Unanswered Questions
159 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
9
votes
1
answer
186
views
Establishing the relative order of Rashi's commentaries
In learning Masekhet Ketubot, I encountered Rashi's definition of בי שמשי on daf 103a. There, since the passage is clearly referring to twilight on erev shabbat in particular, Rashi explains why so ...
CommunityBot
- 1
6
votes
1
answer
217
views
Comparing the Heart and Luchot
I was reading in Mishlei (3:3, 7:3) the other day and noticed that our hearts are sometimes compared to tablets, and that on it the Words of HaShem should be inscribed. This reminded me of Yirmiyahu ...
CommunityBot
- 1
6
votes
1
answer
239
views
Judges Chapter 9 and Aesop's Fable
In the book of Judges 9:8-15 we have the following fable:
8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they
said unto the olive-tree: Reign thou over us.
9 But the olive-...
- 28k
5
votes
0
answers
83
views
מִזְבֵּחַ marked with פשטא and accentuated מלרע?
It is my understanding that the absolute noun מִזְבֵּחַ is never marked with just one פשטא (and accentuated מלרע) but always שני פשטין (and accentuated מלעיל), the latter in accordance with its proper ...
- 121
5
votes
0
answers
155
views
Why isn't midrash rabbah learnt as much as other commentaries
I feel like there's more of a stress to learn other commentaries, and midrash rabbah and tanchuma are just nice things extra if you want to. I see amazing droshos in the midrash, and was wondering why ...
- 3,836
5
votes
0
answers
253
views
Why did Rashi choose Hebrew over Aramaic?
Rashi chose a form of Medieval Hebrew to write his commentaries, which facilitates the life of many students, as the Aramaic content in his writing is very low compared to the Gemara or contemporary ...
- 28k
5
votes
0
answers
78
views
Why is the format for referencing books sometimes backwards?
The Rambam is usually reference in the following way: פרק א׳ מהלכות ק״ש הלכה ט׳ - chapter 1 from from hilchos kerias shma, halacha 9.
Why is it referenced this way? Why not the way many ...
- 730
4
votes
0
answers
191
views
Esav/ Yishmael and Mahalath, and the explanation of the Gra
Rabbi Sorotzkin in his sefer "Keitz HaYamin" (vol. 2, p. 13) writes:
עשו וישמעאל הן קין והבל - Eisav and Yishmael are Kayin and Hevel
It seems that he got this idea from the Gra on Sifra ...
- 11.6k
4
votes
1
answer
156
views
Translation help: powers of the seven great men of the city
I'm struggling with a particular part of the reasoning of the Mahari ben-Lev in responsum 2:72, in which he addresses whether or not the טובי העיר have the power to make a rule banning townsfolk from ...
CommunityBot
- 1
4
votes
0
answers
105
views
Why would G-d let angels speak on His behalf?
In regards to this question of mine I would like to ask:
In Genesis/Bereshit 18:10 it seems that one of the men/angels visiting Avraham is saying that Sarah will give birth to a son, while in Genesis ...
- 7,596
4
votes
0
answers
77
views
What is 1,530 a reference to?
In his commentary to Genesis 7:12, R. Isaiah of Trani (the Elder) writes:
וכן במניין ישראל אלף וחמש מאות ושלשים ואי אפשר דבר זה שלא היה אחד מהם יתר או חסר אלא כן דרך המקראות לתפוש מניין שלם ואפי' חסר ...
CommunityBot
- 1
4
votes
0
answers
116
views
Has anyone learned the Sheiltot of R. Achai Gaon with the Netziv's commentary?
Would you recommend it? I really enjoy learning anything with the Netziv and I like the idea of halachic midrashim on the parsha with some ethical messages. It seems like it's a great way to learn ...
- 48.6k
4
votes
0
answers
89
views
Moving things around "opposite the gap" in an enclosure on Shabbat
On Shabbat there are mitigating structures whose presence can enclose an area physically, constituting a necessary ingredient in allowing movement of objects within that area.
There are several ...
- 34.7k
4
votes
0
answers
104
views
Did Ralbag's predecessors help him, or make things more difficult for him?
At the end of his commentary to Parshat Bereishit, Ralbag writes that he had difficulty composing his commentary to this parshah because the earlier commentaries practically pushed him away from ...
- 50.3k
4
votes
0
answers
115
views
Adam 's sin out of deveikut?
I found this online:
In his sefer "Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh," R' Itamar Shwartz emphasizes the important point that our existence in this world is for the purpose of being davuk to our Creator; to be ...
- 17.9k