answer
87 views
All but every 6th letter begins the name of a misechte
For each letter in the aleph beis, there is at least one misechte in shas whose name starts with it — besides for every 6th letter (vuv, lamed and tzadi).
Did anyone ever hear any explanation ...
11
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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 ...
4
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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 ...
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0answers
33 views
HaKohen, HaLevi - source and reason
What is the source, earliest recorded record, and reason many who are Kohanim and Leviyim write after their name HaKohen or HaLevi?
7
votes
1answer
53 views
What meaning do the names of the ten sons of Haman have?
Is there a meaning behind the names of the ten sons of Haman who were killed in the war (Esther 9:7-9):
Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and ...
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?
1
vote
1answer
97 views
Rabbeinu Asher ben Yeḥiel's nickname(s)
Rabbi Asher ben Yeḥiel, is usually called "Rabbeinu Asher" or "The רא"ש" (pronounced by most Israelis as "Rosh"; often in North America it is pronounced like the English word "rush"*). However, today ...
4
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0answers
168 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
115 views
Responding to “that's not a Jewish name”
My ancestry is not eastern-European, and sometimes when I meet people in a Jewish setting and we introduce ourselves, I'm met with "that's not a Jewish name" (referring to my last name, mostly). I ...
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1answer
101 views
What's the Hebrew idiom for “what's his name” or “What's his face”
I vaguely remember some phrase used in Torah discussions such as "moni palomy" or "moni plamoni" that means "John Doe" or "What's his name" or "John Q Public". Seems like it was used in Ester, but I ...
7
votes
2answers
193 views
Modern Hebrew/Yiddish Names
I heard recently that Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky Shlita said that one should not name their children with modern hebrew names such as Shira and one should only give names from Tanach. I was also told that ...
3
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0answers
39 views
Why are rabbonim referred to by the names of their seforim?
Many rabbonim who published important seforim are coloquially referred to by the names of one of the seforim. Why is this? When did it start?
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?
11
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2answers
221 views
Why are the descendants of Rav Pappah mentioned in the text of the Siyum for a tractate of Talmud?
Who are the descendants of Rav Pappah mentioned in the text of the Siyum for a tractate of Talmud, and why are they so important that we mention them all by name? Why don't we mention any other great ...
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2answers
85 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
Can a man marry a woman with the same name as his mother? (Or vice-versa?) How?
Rabbi Yehudah Hechassid wrote in his testament (Testament of R. Yehudah Hechassid, sec. 23) that a man should not marry a woman whose name is the same as his mother’s, and a woman should not marry a ...
6
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3answers
269 views
Can a man and woman with the same name marry each other?
Suppose you have a man named Simcha. May he marry a woman named Simcha? (sources)
6
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2answers
100 views
Most children in sefer B'reishit are named by women or God; why does Yehudah name Er?
I noticed in B'reishit 38 that Yehudah names his first son Er, but his wife bat Shua names the other two. Yaakov's wives name all of their children (except that Yaakov changes Ben-oni to Binyanim). ...
8
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3answers
254 views
Is it permissible to name one's child with a name from the opposite gender?
Is a person allowed to name a boy with a girl's name and vice versa?
I remember seeing that one musn't, although in Nach one finds these things a lot.
I understand it is not best practice for ...
6
votes
0answers
78 views
Naming after someone with added names
If someone R'L is sick at some point in their life and a name such as Refael is added should that name be included as well if one is naming their child after that person?
Additional Question: ...
6
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5answers
155 views
Shabbos Hagadol
Why is the Shabbos before Pesach called Shabbos HaGadol? Please contribute as many answers as possible.
2
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1answer
55 views
Mishebeirach for someone who doesn't want their mother's name used
Suppose someone really dislikes his mother and does not want to be known as (for example) "יוסף בן רחל". He's sick, and people wish to pray for him in a Mishebeirach.
Do his wishes have to be ...
7
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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
224 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 ...
-1
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3answers
124 views
4
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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 ...
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0answers
32 views
MiSheBerach for someone who doesn't like his/her own name
Another question asked about a case in which someone does not want to use his/her mother's name in a MiSheBerach.
What if someone dislikes his/her own given name and goes by a different name? What ...
