The rabbis tag has no wiki summary.
3
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1answer
81 views
Rav Nissan Kaplan - biography
Rav Nissan Kaplan is one of the Rashei Yeshiva at the Mir in Jerusalem, teaches English-speaking students in Walmark (וולמארק), which is one of the two batei midrash in the Bet Yeshaya building, ...
7
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2answers
138 views
What are the 3 things Rabeinu Gershom banned?
I've heard that Rabeinu Gershom (a 10th-11th century scholar) banned 3 things, and I know one of them is polygamy. Does anyone know what the other two are?
1
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1answer
124 views
What is the biography of Rav Yitzchak Meir Morgenstern?
Rav Yitzchak Meir Morgenstern is the Rosh Yeshiva of Toras Chochom in Israel. What is his background and biography? Meaning, where did he grow up, which yeshivot did he learn at and under whom (I know ...
3
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3answers
128 views
What sages were known to have revived the dead?
The Talmud speaks of several rabbis who successfully appealed to G-d to revive a deceased colleague or some other individual. As I recall, one revived rabbi asked to be return to the world of the ...
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0answers
18 views
Who were Hillel's greatest students and what were they known for?
In Succah 28a, the Gemara tells us that Hillel the Elder had 80 students of whom Yochanan ben Zakai was the "least" and Yonason ben Uziel was the greatest. There, it says of Yonason ben Uziel that ...
3
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2answers
64 views
Should works continue to be banned?
Often today when a Jewish book is banned that leads to a dramatic increase in sales and circulation of the work. This would seem to be the exact opposite of what the Rabbi or Beit Din was trying to ...
7
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4answers
219 views
What is the typical retirement plan for a Chabad-Lubavitch shliach (emissary)?
If a Chabad-Lubavitch couple decide to live as shlichim (emissaries) in some place far from New York, what's the most common age and location of retirement? Do they tend to remain in their location? ...
2
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1answer
74 views
Why did the Baba Sali leave Yavneh?
I remember hearing that the Baba Sali very suddenly decided to move away from Yavneh.
Does anyone know the story of what exactly occurred?
1
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1answer
66 views
Today, what is our replacement for prophets?
Today, who can be a good replacement for prophets?
Whom should we go to in order to find truth?
Is a rabbi a good replacement for prophets? Today, what are the requirements for a rabbi so he can be ...
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11answers
535 views
Reliable Ask-a-Rabbi Websites
There are some times on this site where questioners will be directed to "ask their Rabbi." While it's always optimal to have such people discuss the question with their own Rabbi (and such action ...
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0answers
32 views
Looking at the Nasi
It says in the Gemorah in Chagigah Daf 16a
המסתכל בג' דברים עיניו כהות בקשת ובנשיא ובכהנים ...בנשיא דכתיב ונתת
מהודך עליו
That the eyes of anyone who looks at the "Nasi" (a leader of the ...
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1answer
61 views
Where Does the Talmud Teach Not to Learn Halacha From Observation of Teachers?
Back when I was learning Daf Yomi, I ran into an interesting lesson I'm finding difficult to find again. It was a teaching that one should learn halacha from your rebbe's teachings and not through ...
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2answers
165 views
Is there a chief Rabbi of the United States?
Is there currently or has there ever been historically a chief Rabbi of the United States? If not, why not?
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0answers
45 views
Which 20th century rabbi said “G-d normally doesn't stop the ill-intentioned”?
I recall hearing the following story:
There was a non-observant Israeli Jew who kept having visions of his deceased father telling him he should do more religiously. Finally he was about to turn on ...
6
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1answer
97 views
Source for Dubno Maggid's rebuke of the Vilna Gaon?
In a shiur I heard that the Vilna Gaon begged the Dubno Maggid to give him mussar (rebuke) after repeatedly declining the Maggid responded that
It is not so difficult to be a Gaon, cloistered in ...
11
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2answers
467 views
Origins of איל משולש and Vilna Ga'on's bathroom math
There is a well-known fact that the Vilna Ga'on studied math while in the bathroom since Torah was out of the question in an unclean place. It is also somewhat well-known that he produced the material ...
9
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1answer
141 views
Upon whom would one make this blessing?
