A Letter from R. Nathan Kamenetsky
…around 1887. The other twin was R’ Shmuel Finkel, whose son became a caterer in Chicago and is the father of the recently deceased son-in-law of R’ Bainish Finkel (son…
Kaddish – His Will
…Rokeah, and Avudraham all followed the standard interpretation. See R. Shmuel Eliezer Stern’s concise compilation of their perspectives. 2. The GRA’s interpretation 3. Alternate interpretation 1. The Standard Interpretation …יִתְגַּדַּל…
The Significance of Avraham Avinu’s Performance of the Mitzvot
…the whole Torah. Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer Eidlisz [מהרש”א] in Yoma unites the two texts: קיים refers to fulfillment of the negative commandments, and, עשה refers to performance of the positive…
The Future of Israeli Haredi Society: Can The Written Word Offer Some Insight? (And Assorted Other Comments)
…[11] What is one to make of R. Shmuel Baruch Genot, Va-Yomer Shmuel (Elad, 2008), no. 84, that it is forbidden for Jews to oppose the death penalty in places where Jews are…
Rav Avraham Chai Reggio Brings A Sefer To Life
…The articles appeared under the title of “Toldot Avraham” whose author was Mordechai Shmuel Ghirondi (1800-1852) Ghirondi laments at length the loss of his teacher and goes into great detail…
Marc B. Shapiro – Rabbis and Communism
…Rabbi Moshe Shmuel ve-Doro (New York, 1964), 134-135, who tells an interesting story about R. Menashe of Ilya, one of the great students of the Vilna Gaon. (I can’t say…
Haredi Robbers
…and what became known as the Vilna Shas. Although the byline states that it was written “by Yated Ne’eman Staff” this is a wholesale reproduction of R. Shmuel Feigenshon’s article…
Purim, Mixed Dancing and Kill Joys
…regarding Purim. In his responsa, Devar Shmuel, he says it is absolutely prohibited to read or even own the parody Mesachat Purim. He says any such copies should be destroyed….
The Pesach Drasha of the Rokeach
…[4a] See; Shmuel and Zev Safrai, Haggadas Chazal, pp.54-55. [5] See; Haggadah Shevivei Eish, p. 152; Y. Tabory, Pesach Dorot, pp. 216- 244. See also what I wrote in my…
David Glasner — Responses to Comments and Elaborations
Responses to Comments and Elaborations David Glasner David Glasner, an economist at the Federal Trade Commission, is a great-grandson of Rabbi Moshe Shmuel Glasner, the topic of his recent post,…
Mayim Hayyim, the Baal Shem Tov, and R. Meir the son of R. Jacob Emden
…mentioned previously, today, Shmuel Dovid Friedman has attempted to fill the void of R. Meir’s works in publishing the first volume of R. Meir’s hiddushim. These hiddushim are on Mishnayot…
Anonymous Sefarim
…above discussion. R. Shmuel Aboab (1610-1694), wrote the ethical work Sefer HaZikronot, first published in 1631 in Prague, recently reprinted in 2001. However, the book was published anonymously. R. Hayyim…
Hot Tears For A Close Friend: Rabbi Eitam Henkin HY”D
…one hand, Rabbi Shmuel Salant viewed him as an ally, but on the other, Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, head of the rabbinical court of Brisk, loathed him. My study successfully…
The Legend of R. Yehuda Halevi’s Death: Truth or Fiction & the Cairo Genizah
…used for martyrdom. Shear suggests that perhaps it comes from this story, later mentioned by the Shalsheles Hakabbalah,[20] although he concludes that the idea is far-fetched. In 1840 R. Shmuel…
Should we celebrate birthdays or not? Is it better to ignore them?
…by Rav Harfenes in Beit Vaad LaChachamim (adar 2009, p.356), Shut Lehorot Natan (IX, §5, 9),[10] Gdulat Yehoshua (Chelek 2, Hakdama), Rav Shmuel Mohliver (Midei Chodesh BeChodsho, II, Jerusalem 1957,…