Questions tagged [rabbis]
Questions about the lives and personalities of Jewish religious authorities.
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How do Jewish sects view the role of the legal law of the Halacha in today's society?
The legal laws of the books of Moses included rulings on stoning adulterers, homosexuals, disobedient children, etc. Christians view these laws as no longer binding on Christians today through the ...
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3answers
132 views
Jewish historical novels
Do you know any Jewish historical novels that center around the lives and times of the rabbis of the Talmud? I know As a Driven Leaf but very few others.
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1answer
109 views
Imitating Rabbanim
Is it Lashon Hara (or any other aveirah) to imitate a rav. It’s a common thing in yeshivos (at least the ones I’ve been involved in) that some bachrim imitate the rebbes mannerisms and way of speaking ...
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1answer
36 views
Who was the father of Rav Aha Bar Rav?
Rav Aha Bar Rav was a talmid-haver of Ravina (6th generation of amoraïm), and also a contenporary of Ravina II (7th) (source).
So it's seems that Rav Aha is not the son of Rav (ie Rabbi Abba bar Aybo, ...
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1answer
87 views
How should rabbis answer questions on disputed issues?
You have a halachic question. Unknown to you, there is a dispute on the matter. Some rule as (A) and some rule as (B). You ask your Rav. He will give you one of three answers:
(1) The answer is (A)...
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2answers
127 views
Story of a famous rav and a questioner
There’s a wonderful, supposedly true story about a revered rabbi. A woman comes to him with a Halachic question. According to the story, the question was not a very sophisticated one. Indeed, the ...
5
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1answer
174 views
Have Chasidic dynasties ever merged?
Chasidic Judaism is broken up into various communities around the world. I was just curious if any of these communities have ever moved to "consolidate" and absorb into a new larger ...
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0answers
107 views
Rav Heinemann Semicha
Does anyone know what one should prepare himself with before taking a semicha bechina on Basar B'chalav with Rav Moshe Heinemann?
3
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1answer
85 views
The Identity of R' Elazar ben Chananyah
Recently, I found that there are some academics that identify the Tanna Rabbi Elazar ben Chananyah with Elazar ben Chananyah, one of the rebel leaders during the Great Revolt.
Prof. Ephraim Urbach in &...
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0answers
81 views
Ribnitzer Rebbe Limudim
I hear these different schedules of great tzadikim, in terms of what they learned and how much of it did they learn and it made me curious to ask, does anyone know what the Ribnitzer Rebbe's Learning ...
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2answers
88 views
Classic Achronim and Rishonim [closed]
People often say they learn Shas with Achronim and Rishonim. I'm curious, what are the mainstream Rishonim and Achronim that are generally learnt throughout Shas?
2
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1answer
137 views
Rav Yosef Engel style of learning
I understand that the world is very much into learning Gemara via the Brisker method. I was told that Rav Yosef Engel had a different approach to learning Gemara etc. However, I wasn't told how his ...
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1answer
320 views
Who is הרב הנאמ"ן?
I was learning the sefer אור ההלכה on hilchos Shabbos and he quotes someone as הרב הנאמ"ן. Does anyone know who that is?
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34 views
What was the Rabbinic position toward the armed revolts against the Romans?
"...Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina said: Why are these three oaths needed? One, so that the Jews should not ascend to Eretz Yisrael as a wall. And another one, that the Holy One, Blessed be He, ...
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1answer
130 views
Why is Rebbi Meir frequently quoted as “he used to say” in the Talmud?
If one has taken a 'swim' in the Talmud, it would become apparent that Rebbi Meir is often cited as "he used to say". I cannot express with certainty that it is a completely unusual ...
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1answer
72 views
Is there a connection between Smicha for korbanot and Smicha for rabbis?
Is there any connection with the semichah when a person is about to offer a korban to the semicha of becoming a rabbi?
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2answers
107 views
Rabbi Avraham Hachozeh and his book
A friend of mine is looking for information on a rabbi he saw mentioned in the book "Chochmat Hanefesh" by Rabbi Elazar of Worms (most famous for his "Sefer Haroke'ach"). In the ...
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1answer
429 views
Vilna Gaon letter about zohar learning
I heard from some people that the Vilna Goyn wrote a letter saying that if one doesn't learn Zoyhar, he shouldn't render decisions about Jewish law; where can we look to find this letter?