Upon whom today would you make the bracha - Baruch Attah Hashem Elokeinu Melech HaOlam She’chalak Mei’chochmaso Li’rei’av, that He bestowed of His wisdom to those who fear Him (Gemara Brachos 58a)? ...
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0answers
69 views
Where can I find family history of Shalom Shachna Altshuler? [closed]
I'm looking for history about Shalom Shachna Altshuler, the father of the tzemach tzedek (Menachem Mendel Schneerson), and his family afterwards till now.
Your help would be greatly appreciated in ...
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0answers
50 views
Where can I find family history of Rabbi Schneor Zalman Altshuler? [closed]
To rephrase my question correctly and not to make it too broad: where can I find information about the direct ancestors of Rabbi Schneor Zalman Altshuler?
Your help will be greatly appreciated.
6
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3answers
543 views
Which Hasidic rabbi has no beard, and what is the story?
There is a famous Hasidic rabbi who has no facial hair, and I seem to recall that there is a famous story as to why. But I can remember neither which rabbi (or of which sect), nor the story. I do not ...
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1answer
57 views
What is the genealogy of Judah ben Bava?
Is Judah ben Bava, noted for continuing the tradition of ordination, the son of Bava ben Buta, the Rabbi who was spared by Herod?
2
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2answers
90 views
Is there a book containing references to contemporary responsa according to the order of the Shulchan Aruch?
Is there a book containing references to contemporary responsa (maybe think starting from around the time electricity became common until now) according to the order of the Shulchan Aruch? I tried to ...
2
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1answer
151 views
Who was R' Avin Nagara
The Gemara (Bab. Shab. 23b) relates a story about one R' Avin Nagara ("The Carpenter").
Was he a Rabbi? Or was this merely an honorary title given to him because of his great children (as related in ...
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3answers
131 views
Has a gadol be'Torah ever drastically changed his type of avodas Hashem?
I know that my question is a bit broad and maybe abstract but I'm not sure how to phrase it better. I'm looking for any change in avodah. It can be a change in which group of Jews he associated with ...
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0answers
83 views
Which rabbi said “if a horse had the mind of Kant …”?
I recall hearing in yeshiva that one great rabbi -- I think one of the baalei mussar? once said:
If a horse had the mind of Kant, it would author volume after volume of great philosphical works -- ...
7
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2answers
171 views
Semicha (ordination) by Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky Zatzal
I have never met anyone or heard of anyone that has received Semicha (rabbinic ordination) from Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky Zatzal. Did Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky ever give anyone Semicha? If the answer is ...
1
vote
1answer
54 views
Kabbalos Pnei Rabo
That which it says in the Gemorah (Rosh Hashana 16b) that one has a obligation of "kabbalos pnei rabo" (to go see ones rebbe) on holidays - when is the obligation? Is there an obligation every day, or ...
4
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1answer
119 views
Rational approaches to superstitious ideas
Can one assume that there is a perfectly rational approach to superstitious ideas? May one go out of one's way to come up with rational approaches if these ideas bother him? My thinking is, ...
10
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4answers
375 views
The Ability to Pasken
What gives someone the ability to Pasken? At what point do we say that he is knowledgeable enough to decide questions on a topic? Does this have to do with "Semicha"? Does it have to do with being a ...
4
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3answers
516 views
Reb Moshe Feinstein in the New York Times
Reb Moshe Feinstein was once interviewed by the New York Times where he answered questions like how does Klal Yisroel know who is a Gadol? Does anyone know when it was, and does anyone know where I ...
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0answers
77 views
Who will be the new Posek Ha-Dor? [closed]
A generation of leadership has been vanishing with the passage of time. Concurrently, divisiveness has spread us out so thin that terms like "posek ha-dor," which imply Jewish unity, seem very hard to ...
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6answers
931 views
Why is it necessary to ask a Rabbi?
In various places on this site, including the FAQ, we have the following disclaimer:
Like Wikipedia, this site makes no guarantee of validity, and does not offer professional (particularly ...
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1answer
57 views
Where is the Bandits/Teshuvah Midrash?
