Question: shalom aleichem. having also university background i asked myself about the etymology of mekubalim. what it means exactly. do you have an approach to explain the term mukubalim in… Read more »
Category: Bible study questions – Tanach
Meguilah 13a, Goyim who do not worship other gods are then Jews?
Question: In the treaty of meguilah 13a says that all who leave idolatry are yehudin, And also in the comment: Daf Shevui to Megillah This midrash is connected to a… Read more »
Shnayim mikra
Question: Do I have to speak out the targum if I’m using English translation? Answer: It is controversial if one can be yotza targum by reading an English translation. The… Read more »
Distortion of Torah
Question: I READ THIS THE OTHER DAY. IS THIS IN LINE WITH AUTHENTIC TORAH JUDAISM OR A DISTORTION OF THE TRUTH. “The Bible is an inherently political document. The story… Read more »
Septuagint
Question: Why was the translation of the Torah into 70 languages considered a such a calamity, if Moshe explained the Torah to the yidden in 70 languages, before they entered… Read more »
Foreign language in Torah
Question: What does it mean when it says that certain words in the Torah come from foreign languages? For example, in Vaeschanan, Rashi on the word Totafos. Answer: The words… Read more »
Yaakov Avinu and Shechem
Question: After Shimon and Levi killed all the men of Shchem, Yaakov Avinu was afraid and he said, “I will be annihilated.” Why is this not considered “opening one’s mouth… Read more »
אֵלִיָּהוּ
Question: peace, was אֵלִיָּהוּ ha’navi married at all? the catholics claim, that he was not. but i don’t know if that is true indeed. sincerely, Answer: According to one opinion,… Read more »
Questions of Faith
Question: Hello, I had a few questions I wanted to know if you can help me with. 1) It has long bothered me why there is no corroborating historical account… Read more »
Did the jews travel in ships to Bavel
Question: Please see Yeshayahu 43:14 with Targum Yonasan and Rashi. Is it saying that the Jews went to Bavel in ships? If so, do we find this elsewhere in Tenach… Read more »
tree of life and tree of knowledge
Question: what is tree of life and tree of knowledge ? how to understand it ? 2) why who created all put angel to protect tree of life? after Answer:… Read more »
How Many vav Hahipuchs in each of the 24 books of Tenach
Question: How Many vav Hahipuchs (Conversive vav) are in each of the 24 books of Tenach compared with the number of letters / verses in that book. As far as… Read more »
G-d’s name in Nechemiah 13
Question: Please see Nechemiah 13:1. This verse quotes Devorim 23:4. Why change Hashem to Ha-Elokim? Similarly, why does Verse 2 substitute elokeinu for Hashem elokecha. Answer: Two interesting point, but… Read more »
Kesubos 110 – Living in a city
Question: On Kesubos 110b Rabbi Yose ben Chanina uses Nechemiah 11:2 to show that living in a city is difficult. Given the circumstances of Yerushalayim in the days of Nechemiah,… Read more »
Accepting non jewish contributions to jewish buildings
Question: Quoting Nechemiah 2:8, Arachin 6a discusses what contributions can be accepted from a gentile towards a jewish building. The verse is talking about the gates of the castle belonging… Read more »
Embarassing Sinners in Sefer Ezra
Question: Please see Ezra 10:2. Many jews had not intermarried, but Shechaniah had not. However, he said “we have sinned” in order to avoid embarrassing the sinners? Shechaniah learnt this… Read more »
Ezra and Malachi.
Question: On Megillah 15a, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah says that Malachi was Ezra. The sages disagree saying Malachi was a different person. Rav Nachman says Malachi was probably Ezra as… Read more »
The return from Bavel and Temurah 15b
Question: There were 42360 returnees (Ezra 2:64). Yirmiyahu 52:30 says 4600 people were exiled with Tzidkiyahu. Melachim 2 24:14 says 10000 were exiled with Yehoyachin. How can Temurah 15b say… Read more »
Were the jews so few in number
Question: Please see 7:7. How can Moshe say the jews were the fewest? There were 601730 men between 20 and 60. That’s quite a large population. For the jews to… Read more »
What was first 2nd Beis Hamikdosh or Purim?
Question: Did the events of Purim take place before or after the 2nd Beis Hamikdosh. Rashi following Seder Olam says Purim was first. Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer 49 says Achashveirosh was… Read more »
Origins of Mankind
Question: Hello, I am trying to understand how the we reconcile the flood and that all humankind around now descend from Noach and his son’s with the fact that there… Read more »
Chalifin and Chiliyon
Question: Bava Metzia 47a/b uses Rus 4:7 verse in a discussion about transferring ownership by exchange. This is called chalifin (eg using a shoe). The Gemoro is unclear whether the… Read more »
Large Samech in Bemidbar 13:30
Question: The mesorah records that the samekh in 13:30 is large (see marginal note in Artscroll and elsewhere). Yet none of the printed editions which I have consulted actually conform… Read more »
Korach’s Mishkan
Question: Please see Bemidbar 16:27. Why is Korach’s dwelling called a Mishkan rather than an ohel or bayis? Answer: You are bringing up an interesting point. A possible answer may… Read more »
Dimensions of Israel
Question: On Bemidbar 13:25, Oznayim Latorah says that Israel measures 400 parsahs by 400 parsahs. Does this mean that it’s a square? It doesn’t look that way on a map…. Read more »
What did the Leviim do when not officiating in the Beis Hamikdosh
Question: 8:18 Chizkuni says that Leviim didn’t own land, so they would be free to concentrate on their tasks in the Temple. If they ploughed soil, their hands would be… Read more »
What did God Give Moses at Sinai
Question: It seems there is a debate as to what Moses got from God at Sinai. Everyone would agree that he got the 10 commandments and the Oral Torah. But… Read more »
Is Tumah Real of just symbolic?
Question: When the Torah speaks of someone becoming tomei, I always thought it was “real” in that a spiritual, albeit non-tangible entity descends or appears to make the person spiritually… Read more »
Naamnan’s jewish slave girl.
Question: In Melachim 2 chapter 5 Naaman’s wife’s jewish slave girl gets Naaman to go to Elisha. Do we know if Elisha knew of her and tried to free her… Read more »
Chaggai’s Tests to the Kohanim
Question: I’m looking at Chaggai 2:12. It seems that G-d decided that his questions to the Kohanim should be recorded for posterity. Why did G-d not make the question clear… Read more »
where is the mikur for the חז״ל צדיק גוזר והקדוש ברוך מקיים
Question: Where is the mikur for the חז״ל צדיק גוזר והקדוש ברוך מקיים Answer: The Midrash, Devorim Rabba 5-13, see also Moed Katan 16b. Have a good day.
The messiah and his arrival
Question: Hello i wanted to know more about the Messiah. I wanted to know if they might have a prophecy about a woman giving birth to the messiah. If there… Read more »
Have science and archaeology improved our understanding of Tenach
Question: Hope you had a good Pesach. Can you think of phrases or passages in Tenach that have been understood better in light of archaeological or scientific discoveries? The link… Read more »
Rashi to Shemos 23:20
Question: Please see Rashi to Shemos 23:20. Rashi says this angel was a sign they would sin. Why not wait until after they had sinned? It seems like the jews… Read more »
Evidence if Yetzias Mitzrayim and Jews in the Midbar
Question: Hello, we are coming up to passover where we celebrate the Jews leaving Egypt. A few things about this are troubling to me. Would you perhaps have any more… Read more »
Can the Hebrew word “req” (empty) mean financially poor when describing a person?
Question: Would it be very normal for the Hebrew word “req” (vain, empty) to mean financially poor when it is used to describe a person? For instance, judges 9:4, judges… Read more »
Melachim 2 4:1
Question: Please see Melachim 2 4:1. Redak says that Ovadiah’s wife managed to communicate with him despite him being dead. The dead Ovadiah told her to consult Elisha. Is this… Read more »
Melachim 2 3:13
Question: How did Yehoram know that G-d had commanded him to fight and lose to Moav? If Yehoram did know this why didn’t Elisha know it? The Gemoro Menachos 98a… Read more »
beis ya’ar halevanon
Question: I’m looking at Melachim 1 10:16,17. Why make shields of gold even if there was lots of it? Would gold be more effective than iron in battle? What was… Read more »
Aron hakodesh
Question: REPORT: Aron Hakodesh is Hidden in Ethiopian Church; Researchers Claim to Have Seen Items Used in Bais Hamikdash This article above appeared on yeshivaworldnews. There was a similar article… Read more »
Parsha Question
Question: Shalom. In Sefer Shmot, Parshat Va’Eira, Chapter 6, Pesukim 14 to 25, the Torah begins to outline the Genealogy of Klal Yisrael in Mitzrayim. Why does the Torah only… Read more »
Who was Eliyahu
Question: I’m looking at Melachim 1 17:1. With most prophets in Tenach, I believe we’re told their father’s name or tribe. Why are we told nothing about Eliyahu? 16:1 tells… Read more »
Why did Adam or Hevel bring a Korban
Question: What made the first person who brought a Korban (Kayin and Hevel in Ber. 3:3-5 or Adam in Avodah Zara 8a) think that G-d would approve of a person… Read more »
Sanhedrin and wicked kings
Question: In Devarim 17:20, Rashi says that if a king is not righteous he won’t have a long reign. I’m trying to understand his comments. Did the Sanhedrin have the… Read more »
How do we know chana is accurate
Question: There are verses in Samuel where Chana talks to Hashem after she got a child and says there no one as holy as hashem and there is no one… Read more »
Lev Melech Beyad Hashem
Question: If lev melech beyad Hashem, then do we not show appreciation for good things they do and blame them for the bad things they do? If that’s the case… Read more »
The difference btw. Heart and soul?
Question: ואהבת את ה׳ אל׳היך , בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך, ובכל מאדך: והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום, על לבבך: ושננתם לבניך ודברת בם בשבתך בביתך , ובלכתך בדרך,… Read more »
Milchemes Reshus
Question: Dear Rabbi, How can there be a milchemes reshus where we’re not defending ourselves just attacking others to conquer them? The Torah sounds like Klal Yisrael can just go… Read more »
Was the king a judge
Question: I’m looking at Devarim 17:9. Ibn Ezra says hashofeit refers to the king, possibly because of the hei prefix. Was the king a judge eg Shmuel 2 12:1 and… Read more »
Kishuf
Question: Are bnei noach metzuveh on Kishuf? I thought they weren’t as it’s not one of the sheva mitzvos bnei noach but the Torah says that the seven nations were… Read more »