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2answers
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Does the Midrash show any examples of adjectives attached to Rabbi when addressing a Rabbi?
Are there any historic examples, such as in the Midrash, that show someone addressing a Rabbi with an adjective such as
רַבִּי הַטּוֹב?
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0answers
62 views
13 ways in which the Torah is trampled
I've found a reference in a book to a medieval Italian document which refers to "the 13 ways in which the Torah is trampled and profaned". Can anyone tell me more about these 13 ways?
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1answer
172 views
Picture of the Chacham Tzvi
In the book "Hachassidut" by Rabbi Ahron Marcus there's a drawing of the Chacham Tzvi:
This seems to be based on this painting or this one.
In all three, he's drawn pointing at his bookmark,...
2
votes
3answers
559 views
What does שליט"א stand for?
I thought that שליט"א came from the Aramaic word שליט (Ruler). But a Rabbi I told this to, pointed out that שליט"א is always written as with " , in the Middle so each the letters must ...
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1answer
109 views
Shlomo Yosef Zevin a Rav at 9 years old
Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin, according to here was given smicha by the Aruch HaShulchan. Assuming that the Aruch HaShulchan ordained Rabbi Zevin at the very end of his life, Rabbi Zevin would have been ...
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0answers
32 views
R' Meir, posek of “the Beardlings” regiment
In "A Treasury of Jewish Folklore" there's an English translation of a story that seems to be a fictional account of a former soldier who was part of Berek Yoselevitz's Jewish regiment in ...
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51 views
Why did latter Rabbis study Torah in solitude?
From the Talmudic discourse, it appears that there's a special merit of learning Torah in Beis Midrash especially in Chavrutah or with students.
However, I recognize an emerging pattern of the latter ...
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100 views
Nittel Nacht in Israel
Do Gedolim in Israel not learn on Nittel Nacht? The Nitei Gavriel (3:1) writes
בארץ ישראל יש אומרים שאין לחוש לניטל אכן רוב הגדולים חשו לזה גם בא"י
-- Some say it doesn't apply in Israel, but ...
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1answer
159 views
Where do Israeli nationalist Orthodox movements derive their Halacha?
This isn't a question regarding Israeli politics or issues like that. This question is purely about where these groups (Groups which followed Meir Kahane or similar voices) developed or derived their ...
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0answers
101 views
What does it mean “to be proficient in Shas and Poskim” as said about Talmidi Chachamim? [closed]
One constantly reads in biographies about Gedolim or at a friend's siyum HaShas that mention how the talmid chacham or guy is a bucky and a maeivin in Shas and poskim. See example in this Wikipedia ...
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2answers
325 views
Yose b. Yoezer and Yose b. Yohanan received from them. Who does “them” refer to?
Avot 1:2-4:
שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק הָיָה מִשְּׁיָרֵי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה....
אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אִישׁ סוֹכוֹ קִבֵּל מִשִּׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק...
יוֹסֵי בֶן יוֹעֶזֶר אִישׁ צְרֵדָה וְיוֹסֵי בֶן יוֹחָנָן אִישׁ ...
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1answer
81 views
R' Yohanan's behavior to make women bear kids in his resemblance
To support my previous question ("biblical-genetics-understanding-childs-resemblance-to-his-parents" here's a Talmudic passage (Berakhot.20a):
רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הֲוָה רְגִיל דַּהֲוָה קָא ...
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2answers
128 views
Who is “your teacher”?
There is an injunction that you may not give a halakhic opinion in the presence of "your teacher". The Talmud says:
The sons of Aaron died only because they issued a halakhic ruling before ...
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1answer
120 views
Gezerah D'Rabbah in the Beit Hamikdash?
Rabbah publicized a Gezerah (command / decree) that Lulav and Shofar should not be used on Shabbat because of a fear someone may violate the Melacha of Hotzaah.
I heard that there was another case ...
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0answers
91 views
Did Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi learn the Angel of Death's personal name?
I recently heard that when Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was in Paradise he learned the personal name of the Angel of Death/Satan. Can anyone provide a source for this claim?
In Ketubot 77b it is written:
&...
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1answer
73 views
Did Ezra abrogate the Mosaic Law in Num. xviii. 21,(according to Yeb. 86b, Ḥul. 131b)?
