13
votes
Did each Kohen Gadol wear his predecessor's garments?
Rambam, Hilchot Klei HaMikdash 8:5:
כָּל בֶּגֶד מִבִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ צוֹאִין אֵין מְלַבְּנִין אוֹתָן וְאֵין מְכַבְּסִין אוֹתָן אֶלָּא מַנִּיחָן לִפְתִילוֹת וְלוֹבֵשׁ חֲדָשִׁים. ...
- 41.7k
9
votes
From the Jewish perspective, if a prophet had the power to bring people back from the dead, what would that make him?
He would be a prophet through whom God worked a miracle. In fact, this happened with the prophet Elisha, as recorded in Melachim II 4. Elisha had told a Shunammite woman who had treated him very ...
- 56.4k
7
votes
Accepted
Why did Moshe have the voice of a grown up boy?
This may very well be one of Ramban's objections to Rashi's explanation:
ועוד מה טעם שיזכיר הכתוב עובי קולו
And furthermore, what reason is there that Scripture should mention the thickness of his ...
- 49.1k
7
votes
Accepted
Source for manna being natural
A helpful source in this discussion is (the ever-rational) Ibn Ezra, in his second commentary to Shemot 16:13:
ירקב שם חיוי שאמר כי המן הוא הנקרא בלשון פרס: תרנגבין, ובלשון ערב: מן, ובלשון לעז: מנא....
- 20.9k
7
votes
Why did animals need to eat/be fed for a year in the Ark?
R Ari Wasserman explains the ark was a "chesed school" and that feeding animals became the mechanism to teach Noah and his family a value which would be fundamental to the new world being created.
...
- 47.8k
6
votes
What is the qualitative difference between the revelation at Sinai and other miracles according to Rambam?
The miracles of the Exodus were ones the Jews saw or heard. In a way, as if it were a performance and they were the (participating) audience. The miracles were all real things, to be sure. The Jews ...
- 987
6
votes
Accepted
What is the source for not saying Hallel because it is a "hidden miracle"?
Abudarham (here, left column) quotes such reasoning in the name of R. Asher of Lunel, but the nuance of his reasoning is not so much that the miracle is “hidden”, rather it’s when the miracle is ...
- 11.9k
6
votes
Does anyone know of the following quote from Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz?
Rav Matisyuha Solomon quotes a similar episode he heard from Reb Leib Gurwitz about Rav Yeruchem.
In response to a maskil that made fun of Torah Jews as "Asher Yotzar people", as if they do nothing ...
- 6,123
5
votes
Why don't open miracles occur nowadays?
According to the Gemara, Berachot 20a, it's because we're not willing to sacrifice ourselves Al Kiddush Hashem quite as readily nowadays.
Rab Pappa asked Abbai : How were our predecessors different ...
- 768
5
votes
Why don't open miracles occur nowadays?
See Ramban Shemot 13, 16:
ובעבור כי הקב''ה לא יעשה אות ומופת בכל דור לעיני כל רשע או כופר, יצוה אותנו שנעשה תמיד זכרון ואות לאשר ראו עינינו, ונעתיק הדבר אל בנינו, ובניהם לבניהם, ובניהם לדור אחרון. ...
- 22.7k
5
votes
Miracles in Pagan Rituals
You are correct. The Bible says that G-d occasionally gives idol-worshippers miracles as a test for the Jews:
If a prophet arises among you or a dreamer of a dream, and he gives you an omen or a ...
- 8,045
4
votes
hebrew names for girl child
Nessa is certainly listed as a Jewish name here.
But I cannot find it used in the Bible neither in my concordance (Even Shoshan) nor in an online concordance.
Nes is a more masculine form and does ...
- 47.2k
4
votes
Was Lot's Wife transformation into a Salt Pillar a miracle?
Ralbag in his commentary to this incident explains that she did not turn into a pillar of salt at all (not miraculously, nor non-miraculously), but instead it was the land which became like a pillar ...
- 49.1k
4
votes
Rambam's view of Moses's miracles
First I will attempt to address the contradiction with the verses, as Rambam could theoretical change his opinion, or modify his view, but he cannot disagree with a verse. Therefore, an answer for the ...
- 35.4k
4
votes
Why was Korach specifically punished via being swallowed by the ground?
