Questions tagged [rishonim]
Torah scholars from 1000-1500, roughly.
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Deviations of Ralbag from normative Jewish theology
In an article about the Rashba's views on science, Rabbi Dr. David Horwitz throws in the following sentence (p. 53):
No less than a radical thinker than R. Levi ben Gershom (Ralbag), who had no ...
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Sources in Rishonim on the Authenticity of the Zohar
Are there any early contemporary discussions from the time of the revelation of the Zohar among recognized Rishonim about its authenticity?
I mention "among recognized Rishonim" because I am aware ...
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Why are we not fluent in Greek philosophy anymore?
Why is it that the Rishonim and many Achronim used to be fluent in philosophy (mainly Greek) and these days it's unheard of? Is it due to our weakness, and it is really allowed?
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Halachot learned from gematria
The Gemara in Nazir 5a learns that an unspecified nezirut is 30 days long from the pasuk "kadosh yihyeh"(Bamidbar 6,5) with יהיה- yihyeh having a gematria (Numerical value) of 30. Can anyone think of ...
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Source for Geonic division of mitzvos
The Rambam and those who follow suit divide the 613 mitzvos into two groups, 248 positive mitzvos and 365 negative mitzvos. This is sourced from Makkos 23b.
However, many of the Geonim (for example: ...
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How do Rishonim argue on Drashos Chazal?
There is a known rule that Rishonim cannot argue on the Gemara when it comes to "Halachic" drashos. For example, a Rishon will never give a different answer to a question which the Gemara already ...
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Which Rishonim viewed maaseh bereishit as an allegory?
I have often heard that many rishonim were comfortable with the idea that at least the first week of creation could be read allegorically, not literally. What are the specific sources that support ...
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Can a Rishon argue on a Gaon?
On one hand, I've seen a rule from the Acharonim (I've also seen it in a Shach on Choshen Mishpat also but I can't remember where) that whatever the Gaonim say is "Divrei Kabalah" from the time of the ...
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Praise of Mishneh Torah amongst the Rishonim
The Mishneh Torah is often described as one of the cornerstones of Jewish literature. The Rambam, in his introduction to this magnum opus, describes his book as being written:
כֻּלָּן בְּלָשׁוֹן ...
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Saying Rishonim or Achronim were "wrong"
People are very careful (and rightfully so) to say when they don't understand the words of the Achronim or Rishonim to not say they are/were "wrong". But rather to say "I don't understand what he ...
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How was the Shaalos Utshuvos Min Hashamayim allowed to do what he did?
The Shut Min Hashamayim was written by a Rishon in the time of Tosfos. He used to ask questions from Shamayim (Heaven) in a Sheilas Chalom (Dream Question) and write the answers down. Many of those ...
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Instances in Shas where Tosfos quotes the Rambam?
I'm aware of one instance where Tosfos quotes the Rambam:
Menachos 42b- Tosfos dibbur ha'maschil "תפילין יש להן בדיקה" where right at the beginning we see Tosfos write "וכן פי' ה"ר משה בר מיימון".
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Did R' Moshe de Leon write the Zohar
Although "traditionally" ascribed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai zt"l, the Zohar has been beset with controversy about its authorship since it was discovered and published by R' Moshe de Leon. Notably ...
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Do any Rishonim discuss how to approach Rashi's commentary on gemara?
I heard a quote once how carefully a person needs to analyze every drop of ink in Rashi, but I don't remember who said it. Does any Rishon (medieval scholar) ever discuss their approach to Rashi's ...
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Did the Terumas haDeshen write a challah recipe?
Reading this article about challah-making, I noticed the following:
Using the starter, I tried the Rich Sourdough Barches recipe from Inside the Jewish Bakery, which the authors say is adapted from ...
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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 ...
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Did Rambam have Rashi's works?
While the Rambam lived a century after Rashi, I cannot recall ever seeing or hearing the Rambam cite or mention Rashi or any of his works.
