All Questions
48 questions
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What are the meaning of some of these small letters in the Torah
BH
Hi, I remember — correct me if I’m wrong — that the aleph of the first word of Vayikra is small because Moshe’s humility because he said how can I be written at the beginning of such a holy book so ...
- 1,527
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1
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40
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Source for a drush in lemaaleh mimecha
There is a famous drush that is brought by Nefesh haChayim in the beginning of the 4th chapter of shaar 1, and also discussed in Ruach Chayim. The mishnah in Pirkei Avos 2:1 says da ma lemaaleh mimeka ...
- 3,149
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What both Hashem and the snake said about death after eating the fruit doesn't seem to match what ended up happening?
Hashem says:
וּמֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכׇלְךָ
מִמֶּנּוּ מוֹת תָּמוּת׃
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat
of it: for on the day ...
- 14.1k
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Why mezuzah is spelled without the first vav
Why in the first paragraph of Shma (in Devarim 6:9) it says mezuzos (מזזות) without the first vav (the discussion in Rashi here and Menachos 34a seems to be about the second vav which we have, but we ...
- 3,149
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votes
2
answers
128
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A List of כל אתין and their interpretations
In Pesachim, 22a, the following braita is cited:
כִּדְתַנְיָא: שִׁמְעוֹן הָעַמְסוֹנִי, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ נְחֶמְיָה הָעַמְסוֹנִי, הָיָה דּוֹרֵשׁ כׇּל ׳אֶתִּים׳ שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְ״אֶת ה׳...
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A Meta reason for the two spellings of Binyomin
The word בנימן is spelt בנימין when he is born, this spelling is used around ten times. Otherwise, it is spelt with one י, why is this? I am not looking for a pshat answer. I am looking for a Drosh or ...
- 2,252
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Did the early generations do melacha on Chol Ha'moed?
The Gemara in Chagiga says:
that the Torah left it up to Chazal to figure out what constitutes as "work" on Chol Ha'moed.
"הא לא מסרן הכתוב אלא לחכמים, לומר לך אי זה יום אסור ואי זה ...
- 173
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answer
137
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Neilah Chasam Sofer
I read somewhere that the Chasam Sofer is mechadesh that Moshe Rabbeinu was mesaken Neilah. Does anyone know where this is?
- 303
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Where Can I find this Machlokes about the 13 Middot of Drush?
Several years ago, I came across the following machlokes between Rashi and Tosfot in Shas Bavli.
Rashi said that all 13 middos of drush require a mesorah except for Kal Vachomer, and Tosfot said all ...
- 2,105
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1
answer
212
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Which chag also celebrates or renews a brit or similar?
What do our rabbis of blessed memory say about Shavuos, or any chag that celebrates the purposes of that chag as well as at the same time celebrates or renews a previous brit or similar? From shul I ...
- 41
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1
answer
650
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The meaning of “Derash” from PARDES
The following is the Jewish Virtual Library definition for "Derash". How does it relate to homiletics which is the study of creating and delivering sermons? Is it trying to say that Derash became the ...
- 444
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3
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178
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What is the significance of the title of Parshat Yitro?
What is the significance that the parsha that contains the events of Mattan Torah and the Aseret Hadibrot is called "Yitro", who was a convert?
I understand that the simple answer is that "Yitro" is ...
- 51
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1
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136
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Is there any rabbinical support for the word "צַו" as used in Isaiah 28:10 to mean "connection"?
Is there any rabbinical support for the word "צַו" as used in Isaiah 28:10 to mean "connection"? The usual translation that one reads for "צַו לָצָו" is "precept upon precept". Did any of the rabbis ...
- 41
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77
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King Saul was able to fight the Yetzer Hara head on
I heard a wonderful drasha on the verse II Samuel 1:18 but I can't find the source:
ויאמר ללמד בני־יהודה קשת הנה כתובה על־ספר הישר
He instructed to teach the Children of Yehudah the bow. ...
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answer
762
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Why do we say bar mitzvah instead of ben mitzvah?
I've heard somewhere that there is a source explaning why do we say "bar mitzvah" instead of "ben mitzvah". I assume that this source it's not dealing with common knowledge on this (such as the ...
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1
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118
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Source of this drasha?
I want to give over a drasha I heard, but I cannot recall who said it originally. The drasha goes:
The Midrash says that one of the reasons there is no "ki tov" on
the second day of Creation is ...
