7
votes
How did Haman know Moshe Rabeinu's Yahrzeit but not his Birthday?
The מהרש"א on that Gemara explains that Moshe having died on the 7th of Adar is something which could be worked out from Scriptures, as the Gemara works it out on Kiddushin 38a (it says they wept for ...
- 58.3k
7
votes
Orientation of Haman's Sons' Beam
From Rashi it would seem that is was vertical
זקיפא - פורק"א בלעז בצד אחד זה למטה מזה
זקיפא - Forche in [old French]. On one side [of it], one below the other.
Exploring this a little bit ...
- 30k
6
votes
Why did Rebbe want to get rid of Tishah b’Av Nidcheh?
1 - The Or Sameach תענית ה/ו writes that according to the Avodraham that fasting on Shabbos is only forbidden mi'd'oraisa if it's for the full 24 hours, there is an answer to your question, about the ...
- 6,123
6
votes
Accepted
Megillah 4.6 -- Why can't the blind recite the Shema with their benedictions (according to R. Judah)?
The context of that Mishna is discussing who is fit to lead the congregation in prayers, and in particular that line is part of a dispute if a blind person can lead the prayer of Shema and its ...
- 97.2k
6
votes
Understanding the teaching of a person who says "I have labored in Torah study and haven't found success- don't believe him"
If you have laboured in תורה, that itself is success, you have had a successful life (day, week whatever). merriam-webster.com defines success as a "favorable or desired outcome". The ...
- 425
6
votes
Accepted
Gemara Megillah logic
See the Rashba there who writes
הא דבעא רבא מקרא מגילה ומת מצוה איזה מהן עדיף
והדר פשטה דמת מצוה עדיף משום דגדול כבוד הבריות שדוחה לא תעשה שבתורה. תמיה לי מקרא מגילה נמי הא דחי עבודה ותלמוד תורה. ויש ...
- 8,045
5
votes
Haman's daughter's name
The midrashim I found don't mention her name, but it seems that her name is mentioned in some old Aramaic translations of Esther.
I couldn't find one of these versions, but her name is mentioned as ...
- 3,825
5
votes
Why is there no exchanging of food gifts during Purim Katan?
The Ran on Megillah 3b says that even though one should feast on Adar 1, there's no need for Mishloach Manot because it is similar to Matanot La'Evyonim, which is done only in Adar 2:
וקרוב הדבר גם ...
- 3,825
5
votes
Missing line in Tractate Megillah
The following appears in Megillah 15b (translation from Sefaria)
אמרה מדת הדין לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם מה נשתנו אלו מאלו אמר לה הקדוש ברוך הוא ישראל עסקו בתורה אומות העולם לא עסקו בתורה
The ...
- 19.6k
5
votes
Accepted
Ashkenazi shat”z?
The Halocho is to be found in Sh O, O Ch 53 (12) who paskens like the gemoro
אין ממנין מי שקור' לאלפי"ן עייני"ן ולעייני"ן אלפי"ן:
One should not appoint a person [to be leader] who reads "...
- 47.2k
5
votes
The Rambam says that Baruch, the son of Nerijah was not a navi but the Gemara seems to imply the opposite, how is that possible?
This can perhaps be explained by what Rambam writes later in Guide for the Perplexed (2:45) where he explains that there are various levels of prophecy, some which make one an actual prophet and some ...
- 49.1k
4
votes
Were there more than seven prophetesses?
Targum Yonathan (Bereshit 27:5) states Rivqah received רוח הקודש
Or HaḤayim (ibid) plainly states Rivqah was a prophetess
RaSh"I (Bereshit 29:34) states that the foremothers prophesied that Ya'...
- 7,413
4
votes
A question about King Ptolemy and his wife Arnevet
Interestingly, the Steinsaltz Gemara on this segment comments
The seventy-two Elders, in their translation of the word hare in the
list of non-kosher animals, used the word δασύπους, dasupous, which
...
- 47.7k
4
votes
Leaving a wine flask and an animal hide as a gift for an innkeeper
The term "innkeeper" is slightly incorrect here because that implies people are paying for the service whereas the Gemora is discussing the oppisite, Yerushlayim, when the Beis HaMikdush ...
- 4,688
3
votes
How to understand this Tosfos in Megila 5b
My understanding of this is as follows:
The Talmud here is citing a Mishnah in Ta'anit (12b) which discusses the progression of fasts when there is a lack of rain:
עברו אלו ולא נענו ממעטין במשא ומתן ...
