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The Recently Published Photographs of Rav Yisrael Salanter: Real or Imaginary?

The Recently Published Photographs of Rav Yisrael Salanter: Real or Imaginary?

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The Recently Published Photographs of Rav Yisrael Salanter: Real or Imaginary? By Shnayer Leiman As early as 2006, and continuing through 2022, a flurry of photographs, purporting to bear the likeness of Rav Yisrael Salanter, have either appeared in print or have been posted on the Internet (see below, section II). While the publication of these photos certainly attests to his abiding influence well into the 21st century, their authenticity seems less than certain, and demands investigation. At the very…

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Torah Genius, Infallibility and Augmented Intelligence

Torah Genius, Infallibility and Augmented Intelligence

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Torah Genius, Infallibility and Augmented Intelligence by Avinoam Fraenkel For details of Avinoam Fraenkel’s new book, Shomer Emunim: The Introduction to Kabbalah, and his previous two-volume Nefesh HaTzimtzum, see here. To view his series of short Shomer Emunim Kabbalah explainers, that introduce the basic concepts of Arizal’s Kabbalah in the context of contemporary science and technology, see here. This essay explores the nature of Torah genius, and how it can be dramatically enhanced by embracing technology. It investigates why, notwithstanding…

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Armin Wilkowitch about Shabbes Shekolim in his youth in Russia

Armin Wilkowitch about Shabbes Shekolim in his youth in Russia

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Armin Wilkowitch about Shabbes Shekolim in his youth in Russia by Gabriel Wasserman and Phillip Minden Shabbes Shekolim (Shabbat Sheqalim) is the first of the four special Sabbaths in or near the month of Adar, when special passages are read from the Torah. In addition to the special readings from the Torah, Ashkenazic Jewry has distinguished these four Sabbaths with the inclusion of special piyyutim in the Sabbath service; these piyyutim – most, and perhaps all – are by Eleazar…

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The Image of the Menorah in the Early Printed Hebrew Book

The Image of the Menorah in the Early Printed Hebrew Book

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The Image of the Menorah in the Early Printed Hebrew Book By Dan Rabinowitz The menorah is one of the most recognizable Jewish symbols. Today it has been adopted by the State of Israel as her official symbol, and throughout history there are numerous examples of its use. Coins, headstones, paintings and synagogue walls etchings, lamps, mosaics, manuscripts, and books, all provide examples of the widespread usage and mediums. Many of these examples have been addressed by scholars, but there…

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Jacob ben Elhanan Heilbronn – A Multi-faceted Erudite Scholar

Jacob ben Elhanan Heilbronn – A Multi-faceted Erudite Scholar

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Jacob ben Elhanan Heilbronn – A Multi-faceted Erudite Scholar By Marvin J. Heller[1] Jewish history and literature is replete with individuals of stature, men of repute, leaders in their generation, whose memory has not fared well over time. Their reputations and accomplishments notwithstanding, they are not well remembered today, excepting in rabbinic or academic circles. This is, of course, not only a Jewish phenomenon, but our concern is with one individual in particular, prominent in his time in the Jewish…

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The Missing Nun Verse in Ashrei

The Missing Nun Verse in Ashrei

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The Missing Nun Verse in Ashrei[1] Ben Zion Katz Northwestern University There are several alphabetic acrostics in the book of Psalms. These acrostics are found in Psalms 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119 and 145. Only three of these are complete acrostics – i.e., acrostics in which every letter of the alphabet is represented. Psalms 111 and 112 begin each half verse with the succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet following the psalm’s first word (Halleluyah). Psalm 119 is an…

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Notes on the Book of Samuel, and the Eternal Sanctity of the Temple in Maimonidean Thought

Notes on the Book of Samuel, and the Eternal Sanctity of the Temple in Maimonidean Thought

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Notes on the Book of Samuel, and the Eternal Sanctity of the Temple in Maimonidean Thought By Rabbi Avi Grossman avrahambenyehuda.wordpress.com Rabbi Label Dulitz, who passed away last week, was an iconic figure at YUHSB. I was privileged to first meet him when I began my studies at the school in the fall of 1996. That year, Rabbi Dulitz was teaching Talmud to part of the tenth grade, but some of us lucky freshmen got to sit in his afternoon…

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The Discovery of a Hidden Treasure in the Vatican and the Correction of a Centuries-Old Error

The Discovery of a Hidden Treasure in the Vatican and the Correction of a Centuries-Old Error

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The Discovery of a Hidden Treasure in the Vatican and the Correction of a Centuries-Old Error Rabbi Edward Reichman, MD In 2018, I was invited to speak at a conference co-sponsored by the Vatican and the CURA Foundation entitled, Unite to Cure: A Global Health Care Initiative. The mission of the conference was to “convene leading decision makers in medicine, business, media, advocacy and faith to encourage multidisciplinary collaboration, increase investment in research and innovation… education and better access to…

