Questions tagged [tanach]
An acronym of "Torah" (Five Books of Moses), "Neviim" (Prophets), and "Kesuvim" (Writings). The three books together form the "Written Torah".
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What really is Ketiv/Kri [duplicate]
Basic question but:
What exactly is Ketiv vs Kri? How do these differentiations pop up? Which one is more authoritative and why is it more prevalent in Nach vs the Torah?
Thanks
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Hashgacha question
What is the explanation that in many cases the Tanakh speaks about nations (e.g. Aram) that Hashem sends to chastise the Jewish nation? It implies that Hashem is able to influence pagan nations, but ...
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The connection between King Ahashverosh and the king of the world [closed]
According to the Midrash, the king mentioned in the Megilat Esther is G-d.
So how is it that the king was looking for a wife? How did he kill his first wife? How did he raise the wicked Haman to ...
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Why did Mordecai behave towards Haman in this way?
Haman was enraged at Mordechai's behavior, according to Megilat Esther he investigated his people and directed his hatred and revenge towards Mordecai to all of Mordecai's people, that is, to the Jews....
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Why did Mordecai save Achashverosh? [duplicate]
It is known that Achashverosh was an evil king and encouraged Haman to kill the Jews in exchange for making money. Moreover,he made a feast for the Jews with the temple vessels. If so, why did ...
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The kashrut of honey in Lion's belly in the parable of Samson [duplicate]
In the book of Judges, 14:18, וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, בְּטֶרֶם יָבֹא הַחַרְסָה, מַה-מָּתוֹק מִדְּבַשׁ, וּמֶה עַז מֵאֲרִי; וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם--לוּלֵא חֲרַשְׁתֶּם ...
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Help for a Gentile in quoting Tanach
My daughter has a friend, Abigail, who is about to have her Bat Mitzvah, which unfortunately she can't attend. We wanted to make a gift for her that would make her feel special on this important day ...
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Why does the Megillah say "It happened in the days of Ahasuerus" — and not,"... in the days of Mordechai and Esther?"
The Megillah (Esther 1:1) begins: ויהי בימי אחשורוש... - It happened in the days of Ahasuerus...
Why doesn't it say instead, it happened in the days of Mordechai and Esther, or after the Destruction ...
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What is Omek Rom and omek Tachat in Chassidus
BH
What is omek Rom and omek tachat in Chassidus how are both connected?
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Why is Matan Torah written multiple times in the Torah (with different details..)
It seems like the Torah records the story of Moshe going up to get the Torah in parshas yisro and in parshas mishpotim, I noticed different people mentioned regarding who went up with Moshe, also in ...
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What is the "Sheva" in Bat Sheva
What is the meaning of Sheva in the name of King David's wife Bat Sheva?
Her father's name was Eliam not Sheva.
Does it mean 7? And if yes 7 of what?
Or is it possible it's from "Sova"- ...
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Angel with 2 missions?
Regarding the angel that Yaacov wrestled, Radak on Bereshit 32:26 says that Yaacov Avinu was hit with limping as a punishment, midda k'negged midda, for not trusting in Hashem enough:
היה לו זה מאת ...
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Seeking examples of epistrophe in Tanach
While epistrophe can include repetition of a word (or expression) in successive phrases or clauses I am seeking to identify the use of this literary technique in consecutive verses. Two examples to ...
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How did Moshe risk staying with Jethro
It is known that Jethro was one of Pharaoh's advisors. Moses was wanted by Pharaoh. How did Jethro take the risk in offering his residence and daughter to Moshe? Moreover, how did Moshe risk living in ...
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Resource that has short (1-2 sentences) summaries for Perakim in Tanach?
Does anyone know something that has very short summaries for each perek in tanach (to memorize)?
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King Agag held captive for one night - Source?
Where specifically does it say that King Shaul held King Agag alive as captive for a single night before Shmuel killed him?
(Looking for something that specifies it was only one night)
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Origin of the term pasuk
A verse in Tanach is referred to as a pasuk - פסוק. Where does this term come from and what is the earliest recorded usage of it to refer to a verse?
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Is there an online source for clipped verb forms?
It is wonderful to have pealim.com to look up verb forms, but as far as I know, it does not include clipped forms. Is there any online source that allows looking up clipped forms, or at least a site ...
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What is so unique in Judgement of Solomon
In the book of Kings 1, chapter 3, verses 16-28, as well as in the Haftara of Parashat Miketz, Solomon's Judappears. And apparently the sentence is puzzling, why would the woman who is not the baby's ...
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Looking for a Midrash / Commentary about David Hamelekh condemning the notion of Theater (Play-pretend / Acting etc.)
By any chance, does anyone remember something along these lines? I heard it back in my Yeshiva days and it always puzzled me (what did David Hamelekh mean by it more precisely? What danger did he ...
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Are there also strong admonitions against the wealthy in the Jewish Bible? [closed]
In Christianity, there are several passages containing warnings or even threats directed at wealthy individuals, cautioning them about the state of their souls. For instance:
Mark 10:24:
But Jesus ...
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What happened to Torah she be al peh in the generations before Yoshiyahu HaMelech?
I get the impression from learning about Yoshiyahu HaMelech that the country as a whole almost entirely forgot about the Torah altogether in the previous generations, until he discovered the Sefer ...
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What are verses that clearly state that tribal lineage comes from the father? [duplicate]
I am trying to find verses in Tanakh that state that the tribal lineage comes from the father.
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Examples of practical hishtadlus in Torah/Nevi'im
What examples are there of practical hishtadlus in Torah and Nevi'im? Two come to my mind immediately - Yaakov Avinu splitting the camp 3 ways before meeting Esav, and Moshe Rabbeinu fleeing ...
