6
votes
Why were the earthen vessels broken in Leviticus 15:12?
Unfired earth vessels cannot contract impurity. In Hebrew, these are referred to as כלי אדמה (k'lei adama).
Fired earthenware vessels do contract impurity. In Hebrew, these are referred to as כלי חרס (...
- 45.2k
5
votes
What are the sacred garments called?
They are referred to as בגדי לבן bigdei lavan, the “white garments.”
See Yoma 34b in reference to the preparations for the service in the Kodesh Hakodashim:
הֵבִיאוּ לוֹ בִּגְדֵי לָבָן לָבַשׁ ...
- 2,128
5
votes
What's up with the end of Sefer Vayikra?
First, it should be noted that this is only a question if you assume that the Torah is meant to be in some sort of order. Although many commentators do make such an assumption, it shouldn't ...
- 23.2k
5
votes
Accepted
Destroy Coffee Cup (Vayikra 11:33), when fly dies in beverage?
Emphatic NO. Clean the cup and move on.
That verse is talking about a dead small mammal or lizard falling into a raw (unglazed) clay pot; the clay pot is now ritually impure and can't be made ritually ...
- 135k
3
votes
What's up with the end of Sefer Vayikra?
Rav Hirsch seems to understand that the Sefer up to this point focuses on one general concept, while these last passages, beginning with Arachin, are fundamentally different – hence their position at ...
- 34.6k
2
votes
Sefer Vayikra, the most difficult sefer of the Torah
I believe that the correct translation, and thus understanding, of the word חמור is "stringent" or "severe", because the book of Vayikra contains the most stringent and severe laws ...
- 153
1
vote
Sefer Vayikra, the most difficult sefer of the Torah
I believe that Tosafos is referring to Sifra which is the most difficult Sefer, not Sefer Vayikra.
Presumably it is very difficult because it deals with the very complex laws of tumah. The laws of ...
- 247
1
vote
Accepted
Sefer Vayikra, the most difficult sefer of the Torah
I haven't seen this anywhere, but just some sources I put together:
When Tosfot Brachot 18b says “ שהוא חמור שבספרים” which we translated as “the most difficult” it could mean the most difficult on a ...
- 3,295
1
vote
Definition of "witness" for purposes of Devarim 19:15
They have to see the actual offense. As the Rambam says,
אין בית דין עונשין באומד הדעת אלא על פי עדים בראיה ברורה. אפילו ראוהו העדים רודף אחר חבירו והתרו בו והעלימו עיניהם או שנכנסו אחריו לחורבה ...
- 4,805
1
vote
Are there any exceptions to the two-witness rule in Devarim 19:15?
One case in which a single witness is accepted is monetary cases. Let's say Reuven says to Shimon, "where is the money that I loaned you?", and he has one witness that the loan indeed ...
- 3,677
1
vote
Why is the flour option available in only one case?
They're not entirely identical -- earlier in Leviticus, the atonement for a handful of sins requires a sacrifice, and there are options from livestock to birds to flour.
Here we are dealing with those ...
- 135k
1
vote
Why can't we uncensor all editions of Sefer Vayikra?
Your premise is mistaken. The Torah/Bible was never censored. This has been proven by the fact that modern Jewish Torahs scrolls closely match the writings of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Dead Sea ...
- 11.6k
1
vote
Accepted
Malbim’s grammatical argument in Parashat Tzav
In 67 he is making the point that when someone mentions the parts comprising a category, it would not do to leave out any parts of the category. But sometimes the individual parts can be grouped into ...
- 9,364
1
vote
Do we have an obligation to love the Erev Rav?
Yes. It applies to all jews. The Shita mikubetzes kesubos 37b brings the Rama that says viahavta lereiacha camocha applies even to a rasha. The proof he brings is that we apply the pasuk to someone ...
- 3,963
1
vote
Why take the Eitz HaDaas on Sukkos?
Dirshu's Doresh Dovid (Moed p. 271) explains that the esrog is the fruit which reveals our intense desires - which can be used for good or not so much. After clearing our Heavenly accounts through ...
- 14.6k
1
vote
What's up with the end of Sefer Vayikra?
R. Menachem Leibtag suggests the following approach here (emphases mine):
Recall that Parshat Vayikra itself, the first parsha of the Sefer, is also not located where it should be (i.e. it is not ...
- 45.2k
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