Is there any evidence that Rambam had access to Rashi's ...
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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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Which sins are beyond punishment?
Yishai said in a comment elsewhere on this forum :
It has been pointed out in Rishonim that some sins are so bad they
can't get a punishment - because the punishment creates forgiveness,
but ...
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When will the period of Acharonim end?
What will mark the end of the period of Acharonim? What in general demarcates rabbinical eras? Are these halachic rules or conventions?
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"Secular" studies in the Rhineland academies of the 11th-13th centuries
This is perhaps a fairly specific question, and I don't know if it belongs here or on the History stack exchange, but I would like to know more about the Rhineland academies that were headed by people ...
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Can anyone explain R. Nissim of Marseilles's seemingly problematic opinion on longevity in Genesis?
Recently, I have been looking into the idea of longevity in Genesis. Today, I stumbled upon R. Nissim of Marseilles's opinion of it, but no matter how many times I read over the article that mentioned ...
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Tosfos vs Tosfos HaRosh
I have noticed that the Tosfos HaRosh very often parallels the Tosfos on the page. Sometimes he presents almost identical information in a slightly different way, but very often he seems to be saying ...
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Problem with Likkutei Maharil
I was listening to a class by Rav Asher Weiss on asmachta and he brought three explanations for its purpose:
Ritvah - A derabannan that has a source in the torah
Tosafos and Rambam - Memorization
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Hashgachah pratis according to Rambam/n
Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim 3:18 and Ramban in his commentary to Iyov (do not remember exactly where) as well as on Parashas Vayeiroh (Bereishis 18:19) say that for the majority of humanity, including ...
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Significance of 13 Attributes of Mercy in Prayer
According to the Gemara Rosh Hashana (17b) the recitation of the 13 attributes of God leads to forgiveness:
א"ר יוחנן אלמלא מקרא כתוב אי אפשר לאומרו מלמד שנתעטף הקב"ה כשליח צבור והראה לו למשה סדר ...
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Who is called by Tosfot "Harav Porat"
In Masechet Yoma 37b (see also 78b), Tosfot says:
והרב פור''ת פירש כפר''י
And the Rav Porat explains as Rabbenu Yitschak.
Is there someone who knows who is this rav.
(I have some assumptions that ...
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Words of Torah Need Not Be Enunciated
Ritva (commentary to Brachos 15b) writes that Torah need not be enunciated out loud during study.
Which other Rishonim espouse this view?
I am not asking regarding side issues such as verbal ...
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Definition of the Written Law
What are the views of Rishonim and their predecessors regarding the scope of תורה שבכתב, Written Law. This has ramifications for halachos such דברים שבכתב אי אתה רשאי לאומרן ,בעל פה in addition to ...
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What was the ריב"א thinking?
In ריקאנטי number 166,1 he records a story about the ריב"א:
ושמעתי כי ריב"א חלה חוליו שמת בו וחל יוה"כ באותם הימים וא"ל הרופאים אם
לא תאכלו ודאי תמות ואם תאכל שמא לא תחיה והוא ז&...
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Did the Sefer Torah written by the Maharam of Rottenberg survive the Holocaust?
There is a famous story of the Maharam copying a Sefer Torah written by Moshe Rabbeinu. Before passing, he threw it in the river by the castle in which he was arrested.
This Sefer Torah reached ...
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History of the two versions of the Ritva
I recall from my time in Yeshiva that the version of the Chiddushei HaRitva in use in the 19th century was clearly not the original (as proved from quotations in the Shita Mikubetzes), and that the ...
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What was the value of the Rishonim's philosophical inquiries about God and the world?
Many Rishonim used the philosophy of their time or previous times to 'prove' God's existence and/or learn about the nature of the world.
1- Why did they do this? (Is there a mitzvah to use ...
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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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Which (if any) Rishonim ascribe to a haskafah of hashgacha pratis over everything?