- 5,540
5
votes
1
answer
84
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Why does the text become impersonal?
When Avraham goes to Kiryat Arba from Be'er Sheva (as per Rashi, Bereishit 23:2) or just goes from no where else (Rashbam) to eulogize and mourn Sarah's passing, the text names Sarah (twice, once ...
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2
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answers
242
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Relationship between *segulah* and violet color
We have a tradition, very often used in drush, that words deriving from the same root are really manifestations of the same idea in different facets.
In this context, what is the relationship between ...
- 3,149
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1
answer
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Why is there a guilt offering and not a sin offering for slander? [closed]
I read this on Chabad.org in its discussion of Parshat Vayikra:
• The different types of “sin offering” (chatat) brought to atone for
transgressions committed erroneously by the high priest, the ...
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2
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0
answers
107
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How do we know that we can interpret the torah non-literally beyond what is found in the talmud?
I have often heard "drashot" or homiletic interpretations of many verses in the torah. How do we know that the torah can be explained in a non-literal way beyond the non-literal explanations found in ...
user6641
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2
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150
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Source for Sukkos as Sheva Brachos
I once heard from a Rav giving a drasha that "Yom Kippur is the wedding and Sukkos is the Sheva Brachos".
I was wondering what the source for that is?
(The idea of Yom Kippur as a wedding is rather ...
- 32.3k
6
votes
1
answer
180
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What's up with those "drushy" Rashis in Nasso
In Bamidbar chapter 7, around verse 19, Rashi suddenly turns uncharacteristically "drushy". He starts bringing all kinds of gematrias about the korbanot that the nesiim bring. But the gematrias don't ...
- 25.1k
4
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answer
420
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Pirush On Megilas Esther regarding the word "Melech"
I remember seeing a book which explains how, b'derech Drash, every instance of the word "Melech" in Megilas Esther, as referring to Hashem.
Does anyone know the name of this sefer?
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6
votes
3
answers
327
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Custom of Rov speaking before Krias HaTorah on Shabbos
I've been in a number of shuls where the Rov of the shul will get up before Krias HaTorah on Shabbos and say some sort of "drasha". Sometimes it was connected to the parsha or inyunei d'yoma (i.e. ...
- 16.2k
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0
answers
200
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Halachic extension of the Giving of the Torah and marriage analogy [duplicate]
The sages frequently liken the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai to a chuppah (wedding ceremony), where Hashem is symbolized by the chosson (groom) and the Knesses Yisroel is symbolized by the kallah ...
- 3,149
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What is the source for the Baal Shem Tov’s application of Psalm 122 (1) to a marriage?
I seem to remember a Dvar Torah from the Baal Shem Tov that reinterprets the first verse of Psalm 122
I rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."
into a dialogue between ...
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2
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0
answers
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Symbolic relationship between Mothers and Exiles
I am interested in what is the correspondence between the Four Mothers (Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah) and the Four Exiles (Babylonian, Persian/Medean, Greek and Roman).
There is a lot of indirect ...
- 3,149
3
votes
2
answers
324
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Conceptual Relationship Between "River" (יאר) and "Light" (אור)
There seems to be a relationship between the words "river" (יאר) and light (אור), that is only underscored by the fact that "river" in Hebrew (נהר) is essentially the same word as "light" in Aramaic (...
- 3,149
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votes
1
answer
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Story about learning b'iyun vs. b'qius
When I was in yeshiva, I heard a story that I wouldn't mind having verified. Apparantly, two individuals once argued over whether b'iyun (בעיון; "in-depth", commentary-focused) learning or b'qius (...
- 19.1k
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votes
0
answers
80
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The connection between Tishrei and Tevet
Can anyone steer me towards resources which explore a connection or relationship between Tishrei and Tevet (I assume, on a mystical level). Both months have a fast day on the 10th day and the full ...
- 38.7k
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votes
2
answers
209
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is there an authoritative list of the ways to expound the torah?
We are all familiar with Rebbi Yishmael's 13 principles for expounding the torah, however there are other systems not included in his list. I remember once hearing a shiur that there are over 40 ways ...
user2110
3
votes
2
answers
574
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What is the significance of the shtreimel?
