The Chanukah Omission
…which does have its own mesechta. To illustrate this point, the Chofetz Chaim’s son writes that his father spent months working on just two simanim of Hilchos Tefillin for his…
Chofetz Hayyim His Death, the New York Times and Research Tools
…for the Chofetz Hayyim. The email explains that after hearing someone mentioning the Times covered the Chofetz Hayyim’s death the person couldn’t believe it and decided to investigate the matter….
More About Rashbam on Genesis Chapter 1 and Further Comments about ArtScroll
…does Or ha-Hayyim actually say this? Here is Or ha-Hayyim on the verse. As you can see, Or ha-Hayyim does not say that everyone is responsible according to how many…
A Preliminary Bibliography of Recent Works on Birkat ha-Chamah
…Chaim Rapoport in Birkat ha-Chamah Al Pei Minhag Chabad (p. 80-81) cites the Alei Tamar who argues that this is an incorrect reading of Yosef Ometz and they did not…
Torah Genius, Infallibility and Augmented Intelligence
…DeTzniyuta (which is fully translated and commented on in Nefesh HaTzimtzum, Vol. 2, pp. 469-517). R. Chaim’s son, R. Yitzchak, in his introduction to his father’s work, Nefesh HaChaim, describes…
An Unexpected Epistolary Discovery and the Shared Medical Journeys of Tuviya HaRofe and Gabriel Felix (late 17th- early 18th centuries)
…284 c. 37r. I thank Filippo Valle for taking a photograph of the archival record. [42] JTS Library, Ms. 7216, 177v. [43] D. Carpi, “II rabbino Chayim Polacco, alias Vital…
The Pew Report and the Orthodox Community (and Other Assorted Comments), part 2
…remain on during marital relations. See R. Hayyim Joseph David Azulai, Birkei Yosef, Orah Hayyim 8:7. See also Magen Avraham, Orah Hayyim 240:22, and R. Avner Afgin, Divrei Shalom, vol….
Ha-Osek be-Mitzvah Patur min ha-Mitzvah: The Case of Prayer and Torah Study
…point of view, see Hatam Sofer to Nedarim 81a; R. Hayyim Volozin’s Nefesh ha-Hayyim, Shaar Dalet, sect. 3; Ruah Hayyim to Avot 6:1, and the introduction to Eglei Tal. A…
Marc Shapiro: R. Kook on Sacrifices & Other Assorted Comments
…older brother, the Orchos Chayim, who had reinstituted the wearing of techeiles. Reb Yerucham believed that the original formula of his uncle was lost during the war. This is the…
More on The Rebbe
…and Menachem Friedman’s Presentation of the Rebbe’s Life”) by frequent contributor to the Seforim blog, Chaim Rapoport, available here, which elicited a response by Samuel Heilman & Menachem Friedman, followed…
Hasidism in America
…government as a “disadvantaged minority, which allowed them access to various government benefits.” [2] R. Hayyim Halberstam, Divrei Hayyim,vol. 2, Hoshen Mishpat. no. 32, writes against the practice of family succession when it…
Answers to Quiz Questions and Other Comments, part 2
…I am sure people would assume that only a modern feminist type could have penned these words. Yet we see that this is not the case. R. Hayyim David Halevi…
An Illustrated Life of an Illustrious Renaissance Jew Rabbi Doctor Shimshon Morpurgo (1681-1740)
…whose dissertation is on Shabtai Hayyim Marini, both the picture and rebbe of Ramchal are Shabtai Hayyim Marini (1662-1748). In addition, according to Roumani, “Shabbetay Aharon Hayyim Marini is not…
Forgetfulness & Other Human Errors a New Monography by Marc Shapr
…5:4 (Koenigsberg, 1856), p. 35a (quoting R. Hayyim). Thus, according to R. Hayyim, R. Karo could forget and make mistakes. R. Hayyim of Volozhin’s understanding, however, is completely rejected by…
Young Rabbis and All About Olives
…9. This post deals with young rabbis, not precocious children. However, regarding children wise beyond their years, I just came across the following from R. Hayyim ben Bezalel, Be’er Mayim Hayim (London,…