Questions tagged [agada-stories-legends]
Questions about the understanding and interpreting of the story-like content found in the Talmud and Midrash
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questions
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Deceased individuals appearing after death
Inspired by this answer:
Are there any documented stories of deceased people appearing after death to live people? [I am not looking for stories where someone dead appeared in a dream]
The Gemara in ...
3
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0answers
24 views
What message is the “witness” on Rosh Hashanah 22b trying to convey?
The gemara in Rosh Hashanah 22b quotes a beraisa which tells the story of the בייתוסים trying to trick the chachamim into establishing the new month on the wrong date:
בראשונה היו מקבלין עדות החדש ...
3
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3answers
252 views
Animal R'aim of the midrash
I saw in the book, "The midrash says" by Rabbi Moshe Weissman that the Midrash Socher Tov 22 explains that a creature called R'aim that David mistook as a hill, lifted David up into the sky and only ...
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0answers
44 views
Website of Stories of Gedolim
Do we have any website on the net that have inspirational stories from the lives of contemporary gedolim?
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1answer
121 views
Story of Megaddalela, rabbi tells man to marry woman of ill-repute
I once read a story in the Talmud about a woman of ill-repute named Megaddalela, whom a rabbi told a man to marry. I used it for a research project and can no longer find the original source. And I do ...
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1answer
152 views
Did Moses (pbuh) raise the dead [closed]
This story is in the Quran, is it also in Jewish scripture?
And when Moses said unto his people: Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye sacrifice a cow, they said: Dost thou make game of us? He answered: ...
4
votes
2answers
50 views
Did the Maharatz Chiyus write any chiddushim on Agadeta?
I'm looking for any chiddushim the Maharatz Chiyus wrote on the Agadeta. He wrote a "Mavo HaAgados" in which he lays down principles for learning Agadeta and I'd like to see how he puts them into ...
4
votes
1answer
70 views
Do we know of any animals that behave this way? (Bava Basra 16a)
The Gemara in Bava Basra 16a explains certain pesukim in Sefer Iyov to be referring to a conversation between Hashem and Iyov in which Hashem rebukes Iyov for denying or complaining about Hashem's ...
8
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2answers
130 views
Know who the Tanna/Amora is before trying to understand what he said?
The Maharats Chiyus (or Chayos) writes in his Mavo HaAgados that not all of Chazal were born equal, so to speak. More specifically, that among Chazal, there are different levels of intelligence, ...
2
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2answers
72 views
Were Midrashim and Aggadeta transmitted to Moshe on Sinai like the Halachic Torah She'be'al Peh?
The halachic part of the Torah She'be'al Peh was transmitted to Moshe on Sinai along with the written Torah (or in the Ohel Moed afterward).
Sifra:
How is Shemitta relevant to Mount Sinai? Were ...
8
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2answers
71 views
Why is the first mishna of Brachos included in the Ein Yaakov?
Rav Yaakov ibn Habib collected aggadeta from the shas bavli and yerushalmi. He called this collection Ein Yaakov. He also wrote a commentary on a bunch of it which is called HaKoseiv.
The very first ...
4
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2answers
93 views
Examples of the sages in the Talmud going above and beyond in kindness
What are some examples in the Talmud where it tells a story of one of the sages from the time of the Mishna or Gemara showing exceptional kindness that could be a good example to other people?
For ...
0
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1answer
81 views
Reb Yitzhak's diamond, Rashi's birth - the source? [closed]
There's a famous story, mentioned here and in many other places – the legend of Reb Yitzhak's diamond. What's the source of this story?
Tizku lmitvois!
3
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1answer
90 views
Help finding a chazal, could be עין יעקב
I was asked to find a maamar Chazal that contrasts the Gaava (haughtiness) a woman can have with that of a male talmid chochom. I am unclear which way they differentiate, i was told there's something ...
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0answers
158 views
Source for Lubavitch Siddur Legend
If you take a look in the old print of the Siddur Tehilas Hashem on page 13, you will notice a strange looking vav in the word "yetzur" (as in "yetzur nivra" from the tefillah of Adon Olam).
I have ...
3
votes
1answer
95 views
Source of 3 daily miracles love of occupation, place of living and wife
I heard a shiur of Gemara (I might be mistaken with the details):
The world would not be able to exist if not for Hashem causing 3 constant miracles, that man: 1 enjoys his occupation, 2 enjoys his ...
3
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0answers
74 views
Does Halakhah require one to believe in Gilu'i Eliyahu, Gilu'i Maggid, and the like?
