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Questions tagged [acharonim]

'Acharonim' refers to the sages that are from the time period from when the Shulchan Aruch was written to the present.

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(Early) Acharonim on Taharot?

There is no Gemara on most of Seder Taharot apart from Maseches Niddah. There are commentaries on the Mishnayos there from Rambam and the Rash as well as the Rosh, Maharam of Rottenburg and Hai Gaon. ...
Meir Luria's user avatar
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Which famous Rabbi had lifelong stomach pain?

I recently heard a shiur that quoted a famous rabbi (I think an Acharon) who talked about having stomach pain every day of his life, and studying torah was the only thing that gave him any joy. Does ...
human347359's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
887 views

Are there seforim printed by North African sefardi achronim of the last 250 years

Sometimes I hear stories about sefardi achronim from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Tangier and their rabonim, and wonder if they had any seforim printed. Obviously nowadays we have contemporary seforim ...
yosefkorn's user avatar
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6 votes
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Where is the Yam Shel Shlomo's essay on breira printed?

I've heard that the Maharshal wrote a detailed essay on breira. Where can it be found in his writings? Is it somewhere in the Yam Shel Shlomo?
H. Eugene Walters's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
33 views

Sefer Klal Tora Umitsvot from the Shaagat Arie

See in Shaagat Arie suman 6, he cited his book on principles of Tora and Mitsvot ומה שיש לדקדק על דברי הרמב״ם אלו כבר כתבתי באורך רב בספר כלל תורה ומצוות שלי I never heard of this book. Where can ...
kouty's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
261 views

Why did the Tos'fos Yom Tov compose his Mi Sheberach?

It is well known that R. Yom Tov Heller, author of the Tos'fos Yom Tov and other works, wrote a prayer to be recited for the benefit of those who don't speak in the synagogue (or: during prayer). I'm ...
msh210's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
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Sucking a citrus fruit: Kaf Hachayim

The Kaf Hachayim, OC 202:63: ומיהו המוצץ משקה מן הפרי חשוב אוכל ומברך ברכתו הראויה לו ושיעורו בכזית לברך ברכה אחרונה. פר״ח בספרו מים חיים סימן ז׳ חס״ל אות י״ד. והיינו דוקא במוצצם ע״י לעיסה שנותנם ...
msh210's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
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What does the Shabbos Shel Mi mean?

In Maseches Shabbos, in between the perakim of Bameh Ishah and Bameh Beheimah, the Shabbos Shel Mi writes the following: דרשינן סמוכים פ' במה בהמה ובמה אשה כל הקרב הקרב כי לא לחנם הלך זרזיר אצל ...
Yehuda's user avatar
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4 votes
0 answers
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How do the outer planets: Uranus, Neptune and Pluto fit into Judaism?

It is not a secret that we discover new things in all fields of science, not mentioned in our sources all the time. We know that in Judaism the 7 planets represent/aligned with 7 spiritual forces and ...
Al Berko's user avatar
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7 votes
4 answers
270 views

Sefer on Chazal, Geonim and Later Acharonim

I currently own the Artscroll books The Rishonim and The Early Acharonim by Rabbi Goldwurm. They have a few features on Rabbonim of the ages that I really appreciate: Anecdotal information about each ...
Dovmo's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
957 views

What's controversial about Chemdat HaYamim?

This answer from @Oliver mentions The controversial book Hemdat Ha-yamim... What is Chemdat HaYamim, and what is controversial about it? I know this is a very simple question but I wasn't ...
ezra's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
149 views

What is the meaning of the kli Yakar Bereshis 44:21

What is the meaning of this line in (kli Yakar Bereshis 44:21) כי הבחינה היינו דרישה וחקירה כקטן מסיח לפי תומו, ולא נתרצו האחים לזה, כי אמרו פן ילמדוהו לדבר תועה ובחרו לישב במאסר
sy1's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
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Mekor Chaim by the Chavauss Yo'ir

Where can I find a copy of the Mekor Chaim by R' Yair Bacharach זצ”ל (the Chavot Ya'ir)? I read on Wikipedia that Machon Yerushalayim publishes a copy, but a perusal of their catalogue does not turn ...
Noach MiFrankfurt's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
68 views

Teacher of the Pnei Yehoshua

What was the name of the rav/teacher of HoRav Ya'akov Yehoshua ben Tzvi, author of the Pnei Yehoshua?
Joshua Pearl's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
439 views

Chart of the Rishonim?

Does anyone know if there is a chart of the Rishonim available? Like a genealogy tree (but for rav/talmid and by region). If it goes on to Acharonim, even better. I have one for the Tannoim and ...
Etzbah's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Did Bach ever respond to Taz's criticisms?