1
vote
0answers
22 views
Using someone's mother/father's disliked name for ritual purposes
Closely related to this question, what happens if someone's mother or father doesn't/didn't like her or his name, and the child now either needs a MiSheBerach or is called to the Torah? What name ...
2
votes
1answer
50 views
Naming an orphan
In light of the recent story in the news of a baby born an orphan. :(
Who names him (and performs the bris)? I assume the grandparents, but is there any tradition of which side has priority?
(I am ...
-1
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2answers
98 views
Etymology/origin of the name “Ishmael”
What is the etymology of the Biblical name "Ishmael"?
Was this name ever used for any of the Biblical characters before Ishmael, the son of Abraham?
15
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1answer
173 views
Is there any source for not sharing a baby's name before the bris?
For some reason, I have it ingrained in me that a baby boy's name before the bris is a secret and should not be shared. Are there any sources for this, or is it something made up?
0
votes
1answer
58 views
Is the angel named uriel or oriel
There is a significant difference, where one means: my fire is of god's and the other means: my light is of god's.
Since the spelling is the same in Hebrew, it is not apparent from some sources what ...
5
votes
3answers
174 views
Charvona? How many Charvona's were there?
In the Megila twice the name Charvona is mentioned. However there is a difference - Once it is spelled with an Aleph at the end and once it is spelled with an Hai at the end? Were there two Charvona's ...
8
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5answers
1k views
Etymology/connection between Ari, Aryeh, Yehudah, Leib, and Leibel
What is the relationship between the following names that often go together is some combination?
Ari/Aryeh
Yehudah
Leib/Leibel
I've encountered many men, young and old, with the following first ...
3
votes
1answer
54 views
Mi Shebeirach for one that is ill - if you do not know the mother's name
Can one make a Mi Shebeirach for an ill person if they do not know the mother's name?
1
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1answer
85 views
Why can we not say the names of certain angels aloud?
I have found in certain kabbalistic documents that contain names of angels there is an instruction not to say the names of those angels aloud - example with names in parenthesis. I realize we are not ...
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3answers
73 views
Eved Ivri? Why is a Jewish slave called an Eved Ivri? [closed]
Why does the Posuk - Shemos 21:2 call a Jewish slave an Eved Ivri כִּי תִקְנֶה עֶבֶד עִבְרִי? Why does it not call him an Eved Yisroel?
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 ...
14
votes
2answers
380 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 ...
6
votes
1answer
97 views
Change of name in Megillat Esther from Hegeh to Hegai?
In Megillat Esther, the Pasuk (2:3) says that Achashverosh gathered the girls and placed them in the women's house, and the one who guarded them was הגא (ending with an א and with a segol under the ...
1
vote
1answer
102 views
Why is misusing God's name so bad?
One is not allowed to take God's name in vain, and certainly not allowed to curse the name of God (chas v'shalom). I'd like to understand conceptually why these things are considered such grievous ...
2
votes
2answers
108 views
Magicians of Egypt (sometimes referred to as Jannes and Jambres)
Exodus 7:11 ESV
Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the
magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts.
Exodus 7:11 Hebrew Study Bible (Apostolic / ...
1
vote
1answer
80 views
Saying names of angels
I've heard you shouldn't say the names of angels, except for the four that surround us at night.
What's the source and reason for this? Is it halacha or kaballah?
2
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2answers
131 views
Why does Esther change her name?
Esther is initially called Hadassah (Esther 2:7). Why does she change her name, ostensibly even before she is brought to the king's harem?
10
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3answers
141 views
Why “Moshe Moshe”?
When Hashem appeared to Moshe at the burning bush in parshot shamot perek gimil why did he call Moshe's name twice? He could have just said "moshe" ONCE!
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 ...
6
votes
1answer
117 views
Mentioning Yeshu's name?
Is there a source for not verbally (or in writing, for that matter) mentioning the name of Yeshu (the father of Christianity)?
If there is such a source, what exactly is forbidden to say? Is it only ...
2
votes
1answer
104 views
May one use the name of an avodah zara?
What is the source for not using the proper name of an avodah zara? How far does this halacha extend? For instance if thousands of years ago people worshipped an avodah zara named "XYZ" but no longer ...
