All Questions
Tagged with history sephardi-mizrachi-eastern
25 questions
9
votes
1
answer
682
views
Why did Tunisian Jews not celebrate Purim for a long time?
From Jewish Virtual Library
The Jews of Tunis at that time scrupulously observed most of the festivals but did not celebrate the second day; they entirely ignored the festival of Purim, although they ...
1
vote
1
answer
256
views
Rabbi Yosef Maman and the Bukharian Jews
According to Wikipedia, Rabbi Yosef Maman, a Shad"ar who came to Bukhara in the late 18th century, discovered that the Bukharian Jews believed they were descendants of the Ten Tribes and used the ...
- 28.4k
9
votes
1
answer
285
views
What is the approximate date of the demarcation between Ashkenazim and Sephardim?
Based on this article it would seem that the transition from a unified people into two groups, Ashkenazim and Sephardim, began in the 9th century and proceeded over time. I would like to know if there ...
- 15.3k
6
votes
0
answers
342
views
Use of speaking "Baruch HaShem" in 1492 Spain
I am writing a play that takes place during the Spanish Inquisition. A Rabbi is walking home from the King's court and his belongings are tossed to the ground by hooligans. A young Spanish girl picks ...
- 61
4
votes
1
answer
234
views
Did Aleppo Jews observe Purim on the 14th (regular) or 15th (Shushan Purim)?
Did the Jews of Aleppo, Syria observe Purim on the 14th or 15th of Adar? Was it believed to be old enough for the latter?
- 136k
3
votes
0
answers
116
views
Sefardim starting to study the Talmud with Rashi and Tosfot
When did the sefardim start to study the Talmud with Rashi and Tosfot? And which books did they use before knowing about Rashi and Tosfot?
- 1,550
11
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Precedent for Forbidding Conversion
The Syrian community has a Takkanah in place which bars conversion. In addition to forbidding conversion under their own auspices, they also "Never accept a convert or a child born of a convert", as ...
user5540
3
votes
0
answers
130
views
Chida's statement about shabbat violators
I heard Rabbi Yitzhack Yosef Shelita (Rishon LeTzion and son of Maran HaRav Ovadia Yosef, Z"L) who says that the Chida writes that in all the places that he was never saw a Sephardic Jew that wasn't ...
- 61
5
votes
0
answers
176
views
Are there communities that follow the Rambam?
At one point, many Sefardic communities followed the Mishneh Torah. As time went on, it seems that the sefardim accepted the Beit Yosef.
Besides for Yemenites, were there any communities that, until ...
- 1,225
4
votes
1
answer
161
views
Variant text of דרור יקרא
The text of the Shabbat zemer דרור יקרא has a line based on Isaiah 63:1-3 (מי זה בא מאדום חמוץ בגדים מבצרה וכו') which usually reads:
דרוך פורה בתוך בצרה, וגם בבל אשר גברה
However, I also have ...
user3318
4
votes
2
answers
489
views
Where does the Kaf HaHayyim first cite the Aruch HaShulchan and the Mishnah Berurah?
The Kaf HaHayyim was written roughly contemporaneously with the Aruch HaShulchan and the Mishnah Berurah, but is the last of the three seforim to be finished, with its final chapters completed by the ...
- 11k
4
votes
1
answer
545
views
How do rabbis explain the reason for the Spanish Expulsion. Why did the Jewish people deserve it
I notice you already have this question for the Holocaust but haven't found it for the Spanish expulsion. I understand that many great people gave reasons for it, like the seder hadoros, tsror hamor ...
user2709
13
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What is a "Sephardic Jew"?
My name is Paul Avila (yea, I know, doesn't sound Jewish at all) I was born in the Azores Portugal and moved to the United States when I was 2. People always ask me if I am Persian. Never ...
- 131
14
votes
9
answers
8k
views
Why do Sephardic Jews dress in black and white?
Many observant sephardim in Israel, especially those in yeshivot, dress in black and white. Does anyone know how this happened?
There is no tradition of Jews in North Africa or in the Middle East ...
- 11.9k
8
votes
4
answers
334
views
Copies of Aleppo Codex
From what I understand, the loss of the Torah portion of Keter Aram Soba (the Aleppo Codex) in 1948 is heavily lamented because it was the oldest preserved and probably most accurate text of Torah.
...
- 3,167
17
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What was daily life like for Jewish women living in al-Andalus in the 10th/11th centuries?
The emir of Al-Andalus (approximately the Iberian peninsula) declared himself a new caliph, breaking off from the caliphate in the east, circa 950 CE. I have read that the next couple hundred years ...
- 57k
8
votes
1
answer
233
views
Sefer Torah enclosures
The Torah scrolls of Ashkenazim have a very different look than those of Sepharadim. Ashkenazim just roll the parchment onto two poles, and read it in a horizontal position; the Sepharadim install the ...
- 21.2k
11
votes
2
answers
598
views
What did Sephardic Jews do when yibum required taking a second wife?
As I understand it, in the Sephardic world not long ago, the marriage contract would have a steep penalty clause if he took a wife beyond the first one without her permission.
And as I understand it, ...
- 136k
7
votes
2
answers
216
views
Looking for biographical information about R. Avraham Halevi Fattal [closed]
I'm writing something for which I need a capsule biography of him. So far, about all I know is:
He is the father-in-law of (יבלח"ט) R. Ovadiah Yosef.
He was an important figure in the Syrian Jewish ...
- 91.1k
10
votes
3
answers
846
views
Why the split between Sefardim and Ashkenzim?
Why is there a much bigger split between Sefardim and Ashkenzim and not, say, between Sefardim and people who lived in Bavel? The distance between Spain, and say, Israel should have been big enough to ...
- 40.8k
10
votes
2
answers
397
views
Did the Rosh (Rabbeinu Asher) describe the culture clash moving from medieval Germany to Spain? [closed]
Rabbi Asher (the "Rosh") moved from medieval Germany to Spain. I know he describes some different halachic practices that were done in Spain (e.g. linen tzitzis); but does he describe the difference ...
- 136k
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Yerushalmi Versus Bavli
What are the differences between the two Talmuds? or are there differences? Why did the two Talmuds develop separately or did they? Why do we Poskin like the Bavli or do we? Is it true that the ...
- 33.5k
5
votes
2
answers
628
views
Motivation for Disallowing Conversions
What was the motivation of the Syrian community's rabbis for disallowing conversions and when did it happen? Did any other Sephardi communities join in this decision later on?
- 33.5k
3
votes
1
answer
283
views
Intermarriage among Middle eastern Jews right before 1948
I was wondering does anyone know where I can find out the Intermarriage rate among Middle eastern Jews right before 1948 particularly amongst the Iraqis and the Syrians?
- 33.5k
8
votes
2
answers
437
views
The Split Between Sefardim and Ashkenazim
How did this split happen historically and halachically before Shulchan Aruch, and why is not like having two Torahs? Where is the source for the split?
- 270