There are numerous places in the Taz where R' David HaLevi Segal criticizes the opinions and writings of the R' Joel Sirkis (Bach) - who just so happened to be his father-in-law. See for example the ...
Y. Isseroff's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
67 views

Changing the תפילת בית המדרש

The גמרא in מסכת ברכות on דף כח עמוד ב gives a תפילה for people to say when entering a בית המדרש. This is quoted להלכה in רמב''ם ברכות י,כג and שולחן ערוך אורח חיים קי,ח. However, the ט''ז on ...
Moshe Steinberg's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
130 views

כי הלא בזולת בשר כבדת את השבת

The full text is: מה שהלכת אתמול לבקש בשר ואבדת חצי היום ולא יכולת למצוא ואף תרנגולים שבאו לידך לא אסתייעא מלתא הכל מאתי היה להודיעך שהבשר והיין שהם משכן היצה"ר אין לרדוף אחריהם כי בזולתם יחיה האדם ...
hai's user avatar
  • 31
3 votes
0 answers
196 views

Rule 195 of Ayelet Hashachar by the Malbim

If one looks at the Malbim's Ayelet Hashachar, he gives 613 rules for interpreting the Torah. But if you look at it carefully, you'll notice that rule 195 is missing. What happened to this rule?
Craig Feinstein's user avatar
20 votes
0 answers
562 views

How and why did R. Akiva Eiger try to emulate the Rashba?

I'm attending a bar mitzva celebration recently, and the father of the boy gives a short speech. During his speech he mentions in passing that Rabbi Akiva Eiger (1761–1837, modern-day Austria ...
msh210's user avatar
  • 73.6k
5 votes
1 answer
107 views

Who is the Arba'ah Turei Even?

In the back of the Frankel printing of the Rambam, they have a section of collected commentaries. One of them is a work titled "Arba'ah Turei Even." The Frankel bio page identifies the author as אלעזר ...
jim's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
131 views

Torah Commentary of R. Isaac Samuel Reggio

Is the commentary of R. Isaac Samuel Reggio on the Torah available for free online?
mevaqesh's user avatar
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11 votes
1 answer
220 views

Pronunciation of God's Name in the Bach

The Bach, writing on the Tur OC 5:1, says that when pronouncing the tetragrammaton (שם הויה) as the שם אדנות, some people say the first vowel as a patach and some as tending toward tseirei. His words:...
magicker72's user avatar
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4 votes
0 answers
443 views

Seeking an English version of Minchat Chinuch

Is there an English version of Minchat Chinuch by "Rabbeinu Yosef" (Yosef Ben Moshe Babad, 1800–1874), a commentary on the Sefer ha-Chinuch?
Yehuda W's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
306 views

What Hebrew must I know in order to read the Minchas Shai?

I am interested in understanding the Tenach better, as well as rules related to leining. I have resources for learning biblical Hebrew. Vocabulary lists, and charts showing verb conjugations. If I ...
barlop's user avatar
  • 2,059
1 vote
1 answer
187 views

Letter of the Dvar Avraham About R. Soloveitchik

Where can the D'var Avraham's letter about R. Soloveitchik be found? I have seen numerous references to it, such as in R. Yitzchak Twersky's eulogy for R. Soloveichik in which the following was ...
mevaqesh's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
274 views

Where does the Taz say that beer gives us life?

There is a Taz on the topic of yoshon (old grain) that says something to the effect of: כי עיקר חיינו תלוי בשכר While it's an awesome quote out of context, the basic pretense is that since the ...
WhoKnows's user avatar
  • 2,648
3 votes
1 answer
383 views

Baba Sali and his Torah chiddushim

I can not find any Torah writings from the Baba Sali. Does anybody know where I can find his Torah?
Emet v'Shalom's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
586 views

Where does the Tiferes Yisroel discuss Edward Jenner and smallpox?

I've heard repeatedly that the Tiferes Yisroel describes Dr. Edward Jenner as a righteous gentile for developing the smallpox inoculation -- where is that quote, please?
Shalom's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
705 views

Seudas Rabbi Akiva Eiger

What does R. Akiva Eiger hold about long distance involvement in another person's simcha? I have heard that contrary to legend he actually held that such participation is meaningless and that the ...
mevaqesh's user avatar
  • 35.2k
4 votes
3 answers
233 views

Looking for Shadal Al HaTorah

I am looking for Shadal's commentary on the Torah. is it available for free online? If not does anyone know where it can be purchased the cheapest?
mevaqesh's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
676 views

Does the principle of Hadash Asur Min Hatorah apply to technological new things?

According to the Hatam Sofer, does this principle apply to technological novelties? This principle means that "New Is Forbidden By The Torah".
far22's user avatar
  • 1,550
11 votes
1 answer
277 views

Looking for a particular idea from Reb Yonason Eibshitz

I recall reading a quote from Reb Yonason Eibshitz concerning a judge on a beis din of 23 faced with a strange situation. The defendant seems to the judge to be guilty of murder, but this judge is the ...
user6591's user avatar
  • 33k
4 votes
0 answers
184 views

The opinion that microwaves don't need to be kashered

So I remember hearing this opinion that followed like this: "Microwaves do not need to be kashered because the means of cooking in a microwave are different than those spoken about in the Gemara." ...
rosenjcb's user avatar
  • 1,554
3 votes
3 answers
549 views

What's unique about the book Eglei Tal?