According to http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/636-abrogation-of-laws
The ancient rabbis claimed authority, not only to make new provisions and to establish institutions as a "hedge&...
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2answers
139 views
Rabbinical Hebrew English Dictionary
Are there any existing dictionaries that focus on Rabbinical Hebrew. The way Geonim, Rishonim, Achrei Achronim Wrote their Commentaries, Tshuvas, etc... I'm trying to learn more but sometimes having ...
1
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1answer
74 views
What does Chaplaincy mean [closed]
I found that abroad (out of Israel) there is an intense usage of the word Chaplaincy. Does it mean Rabbanut in Hebrew? Are there Rabbis that call themselves Chaplaincy? Does this word come from ...
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1answer
122 views
How Seforim know hidden knowledge?
One often encounters statements quoted from Rabbinical personalities or written in Seforim that they should have no apparent way of knowing. Thousands of examples could likely be given if one were to ...
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1answer
132 views
Why does Rabbi Akiva and his rebbi react to situations differently?
The gemara in Taanis 21a brings a story about Nachum Ish Gamzu that explains why he was called "Ish Gamzu", because he would always say "Gam Zu L'tovah" (This too is for the best).
It is also known ...
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1answer
90 views
What was the relationship between R' Azriel Hildesheimer and R' Samson Raphael Hirsch and how do they differ? [closed]
They were contemporaries and similar in many ways.
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0answers
71 views
Help trying to find the lifespan of an ancient rabbi
Zohar (Vayikra 10a) quotes a sefer by R. Hamnunab [Hanunah] Sabah, a sage of Second Beit HaMikdash times. Thing is, I can't pin-point the lifespan. Can someone help me with this? Toda.
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52 views
Rabbi Eleazar and Rabbi Shimeon in Mishna
In Mishna, it's current to find that "Rabbi Eleazar and Rabbi Shimeon say", e.g. in Rosh Hashana, Yoma, Shkalim, etc. Sometimes it's Eliezer instead of Eleazar, but it's not probably because they were ...
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1answer
97 views
Diets promoted by different Rabbis throughout history
I was curious if there was any information about the sages or other known historical Rabbis who promoted diets for physical/spiritual health.
Obviously, Kosher is Kosher but did anyone ever suggest ...
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1answer
81 views
Lashon Hara in the Gemara
The Gemara sometimes relates anecdotes of Amoraim and presents them in a negative light by including details which would seemingly classify as Lashon Hara in any other context. For instance,
"רַב ...
3
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1answer
415 views
Pri Chadash and Coffee
I have read that the Pri Chadash writes somewhere that “one cannot attain presence of mind without the aid of coffee.”?
Does anyone know where this was written?
3
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2answers
244 views
Rabbi who killed children?
I recall of a story where a Rabbi during the time of the Tosafists who personally killed many Jewish children in order to save them being raised in the Christian faith.
Anyone know source?
...
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0answers
30 views
Are there sources which cite art as being an extension of spiritual practice in Jewish tradition?
I understand this question may be interpreted as being slightly generalized but I'm asking for sources which cite the religious/spiritual nature of art in Jewish practice.
Obviously, statues of ...
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3answers
86 views
What's the point of learning [duplicate]
What's the point of learning Torah?
Torah Shbksav & Shbalpeh.
What's the point of any Sefer other than the classics? (Tanach, mishnayos, Shas, Rambam, Shulchan Aruch, Medresh)?
Is it for our ...
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1answer
73 views
What does “mazik the rabim” mean?
The Va’ad HaRabbonim of Greater Cleveland has issued a statement about the COVID-19 virus that contains the following paragraph:
Additionally, anyone who was exposed to someone who tested positive ...
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1answer
1k views
Are the claims of this rabbi regarding the Messiah considered credible by Jews [closed]
So, I just saw a news article purporting that Rabbi Yaakov Zissholtz, labelled by the article as Israel's "top rabbi", claims to know members of the Thirty Six Tzaddikim as well as the Messiah, and ...
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0answers
145 views
What blessing would one have said on seeing Einstein for example?
The Oruch Hashulchan O Ch 224, 6 says
הרואה חכם מחכמי ישראל שגדול בתורה מברך: "ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם
שחלק מחכמתו ליריאיו,
Someone who sees a Jewish Torah sage makes the blessing “ ...