I have heard many stories from many independent sources about Rabbis receiving teachings via individual revelation in the form of Gilu'i Eliyahu (i.e. "the appearance of Eliyahu") or Gil'ui Maggid (e....
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1answer
60 views
Whoever is greater than his friend has a greater inclination
Sukkah 52a has an interesting story with Abaye (translation from Sefaria.org)
כי הא דאביי שמעיה לההוא גברא דקאמר לההיא אתתא נקדים וניזיל באורחא אמר איזיל אפרשינהו מאיסורא אזל בתרייהו תלתא פרסי ...
5
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1answer
1k views
What was the pillar of stone of Seth's children mentioned by Josephus?
According to Josephus (Book 1, Chapter 2, 68-71), the family of Seth, the third son of Adam, was noted for constructing a particularly long-lasting edifice or monument.
...Now this Seth...did ...
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1answer
126 views
What's the source for the aggadah about Adam sacrificing a unicorn?
In The Legends of the Jews, Ginzberg relates this story:
The first time Adam witnessed the sinking of the sun be was also seized with anxious fears. It happened at the conclusion of the Sabbath, ...
2
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1answer
92 views
Story that Hashem kept the ability open to destroy the Bais Hamikdash to avoid destroying the Jews
I am looking for a source for this.
Someone told me that there is a story that Hashem asked Dovid hamelech not to build (continue building) the Bais Hamikdash to be able to destroy it instead of ...
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1answer
108 views
Is there a source for Og throwing a mountain?
There is a well known aggadata from maseches Brachos 54b concerning Og desiring to throw a mountain on klal yisroel and how Hashem arranged his demise.
However, I was reading to one of my children ...
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0answers
103 views
Help finding a Noam Elimelech
I recently finished Meseches Makkos and went through the Agadetahs (Summed up very quickly) of when Raban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar Ben Azaria, Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva were together and Rabbi Akiva ...
4
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1answer
202 views
Elijah the prophet as one who appears in times of need
Various Christian commentators state that Jewish literature represents Elijah as one who appears from heaven to help in times of need.
The only example given is contained in the Babylonian Talmud ...
4
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0answers
369 views
Is the Luz the Sacrum?
The Luz bone has been identified as the bone Techias Hameisim will be performed from, see for instance in Bereishis Rabba 28 3 the discussion between Rabi Yehoshua ben Chananya and Hadrian. It is ...
3
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1answer
105 views
Where is the story from (I believe in the Talmud ) about a Rebbe who was head of a beis din in regards to a widow and his sentencing to death?
This is a question is referenced the Gemara or Mishna I think.
I believe in the mishna, or gemara there's a story about either Rebbe Yehuda or Rebbe Yosi(Or another head of the Beis Din).
The story ...
5
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2answers
221 views
Is it permissible to listen to a Rabbi instead of a doctor?
Recently, an article published on a popular Jewish website, told the story of man who was told by a doctor that he needed to have surgery. He went to a Gadol Hador (great Rabbi) to ask him for advice ...
12
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2answers
573 views
Did Rabbeinu Yonah write Shaarei Teshuva in response to the burning of the Gemara?
It is widely believed that Rabbeinu Yonah played a part in having the Rambam's works burned around 1232, and that after the 1242 burning of twenty-four wagonloads of Gemaras he felt that it was a ...
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0answers
51 views
What is the source of this story about suffering and having a dream about it..?
I remember a story about a person that suffered very much and went to see a certain rebbe to help him. While waiting he feel asleep and had a dream where he saw his mitzvos and aveiros and the ...
4
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0answers
99 views
Did Elisha get his tefillin back?
The story of אלישע בעל כנפים (Elisha-the-man-of-the-wings) is told on Shabbos 130a:
דא"ר ינאי תפילין צריכין גוף נקי כאלישע בעל כנפים [...] ואמאי קרו ליה
אלישע בעל כנפים שפעם אחת גזרה מלכות הרשעה ...
10
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3answers
338 views
Are Synagogues “holy ground,” offering protection from evil creatures?
I'm not a Jew, but I'm writing a fantasy novel set in medieval Europe, and one of my characters is a Jew. I've got a group of people with diverse backgrounds who've come together to fight a great evil....
5
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2answers
185 views
Halachic issues with using a frozen river as a mikvah
One hears a lot of legends about women who went to extraordinary lengths to go to mikvah in difficult times. One popular story is about a woman who would make a hole in a frozen river and tovel in the ...
3
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1answer
260 views
How does the talmud know that the mashiach's name was known before creation?
The talmud on Nedarim 39b (English) lists seven things that were created before the world: torah, repentance, Gan Eden, Gehenna, the Throne of Glory, the Temple, and "the name of the mashiach". The ...
4
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1answer
380 views
Is there a prohibition in the Torah against calling someone by their nickname?
I remember vaguely about a story of a certain sage in the Talmud that would never call anyone by a nickname. Is this just proper moral behavior or is there an actual halachah against giving people ...
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2answers
161 views
Why do we bring a sin offering on rosh chodesh, given the midrash about changing the size of the moon?
We bring a sin offering as a 'kapara' for hashem for decreasing the size of the moon. The story goes that the moon said we cant have two 'kings' the same size so I want to be bigger. Hashem says no ...
9
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1answer
181 views
Rabbi Akiva and Ketarim
In Menachos the Gemara relates the Moshe asked Hashem about the meaning of the "crowns" on many Hebrew letters as written in the Torah. Hashem then gives the following response:
אמר לו, אדם אחד יש ...
8
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1answer
219 views
Source that Gr“a finished the ”whole" Torah?
I heard from a friend that he read that the Vilna Gaon did a Sium on the Torah. Not just the חמישה חומשי תורה, but that he basically claimed that he finished all there is to learn in Jewish studies. ...
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1answer
130 views
Midrashic(?) Proof from Design story about overturned inkwell
I believe I read years ago about an instance where a rabbi presented a heretic with a well written poem that he claimed had actually formed accidentally when he overturned his inkwell. I though I had ...
3
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1answer
74 views
Seeking teachings or stories involving the rabbis mentioned in the hagadda, to add a little more spice to the seders
To help me prepare for conducting seders again this year, can anyone point me to a compilation of teachings or stories involving any or all of the rabbis in the hagadda?
Autobiographical tidbits?
...
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65 views
Why are different Agadot in different masechtot
I once heard that the agadot of each masechta are in that particular masechta fora reason.
does anyone know the source of such a claim
11
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1answer
599 views
Is the leviathan kosher?
The leviathan seems to be a unique sea creature, which I've always pictured as some sort of sea serpent. This is consistent with Yeshayahu 27:1's description of it as a snake (nachash). An answer to ...
2
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0answers
146 views
Source for an Aggadah about Moshe feeding a bird
I was reading a book called "Shylock" by Hermann Sinsheimer and he made reference to a story from "the Jewish Talmud." I don't know to what he is referring. I looked online quickly and found someone ...
10
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1answer
139 views
Legend About Rashi
In the book "Rashi and Maimonides" (pg 302), I found the following (paraphrasing):
Another story has it that Rashi sat fasting for 613 days to purify himself for the task of commenting on the Torah....
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1answer
1k views
Is Julia Donaldson's “a squash and a squeeze” based on a Jewish source?
The children's book 'A Squash and a Squeeze' by Julia Donaldson is about a woman who feels that her house is not big enough. She meets a 'wise old man' (who looks uncannily like an old chassidish ...
6
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1answer
338 views
Source for eulogy of lost bookcases
I recall learning a gemarah (Bavli) where a certain scholar passed away and when another scholar was asked to eulogize him he responded with something akin to, "What should I say? We lost our ...
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1answer
133 views
What was the ריב"א thinking?
In ריקאנטי number 166 (brought down here, #4), he brings a story about the ריב"א:
ושמעתי כי ריב"א חלה חוליו שמת בו וחל יוה"כ באותם הימים וא"ל הרופאים אם
לא תאכלו ודאי תמות ואם תאכל שמא לא תחיה ...
9
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1answer
811 views
Why did the rich Gentile buy a pearl?
In the story of Yosef Mokir Shabbat, Yosef is a Jew who honors Shabbat above all, and ends up becoming very rich because of it.
There was a very rich Gentile who was told that all of his wealth would ...
4
votes
2answers
440 views
source for a story: man who went to milk a lion
When I was a kid I heard the following story at least a few times in grade school from the school headmaster (probably around Rosh Hashanah time). It's based on a Jewish legend or midrash, and I'd ...
5
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1answer
473 views
Source for story about Chazon Ish and mischief
I once heard a story along the lines of the following:
A man brought his 7 or 8 year old son to meet the Chazon Ish. He wanted to show him what a masmid his son was. The Chazon Ish, after asking ...
3
votes
1answer
184 views
Source for story of rabbi's claiming land said “you're both mine”
I heard the following story recently (though I paraphrase, and may have some details wrong):
When Rabbi M'nachem Perr lived in Queens, New York, he had an Italian, non-Jewish neighbor who, during ...