The book Eglei Tal was written by Rabbi Avrohom Bornsztain and deals with the 39 melachos of Shabbos. I was wondering what about this particular book is unique? Why would a person learn this as ...
Gavriel's user avatar
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7 votes
0 answers
238 views

Halachic opinions on tefillin peshutim

I was discussing the subject of tefillin with my father motzei-Shabbat and particular, the battim (leather boxes that contain the parshiyot, or parchment scrolls). We ended up wondering what the mid-...
Noach MiFrankfurt's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
309 views

Sforno on the Nachash

The Sforno on Bereishis 3:1 explains that the Nachash, snake, is not an actual snake but is rather the Satan/Yetzer Harah. With that in mind, what does the Sforno do with the curse Hashem gives the ...
Bochur613's user avatar
  • 4,627
2 votes
1 answer
72 views

Ma'ayanah Shel Torah on the Festivals and 613 Mitzvot?

On the title page of Ma'ayanah Shel Torah, it says that the series covers the Parshiot, Haftarot, Festivals, and 613 Commandments. I have the 5 volumes on the Parshiot and Haftarot, but they do not ...
Menachem's user avatar
  • 43.4k
2 votes
2 answers
788 views

Source for story about the Chasam Sofer, Rav Nosson Adler and an Amalekite?

I heard a story that goes roughly like this: after the death of his Rebbi, the Chasam Sofer decided to make Rav Nosson Adler his new Rebbi. He therefore undertook a long voyage to meet Rav Adler. On ...
Shaul Behr's user avatar
  • 4,330
7 votes
2 answers
4k views

Shacharis after chatzos

Is praying shacharis after chatzos (midday) permitted, and do you fulfill your obligation? If so, until when? Please give sources, preferably quoting the Mishna Berurah, Alter Rebbe of Lubavitch, or ...
Dovid Benizri's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
179 views

How come Metzudat Tzion never did a perush of difficult words in the chumash?

Why did the author of Metzudat Tzion never write an explanation of difficult words in the chumash, as he did for most of the Nach? There are hard words in the chumash that require explanation even for ...
Matthew's user avatar
  • 171
10 votes
2 answers
288 views

What did the Or Sameach do for Rabbi Yaakov Ruderman?

I have heard that Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Ruderman of Ner Israel quoted Rabbi Meir Simcha (the Or Sameach or Meshech Chochma) in almost every Torah address to the school. I have heard, further, that he ...
msh210's user avatar
  • 73.6k
3 votes
1 answer
428 views

Happiness for a Bar Mitzvah

I heard in the name of the Chasam Sofer that the first mitzvah of a bar mitzvah boy is that of simcha (happiness). Does anyone know where I could find the original source of this? I searched Google ...
Micha's user avatar
  • 271
0 votes
3 answers
223 views

Are there any late-Achronim who wrote like a Rishon (or early-Acharon)?

When the Rishonim wrote, they weighed every word they used, considered the meaning and inferences of all possibilities and decided on what best reflects their position as a whole. This is how we treat ...
Gavriel's user avatar
  • 9,449
11 votes
5 answers
2k views

Hitting your child as a disciplinary/educational measure - modern opinions

Shemos Rabbah (Shemos parsha 1) and a gemara in Makos (8a) both seem to indicate that physically striking a child/student is a positive thing to do in terms of discipline/education. My question is: ...
Gavriel's user avatar
  • 9,449
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Differences in Sepharadi Hilkhot Taharat HaMishpahhah

I've been told that HaRav Mordekhai Eliyahu and HaRav 'Ovadiah Yosef ('Aleihem hashalom), have different shitot (approaches/conclusions) when it comes to Hilkhot Taharat HaMishpahhah for the Sepharadi ...
Lee's user avatar
  • 7,393
1 vote
0 answers
107 views

Source for Rabbi Jonathan Eybeschutz's explanation of Ta'anis Esther

The three day fast that Esther and Mordecai and the Jew's of Shushan observed during Nissan fell out on (at least) the first day of Passover. I remember hearing an explanation from Rabbi Jonathan ...
termsofservice's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
257 views

What are R' Yaakov miLissa's commentaries on the m'gilos called?

Many a Jewish book is known colloquially by its title, like Avne Nezer and More N'vuchim. Many a one is known colloquially by its author's name, like the commentaries of R' Moshe Alshich and Malbim on ...
msh210's user avatar
  • 73.6k
2 votes
2 answers
459 views

Where does the contemporary measurement of a Kezayit come from?

According to the Nodeh B'Yehuda and the Chazon Ish, in order to calculate the size of a kezayis (which apparently is based on the size of an egg), we must double the size of our contemporary eggs. (...
Shmuel's user avatar
  • 10.4k
2 votes
1 answer
164 views

Looking for Source for explanation in Chafetz Chaim

R' Moshe Sherer brings an interesting explanation from the Chafetz Chaim: The reason for the Torah's double expression of my Shabbos's in ויקרא יט:ג - ואת שבתותי תשמורו is to teach us that our Shabbos ...
user5303's user avatar
  • 1,464