Questions tagged [mesorah-tradition]
The different traditions passed down through the generations.
85 questions
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Why don't we just follow the shittah of Moshe Rabeinu?
My question can apply to virtually all mitzvos where there is a disagreement in the standard way to fulfill them.
If one reads the hakdama (introduction) to the Rambam's peirush mishnayos (commentary ...
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Is one a heretic if he does not believe in Kabbalah?
Is one a heretic if he does not believe in Kabbalah? Not necessarily that the Rashbi authored the Zohar, but in the general tenets of kabbalah including but not limited to: tzimtzum, sefirot, ...
user2110
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Halachic authority of books
To what extent do books on Halachah have authority? I was taught that the Gemara was "closed" and may no longer be challenged in terms of its Halachic authority. To what extent is this authority ...
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How to reconcile the possibility that Rashi had a slightly different text of the Torah
In the Parshah of Chayei Sara, in Bereishis 25:6, there is a Posuk that refers to הפילגשים - "the concubines". Rashi expounds that since the word is missing a Yud, it must be a reference to the fact ...
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What is the basis that allows Rabbis to create laws?
I understand that the Torah gives instructions to obey Judges for legal cases and questions, but what is the basis that Rabbis have for creating new laws, such as for celebrating Chanukah with a ...
- 2,597
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The Origins of the Zohar - Why is it accepted as being true?
I've read arguments and counter arguments for the origins of the Zohar and I'm perplexed.
I personally accept the truths in kabbalah and chassidut, but I didn't realize how the Zohar sort of just "...
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Kashrus status of turkeys
From what I have heard there were those that did not eat turkey (such as Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky Zatzal) due to a question whether we have a Mesorah as to the Kashrus of this bird. I know that many ...
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Rabbinic speculations on history
Sometimes in the Rabbinic literature traditions are related about what happened in history, with multiple different opinions. For example, there was a historical development in the script used by ...
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What is "emunas chachomim"?
My daughter came home from school with a textbook response for what "emunas chachomim" is. I disagreed strongly with what was written in the book, so I'm not even going to say what they said. Rather,...
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Is one allowed to become a Talmid HaRambam?
There is a movement of people (including several MiYodeya users I've seen) who believe in following the teachings of the Rambam exclusively, basing their practical halachot off the Mishneh Torah, ...
user5540
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Why no number of p'sukim for P'kude?
Many copies of Chumash list, after each parasha (weekly reading), the number of verses in that parasha. By and large, they omit it for parashas P'kude; why?
(And if the answer is that they copy the ...
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Hammurabi in Jewish sources
The Hammurabi code is one of the oldest preserved codes of law dating back to 1772 BCE. This is roughly the time after the flood (-2105BCE), the tower of Bavel (1765BCE) and the Patriarchs.
Although ...
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With which Torah can one fulfill the obligation of Parshas Zachor?
There is an argument between texts if the word "Petzua Daka" (Devarim 23:2) should be with an Alef or a Heih. Can someone fulfill his obligation to read Zachor (and normal Torah reading) with a Torah ...
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What is the source for the tradition that the philtrum is formed by an angel before birth?
Physiological context: The philtrum is the dip or groove in the middle of the upper lip below the nose (link). It is a feature of most mammals, thought to draw water from the mouth to the nose to keep ...
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Has the Torah been changed over the ages?
It is quite a famous argument from Muslims for authenticity of the Quran that the previous Holy Books (Bible and Torah) sent by God have been corrupted or changed by their followers and that Quran is ...
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List of Halachot LiMosheh MiSinai
Is there a comprehensive list of things in the Talmud that are "halachot limosheh misinai"- laws that were passed down from Moshe through the generations? An example of such is tefilin needing to be ...
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General understanding of Kri and Ktiv
A number of questions regarding the 'kri and ktiv'
What is the source (talmudic or otherwise) for this concept?
Why is it necessary; meaning why could we not adduce whatever concept is being taught ...
