13
votes
Accepted
Would Harry Potter be killed as a sorcerer?
There are several factors to be considered to determine whether or not Harry Potter would be liable to prosecution under the witchcraft clause.
Is he Jewish?
Regarding his Jewishness, as noted the ...
- 35.4k
9
votes
Where can I buy inexpensive seforim online?
If you want used, also try ebay. There are a few Judaica sellers on there and you can get stuff relative inexpensively. This seller is the biggest.
- 6,966
7
votes
Which came first the Mishnah Torah or the Pirush HaMishnayos
Rambam states explicitly in the first paragraph of his introduction to Sefer Hamitzvot that the Commentary to the Mishnah came first:
After having completed our previous well-known work wherein we ...
- 49.1k
7
votes
Is the Book of Enoch part of Judaism?
3 Enoch is known in Jewish tradition under the name Sefer Hekhaloth. It is part of a wider body of texts known as Hekhaloth literature. This book is now considered one of the primary texts of kabbalah ...
- 1,497
7
votes
Accepted
What does תושׁלכ"ע mean?
Perhaps you saw תושלב״ע, rather than תושלכ״ע. As per this handy book of abbreviations, תושלב״ע stands for תם ונשלם, שבח לא-ל בורא עולם, “Whole and complete, praise to G-d, the Creator of the world.”
(...
- 34.1k
6
votes
Accepted
Seeking a particular book on Science vs. Halacha
You are probably looking for Challenge: Torah Views on Science and Its Problems, edited by R' Aryeh Carmell and Dr. Cyril Domb in association with the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists, ...
- 47.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Christian Bible Holiness?
A related question asks what to do with a sefer torah written by a heretic. An answer there quotes the Rambam (Laws of Tefilin, Mezuzah, and Sefer Torah 1:13) thus:
יג ספר תורה תפילין ומזוזות שכתבן ...
- 56.4k
6
votes
Accepted
Why was the Book of Genealogies hidden away?
Rashi to Pesachim 62b explains נגנז as נשתכח. So it sounds like he believes it was lost, rather than deliberately hidden (the question at the end of your final paragraph notwithstanding).
Maharsha ad ...
- 41.7k
6
votes
Halachicly sound ways to bookmark on Shabbat
As I wrote here, folding the corner of a page is permitted and a good way if you don't mind "damaging the page" a bit. Still your question goes beyond, and you note the issue of marking a ...
- 47.8k
5
votes
Beginning a comprehensive study of Moreh N'vuchim
The Pines translation is the best. Better than the ibn Tibbon translation by far. Unless you are history scholar, there is no reason to ever need to read this version. If you want to study it in ...
- 1,497
5
votes
Accepted
Sefer of Unanswered questions
R. David Cohen (of Cong. Gvul Yaavetz in Brooklyn) has a series of seforim consisting of unanswered questions titled ואם תאמר (I-IV, V, VI).
The author of the Chelkas Yoav has a book of (103) ...
- 14.3k
5
votes
Books about business and Torah
I really liked the following books on the intersection of Torah and business life
Naftali Horowitz's You Revealed: the author is a very successful banker who shares a Torah perspective on working for ...
- 47.8k
5
votes
Year of print of an edition of Torah
Although usually one would add up the letters that have a dot on top. However in this case that would put the year in the future. Therefore, it looks like you add up the letters, not counting the ones ...
- 10.6k
4
votes
Good books for non-Jews who are interested in understanding Judaism, especially branches of Orthodox judaism
I highly suggest you read The Non-Orthodox Jew's Guide to Orthodox Jews by David Baum. It is exactly what it sounds like. You will understand a lot about traditional Judaism from this book.
- 18.5k
4
votes
Good books for non-Jews who are interested in understanding Judaism, especially branches of Orthodox judaism
Gateway to Judaism by Rabbi Mordechai Becher
"Based on years of answering thousands of challenging inquiries, Becher's work blends elements of Jewish philosophy and law with an intensely practical ...
