Questions tagged [rabbis]
Questions about the lives and personalities of Jewish religious authorities.
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Sefaria and Rabbinic Endorsements
Sefaria is a popular Web site with various translations of holy texts. Are any rabbinic authorities on record as endorsing or forbidding it?
Translations can be subjective. It is inevitable that one's ...
user8726
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Non-Lubavitch views of the Maggid of Mezrich's relationship with R' Shneur Zalman of Liadi?
As far as I know, all chasiduses agree that the Maggid of Mezrich was the primary student of the Baal Shem Tov. But I was listening to an online shiur about Chabad (Lubavitch) history, which conveyed ...
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The Alshich and Lavan
There are many sources online mentioning the story of how the Alshich once gave a Drasha and the Arizal was present. In the Drasha he elaborated on the 100 different ways Lavan deceived Yaakov. At one ...
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Can one cite divrei torah in the name of a rabbi who has gone astray?
In the most recent issue of Jewish Action, there is a brief interview with R. Herschel Schachter about "Halacha and the Fallen Rabbi". The final question is:
JA: Can we/should we continue ...
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What rabbinic/Judaic scholar has the lowest Erdős number? [closed]
From Wikipedia:
The Erdős number describes the "collaborative distance" between a person and mathematician Paul Erdős, as measured by authorship of mathematical papers. ...
Due to the very high ...
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Why is precedent set by individual rabbis, but not courts?
The headline on this obituary for R' Eliyashiv ("A One Man Supreme Court") got me thinking - why do we invest so much power in precedents set by individual rabbis, as great as they may be, but not in ...
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Does a Rabbi have to sink with his ship?
There is a famous story (mentioned in his wikipedia article) that R' Elchonon Wasserman visited the United States before the war. He had the option to stay, but he refused since (as I heard) "A leader ...
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Does one have to be Jewish to be a rabbi
In terms of what we call semicha today, does one have to be Jewish to receive or hold it? Is it simply an indicator of learning (like an academic degree) which could be reached by anyone?
Knowing ...
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Reb Moshe Feinstein in the New York Times
Reb Moshe Feinstein was once interviewed by the New York Times where he answered questions like how does Klal Yisroel know who is a Gadol? Does anyone know when it was, and does anyone know where I ...
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Semicha and Gneivas Daas
If today's semicha is only an "echo" of the true semicha which ceased with the loss of the sanhedrin then
Why do we still give it?
Why isn't it gneivas daas (the assumption is that people who have ...
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Is the presence of a rabbi required for an orthodox wedding?
Is it possible for two Orthodox Jews to be married by anyone other than a rabbi?
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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 ...
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The silence of the Rabbis -- Should they have defended Bar Kamtza?
In Gittin 55b-56a, we read that a fellow named Bar Kamtza was humiliated by a host of a party in public view of all, including the rabbis. Bar Kamtza received an invitation to the party by mistake, ...
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Are there any Synagogues or Rabbis available in Pakistan?
There was once a very thriving Jewish community available in Pakistan. There was a Synagogue in the port city of Karachi as well till 1985.
What is the current situation now? What if someone would ...
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מרדכי = Mord'chi?
When learning with Jews of the Syrian community, I noticed that they pronounced מרדכי (the name of the halachic commentary on the g'mara) as "mord'chi", as if the final vowel were a chirik. Why is ...
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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,...
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Why do different halachic authorities arrive at conflicting rulings?
Rabbi A says strawberries are ha'adama; Rabbi B says that strawberries are Ha'etz.
The halachic texts are replete with such differences in "opinion". What's the underlying reason that different ...
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When did Ben Azzai die?