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Gelatin, Abraham Goldstein, R. Moses Isserles, and More, Part 2

Gelatin, Abraham Goldstein, R. Moses Isserles, and More, Part 2

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 Gelatin, Abraham Goldstein, R. Moses Isserles, and More Marc B. Shapiro Continued from here Among the matters I discussed in the previous post were gelatin and consumption of the human body as part of a medical cure. Believe it or not, consumption of human parts not in the context of medicine is mentioned in a short responsum of R. Joseph Kafih. R. Kafih was asked if it permissible to drink various non-Jewish milk products and also gelatin produced from non-kosher animals….

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Memories of Harav Shmryahu Shulman zt’l About Rav Ahron Kotler Zt”l

Memories of Harav Shmryahu Shulman zt’l About Rav Ahron Kotler Zt”l

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Memories of Harav Shmryahu Shulman zt’l About Rav Ahron Kotler Zt”l By Avrohom Willner In honor of the Sheloshim of Harav Shmryahu Shulman zt’l formerly Rav in Jersey City and Norwich Ct. and later of Queens NY. R’ Shulman was the author of numerous Seforim and was the last remaining member of the Agudas Harabanim. Presented here are memories of his great Rebbe, Rav Ahron Kotler Zt”l, as one of the first students to learn in Beis Medrash Govoha in Lakewood as well as member…

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ענין הריגת עשו והמסתעף

ענין הריגת עשו והמסתעף

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ענין הריגת עשו והמסתעף Shlomo (Steven) Flamer is a fourth-year medical student at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He previously studied at Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim (Queens, NY), and holds an M.A. in Jewish Studies from Touro College רש”י לפרשת ויחי (מט, כא) ד”ה הנותן אמרי שפר מביא דברי חז”ל אודות מיתת עשו, ז”ל רבותינו דרשוהו על יום קבורת יעקב כשערער עשו על המערה במסכת סוטה דף יג עכ”ל. ובאמת יש לכל הפחות ד’ דיעות מי הרג לעשו: (א) חושים…

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Gelatin, Supposed Retractions, and Abraham Goldstein, Part 1

Gelatin, Supposed Retractions, and Abraham Goldstein, Part 1

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Gelatin, Supposed Retractions, and Abraham Goldstein, Part 1 Marc B. Shapiro In my last post I quoted something from Mesorat Moshe and wondered whether R. Moshe Feinstein could have actually said that which is attributed to him. While the Mesorat Moshe series is quite valuable, whenever one deals with “table talk” there is always going to be the issue of how much authority do you give to such reports, especially compared with written texts of R. Moshe. Here is an example of what I…

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Shnei Zeitim: Two Olive Branches – Piyut by Solomon Ibn Gabirol

Shnei Zeitim: Two Olive Branches – Piyut by Solomon Ibn Gabirol

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Shnei Zeitim: Two Olive Branches Piyut by Solomon Ibn Gabirol Translated & Annotated by Ben Zion Katz[1] Two[2] olive branches[3] cut down in the garden[4] will again produce fresh, pure olive oil[5], For the leaders of the Kohatites[6] and the Ephratites[7] will be crowned as one[8]. They will shine[9] like candles on the holy Menorah[10]- There in the camp opposite the menorah, they shined![11] The son of Ephrat[12] whose ornament[13] was cut off and then dried up[14] Has now become…

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Haftaros of Vayetze and Vayishlach – A Mistake Rectified

Haftaros of Vayetze and Vayishlach – A Mistake Rectified

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Haftaros of Vayetze and Vayishlach – A Mistake Rectified[1] By Eli Duker There had been one practice throughout the Jewish world concerning the Haftara of Vayishlach until the print revolution. The book of Ovadia is the Haftara listed in every Haftara list, including the one in the Rambam’s Seder HaTefillos in the Mishneh Torah, MS Ginsburg Moscow of the Machzor Vitry,[2] Etz Chaim (written in London on the eve of the Edict of Expulsion),[3] Abudarham,[4] and the list of Rabbi…

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How Dare You Translate Kabbalah!

How Dare You Translate Kabbalah!

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How Dare You Translate Kabbalah! by Avinoam Fraenkel Avinoam Fraenkel’s new book, Shomer Emunim: The Introduction to Kabbalah (Urim Publications, 2021), is a full facing page translation and expansive commentary on Shomer Emunim by R. Yosef Ergas, together with an extensive Kabbalah Overview systematically explaining key concepts of Lurianic Kabbalah in the context of a revolutionary framework of scientific understanding (see here). His previous two-volume Nefesh HaTzimtzum (Urim Publications, 2015), is a full facing page translation and expansive commentary on…

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