Rabbi Chaim Volozhin’s Motivation to Write Nefesh HaChaim
…Chaim’s son, R. Yitzchak, in his introduction to Nefesh HaChaim. Nefesh HaChaim was subsequently published in 1824. [3] Most of the Yeshivot which include the study of Nefesh HaChaim as…
A Final Word to Chaim Rapoport
A final word to Chaim Rapoport’s continuing need to comment on our book by: Menachem Friedman & Samuel Heilman While we hoped our last posting would be our last word…
The Physicians of the Rome Plague of 1656, Yaakov Zahalon and Hananiah Modigliano
…2 vol (Berlin, 1895-1896), 212-213. [22] Sosland, op. cit., 25. [23] Some years ago, Chaim Reich, a”h, of Renaissance Hebraica, produced a high-quality reproduction of Otzar HaHayyim. I thank Rabbi…
WHEN HISTORY IS HIS STORY A Review of R. Dovid Kamenetsky’s “Rabeinu Chaim Ozer: Raban Shel Kol B’nei Ha’golah”
…the Chafetz Chaim, requesting that he pray for the girl’s recovery. Purportedly, the Chafetz Chaim refused to offer any hope, attributing his reluctance to the fact that R. Chaim Ozer…
How Dare You Translate Kabbalah!
…published what they claim is a translation of Nefesh HaChaim, where in the translator’s introduction it states “Please note: The sections of Nefesh HaChaim dealing with Kabbalistic subjects have been…
The Mysteries of Hoshana Rabbah
…The Kitzur Shibolei Haleket writes that he heard some say Zachreinu L’chayim. Rav Chaim Benveniste cites others who had such a minhag.The Maharam would say Hamelech Hakadosh and Hamelech Hamishpat,[71]…
Mayim Hayyim, the Baal Shem Tov, and R. Meir the son of R. Jacob Emden
…the responsa of R. Hayyim HaKohen Rapoport (1772-1839), was published by R. Hayyim’s son, R. Yaakov HaKohen Rapoport. R. Yaakov HaKohen Rapoport included material from other relatives as well (i.e.,…
Tracing the History of Shavuos Night Learning
…this in my doctorate Halachic Commentaries to the Shulchan Aruch on Orach Chayim from Ashkenaz and Poland in the Seventeenth Century.[3] This post contains important additions to some of the…
A nay bintl briv: Personal Reminiscences of Rabbi Israel Meir ha-Kohen from the Yiddish Republic of Letters
…Saint and Sage (Hafetz Hayim) (New York: Hafetz Hayim Yeshivah Society, 1937), 135, writes that the Hafets Hayyim refused to heed the advice of his physicians when he trekked approximately…
Two Editions of R. Chaim Berlin’s Responsa: An Egregious Example of Censorship
…pp. R. Chaim Berlin, Sefer Nishmat Hayyim, Mamorim u’Mechtavim, R. Ya’akov Kosovsky-Shachor ed., Beni-Brak, 2003, 424 pp. R. Chaim Berlin, Otzar Reb Hayyim Berlin, Shu”t Nishmat Hayyim, Jerusalem, 2008, 4…
On the History of the Custom to Announce Upcoming Fasts in the Synagogue on the Shabbat Preceding the Fasts
…take this position are quite limited.46 One example is Kaf Hachaim (Orach Chaim 550:24), who cites the language of Sefer Abudarham, and in 550:26, he also cites Yafeh Lalev (Volume…
The Hafetz Hayyim’s Statement on Teaching Torah to Girls in Likutei Halakhot: Literary and Historical Context
The Ḥafetz Ḥayyim’s Statement on Teaching Torah to Girls in Likutei Halakhot: Literary and Historical Context Rachel Manekin and Charles (Bezalel) Manekin Rachel Manekin is Associate Professor of Jewish Studies…
R. Moshe Zuriel, the Aderet, Sonya Diskin, and ChatGPT
…story as found in Simcha Raz’s An Angel Among Men.[7] When the Chafetz Chayim zt”l finished writing Nidchei Yisrael, he came to the Aderet (R. Eliyahu David Rabinowitz-Te’omim) to receive…
R. Hayyim Soloveitchik’s Attitude Towards Girsaot: A Response to Dr. Marc Shapiro
…Hayyim refers to the erroneous version. First, in the opening paragraph in Nizkei Mamon 4:4, where R. Hayyim sets up the piece. In order to explain why R. Hayyim is…
A Tribute to Rav Shlomo Elyashiv, Author of Leshem Shevo v-Achloma: On his Ninetieth Yahrzeit
…by his various disciples, primarily R. Chaim Vital (1542-1620) and R. Yisrael Sarug (1590-1610), the Lurianic system took form in the work Eitz-Chaim and the eight volumes of collected teachings…