Thursday, December 5th, 2024

Parashat VaEira: Study as a Means for Allowing One to “Hear” by Yaakov Bieler

January 19, 2012 by  
Filed under New Posts

The Jewish people’s lack of receptivity to Moshe’s message of impending redemption. The final total demoralization of the Jewish people during their enslavement in Egypt is reflected in Shemot 6:9. And Moshe spoke in just this way (he related all that HaShem had Instructed him to say[1] to the children of Israel, and they did [...]

Reflections on Tzniut and Beit Shemesh by Aryeh Klapper

January 19, 2012 by  
Filed under New Posts

The unconscionable physical and verbal violence against women in Beit Shemesh and elsewhere have degraded the religious concept of tzeniut (modesty) by associating it with misogyny and oppression. Some Orthodox condemnations of that violence, by objecting to means while acknowledging shared ends, have added to that degradation.  My purpose here is to directly reject the ends, in other words [...]

Who Can Serve as Kashrut Supervisors? The Model of Kuthim by Aryeh Klapper

December 8, 2011 by  
Filed under New Posts

Whom can one trust to tell you that meat was slaughtered properly, and under what circumstances can you trust them?  For consumers nowadays, this question is generally far removed from the actual locations and personnel of slaughtering – we discuss which hechsher to trust, not which shochet.  The industrialization of kosher food production has further [...]

Reflections on הא לחמא עניא by Aryeh Klapper

April 17, 2011 by  
Filed under New Posts

The standard seder text begins with the recitation of הא לחמא עניא, “This is the bread of oni that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt”.  The use of “this”, equivalent the the Hebrew זה, suggests that one is pointing at a matzah, and the literary issue is that no context has been set.  [...]

The Rabbi Linzer – Agudath Israel Debate on Brain Death: Methodological Considerations by Aryeh Klapper

March 22, 2011 by  
Filed under Halakha, New Posts

 Introduction  Recently Rabbi Dov Linzer published a statement (Appendix A), cosigned by many other rabbis, on the subject of halakhah and braindeath.  Agudath Israel of America’s office subsequently issued an unsigned statement (Appendix B) that took very sharp issue with Rabbi Linzer’s statement.  I am party to neither statement, nor do I intend in this [...]

Procreation, Women, and Birth Control: Reflections on the Meshech Chochmah by Aryeh Klapper

October 7, 2010 by  
Filed under Halakha, New Posts

 Genesis 1:27-28 G-d created the human in His image In His image He created him Male and female He created them G-d blessed them G-d said to them: Be fruitful and multiply; fill the land and subdue it; dominate the fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens, and every wild thing that [...]

Pshat and Drash: What Did Korach Take? by Aryeh Klapper

June 10, 2010 by  
Filed under New Posts, Tanach

רש”י במדבר פרק טז :א “ויקח קרח” – פרשה זו יפה נדרשת במדרש רבי תנחומא. “ויקח קרח” – לקח את עצמו לצד אחד להיות נחלק מתוך העדה לעורר על הכהונה, וזהו שתרגם אונקלוס “ואתפלג” – נחלק משאר העדה להחזיק במחלוקת, וכן (איוב טו, יב) “מה יקחך לבך” – לוקח אותך להפליגך משאר בני אדם. דבר [...]

The Anger of Scholars: Avot Chapter 5 by Aryeh Klapper

May 9, 2010 by  
Filed under New Posts, Talmud

משנה מסכת אבות פרק ה:י-טו ארבע מדות באדם: האומר שלי שלי ושלך שלך –                         זו מדה בינונית; ויש אומרים זו מדת סדום; שלי שלך ושלך שלי –                                  עם הארץ; שלי שלך ושלך שלך –                                 חסיד; שלי שלי ושלך שלי –                                   רשע:  ארבע מדות בדעות: נוח לכעוס ונוח לרצות –                              יצא [...]

Struggling with Books and Teachers: R’ Chaim Volozhiner’s Commentary to Avot 1:4 by Aryeh Klapper

April 12, 2010 by  
Filed under Education, New Posts, Talmud

משנה מסכת אבות פרק א:ד יוסי בן יועזר אומר: יהי ביתך בית ועד לחכמים, והוי מתאבק בעפר רגליהם, והוי שותה בצמא את דבריהם:  רוח חיים לאבות א:ד יהי ביתך בית ועד כו’ – יתכן לפרש כי במ”ח דברים שהתורה ניקנית בהם, כמבואר לקמן, א’ מהם הוא המחכים את רבותיו ע”י שאלותיו החריפים וממילא רווחא שמעתתא [...]

May Women Get Their Hair Cut on Chol Ha-Moed? Halakhic and Meta-Halakhic Considerations by Aryeh Klapper

March 24, 2010 by  
Filed under Halakha, Holidays, New Posts

May women get their hair cut on Chol Ha-Moed?  שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תקמו סעיף ה עושה אשה כל תכשיטיה במועד; כוחלת ופוקסת (פי’ מחלקת שערה לכאן ולכאן רש”י), ומעברת סרק על פניה, וטופלת עצמה בסיד וכיוצא בו; והוא שתוכל לסלקו במועד; ומעברת שער מבית השחי ומבית הערוה, בין ביד בין בכלי, ומעברת סכין [...]

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