Rabbeinu Yonah writes (Shaarei Teshuvah 1:2) a parable in the name of "Midrash Koheles" that at first glance makes no sense. I have my own theory about a way to explain it, but I wanted to check what ...
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2answers
128 views
Why have great rabbis written of their hard times?
Rambam:
And that was a most terrible event as my brother drowned in the Indian Ocean, he had taken such care of me and now I was left alone and bewildered in a strange land.
Rabbi Moshe ...
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2answers
184 views
Main Sefardi Rav
Which rabbi do the majority of sefardim follow? Or, do a majority of them not follow a single rabbi?
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3answers
250 views
Why in judaism - when discussing the Torah - do I see a lot of answers referring to writings of different Rabbis?
Sorry for the simpleness of this question. I've been trying to study the Torah as much as possible. I do not know Hebrew (though I'd truly like to and would appreciate any advice on how to get ...
4
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1answer
90 views
Is it Halachically wrong to avoid the rabbi's sermon?
At some point in our history, the rabbi's Derashah, or sermon, went from being taboo to so integral to the service that some Shuls have ushers to keep the doors closed at that time, so that no one may ...
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1answer
211 views
Accurate list of Gedolim [closed]
Wikepedia's list is missing certain Gedolim. Where can I access a list of Gedolim that would be virtually unarguable?
4
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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 ...
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3answers
191 views
What is the source of the word “Rabbi”? [closed]
What is the source of the Hebrew word "Rabbi" - which is commonly applied to a Rav, Rosh Yeshiva, etc.?
11
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3answers
119 views
Who is the voice of Tosafoth?
Tosafoth were the sons-in-law, grandchildren, and students of Rashi (and their students), and "they" wrote a commentary on the Talmud that is often at odds with Rashi's earlier commentary. Sometimes ...
3
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3answers
372 views
Why were some of the works of Rabbi Steinsaltz banned?
Apparently some of the works of Rabbi Steinsaltz were banned. What are the specific examples that prompted the ban? Is there a list of all of his works that have been banned, as I am interested in ...
5
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0answers
53 views
On What Subjects Does One Say Birchas HaTorah?
Must one say Birchas Hatorah before learning
Aggadata in the Gemara?
Biographies like Shem Hagedolim (a biography of various Rabbonim written by the Chida)?
Artscroll biographies?
12
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5answers
323 views
Can we argue with gedolim when we are sure that we are right?
I recently saw a teshuva by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Ohrach Chaim Volume 1 Teshuva 109, that quotes a letter from Rabbi Menashe Klein asking a question on Rabbi Moshe's psak but saying that he does not ...
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4answers
115 views
Asara Haruge Malchut (Ten Martyrs), why were 10 Rabbis killed?
In Vayigash, Rabenu Bahya (also the Zohar) comments and says that the reason we had Asara Haruge Malchut because the brothers sold Yosef. However, Reuven didn't sell Yosef, so why should the ...
10
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1answer
96 views
When did Ben Azzai die?
Rabbi Shimeon ben Azzai is listed as having died twice, once as part of the 4 who enter "pardes" (chagigah 14b) and again as one of the 10 martyrs. Which of these traditions is correct, or is there a ...
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7answers
528 views
Did any Achronim comment on the American Revolutionary or Civil Wars?
I've heard that for instance, in the 1800s, the American rabbis in the South were pro-slavery, and the American rabbis in the North opposed to it. But what were the views towards America of the ...
5
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1answer
461 views
List of Techelet Wearers
I was looking online for a list of people famous for deciding or influencing halacha, who currently wear Ptil Techelet Techelet.
However I could not find one.
Does such a list exist? If not, could ...
7
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1answer
84 views
Why does the Gemara often mention that certain Amoraim were asleep?
I've noticed that in the Gemara you often see a pattern where two people are discussing an issue in front of an Amorah (e.g R' Yirmiyah) while he was asleep. After their discussion he wakes up and ...
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2answers
89 views
Who was the קדוש מרדוש?
Today, in a shiur, I heard someone quote an opinion of the "קדוש מרדוש" (pronounced "Kadosh Meradoosh", I think). The Bet Yosef in E"HE 35 seems to quote the מרדכי who quotes him, so apparently he's a ...
