Questions tagged [rabbis]
Questions about the lives and personalities of Jewish religious authorities.
489
questions
13
votes
1answer
350 views
What did a “don't-issue-rulings” semicha (ordination) look like?
Again from the biography of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein found in Igrot Moshe Volume 8 (emphasis added):
Many approached [him] for ordination, and he was not difficult on them. Some ordinations were ...
7
votes
4answers
649 views
What is the typical retirement plan for a Chabad-Lubavitch shliach (emissary)?
If a Chabad-Lubavitch couple decide to live as shlichim (emissaries) in some place far from New York, what's the most common age and location of retirement? Do they tend to remain in their location? ...
20
votes
14answers
2k views
Reliable Ask-a-Rabbi Websites
There are some times on this site where questioners will be directed to "ask their Rabbi." While it's always optimal to have such people discuss the question with their own Rabbi (and such action ...
13
votes
5answers
18k views
Is a rabbi required to be married?
I have heard (I honestly cannot remember where...) that to be a rabbi a man must be married. Is there any truth to this?
I am more interested in knowing if this was true in the first century C.E. ...
10
votes
8answers
350 views
Beginner on Rav Soloveitchik
I am looking to delve into the teachings of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903-1993). Any recommendations on a good starting point?
5
votes
3answers
2k views
Is there a difference between a Rabbi and a Temple Priest?
I was reading about Perushim and Tzedukim on Wikipedia and the articles seems to suggest that there is a difference between them.
Is there a difference between a rabbi and a (Temple) priest?
8
votes
1answer
86 views
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 ...
4
votes
1answer
112 views
Answering others' sh'elos
Would it be surprisingly improper for the author of a legal responsum to publish his own answer to a question asked, answered, and published by another such author because he believed he had a better ...
18
votes
4answers
1k views
The Ability to Pasken
What gives someone the ability to Pasken? At what point do we say that he is knowledgeable enough to decide questions on a topic? Does this have to do with "Semicha"? Does it have to do with being a ...
5
votes
4answers
657 views
Tzlach - source of name?
The Noda BiYehuda has a commentary on Shas known as Tzlach - can someone help me by explaining what that stands for?
8
votes
2answers
896 views
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.
...
0
votes
1answer
133 views
Poems on Atticism by Samuel David Luzzatto (Shadal) [closed]
Can anyone find poems on Atticism for me by Samuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)?
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Rav Yaakov Moshe Hillel and wearing tzitzios out
Does someone know anything about Rav Yaakov Moshe Hillel shlita hamekubal stating that tzitzios should be worn outside the clothes? I read it once but without any sources on a web forum.
It would be ...
11
votes
2answers
508 views
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 ...
7
votes
1answer
225 views
Is there such a thing as dispassionate p'sak?
(Inspired by P'sak halacha by AI?)
Much is made of the need for poskim to be well-experienced people who have been involved in a number and variety of Jewish legal situations commensurate with ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
Origins of איל משולש and Vilna Ga'on's bathroom math
There is a well-known fact that the Vilna Ga'on studied math while in the bathroom since Torah was out of the question in an unclean place. It is also somewhat well-known that he produced the material ...
11
votes
2answers
586 views
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 ...
9
votes
2answers
579 views
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 ...
9
votes
3answers
331 views
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?
5
votes
1answer
464 views
Did Rabbis Moshe Feinstein and Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ever meet in person? How many times? [closed]
Rav Moshe was in America, Rav Shlomo Zalman in Israel. Did they ever meet? Where and when? Do we have a photo of both of them together? (I know Rav Shlomo Zalman was asked to speak at Rav Moshe's ...
9
votes
3answers
1k views
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 ...
14
votes
9answers
1k views
What to call the 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe [closed]
Often times a few different rebbes are mentioned (either previous Chabad rebbes or rebbes of other Chasudusim) in the same talk and then the word "The Rebbe" comes in and it's ambiguous.
I have heard ...
4
votes
2answers
243 views
Who was the first ordained rabbi to live in the USA?
Who was the first ordained rabbi to live in the USA? What was his position?
8
votes
1answer
557 views
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.)
12
votes
2answers
340 views
Under whom did these Rabbis study?
In an effort to trace back Rabbi-to-student transmission of tradition, I've run into some dead ends, and I'm hoping the community can offer some leads. Under whom did the following Rabbis study?
...
5
votes
2answers
122 views
Shiurim on Approaches of Meforshim
Does anyone know of any good shiurim that I could find online that go through the approaches of the various meforshim on Torah?
5
votes
2answers
326 views
What is the greatest number of pages (daf) you can go in the Babylonian Talmud without encountering Abayei or Rava?
What is the greatest number of pages (daf) you can go in the Babylonian Talmud without encountering Abayei or Rava? I've heard it was 3?
8
votes
2answers
529 views
Which Amora is mentioned most often in the Gemara?
Which Amora is mentioned most often throughout Talmud Bavli?
3
votes
3answers
281 views
What is the source of the word “Rabbi”? [closed]
What is the source of the Hebrew word "Rabbi" - which is commonly applied to a Rav, Rosh Yeshiva, etc.?
4
votes
4answers
1k views
Rav Scheinberg and Tzitzis (series of questions)
I have heard that Rav Scheinberg wore many garments with ציציות on them at a time. . .
Is this true?
If so, why did he do it?
If not, why do other people do it?
How many ברכות do they make when ...
19
votes
7answers
886 views
G'dolim or Rabbis Owning Pets
Are there any g'dolim (or rabbis of major influence) - past or present - who are known to have owned pets/kept animals for non-agricultural purposes?
7
votes
0answers
103 views
Identifying Ba'alei Tosafos [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Who is the voice of Tosafoth?
How much do we know about which specific people wrote which comments of Tosafos?
8
votes
2answers
305 views
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 ...
3
votes
1answer
86 views
Margaliyos family tree [closed]
Many famous rabbanim have had the last name מרגליות. A couple that come to mind are ר' ראובן מרגליות and ר' אפרים מרגליות. Are they related? Where could I find genealogical information on such people?
0
votes
3answers
336 views
Sherlock Holmes & the Maharal of Prague [closed]
What is the connection between the Maharal and SHerlock Holmes?
5
votes
2answers
3k views
Chazon Ish neurosurgery diagram [closed]
There is a well-known story about the Chazon Ish, where someone who was scheduled to undergo a neurosurgical procedure came to him for advice, and the Chazon Ish drew a diagram for the surgeon ...
62
votes
9answers
2k views
Did any Achronim comment on the American Revolutionary or Civil Wars?
I've heard that for instance, in the 1800s, the American rabbis in the South were pro-slavery, and the American rabbis in the North opposed to it. But what were the views towards America of the more-...
1
vote
2answers
431 views
What Rav do majority of Sefardi Jews follow(ed) on 2010?
Which rabbi do the majority of sefardim follow? Or, do a majority of them not follow a single rabbi?
As of May 3, 2010
10
votes
2answers
416 views
Do “most leading Orthodox rabbis” really hold that brain-stem death is death?
According to a recent NYTimes piece on the new organ donation law in Israel,
Most leading Orthodox rabbis -- as well as Israeli law -- agree that a person dies when his brain-stem stops functioning....