- 49.1k
3
votes
Please help explain 1st Tosfot on Megillah 22a
Maharsha on that Tosfos asks this same problem.
בספרים שלנו אינו כן דויחל הוא אחר ד׳ פסוקים והקרבתם אחר ג׳. ועיין בתשובת מהרי״ל סימן קמט וקשה לי.
In our scrolls this is not so, for Vayichal ...
- 34.1k
3
votes
What's so bad about looking into the face of a wicked person?
Rav Avigdor Miller was asked this same question:
Q: What is the problem with looking at the face of a wicked person? [אסור
לאדם להסתכל בצלם דמות אדם רשע – “It is forbidden for one to gaze at
...
- 13.8k
3
votes
Accepted
Talmud Megilla 21a seems to have the reasoning reversed
Maharsha points this out. He says even though the pasuk which mentions sitting is by the first luchos and the pasuk which mentions standing is by the second ones, even still the implications are to ...
- 33.3k
3
votes
Accepted
Why Italia of Yavan?
It is most likely referring to the major Greek city-state of Syracuse which was established by the Corinthians and is located in southern Italy on the island of Sicily. It was the Capital city of the ...
- 14.2k
3
votes
Why Italia of Yavan?
The Rabbonim treated the empires of the world in reference to how they were relative to the Jews. Thus, even though the Greeks never ruled Italy (which was to the west of Greece), the chachamim ...
- 42.9k
3
votes
Interpreting Abayyei's mnemonic in Megillah 31a
שתלי זיתים:
Even light words of Chazal should be taken seriously, but especially when they are chosen purposefully.
This is hinting at the incident of the golden calf, and how the the firstborns ...
- 479
3
votes
How old were the Sages in Megillah 27b-28a?
Some of them, yes:
R' Elazar ben Shamua: Midrash Eileh Ezkerah says he lived to 105.
R' Preida: Tosafos there refers to a Gemara in Eiruvin (54b) that he lived to 400.
R' Yehoshua ben Korcha: ...
- 7,781
3
votes
What is meant by "congregational honor" regarding disallowing women reading the Torah publically?
This article offers an interesting interpretation of the concern. Excerpts:
Rav Ben-Zion Uziel understands the expression “kevod ha-tzibbur” in a
different manner. In the course of a discussion ...
- 70k
3
votes
Understanding the teaching of a person who says "I have labored in Torah study and haven't found success- don't believe him"
Normally we define success as having succeeded in what you set out to do. However with Torah we have a rule nephesh amalah amalah lo - If you learn one part of Torah the Torah can make itself ...
- 1,766
3
votes
Why doesn't the Talmud consider the possibility that the later court was greater in wisdom and number?
The Men of the Great Assembly included Neviem (prophets) They were the last group that included prophets
Generally speaking, each generation is smaller than the previous generation.
It is taken for ...
- 4,688
3
votes
Accepted
What was the old Yerushalmi Torah reading practice on Shabbat Rosh Hodesh?
Ezra Fleischer wrote an article in Tarbiz 73:1 entitled Remarks Concerning the Triennial Cycle of the Torah Reading in Eretz Israel. On page 111 (29 of his article), he discusses the question of the ...
- 9,777
3
votes
Was Mordechai the mashgiach at Achashverosh's party?
Rashi on Megillah 12a says that Mordechai was one of the Butlers of Achashverosh.
This is the quote כרצון מרדכי והמן - הם היו שרי המשקים במשתה
- 692
3
votes
Accepted
Was Mordechai the mashgiach at Achashverosh's party?
the maharsha and the megilla setarim
say that kirtzon ish vaish”....mordechai
means that achashveroah made him the mashgiach
mainly for the yayinn nessech issue
- 420
3
votes
Mishna Megila 4:4 - how many pesukim can you read to a meturgeman?
Exactly.
You read the last verse of the first section. As the translator is translating that single verse, you skip ahead to the second section.
You have to be able to start reading the first verse of ...
- 41.7k
3
votes
Why would Esther point at Achashveirosh?
This question is addressed by the Rema MiPano in his Asara Ma'amaros Eim Kol Chai 1:7 (cited by the Chasam Sofer Al HaTorah to Genesis 32:5 s.v. כה), and subsequently by the Vilna Gaon in his ...
- 19.6k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible