25
votes
What is the most-shared name in the Torah? In Tanach?
It turns out the most common name in the Tanach is Zecharayahu:
A Kohen in the time of David (Divrei Hayamim 1:15:24)
A Levite in the time of David (Divrei Hayamim 1:15:18)
A gate-keeper in Ohel ...
- 24.9k
18
votes
What is the process called to become a Rabbi?
Semikhah is the name of the process through which a rabbi is ordained in Rabbinic Judaism.
- 239
17
votes
What is the source for: One shouldn't name a baby using names from before Abraham
Pitchei Teshuva YD 265:6
עיין בשו"ת תשובה מאהבה ח"א סימן ל"ה שאין להקפיד מלקרות שמות כשמות שהיה קודם אברהם אבינו ע"ה דלא כהמבי"ט ח"א סי' רע"ו שכתב דאין ראוי לקרוא ...
- 97.4k
14
votes
Accepted
First use of modern names for books of Torah
Sefer B'Reshit: the Yerushalmi (Sotah 1:10) already refers to it as Sefer B'reshit. This is also found in the Zohar (Raya Mehemna Vol. II Parashat Mishpatim 119b).
Sefer Sh'mot: The Midrash Lekah Tov (...
- 35.4k
14
votes
Using the name Allah
Having grown up in Egypt and knowing Arabic, I can tell you that Jews (like Muslims) freely use "Allah" in conversation to refer to God, although it is frequently replaced by "Rabbena" (Our Master). ...
- 20.8k
13
votes
In the Talmud, who is Plimo?
The Sefer Yuchasin mentions Plimo as someone in the times of Rebbe. This is echoed in the Seder Hadoros, and R. Reuven Margoliot in his investigation into Talmudic names and nicknames (לחקר שמות ...
- 49.1k
12
votes
Is there any attestation to the name “יעל” spelled with an Aleph?
A Midrash in Vayikra Rabba (23:10) teaches:
שְׁלשָׁה הֵם שֶׁבָּרְחוּ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה וְשִׁתֵּף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁמוֹ עִמָּהֶם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: יוֹסֵף וְיָעֵל וּפַלְטִי. יוֹסֵף מִנַּיִן, ...
- 11.9k
12
votes
Why is it called Even HaEzer?
Even Ha'Ezer contains halachot about "דיני אישות", so it would seem that the name is a play on words from "אעשה לו עזר כנגדו" which describes Hashem's creation of Chava (and women in general).
The ...
- 3,835
12
votes
If I want to be a Jew, can I take any name from the Tanakh?
There is no law (halacha) requiring a convert to choose a certain name. So it would appear as well from a responsum of one of our great authorities, R. Asher b. Jehiel (§15:4).
Examples of converts ...
- 11.9k
12
votes
Accepted
Why did Esav nickname his wife Yehudis?
The Gemarah (Megillah 13a) states that the term Yehudi refers to one who rejects idolatry:
רבי יוחנן אמר לעולם מבנימן קאתי ואמאי קרי ליה יהודי על שום שכפר בע"ז שכל הכופר בע"ז נקרא יהודי כדכתיב (...
- 6,487
11
votes
Is it Rabbeinu Bachya or Bechaye?
In the introduction of the Chovot Halevavot published by Mosad Harav Kook, he brings that it is not known how to pronounce the name. He says that Ashkenazim pronounce it Bechaye, and Sefardim ...
- 43.9k
10
votes
Is it Rabbeinu Bachya or Bechaye?
R. Reuven Margalios in his פנינים ומרגליות has a note on this name. His theory is that it is not an actual name, but a nickname which means "may he live long," like the (Yiddish) name "Alter." He ...
- 14.3k
10
votes
In what language did Adam name the animals?
Biblical Hebrew. The verse says that Adam named Eve a "woman" (ishah) because she was created from man (ish). Noting the fact that the two words, in Hebrew, actually are related, Rashi (to that verse) ...
- 34.1k
10
votes
Is the title: "New" Testament offensive to Jews? Alternative neutral name?
Thank you for your sensitivity.
The issue with "old" and "new" isn't just what you said about "old and outdated, new and shiny". It's also that, to us, the latter isn't a "testament" at all. God ...
- 56.4k
10
votes
Why is the day after yom tov referred to as isru chag?
It's based on the Gemara Sukkah top of 45b:
א"ר ירמיה משום ר"ש בן יוחי ור' יוחנן משום ר"ש המחוזי משום ר' יוחנן המכותי כל העושה איסור לחג באכילה ושתיה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו בנה מזבח והקריב עליו קרבן ...
