Hot answers tagged tractate-megillah
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The Targum on Mishlei 2:4 translates תחפשנה as sitzb'yah - desire, suggesting that the analogy in Mishlei emphasizes that you should be highly motivated and driven. By contrast, yaga'ti seems to by definition refer to the actual work that someone retrospectively put in to acquire Torah.
Note, however, that the Malbim (Mishlei, 2:4) distinguishes between ...
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I discuss this a bit when considering whether Rivkah was a prophetess. The seven are: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, Esther.
Chazal are the one who identify these seven; and Chazal also seem to be very reluctant to ascribe prophecy to women in general. See what they say in Bereishit Rabba about Sarah's prophecy:
ויאמר ה' לה
רבי יהודה בר ...
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While it is true that one of the necessary components to a proper conversion is a rejection of idols, the talmudic quote presented is not saying that this is the sole method of becoming a Jew. The text on Megilla 13 is arguing about the particular tribal lineage of Mordechai -- he called a Yehudi though he is traced to Benjamin's tribe. So the text attempts ...
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No. The example of the daughter of Phara'oh is a confusing one. I'm not at all an expert in Divrei HaYamim, but it is not nearly as clear as one would expect it to be as a chronicle of the Biblical narrative. However, I'm not sure that is the correct interpretation of the verse. If I'm not mistaken, the Yehudiyah in the verse is not the daughter of ...
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1) Indeed, if you have one midrash, you don't need the other. This is likely a disagreement, rather than an assertion that both happened.
Rabbi Yossi ben Hanina, the one who stated that it was tzaraat, is an Amora of Eretz Yisrael. As Tosafot notes on the daf, in the parallel Yerushalmi, we find out that this is a derasha on the word nigzar in Esther 2:1:
...
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As per the source cited by the OP, בתיה underwent conversion to become a Jew; rejecting idolatry was merely a prerequisite for conversion. The gemara appears to be saying that Tanach commends individual Jews by referring to them with the praiseworthy title of "Y'hudim" (i.e. "Jews") only when they conspicuously took an individual stand to reject idol ...
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Rashi Breishis 45:18 says that Paroh - "Niba V'Aino Yodeya Ma Niba ניבא ואינו יודע מה ניבא" - said something which was prophetic yet he did not know what he said. Most likely the same holds true regarding Achashveirosh, and he had no Ruach HaKodesh.
Regarding Lashon HaKodesh Chasam Sofer Derush L'Zayin Adar 5568 clearly says that he only spoke Persian to ...
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There is a story printed in Rabbi Zevin's Sippurei Chassidim (translated by Artscroll as "A Treasury of Chassidic Tales"). I haven't read it in a while, so I don't remember all the details, but here's what I do remember:
The son of one of the Rebbeim (it might have been Ger or Belz) became Rebbe when his predecessor passed away. Some of the Chassidim ...
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As mentioned in the comments, the Mishnah is just talking about one who reads the megillah. Someone who is falling asleep while listening will not be able to hear every word. The Shulchan Aruch is clear on this:
קראה מתנמנם, הואיל ולא נרדם בשינה, יצא. אבל אם שמעה מתנמנם, לא יצא.
This still doesn't answer the question of how much focus you need to ...
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Per the comment from Rabbi Slifkin on the parshblog, the term "tail" can at times be referring euphemistically to the phallus, as it states by Amalek וַיְזַנֵּב בְּךָ כָּל-הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִים (devarim 25:18) which Rashi (based on the midrash) explains as
and cut off: [The word וַיְזַנֵּב is derived from the word זָנָב, meaning “tail.” Thus, the verse means: ...
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Perhaps the גמרא is providing two separate answers to one question. The question is what prevented Vashti from following Achashveirosh’s request to attend the party.
The first answer to this question appears straight forward. Vashti had some skin problem that made her feel unable to go before Achashveirosh. Perhaps her she felt unattractive, like some ...
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