Questions tagged [geography]
Questions about places with Jewish connections.
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Places with no half-denomination coin
The custom is to give 1 or 3 half-denomination coins to tzedaka on Taanit Esther to remember the yearly mitzva of machatzit hashekel (Rama 694:1).
How is this done in a country that has no half ...
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Tzarfat and France in Rabbinic Literature
Why does rabbinic literature identify France with Tzarfat? Tzarfat itself is mentioned only a few times, namely 'Ovadia 1:20, along with the only istance of Sepharad (which is identified with Spain) ...
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Why does Ya'aqov refer to Paddan-Aram simply as Paddan?
If I'm not mistaken, Paddan-Aram is only ever referred to by its full name (i.e. Paddan-Aram). Nevertheless, Ya'aqov Avinu at the end of his life, refers to it simply as Paddan (Bereshit 48:7):
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What time should Chanuka candles be lit in the Southern Hemisphere?
My prayer book says The Chanukah lights should be kindled as soon as possible after nightfall. I live in Melbourne, and due to the summer solstice and daylight saving, nightfall is very late (...
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The "Galil" in the times of Chazal
The Galil is a portion of Eretz Yisrael mentioned often in Chazal (Mishnayos, Tosefta, Bavli, Yerushalmi.) It's generally referring to the "northern" part of Eretz Yisrael. We even see in the ...
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Ritual locations during the times of the Mishkan
There are certain, rituals such as the sending away of the scapegoat on Yom Kippur or the drawing of water on Sukkot which are described in Mishna as relating geographically to the location of the ...
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Minhogim of Breslau, Poland
As a descendant of a long line of Jews from Breslau, Poland, I was wondering:
Are there any specific minhogim of Breslau (modern day Wrocław) and if yes what are they?
This might be different from ...
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Was the whole earth covered during The Flood?
Are there commentaries that suggest that the flood during the time of Noach was localised to one geographic area, as opposed to the whole Earth. In Bereishit 8:9 when the dove was sent out it says:
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Which French/European city is "Kiryath Yearim"?
Sefer Hamanhig Hilchos Shabbos, 69 refers to the Rabbi from Kiryath Yearim.
It is clear he is not referring to the town near Jerusalem, as he does not quote any source in the Talmud or Midrash, and he ...
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Shabbat in Alaska? [duplicate]
How does that work?
My husband wants to go to Alaska for at least a few weeks. He even dreams of living there some day.
How is Shabbat celebrated in Alaska? Do they have any synagogues there? If so ...
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R' Yehoshua and the Athenian Elders: Where is the center of the world?
This is part of a series of questions on the Gemara in Bechoros 8b-9a. Below is a summary of the relevant parts of the Gemara. After being challenged by Caesar, R' Yehoshua went to Athens to defeat ...
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Where can maaser sheini be eaten? (Size of Jerusalem)
Maaser sheini must be eaten in Jerusalem. For this purpose, halachic Jerusalem is the same size as when it was set by the Sanhedrin ~2000 years ago.
On today's map, what is included? (An image with a ...
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Maps of Biblical Israel according to different authorities
After learning through Sefer Yehoshua with a variety of commentaries, I noticed that there seems to be a lot of differing opinions in how the land was divided up amongst the Shevatim and the shape of ...
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T'chum shabas maps?
There are many better or worse maintained maps of eruvei chatzeros available to the public, which are a boon to travellers to a new place interested in where they can move things outdoors during ...
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Info on Levonah
Considering the current parshios mentioning of Levonah (Frankincense, Olibanum), I decided to look into it a bit.
According to the wiki entry here there are therapeutic and medicinal properties ...
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How can Australia celebrate Pesach at the same time of year as other countries?
The Torah commands that we celebrate Pesach in the spring time so how can Australia celebrate Pesach at the same time of year as other countries?
While I suspect the answer is that they celebrate at ...
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Where is the land of Sinim?
In Isaiah Perek 49 Pasuk 12 it says:
הִנֵּה-אֵלֶּה, מֵרָחוֹק יָבֹאוּ; וְהִנֵּה-אֵלֶּה מִצָּפוֹן וּמִיָּם, וְאֵלֶּה מֵאֶרֶץ סִינִים
Behold, these shall come from far; and, lo, these from the north and ...
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Reshus Horabim Today?
The most lenient shita for a reshus horabim i have ever heard of is that 600,000 people must pass on the road EVERY day.
Do any roads with daily CAPACITY for 600,000 people exist today?
Do any roads ...
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What are the Judean boundaries with regard to contemporary landmarks?
What are the halachic boundaries of Judea (the inheritance of the Israelite tribe of Judah) with regard to contemporary landmarks/cities?
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Online maps of the Biblical Middle East overlaying the modern ME
Are there any maps online that contain relatively reliable Biblical landmarks, cities, routes, and boundaries overlaying the modern Middle East? I'm particularly interested in the boundaries of the ...
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Six month daytime duration
In the Beresheit account of Creation, a day begins at sundown and ends the next day at sundown. But we know closer to each of the Earth's poles, an actual day can last up to six months. The sun rises ...
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Comprehensive map/list of active Orthodox synagogues in the U.S
Does anyone know of a map or list of all the active Orthodox shuls in the U.S.? When I was looking for which residencies to apply to it was my limiting factor and sometimes it was hard to find out ...
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Why Italia of Yavan?
The gemara in Megila 6b refers to איטליא של יון זה כרך גדול של רומי, which translates literally as: Italy of Greece, this is the great city of Rome.
This seems odd insofar as I know, Italy never ...
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What happened with G-d's promise?
In Bereshit 15:18 G-d makes a covenant with Abraham in which He says that He has given certain land to Abraham's descendants.
בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כָּרַת יְהֹוָה אֶת אַבְרָם בְּרִית לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ ...
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Jewish communities west of London
My employer has asked me to move to as close as possible to their main office in Bramley, Hampshire (between Basingstoke and Reading). However, I do wish to live in a place with some orthodox Jewish ...
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Questions about the story of Noah
There's a doubt I have about the story of Noah that I can't explain. If Noah's ark landed about 4000 years ago in what is now Turkey, how could some land animals get to places such as Australia or ...
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Best Jewish place to live - financially
I have seen studies done in the past as to the best places to retire or best cities for raising a family. I was wondering if anyone ever did a study comparing housing costs, kosher food costs, Jewish ...
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River flowing from the southern end of the Dead Sea?
A footnote on page 966 of the Artscroll chumash (this week's reading) has a map that includes the dead sea. The map shows a river flowing from the southern tip of the sea. According to a Duke U site:
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Significance of Dead Sea
Are there any sources from chazal explaining the significance of the Dead Sea in Israel.
(what is it doing here and why)
The Dead Sea is a very unusual phenomena worldwide. it also happens to be the ...
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Water left unopened
According to this article from the Kof-K one is obligated in covering water bottles, but we dont practice today as snakes are not common, but what if i lived in a desert like city, like Phoenix ...
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Why the need to mention the place that certain rabbis came from in Pirkei Avot?
In Pirkei Avot, a few rabbis are mentioned along with their place of residence (or is it their birth place?) Specifically:
Antignos from Socho (ch 1 mishna 3)
Yose ben Yo'ezer from Tzreida & Yose ...
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Is Shushan Purim observed (in theory) in Shush, Iran?
Shushan, Achashveirosh's capital, is identified with the modern Iranian archaeological site of Susa. A city, Shush, has been established nearby.
In modern-day Shush, (if any Jews lived there), what ...
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Israel-centric map projection
Does anyone know how to get a hold of an azimuthal equidistant projection of the globe with Israel/Jerusalem at the center. (See: http://www.progonos.com/furuti/MapProj/Normal/CartDef/MapDef/mapDef....
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History: Prevalence of Torah study
Historically, when has Torah study throughout the world been most prevalent, and when has Torah suffered relatively limited study and knowledge thereof? Are there any sources that break this down?
It ...
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"Down" to Jerusalem?
I have heard many people say "up to Jerusalem", i think as a sign of respect. It also happens to be that it's on a mountain, so you do have to go up.
But is there a problem with saying "down" to/in ...
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Is it permissible to live in California (or similar places) that have an earthquake risk?
I'm from a place that usually never gets an earthquake, I want to move to California but it sounds dangerous because of the earthquake possibility (soil turning to liquid, no warning, etc)...
Is ...
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Was the noise from the Temple really that loud?
Mishnah Tamid 3:8 lists a bunch of things in the Temple that could be heard all the way in Yericho.
Some of the things: the gate opening, the Levi'im singing, the Kohein Gadol on Yom Kippur, smelling ...
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So where are these mermaids?
According to the answers to Would a mermaid be kosher?, the Gemara and poskim apparently believed that mermaids exist, and would not be kosher.
So, if these mermaids and sirens exist, where would ...
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Where was Goren H'Atad physically located?
Where was the place referred to in Bereshis 50:10 as Goren H'Atad physically located? Is it the name of another city?
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Why did Yaakov give the city of Shechem to Yosef?
Yaakov gives Yosef what many commentators assume is the actual city of Shechem as an additional inheritance (see Genesis 48:22, especially according to Rashi's interpretation). Why did Yaakov choose ...
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Ashkenazi Haftarah Custom
On Wikipedia, there is a list of haftarot.
For Ashkenazim, the list gives four customs: Ashkenazi, Polish, Frankfurt, and Chabad. Considering that Polish and Frankfurt sum up the major non-chassidic ...
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How did Jerusalem get bigger without the Sanhedrin?
The Mishna in Sanhedrin 1:5 states:
אין מוסיפין על העיר ועל העזרות, אלא על פי בית דין של שבעים ואחד.
They may not add [annex] to the city [Jerusalem] or [Temple] Courtyards, except by a court ...
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Confused on Nahor and Haran
In Genesis 11, we are shown that Abram, Nahor, and Haran are brothers. Haran dies in Ur.
Then, Abram and other family members travel now to a city called Haran (a bit confusing, but okay. Did they ...
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Does Jacob's Well in present-day Nablus/Shechem have a Jewish tradition associated with it?
There's a well in present-day Shechem (Nablus) called "Jacob's Well." It has an Orthodox Christian church on top of it right now. I was wondering if there is any Jewish tradition that Jacob dug this ...
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Where does the Maharsha mention the Bermuda Triangle?
Someone once told me that the Maharsha talks about Bermuda Triangle in meseches berachos.
Does anyone know where the Maharsha speaks about it?
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Why does the Torah specify only that Le'ah's children were born in Paddan Aram?
Breishit 46:15 states that "These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore unto Jacob in Paddan-aram..."
What is the significance of the Torah telling us where the children were born, and why does it ...
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Is modern-day Lebanon considered part of Eretz Yisrael? [duplicate]
Related to What are the Halachic boundaries of Eretz Yisroel? but that doesn't address my specific concern.
Is modern-day Lebanon considered part of halachic Eretz Yisrael?
Believe it or not, there ...
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Is it mutar to walk over the George Washington Bridge on shabbos?
Is it mutar to walk over the George Washington Bridge on shabbos? In terms of techumin
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Where's Rebbi Yehudah HaChassid Buried? [closed]
Where, precisely, is Rebbi Yehudah HaChassid - the author of Sefer Chassidim - buried?
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