- 21.1k
4
votes
Fulltext search across sources: Gemara, Zohars, Rishonim and Aharonim
Sefaria.org matches the description you gave, and it is free of charge. As of 2018, their searchable database contains over 143 million words, ranging from Zohar to Shev Shamtsa with abundant cross ...
- 479
4
votes
Downloading a book when you've already bought a physical copy
I've heard from many Rabbis, Rabbi Yisroel Belsky and Rabbi Tuvya Goldstein amongst them, the same idea about copyright laws. They said this about musical media and computer programs, but would ...
- 33.4k
4
votes
What are Sifrei Minim today?
Rashi on the Daf (S.V Rav Yosef) says that the Sifrei Minim ie. Sefer Ben Sira is called a Sefer Min:
שיש בו דברי הבאי ובא עליהם לידי ביטול תורה
Because it has Divrei Havai - empty things, and ...
- 15.4k
4
votes
Jewish Archaeology
Not a book but otherwise fits exactly what you ask: R Amnon Bazak has a series of written shiurim on Tanakh and Archaeology in English, see shiurim 6a to 6i.
He offers a fairly comprehensive review ...
- 47.8k
4
votes
A good book on Monetary system of the Torah and the Talmud?
The most modern book on Talmudic currencies is the second edition of D. Sperber's "Roman Palestine 200-400: Money and Prices." Sperber is an expert on rabbinic literature in its secular context, and ...
- 3,546
4
votes
Has a Scriptural index been compiled on Radak's 'Michlul'?
A question like this cannot be answered with 100% certainty, being that it is not truly possible in this day and age to know about every single sefer being published and republished, being that – to ...
- 1,155
4
votes
Recommended edition of Flavius Josephus
There's a great, accessible and new (2017) translation of The Jewish War (an eyewitness account of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem), translated by Martin Hammond and published by Oxford University ...
- 11.3k
4
votes
Accepted
What is the sefer "Sha'ar HaShamayim" that the Rema references?
The Maharshal, who was a cousin and student of the Rema, sent him a scathing letter in which he criticized him for utilizing an opinion of Aristotle. The Rema responded with this interesting responsum ...
- 6,433
4
votes
Accepted
Is it okay for Jewish people to read Narnia or Lord of the Rings?
Most of the sources I have found address reading books or listening to music by non-Jews. Films are a different issue, because they can often be more immodest than the books they were based on. I don'...
- 24.8k
4
votes
Does anyone know from which book this excerpt comes from?
I've just discovered that this excerpt is from the book The Story of Our Lives: An Epic Quest For The Soul of Our Tradition by R' Yaakov Klein.
- 247
3
votes
Good books for non-Jews who are interested in understanding Judaism, especially branches of Orthodox judaism
A highly recommended book is "Masterplan" by Rabbi Aryeh Carmell.
Here's a description of the book:
Maybe you believe in God, but fail to see what this has to do with how
one spends Friday ...
- 2,951
3
votes
Are there any frum comic books?
See here for a relatively new series that depicts the stories in Nach replete with midrashic explanations and insights. Great art, with actual pesukim and their accompanying translation to keep the ...
- 1,348
3
votes
Are there books and / or online sources that discuss how the Talmud was compiled?
On the compilation of Bavli Talmud, see "The Formation of the Babylonian Talmud" by Jacob Neusner and on Yerushalmi, see "A Guide to the Jerusalem Talmud" by Heshey Zelcer. Both of them provide a ...
- 6,864
3
votes
Does Judaism allow Jews to read the Quran?
Rav Saadiah Gaon used to study parts of the Koran:
Prof. Meir Bar Asher gave a lecture regarding Saadia Gaon and the Quran at the Bernard Revel Graduate School. An article about that lecture can be ...
- 15.4k
3
votes
Is it permissible to peruse a sefer someone brought to shul without their knowledge?
Aruch Hashulchan Orach Chaim 14:13 quotes the rama that it is forbidden to read someone else's books without permission. However he goes on to say that just to look at it shortly is something which we ...
- 139k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible