New book announcement: Chochmo Ba’goyim Taamin, By Rabbi Yonason Rosman

New book announcement: Chochmo Ba’goyim Taamin, By Rabbi Yonason Rosman

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New book announcement: Chochmo Ba’goyim Taamin, By Rabbi Yonason Rosman By Eliezer Brodt I would like to announce a concise new work which deals with some topics that are sure to be of interest to many of the readers of the blog. The sefer is titled Chochmo Ba’goyim Taamin, written by Rabbi Yonason Rosman (182 pp.). The goal of the book is to deal with the famous issue of to what extent has Jewish thought and religion been influenced by…

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Daf HaYomi: Seforim on Masseches Rosh Hashanah

Daf HaYomi: Seforim on Masseches Rosh Hashanah

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Daf Yomi: Seforim on Masseches Rosh Hashanah By Eliezer Brodt Daf Yomi just started learning Masseches Rosh Hashanah this week. This past Monday evening I had a conversation with Rabbi Moshe Schwed of All Daf. The purpose of the conversation was to briefly highlight some of the Rishonim and Achronim “out there” on this Messechtah, adding some tidbits of interest about them. We recorded it and it’s available for viewing here or here. It’s only half an hour long. Many…

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Book Announcement: Mitchell First’s, “Links to Our Legacy: Insights into Hebrew, History, and Liturgy”

Book Announcement: Mitchell First’s, “Links to Our Legacy: Insights into Hebrew, History, and Liturgy”

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Book Announcement: Links to Our Legacy: Insights into Hebrew, History, and Liturgy by Mitchell First By Eliezer Brodt The Seforim Blog is proud to announce the publication of our frequent contributor Mitchell First’s newest book Links to Our Legacy: Insights into Hebrew, History, and Liturgy (236 pp.) Mitchell First’s 66 short articles address interesting questions about the Hebrew language, Jewish history, and liturgy. For example: • On Hebrew language: insights into the original meanings of the words chamushim, totafot, kohen, minchah,…

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In Praise of the Soncino Talmud

In Praise of the Soncino Talmud

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In Praise of the Soncino Talmud By David S Farkas* Not long ago one of our local schools hosted a Giveaway day in its library, making many of the older seforim in its considerable collection free to a good home. As expected, the local citizenry plundered and pillaged, carrying off large numbers of books, many still in quite good condition. I was only able to attend towards the end, “after the last of the gleaners had gone.”[1] Only a few…

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Which Direction is North?, Geographical Mistakes, and our Woke Universities

Which Direction is North?, Geographical Mistakes, and our Woke Universities

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Which Direction is North?, Geographical Mistakes, and our Woke Universities Marc B. Shapiro 1. Numbers 34:15 states: “Two and a half tribes have taken their inheritance on the side of the Jordan by Jericho, to the front, eastward.” Rashi comments: קדמה מזרחה: אל פני העולם שהם במזרח, שרוח מזרחית קרויה פנים ומערביות קרויה אחור לפיכך דרום לימין וצפון לשמאל This passage is translated as follows in ArtScroll’s Sapirstein edition: To the Front, Eastward: This means to the front of the world, which…

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Zafenat Pane’ah—A Further Example in the Titling of Hebrew Books

Zafenat Pane’ah—A Further Example in the Titling of Hebrew Books

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Zafenat Pane’ah—A Further Example in the Titling of Hebrew Books by Marvin J. Heller[1] Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zafenat Pane’ah and he gave him Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, chief of On, for a wife. Thus Joseph emerged over the land of Egypt (Genesis 41:45). Zafenat: Zafenat Pane’ah. This name means decipherer of the cryptic (revealer of secrets). There is nothing similar to pane’ah in Scripture (Rashi). The titling of Hebrew books is a beguiling subject. It has been addressed in…

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