What is the esoteric or hashkafic significance of the shtreimel? Some things I have seen but without details or sources are that it is like a crown, that the number of pelts involved have numerical ...
- 7,371
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votes
0
answers
319
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Hazi"v La"kh: what's behind the division?
The Talmud (Rosh Hashana 31a) tells us that the Haazinu song (Devarim 32) was sung weekly in the Temple and divided into six segments, given by the mnemonic HaZIV LaKh הזיו לך (where each letter is ...
- 101k
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answer
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Doesn't prat u'klal mean that there are unnecessary words in torah?
This answer about R.Yishmael's 13 talmudic principles quotes the Artscroll siddur thus:
Prat U'Klal - When specific cases are followed by a generalization, the rule applies by any case in the ...
- 57k
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4
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Where can I find examples of R. Yishmael's 13 talmudic rules?
We read Rabbi Yishmael's 13 principles of interpreting torah in the shacharit service and many of the explanations seem fairly straightforward, but I am not a very advanced student and I find I don't ...
- 57k
3
votes
1
answer
111
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question on Rashi to M'nachos 57
The top Rashi on Menachos 57:2, if I'm reading it correctly, adds some information as an aside, stating that both Rabi Akiva and Rabi Yose Hag'lili derive from "asher takrivu" that a mincha of a kohen ...
- 74.1k
3
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1
answer
97
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Isur m'lacha starting at night on yom tov
How do we know that the prohibition against doing m'lacha on chagim begins at sunset and not dawn?
- 24k
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Mezuzah and long life a good investment
It says in the Posuk:
וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזוּזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ
The next Posuk says:
לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם עַל הָאֲדָמָה
What is the lesson Learnt?
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Why the Heel of the foot? (Parshas Ekev)
Parshas Ekev starts off
וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן אֵת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים
Rashi says on this:
אם המצות הקלות שאדם דש בעקביו תשמעון:
What is the significance of the so called lite Mitzvos which ...
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3
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Why did Hashem tell Moshe to look behind him when looking into Eretz Yisroel?
The Posuk says:
וְשָׂא עֵינֶיךָ יָמָּה וְצָפֹנָה וְתֵימָנָה וּמִזְרָחָה וּרְאֵה בְעֵינֶיךָ
The question is Moshe is standing in Chutz Laretz why look back thats not Eretz Yisroel that is also Chutz ...
- 33.5k
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2
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What does Devarim 3:26 mean? [closed]
The Posuk (Devarim 3:26) says:
רַב לָךְ אַל תּוֹסֶף
What is the signifigance of this language?
- 33.5k
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What is the explanation of this Medrash about Moshe entering Eretz Yisroel?
The Medrash says that Moshe tells Hashem "it says in your Torah that if a slave says 'I love my master and children and I do not wish to go free' then he stays in his servitude, and I do both". Hashem ...
- 33.5k
2
votes
2
answers
131
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Why did Moshe ask for a "free gift?" (Rashi on Parashas Va'eschanan)
Parshas Va'eschanan starts off with Moshe's Prayer to Hashem. Rashi comments that he asked for a free gift. Why was he asking for a free gift?
- 33.5k
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1
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1k
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Chassan and Kallah [closed]
Why in Hebrew is the word Chosson mean both Groom and son in law and Kallah means bride and daughter in law?
- 33.5k
3
votes
1
answer
225
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Billam's Bitter End
The Gemara in Sanhedrin (Kuf Vav Amud Beis) says that Billam suffered all 4 deaths that are given by Beis Din. Rashi explains they hung him-CHENEK, and lit a fire under him, and chopped off his head-...
- 33.5k
5
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3
answers
234
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Hitting of the rock (Chukas): why twice?
Why did Moshe hit the rock twice rather than once in Bamidbar 20:11?
- 33.5k
5
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2
answers
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Meaning of 5th of the Sheva Brachos
One of the Sheva Brachos we say is:
שמח תשמח רעים האהובים, כשמחך יצירך בגן עדן מקדם. ברוך אתה ה', משמח חתן וכלה.
Grant perfect joy to these loving companions, as you did your creations in ...
- 33.5k
7
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2
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Shavuos as a Marriage
There is an idea (which I initially became familiar with in my misspent youth from tamei sources but subsequently have seen it mentioned in tahor one's) that Shavuos is, as it were, a marriage between ...
- 13.5k