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9
votes
2answers
128 views
What is the significance of bears in Judaism? Why has Dov (or Dov Ber) been such a common Jewish name?
I understand, to some extent at least, why lions are an important symbol in Judaism. After all, in the beginning of the Shulchan Aruch we are told we should rise like a lion to serve our Creator, and ...
7
votes
3answers
149 views
Why is “Y'sachar Dov” a popular combination name?
Why are the names Dov and Ber frequently paired with the name Y'ssachar?
Is it because that was the Belzer Rebbe's name or was his name part of a larger phenomenon?
1
vote
1answer
43 views
What does a Kohen write on his Kasubah (a “regular” kohen and a case of a challal?)
Normally when a Kohen who still has his regular Kohen status gets married what do we write on his Kasubah?
Ploni HaKohen ben Ploni HaKohen
or
Ploni ben Ploni HaKohen
As well in the case of someone ...
6
votes
2answers
123 views
Meaning of yiddish girls name “charnah”
What's the meaning of the yiddish girls name "Charnah" (most likely spelled, טשרנא)?
(There was a girl who is not frum that said this is her name and feels it's important to her to know the meaning ...
0
votes
0answers
36 views
Additional names for refuah shlema
When praying for someone's refuah shlema (fully recovered health), is it halakhically required to use their additional names on top of their first names? Is it simply custom?
If someone is named ...
4
votes
2answers
55 views
Calling Hoshea 'Yehoshua' before his seeming renaming
Why does the verse (Bamidbar 13:16) mention that Moshe gave Hoshea bin Nun the name Yehoshua, making it seem like this was the first time Hoshea was actually called like that, but instead we see in ...
3
votes
3answers
72 views
Why is Korach's rebellion referred to as בְּנֵי לֵוִי?
In Bamidbar 16:7, Moshe chastises Korach and his congregation saying, רַב לָכֶם בְּנֵי לֵוִי. However, other than Korach himself being from Levi, the rest of the co-conspiritors seemed to be mainly ...
14
votes
2answers
898 views
Abbreviations before/after names
What are the more common abbreviations one might see printed before or after a person's name, and what do they mean? Please include honorifics (R'=Rabbi) as well as memorial - or prayerful - suffixes ...
4
votes
1answer
66 views
Should ones name be put on a mitsva?
If someone does a mitsva like writing a sefer or providing a building for Jewish activities like a shul or school. Should he put his name on it and have it called after him? I am not referring to ...
3
votes
0answers
34 views
What is the source for not using honorifics like “rav” or “hacohen” when reciting names for mishaberachs?
I understand that when praying for a sick person, whether privately or in a mishaberach following the Torah reading, one should omit honorifics; e.g. not to use "HaRav" when praying for a rabbi, or ...
1
vote
1answer
46 views
Witness signing on a get “ben ish ploni”
It says in the Mishnah in Gitten (See here Daf 87b)
That if an eid (witness) signs on the Get "ben ish ploni eid" then it's kosher. Meaning instead of writing for example his full name "Moshe ben ...
1
vote
1answer
128 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
54 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
131 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
votes
2answers
136 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
votes
2answers
107 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 ...
1
vote
0answers
35 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
70 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
70 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
98 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
votes
0answers
175 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
120 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 ...
-1
votes
1answer
109 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
200 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
votes
0answers
40 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
203 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
votes
2answers
229 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 ...
0
votes
2answers
87 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
65 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
votes
3answers
270 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
votes
2answers
102 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
votes
3answers
259 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
80 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
votes
5answers
155 views
Shabbos Hagadol
Why is the Shabbos before Pesach called Shabbos HaGadol? Please contribute as many answers as possible.
2
votes
1answer
56 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
votes
0answers
68 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
258 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
votes
3answers
131 views
4
votes
2answers
64 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 ...
1
vote
0answers
41 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
votes
2answers
102 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
votes
1answer
178 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
68 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
votes
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 ...
4
votes
1answer
63 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
vote
1answer
108 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 ...
-3
votes
3answers
76 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?