The Maharal address this question in Tiferes Yisrael 18:
כי דבר זה היה חטא קרח ועדתו שהיו כופרים בתורה מן השמים כמו שמוכיח הכתוב, ולפיכך היה עונש קרח ועדתו שנבלעו חיים שאולה, וזה כי התורה היא תורת ...
- 1,203
4
votes
Source for the miracle in the merit of oil
The Malbim mentions it.
,כי אם אסוך שמן: ופי' חכמינו זכרונם לברכה שעובדיה היה מדליק תמיד שמן לבני הנביאים אשר בלילה לא יכבה נרם, ראוי שיהיה נס בשמן:
Interestingly enough, he quotes "Chazal" ...
- 42.8k
3
votes
How does Judaism relate to miracle claims by other religions?
Your question implies belief in magical forces that apparently aren't a proof of some other religion, or set of beliefs. If, indeed, one subscribes to such beliefs, then any story of miracles ought ...
- 35.4k
3
votes
Why is "Pirsumei Nissa" (publicizing the miracle of Chanukah) so important?
Your hypothesis is wrong.
a great miracle happened on Purim, too. Why don't we publicize this miracle?
We do, by reading the m'gila. See e.g. https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/64482 and ...
- 73.7k
3
votes
The blossoming of Ahron's staff a miracle not a trick?
I would challenge the premise of this question with two points:
we do not know that it was not challenged (other commenters)
It is a possibility that Moshe was being watched the entire time
If we ...
- 20.9k
3
votes
Miracles through natural means (part 2)
As an example, there actually is a "scientific" explanation for the splitting of the Yam Suf. The point is that a wind could have blown and uncovered a ridge of land across the sea. Hashem took this ...
- 42.9k
3
votes
The Chanuka Miracle of the Oil and Tumah Hutra Btzibur
R' Shlomo Kluger (on Shulchan Aruch OC 670) writes that when the Avoidah is not just part of the daily seder, but also an inauguration of the Avoida ('Chinuch'), it requires purity. (See Alex's answer)...
- 7,891
3
votes
Why did Moshe have the voice of a grown up boy?
Yalkut Reuveni and Baal HaTurim state that the pasuk, V’hinei naar bocheh, “And behold! A youth was crying,” refers to Moshe’s older brother Aharon. That is, Aharon was standing with Miriam and crying ...
- 42.9k
3
votes
Why was Korach specifically punished via being swallowed by the ground?
The Ramban writes (as well as other meforshim point this idea out, for example, Rabbeinu Bachya) that the splitting of the ground was meant to be a totally new and unique (as well as supernatural) ...
- 15.4k
3
votes
Accepted
Do we still see the miracle of manna today?
As I explained in this answer Even the great rationalists Maimonides and Gersonides assumed that the falling of the manna was miraculous. In fact, they assumed it was the most miraculous of miracles, ...
- 49.1k
3
votes
Should one avoid deriving benefit from miracles?
R. Ro'ey Hemed (Ro'eh baShoshanim - Hanukah, p.50) cites ten different sources addressing why the Hashmonaim were permitted to use the oil if we are not permitted to benefit from miracles (as per ...
- 6,433
3
votes
What way(s) does Hashem pay you back for money spent on Shabbat/Torah etc
The gemara you are referring to is Beitza 15b:
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: בָּנַי, לְווּ עָלַי, ...
- 9,388
2
votes
hebrew names for girl child
As Avrohom Yitzchok's answer notes, It is usually a masculine noun in the Bible: "nays", meaning banner or sign. Ernest Klein's Etymologial Dictionary gives both meanings:
נֵס[nays] standard, ensign,...
- 5,263
2
votes
Miracles through natural means
I have read that one of the reasons for "natural" means is to allow people to refuse to believe that hashem caused the nes. That is, if a miracle occured, then it would prevent bechiras chofshis (free ...
- 42.9k
2
votes
Accepted
How was Klall Yisrael able to have the miracle of being gathered between the two poles of the Aaron HaKodesh if they weren't able to be near it?
Perhaps the same way 600,000 could fit between the poles, an extra 2,000 amoth on all sides could fit in as well.
- 17.7k
2
votes
What do the commentators say is the message/meaning behind the miracles?
Rav Hirsch groups the plagues as shown in the Hagadah as three groups. He groups them in three rows each with three columns and explains both the rows and the columns and explains in וארא 7:15
......
- 42.9k
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