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Adopting minhagim not from your mesorah
Is it appropriate to adopt minhagim that have historically not been observed by your community?
Examples
Ashkenazim pointing to the sefer Torah, usually with the pinky,
during hagbah (after Krias ...
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What is the source that forbids indecent dress by women?
I have been hardpressed finding a source for something that would seem to be such a well known Halacha. I (and most other too probably) have been brought up with the belief that it is forbidden for a ...
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What is the source for Pardes?
What is the source for expounding the torah according to remez, derush and sod (along with 'pshat' the group can be referred to by the acronym PaRDeS)?
These forms of hermeneutics are not found in ...
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Why does the Mishna misquote the Tanakh?
In a number of instances, the Mishna provides quotes from Tanakh that differ from the versions of Tanakh that we have today. So, for example, Sotah 6:4 (31b). There, the mishna quotes Deuteronomy 19:...
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Chain of tradition for stories/parables told by Rashi
I've already asked one question about where Rashi got a particularly troubling interpretation of an obscure reference in the Gemara, telling a very detailed and gruesome story about R' Meir and his ...
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Is there still a mesora on how to write the Torah in Greek?
Do we still have a mesora for the translation of the Torah into Greek, and if so, is this the LXX/Septuagint commonly used by Gentiles? Do we still have a mesorah for any other seforim into Greek?
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What ancient sources discuss the meaning of Psalm 22?
Many Christians believe Psalm 22 refers to Jesus of Nazareth. How have Jews historically understood Psalm 22 and interpreted it?
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Where can I find a list of differences between the Aleppo Codex and Ashkenazi texts?
Does anyone know of a list of textual differences for all of tanach or at least the chumash between the Aleppo Codex (Keter Aram Soba/Tzova) and the more common text? I already have such a list for ...
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Is there anything wrong with messing with the rules of Dreidel?
In this article on Slate, Ben Blatt calls the classic rules of Dreidel "slow and unfair," citing simulation-based statistical analysis, and proposes his own modified rules to speed up the game.
Given ...
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Rishonim/Achronim time period differentiation
When was the end of the Rishonim time period and the start of the achronim time period? Who, what, why, and how did this come about? What caused this abrupt change in deemed mental and halachot ...
user3306
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Customs of the parents when the parents don't have past customs
I am of mixed Sephardic and Ashkenazic parentage. I view this as allowing me to behave Sephardically when it suits me (for instance, eating kitniyot for Pessach) or Ashkenacikally when it suits me (...
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What is the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah?
I've heard many things about this "Great Assembly," mostly about how they established davening (prayers). However, there appears to be a lack of specific information about this institution. So:
Who ...
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0
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How to deal with uncertainties in the Torah that lead to a change in meaning?
In Vayikra 14:19, there are different versions of the trop, and unlike most of them, this difference causes a change in the meaning of the words:
וְכִפֶּ֕ר עַל־הַמִּטַּהֵ֖ר מִטֻּמְאָת֑וֹ
(zakef-gadol,...
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Siddur for Skolyer Chasidim
Is there a specific siddur for the minhag of the Skolyer Chasidim (Chasidim of Ukrainian town of Skole)?
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Are there any letters that do not have a distinct pronunciation?
Are there any two letters which do not have a distinction between their pronunciation in any tradition of pronunciation? To ask the inverse, is there at least one tradition of pronunciation for each ...
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The authenticity of rabbinic literature
I am studying the history of various branches of Judaism. I understand the position of rabbinic Judaism that parts of the laws were oral and not written. But this alone would not justify the ...
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Eldad HaDani's Lasting Influence - Is there any?
Eldad HaDani is (apparently) considered today to have been a fraud. According to this Wikipedia article, he was a traveler who told stories of his place of origin, which he claimed was a sovereign ...
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Accent mark in וישבע לו
In many Chumashim, the word וישבע in Parshas Chayei Sara (24:9) contains both a munach and a meseg (meteg). One example:
I do not understand what the meseg is doing there under the beis. Typically a ...