Rabbi Shimeon ben Azzai is listed as having died twice, once as part of the 4 who enter "pardes" (chagigah 14b) and again as one of the 10 martyrs. Which of these traditions is correct, or is there a ...
user1552
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How to go about finding a personal Rav
The mishna in Avot (1:6) tells us:
יהושוע בן פרחיה וניתאי הארבלי קיבלו מהם. יהושוע בן פרחיה אומר, עשה לך רב, וקנה לך חבר; והוי דן את כל האדם לכף זכות
When living in different areas I have gone ...
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What were the marriage rights of the temporary wives of Rav and Rav Nachman?
According to the gemaras at Yoma 18b and Yevamos 37b, Rav and Rav Nachman (and presumably other chachamin) would send representatives to cities a week before the rebbe intended to visit to find the ...
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Why did God give the Rabbis so much power?
The Torah demands that we adhere to the laws implemented by the Rabbis (I think the source is "don't veer from what they tell you to the right or to the left"). This has given the Rabbis far-reaching ...
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Which rabbis permit food being kosher just based on the ingredients?
Kosherstarbucks.com give options of what to order based on different halakhic standards. They include the "No Utensils List" (CRC-recommended), the Regular list, and the Kosher by Ingredients list (...
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Asara Haruge Malchut (Ten Martyrs), why were 10 Rabbis killed?
In Vayigash, Rabenu Bahya (also the Zohar) comments and says that the reason we had Asara Haruge Malchut because the brothers sold Yosef. However, Reuven didn't sell Yosef, so why should the ...
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Meforshim Nick"names
It has become common practice to refer to most meforshim by acronyms of their name (eg Rashi, Rosh, etc.). When and why did this practice start, and is it proper?
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Why was Rabbi Yitzchok Alfasi known as the Rif - rather than the Ria? (הרי"ף - רבי יצחק אלפסי)
Rabbi Yitzchok Alfasi was known as the Rif. The Roshei Teivos of his name is רי"א, and as far as I know there is no other historic figure known as the רי"א. Then why was he known as the Rif?
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Who was the קדוש מרדוש?
Today, in a shiur, I heard someone quote an opinion of the "קדוש מרדוש" (pronounced "Kadosh Meradoosh", I think). The Bet Yosef in E"HE 35 seems to quote the מרדכי who quotes him, so apparently he's a ...
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How is a Chabad-Lubavitch synagogue typically owned/governed/directed?
I'm used to an Orthodox Union-type synagogue that has a board, a president, and a rabbi as an employee.
How does it work with a Lubavitch shul?
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What is the genealogy of Judah ben Bava?
Is Judah ben Bava, noted for continuing the tradition of ordination, the son of Bava ben Buta, the Rabbi who was spared by Herod?
user2110
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Was Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ever formally ordained? (Given semicha?)
Did Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ever formally receive semicha? From whom? I recall reading that he studied a great deal with his father, and that his first responsum was written "at his father's orders."
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obligation of someone who reads a Psak Din sign in the street
Suppose I read a sign in the street headed Psak Din which says that such-and-such a thing is forbidden (these signs never say such-and-such is permitted), with the names of a list of rabbis at the ...
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Which 20th-century Rosh Yeshiva studied under the mysterious Monsieur Chouchani?
Monsieur Chouchani was a mysterious figure who travelled around post-World War II and taught several great Jewish thinkers, including Emmanuel Levinas z"l and [yibadel l'chayim] Elie Wiesel.
...
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Rabbi "shopping"
Is there any explicit halachah against going to different rabbanim to find the most lenient one for a specific shaylah?
I know it says in pirkei avos "asei l'cho rav", but what if you don't have a ...
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Whose semicha (ordination) was the last one signed/granted by Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveichik? By Rabbi Moshe Feinstein? [closed]
Whose semicha (ordination) was the last one signed/granted by Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveichik? What about by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein?
(The answer may be "the yeshiva ABC class of 1981" or whatever.)
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How does the Rabbanut Harashit work?
Who picks the Chief Rabbi of Israel/Cities? Is it a vote of all citizens/Shuls/Politicians or all of the above?