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Looking for examples in Tanach where a list of people changes order
For example Noach and family - entering and exiting the teiva, the listing is different after, from which we learn that marital relations were temporarily forbidden while on the teiva.
Can you share ...
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Why did Hagar go back?
This one has bugged me for a long time. Why would Hagar go back to a pressured existence especially when she was told that her son would become a wild man and a thief?
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What should one do if one sees a Tanach placed/shelved beside another religion's text?
For example, a Tanach is being sold in a bookstore and it's placed right beside a New Testament/Christian Bible and a Quran. What should one do? Should one buy the copies to preserve its sacredness?
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Is there anyplace online where I can find the te'amim for Iyov, Mishlei, and Tehillim?
Is there anyplace online where I can find a reliable recording for the te'amim for Iyov, Mishlei, and Tehillim?
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Is this idea (dictation model of Torah) by Rambam heretical/blasphemous/idolatrous?
Rabbi David Bigman in his article The Dictation Model of Torah Revelation
convincingly argues that the idea of Torah being entirely dictated to Moses, and then preserved over the generations (...
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Prophecy about the destruction of the second temple?
Are there any prophecies about the destruction of the second temple?
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New Mikraot Gedolot - Chorev Publishers [closed]
I am looking for reviews on the somewhat new Mikraot Gedolot from Chorev Publishers
How is the quality of the print? Is it clear and easy to read for most people? There is a lot of information packed ...
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Source for the practice of messianic interpretation of calamity
I seem to recall a Rashi somewhere in Nach which explains a Pasuk as praising B’nei Yisrael, who see every calamity that befalls them as heralding Mashiach.
Can anyone source this?
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Was Migdal bavel a rocket ship? [duplicate]
I seem to remember hearing somewhile ago that the tower of bavel was a rocket. What is the source that migdal bavel was a "rocket"; or some thing that would fly up to the sky instead of the ...
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Are there online sources for learning Te’amim of Tehillim?
Are there any online sources for learning how to read the Sephardi Te’amim of Tehillim? While I can find recordings, I can’t find any list or descriptions of the exceptions and such—for example, when ...
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There were foreigners living in the Holy Land during the times of the Monarchy. Were they Noahides? If not, why didn't Israelites convert them?
Often throughout the Tanakh, you will see references to foreigners living the Holy Land, e.g. in Leviticus 19 I think.
Were these foreigners Noahides, and if not, why didn't they convert them so that ...
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Genesis 22:18 ‘the seed’ include the Moshiach?
Genesis 22:18 speaks about Abraham’s descendants:
וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתָּ
בְּקֹלִי׃
and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; ...
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What day of the year did David buy Har Habayis?
Does anyone know if there are any sources regarding the date David Hamelech stopped the plague by bringing karbanos in the field of Aravnah HaYevusi? It would seem that this should be considered a ...
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Wives of Shem, Cham, Yafes
If everyone in the world was so corrupt that the world needed to be destroyed and rebuilt, where did Shem, Cham, and Yafes find women to marry?
Do we know their names?
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Why did people in biblical times live for so long?
The Tanakh records many instances in which people lived exceptionally long lifespans, some even nearing 1,000 years old.
There tends to be a trend in the recorded ages, in that the earlier generations ...
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Status of books printed by the "Society for Distributing Hebrew Scriptures"
There are ostensibly a bunch of Christians who want to encourage Jews to learn Torah and keep mitzvot because they believe that will bring the Moshiach, so they have a Tanach they have printed and ...
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Nikkud of the word ים
Why in Tanach, does the word יָם always have a Komatz, even when נסמך/connected to the next word, such as יָם המלח and יָם פלשתים and even when attached with a מקף such as יָם-כנרת (Bamidbar 34:11) ...
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Quote Torah verses only in full?
Over the years I read in many places that a Torah verse must be quoted only in full, not partially. Is this true? What is the source? At any rate, wasn't the division of the Torah in verses done by ...
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The Watchers in Judaism [duplicate]
My wife asked me if there were any opinions that the B'nei Elohim that slept with the daughters of men were actually angels. In one of her Torah commentaries it said there was no such opinion. I ...
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Why did the tribes of Israel fail the first few times when they went to war with Benjamin
Why did The tribes of Israel fail the first few times trying to go to war with Israel even after God said to go.
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Who actually rested on the seventh day? Was it Memra or G-d, blessed be He?
Targum Neofiti states the following:
“On the seventh day, the Memra of the LORD completed his work which he had created, and there was Sabbath.” (Genesis 2:3; Targum Neofiti)
Memra is what "...
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Slicing up a cake with a verse written on it
Is it allowed to write a verse on a cake or slice such cake up? In your answer please bring sources!
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What is the origin of the Bible code theory?
What is now known as gematria has been practiced since the earliest days of the Hebrew alphabet.
The 22 (a significant number in itself) letters were used to record not just linguistic but also ...
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If we have full copies of the Torah in an unchanged form (Dead Sea Scrolls), why don’t we revert our Torah scrolls back?
We have found very old Torah scrolls, which were named the Dead Sea Scrolls. These scrolls are some of the oldest Torah scrolls out there; however, there are some discrepancies between these ancient ...
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Proverbs 17:9 confusion on the alienation of friends
"He who seeks love overlooks faults, But he who harps on a matter
alienates his friend" - Proverbs 17:9
What does this verse mean exactly? I take it as those who love one tend over look ...
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Another contradiction? How can numbers be different if it is divine? 1 + 1 = 2 always?
24And the king said to Aravnah, "No; for I will only buy it from you at a price; so that I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt-offerings [which I had received] for nothing." And David ...