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Tanach without Christian chapter divisions
Is there a Tanach available that is not divided into Prakim, rather into Pesuchos or Sedorim etc. ?
The nonJewish origin of the chapters is shown at Who Divided the Torah Into Weekly Readings, ...
user7340
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2
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I thought Gezeirah Shavah requires Mesorah
In Masecheth Rosh Hashanah (9b), the Gemara uses a Gezeirah Shavah from Tishrei, with the word שנה, to support the Mishnah's ruling that 'Orlah is counted from Tishrei. In response, however, the ...
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Does Rabbinic Literature misunderstand the infinitive absolute?
The infinitive absolute is a conjugation classified generally by a qametz under the first consonant, and a holem or holem - vav by the second. According to the Cambridge Introduction to Biblical ...
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What is the total amount and count of pesukim in the Torah?
After much research, both on Israeli websites (here) and other locations, I have yet to figure out what the total amount of pesukim there are in the Torah. I've even physically counted the pesukim in ...
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May an Ashkenazi wear Yemenite Tzitzith?
Many Ashkenazim now wear Tzitzith with Techeleth tied in the tradition of the RaMBa"M. However, my understanding is that Ashkenazim minimally require a double-knot at the base of the tassle in order ...
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Simanim at the end of the Parshah
Does anyone have any coherent history of and/or source for the siman for the amount of pesukim in each parshah?
(I’m sure it’s been asked here before, but I was unable to find anything while searching ...
- 1,346
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2
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Authenticity of Halacha l'Moshe MiSinai
How do we know that a Halacha which is claimed to have been given to Moshe at Sinai actually was? Especially in cases where it seems to contradict the Written Torah given at Sinai?
A Halacha l’...
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3
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Mesorah of Rabbeinu Gershom
Rabbeinu Gershom, whose takkanot are considered binding by many Ashkenazim, is often the earliest name which I hear being cited in relation to the Ashkenazi mesorah. From whom was his mesorah, if ...
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Was the Hebrew Alphabet also given with the Tablets and Law?
My research for my answer to Which alphabet were the original Torah scrolls in? gave me an idea--Since the Early Alphabetic alphabet is also called Sinaitic, and the timing seems about right, maybe ...
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Do Jews accept The Book of the Wars of the Lord (סֵפֶר מִלְחֲמֹת יהוה) as an authentic part of Tanach
Do Jews accept The Book of the Wars of the Lord (סֵפֶר מִלְחֲמֹת יהוה) as an authentic part of Tanach?
"From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the desert and ...
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Teacher and tradition of R' Judah ben Meir HaKohen
Who was the teacher of R' Judah ben Meir HaKohen, and from which chain of tradition does he derive? I ask because I cannot find much information about him online, other than many references to his ...
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Why Pesucha between Lo Sisa and Zachor Es HaShabbos?
In the Aseres HaDibros in Yisro, why is there Pesucha at the end of Lo Sisa and before Zachor Es HaShabbos, while the rest are separated by stumos?
Edit: Besides being out of place in Yisro, In V'...
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Is there any particular standard recension/variation of the masoretic tradition that scribes use for torah scrolls in shul?
I don't know if i'm entirely correct in this, but I understand that there have in the past been variations in malai and chaser, throughout both the ashkenazi and sephardi world..
And then there was ...
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Parents teaching children or children teaching parents?
Regarding והגדת לבנך, and you shall tell to your children (Shemos 13:8), on Pesach night:
1) What is the mitzvah of והגדת לבנך and how does one fulfill it according to halacha?
2a) Why do yeshivos ...
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Practical suggestions for choosing between different nuschaot in the Torah
Unfortunately, it's not hard to find places in the Torah, and even more so in Nach, where we have a doubt about either the trop or the nekudot. (Or, more rarely, letters, but those are generally the ...
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