- 6,487
10
votes
Accepted
How Come Noah's wife's name is not recorded in the Bible
The Midrash Genesis Rabbah (ed. Albeck: B'reshit 23) quotes R. Abba bar Kahana stating that Na'amah, the sister of Tuval-Kayin (see Genesis 4:22), was the wife of Noah, and she was called Na'amah (lit....
- 35.4k
10
votes
Using the name Allah
Rambam calls God Allah, for example in Sefer Hamitzvos, Negative Commandment 5 (Kapach, p. 183), “Worshiping any other than Allah”.
כל מא יעבד מן דון אללה
כל מה שנעבד מבלעדי ה׳
Parenthetically, God ...
- 479
10
votes
Accepted
Why does the Pasuk say אִיּ֣וֹב שְׁמ֑וֹ?
R. Isaac Ben Judah Halevi asks this about a different case, and uses the case of Job as a proof in his answer.
Pa'aneach Raza Parshat Vayeira
וי"ל דלא אמרו כי אם בסתמא לא במקום שהענין מוכיח שהרי ...
- 49.1k
9
votes
Accepted
What was the name of Yiftach's (Jephthah's) daughter?
She has no name in the Biblical text, nor (as far as I can tell) in any 'canonical' ancient midrashic or Talmudic texts (see Tamar Kadari's article here). The only pre-modern source to name her is, as ...
- 3,632
9
votes
Posuk for the name Golda
Here is a Posuk that starts with a Gimel and ends with an Aleph
איוב פרק-יג-ט"ז גַּם הוּא לִי לִישׁוּעָה כִּי לֹא לְפָנָיו חָנֵף יָבוֹא
Here is a nifty website where you can look up Pesukim that ...
- 139k
9
votes
Why Prushim were the ones who "separated"?
Bartenura to Mishnah Yadayim 4:6 explains the name as follows:
פרושים. לחכמי ישראל היו קורין פרושים, לפי שאוכלין חוליהן בטהרה ופרושים ממגע עם הארץ, דתנן בגדי עם הארץ מדרס לפרושים:
To the Sages ...
- 34.1k
9
votes
Accepted
Why are we called 'Jews'?
The earliest reference to the term Jew (יהודי in Hebrew is found in Esther 2:5 where it has Mordechai
האִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדִ֔י הָיָ֖ה בְּשׁוּשַׁ֣ן הַבִּירָ֑ה וּשְׁמ֣וֹ מָרְדֳּכַ֗י
בֶּ֣ן יָאִ֧יר בֶּן־...
- 42.9k
8
votes
Accepted
Ben Drosai - what was his Zechus?
The Yerushalmi in question is in Avodah Zarah 4:4.
Prof. Shamma Friedman has written about the historical Ben D'rsai (who based on the Yerushalmi was not a Jew).
According to this article, Rashi ...
- 246
8
votes
Accepted
Earliest Sources To Avoid Pronouncing the Name 'Samael'
Rav Shmuel Vital (17th century) in the siddur חמדת ישראל says this.
גם צריך להזהר מאד שלא להזכיר בפיו שם סמא"ל וזהו סוד מש"ה אלהים אחרים לא תזכירו וכו' ובפרט בלילה שאז היא שליטתו וממשלתו.ולא עוד ...
- 1,723
8
votes
Why is it called Even HaEzer?
In the introduction to טור חושן משפט (Tur Choshen Mishpat), it says:
והטור השלישי אבן העזר שם עשיתי לאדם עזר כנגדו גם כשלחה גרש איך יגרשנה מנגדו וקראתיו אבן העזר יען כי הוא להועיל גם לעזר:
In ...
- 2,413
8
votes
Accepted
Why is it called "טלטול מן הצד"?
1. Ba'al HaMaor (Shabbat, Perek Kirah)
שכל איסור והתר שמטלטל האיסור מצד ההיתר נקרא טלטול מן הצד
Every case of something forbidden [to move] and something permitted where he moves the forbidden ...
- 41.8k
8
votes
How would the new "Moses" nation be called?
According to the Talmud God's statement to Moses actually came true, so we just have to check what they are actually called.
Berachot 7a
וא"ר יוחנן משום ר' יוסי כל דבור ודבור שיצא מפי הקב"ה לטובה ...
- 49.1k
8
votes
Elkanah as a given name
@JoelK already pointed to Rav Avraham Elkana Kahana-Shapira who served as a previous Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi in Israel.
There is also the Dayan and Yardonov Rov - Rav Elkana Zoberman (1903-1959, ...
- 30.3k
8
votes
Where are the 24 places that Kohanim are called Leviim?
I could not find any mainstream commentary which listed them.
Based on a search, I found 14 cases where they are explicitly referred to as Kohanim Haleviyim, with a couple more questionable (unlikely) ...
- 20.9k
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