Who picks the lower Dayanim on the Rabbanut Beis Din? Is it the "Chief Rabbi" or some ...
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What are the 3 things Rabeinu Gershom banned?
I've heard that Rabeinu Gershom (a 10th-11th century scholar) banned 3 things, and I know one of them is polygamy. Does anyone know what the other two are?
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Okay to address a rabbi with "you"?
I find it awkward to constantly say "Rabbi" instead of "you" while in a conversation.
For example:
"Hello Rabbi. I once spoke with the Rabbi regarding X. The Rabbi said
Y. I think that the Rabbi ...
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When was the Meiri discovered?
According to Wikipedia, the Meiri was rediscovered in modern times. I assume that means in the 20th century or so.
However, Hebrewbooks has a copy of the Meiri from 1795. I don't know if that was the ...
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Rav vs. Rabbi in Talmudic Times
I was reading about the life of Rabbi Zera, and it said he was originally a Rav. The Rabbis of Eretz Yisrael offered to confer on him the title of Rabbi and at first he refused, until they told of ...
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Semicha (ordination) by Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky Zatzal
I have never met anyone or heard of anyone that has received Semicha (rabbinic ordination) from Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky Zatzal. Did Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky ever give anyone Semicha? If the answer is ...
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Source for Dubno Maggid's rebuke of the Vilna Gaon?
In a shiur I heard that the Vilna Gaon begged the Dubno Maggid to give him mussar (rebuke) after repeatedly declining the Maggid responded that
It is not so difficult to be a Gaon, cloistered in ...
user2110
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How to choose 'your' rebbi?
When a person is choosing who they will learn from as their rebbi, are there any guidelines or rules that govern the decision making process?
First a definition of what a rebbi is (for the purposes ...
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Which rabbi was it who checked a person's identity by asking where he sat in shul?
The story goes something like ...
A few days after his wedding, a man disappeared without a trace. Many years later, a mysterious man showed up back in town, claiming to be him. He looked ...
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Which Amora is mentioned most often in the Gemara?
Which Amora is mentioned most often throughout Talmud Bavli?
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What financial arrangement did Rambam have with his jeweler brother?
I was taught in yeshiva that as a young man, Rambam just studied Torah and was supported by his brother, who was a jewel merchant. Then his brother died at sea, so Rambam became a physician.
Some ...
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Baal haTanya's donning shel yad seated
I have heard that the baal haTanya put on his t'fila shel yad while seated (as S'faradim do).
Does anyone have a source for this (or for the opposite: that he put on his shel yad standing)?
If he did ...
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Are there unresolved ‘tekus’ in the Talmud later resolved in responsum?
Often in the Talmud questions are asked which do not yield a result. These non-answers are called ‘teku’ (תיקו).
Frequently, the questions which are left with teku are those which are far-fetched.
...
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Why does the Gemara often mention that certain Amoraim were asleep?
I've noticed that in the Gemara you often see a pattern where two people are discussing an issue in front of an Amorah (e.g R' Yirmiyah) while he was asleep. After their discussion he wakes up and ...
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Who is the רא״ח?
The Mogein Avrohom in 580:5 says:
בכ"ח בכסלו - במגילת תענית כתב בשבעה בכסליו ובה"ג כתב בשמונה ובכל בו כתב בחמשה וכתב בשל"ה דאף המחמיר להתענות בכולן לא יתענה בחנוכה, עיין רא"ח ח&...
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Identification of Rishon
Tosafos Rebbeinu Peretz (in Pesachim 38a) refers to הר"ר דיילקרויישא מאורליינש. Does anyone know who this is, or at least how his name is pronounced? (It looks like it could be "R' Delacroix of ...
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Consulting a local orthodox rabbi if there isn't one?
For questions where I'm supposed to consult my local orthodox rabbi, if there isn't one, what am I supposed to do? There is a LOR in the city where I live (a Chabad shliach) but he frequently declares ...
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