In contemporary times, HaShem's hashgacha over everything is a common hashkafah, at least in the Litvish/Chassidic communities (see Baal Shem Tov, Aruch HaShulchan, Rav Dessler 'Strive for Truth', ...
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Sifrei Mussar/Machshava/Avodah from the Rishonim
I'm looking for a list of some of the Seforim written by Rishonim that are in the category of either Mussar, Machshava, or Avodah (or anything else that fit into these categories.) For this question ...
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Who is HaRam in Tosafos
I've seen הר"ם quoted in Tosafos in a few places. One example is Kiddushin 50a, Tosfos ד"ה היה לו. I always assumed it was Rabbeinu Meir, the son in law of Rashi, whose sons are the famous ...
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Looking For HaMaspik
I am looking for the halachic portion of Hamaspik L'ovdey Hashem by R. Avraham Ben HaRambam published by Bar Ilan Univ. I have found links to it on HebrewBooks, but it isnt there (I guess it was taken ...
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Rishonim who wrote on Kodshim
Seder Kodshim is composed of largely currently non-applicable laws, relating to sacrifices and the running of the Temple.
The Rambam wrote on Kodshim. So did Rashi and the Ba'alei Tosefos. To the ...
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Intrinsic Value of Mitzvot
The question is the following: do mitzvot have intrinsic value, or only extrinsic value. A ramification of this is the following scenario: A person has two ways of performing an act; one of them would ...
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Are there any early mentions of the concept of "l'iluy nishmas"?
On his Rationalist Judaism blog, R' Natan Slifkin posed this question:
I am very interested to know if there are any early mentions of the phrase "l'iluy nishmas" or the concept thereof. (I am not ...
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Tosefta vs. Toras Cohanim
This past Shabbos someone said over to me a particular sugia they were learning in Taharos and a maklokes Rishonim (an argument between Rishonim, medieval rabbis) in a particular analysis. One Rishon ...
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Is the Ramchal's sefer Derech Hashem based on any particular Rishon?
Many books written by (early) Achronim are based on a particular shittah usually sourced in one or more of the Rishonim. This can be true both with regards to actual halachos or lists of mitzvos and ...
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Definition of the term "Talmud" in the phrase "Talmud Torah"
What is the definition of the word "Talmud" used by Chazal in the expression talmud Torah?
Does it mean learning Torah, or teaching Torah?
I seem to remember this discussed in an article (perhaps on ...
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Did 'Rationalist' Rishonim naturalize miracles? If so, why?
In an answer to a different question, someone asserted that various Rishonim were led by their philosophic beliefs to believe that miracles which violated the natural order would reflect a flaw in the ...
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Text of Derashos HaRan online
I was looking online for the text of דרשות הר"ן but I have been unsuccessful. Does anyone where I might be able to find it online? (i.e like this)
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Which Rishonim held of shkia/tzeis according to the zman of Rabbeinu Tam?
Which Rishonim held of shkia/tzeis according to the zman of Rabbeinu Tam?
Ive heard the Shulchan Aruch (rishon/acharon) held of it, did he pasken like for starting shabbos?
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Text based Ritva / Rabeinu Kresscass?
My chavrusa is looking for a text-based copies of Ritva (חידושים מכתב יד) and Rabeinu Kresscass (ריטב"א) on Gittin, so that he could put them into his computer.
Where can I find a copy of either of ...
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Majority of Poskim like Rabbeinu Tam?
Recently someone made the statement that "rov poskim" go like the shita of Rabbeinu Tam in regards to shkia/nightfall. Is there any list available that shows the Rishonim and Achronim that pasken like ...
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Words of Torah Must Be Enunciated
Several Acharonim (e.g. Pnei Yeshoshua to Brachos 15b) write that words of Torah must be enunciated during study.
Which Rishonim agree to this view. (I am asking specifically about those who hold ...
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